925 verses about Desires

on this ground, therefore, the temperate Joseph is praised in that by reasoning, he subdued, on reflection, the indulgence of sense.

For, although young, and ripe for sexual intercourse, he abrogated by reasoning the stimulus of his passions.

And it is not merely the stimulus of sensual indulgence, but that of every desire, that reasoning is able to master.

For instance, the law says, You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor anything that belongs to your neighbor.

Now, then, since it is the law which has forbidden us to desire, I shall much the more easily persuade you, that reasoning is able to govern our lusts, just as it does the affections which are impediments to justice.

Since in what way is a solitary eater, and a glutton, and a drunkard reclaimed, unless it be clear that reasoning is lord of the passions?

A man, therefore, who regulates his course by the law, even if he be a lover of money, straightway puts force upon his own disposition; lending to the needy without interest, and cancelling the debt of the incoming Sabbath.

And reason appears to be master of the more violent passions, as love of empire and empty boasting, and slander.

For the temperate understanding repels all these malignant passions, as it does wrath: for it masters even this.

For the temperate mind is able, as I said, to be superior to the passions, and to transfer some, and destroy others.

For at the time when God created man, He implanted within him his passions and moral nature.

How, then, a man may say, if reasoning be master of the passions, has it no control over forgetfulness and ignorance?

The argument is exceedingly ridiculous: for reasoning does not appear to bear sway over its own affections, but over those of the body,

in such a way as that any one of you may not be able to root out desire, but reasoning will enable you to avoid being enslaved to it.

For reasoning is not an eradicator, but an antagonist of the passions.

And this may be more clearly comprehended from the thirst of king David.

but the king, being very much thirsty, although he had numerous springs, could not by their means quench his thirst;

but a certain irrational longing for the water in the enemy’s camp grew stronger and fiercer upon him, and consumed him with languish.

Wherefore his bodyguards being troubled at this longing of the king, two valiant young soldiers, reverencing the desire of the king, put on their panoplies, and taking a pitcher, got over the ramparts of the enemies:

But he, though parched with thirst, reasoned that a draught reputed of equal value to blood, would be terribly dangerous to his soul.

Wherefore, setting up reasoning in opposition to his desire, he poured out the draught to God.

For the temperate mind has power to conquer the pressure of the passions, and to quench the fires of excitement,

and to wrestle down the pains of the body, however excessive; and, through the excellency of reasoning, to abominate all the assaults of the passions.

It seems senseless not to enjoy what is pleasant, yet not disgraceful; and from notions of sinfulness, to reject the boons of nature.

Yet it instructs us in temperance, so that we are superior to all pleasures and lusts; and it exercises us in manliness, so that we cheerfully undergo every grievance.

Those things which are convenient to our souls, he has directed us to eat; but those which are repugnant to them, he has interdicted.

Confessedly, therefore, religious reasoning is master of the passions.

For had the passions been superior to reasoning, I would have given them the witness of this mastery.

But now, since reasoning conquered the passions, we befittingly awared it the authority of first place.

Ridiculous would it be were it not so; and I prove that reasoning has not only mastered pains, but that it is also superior to the pleasures, and withstands them.

For father Eleazar, projecting his disposition, broke the raging waves of the passions as with a jutting promontory.

O priest worthy of the priesthood! you did not pollute your sacred teeth; nor make your appetite, which had always embraced the clean and lawful, a partaker of profanity.

But perhaps some might say, It is not all who conquer passions, as all do not possess wise reasoning.

But they who have meditated upon religion with their whole heart, these alone can master the passions of the flesh;

This circumstance, then, is by no means an objection, that some who have weak reasoning, are governed by their passions:

and knowing that it is a blessed thing to endure all kinds of hardships for virtue, would not, for the sake of religion, master his passion?

For the wise and brave man only is lord over his passions.

and, conforming to the Greek mode of life, alter your rule, and revel in youth’s delights.

Why withdraw ourselves from a most sweet life, and deprive ourselves of this pleasant world?

For just as if, had they as slaves to the passions, eaten of the unholy, we should have said that they had been conquered by the;

now it is not so: but by means of the reasoning which is praised by God, they mastered their passions.

How, then, can we avoid according to these men mastery of passion through right reasoning, since they drew not back from the pains of fire?

so that seven-towered right-reasoning of the young men, securing the harbour of religion, conquered the intermperance of passions.

O reasoning of the sons, lord over the passions, and religion more desirable to a mother than progeny!

But with the reasoning of religion the mother quenched passions so great and powerful.

Knowing that religious reasoning is lord of the passions, and those not only inward but outward.

Again, the devil took him to an exceedingly high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery;’ Exodus 20:14

but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.

If your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna.

If your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off, and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna.

Give to him who asks you, and don’t turn away him who desires to borrow from you.

Therefore don’t be like them, for your Father knows what things you need, before you ask him.

Give us today our daily bread.

for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can’t serve both God and Mammon.

For the Gentiles seek after all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.

“Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you.

For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened.

Therefore whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.

But you go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ Hosea 6:6 for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Others fell among thorns. The thorns grew up and choked them.

For most certainly I tell you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which you see, and didn’t see them; and to hear the things which you hear, and didn’t hear them.

What was sown among the thorns, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of this age and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.

Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatever she should ask.

Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Be it done to you even as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever will lose his life for my sake will find it.

If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the Gehenna of fire.

The young man said to him, “All these things I have observed from my youth. What do I still lack?”

But when the young man heard the saying, he went away sad, for he was one who had great possessions.

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, kneeling and asking a certain thing of him.

He said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Command that these, my two sons, may sit, one on your right hand, and one on your left hand, in your Kingdom.”

Whoever desires to be first among you shall be your bondservant,

Jesus stood still, and called them, and asked, “What do you want me to do for you?”

and love the place of honor at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues,

He went forward a little, fell on his face, and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me; nevertheless, not what I desire, but what you desire.”

Watch and pray, that you don’t enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Again, a second time he went away, and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cup can’t pass away from me unless I drink it, your desire be done.”

Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release to the multitude one prisoner, whom they desired.

Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.

and the cares of this age, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

Herodias set herself against him, and desired to kill him, but she couldn’t,

When the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and those sitting with him. The king said to the young lady, “Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you.”

He swore to her, “Whatever you shall ask of me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.”

She came in immediately with haste to the king, and asked, “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptizer on a platter.”

For from within, out of the hearts of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, sexual sins, murders, thefts,

covetings, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness.

All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.”

If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having your two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire,

But his face fell at that saying, and he went away sorrowful, for he was one who had great possessions.

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came near to him, saying, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we will ask.”

He said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?”

They said to him, “Grant to us that we may sit, one at your right hand, and one at your left hand, in your glory.”

Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said to him, “Rabboni, that I may see again.”

Therefore I tell you, all things whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received them, and you shall have them.

He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Please remove this cup from me. However, not what I desire, but what you desire.”

Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”