ACC ~ Acts 25 v22

NOTHING CAN HARM A CHRISTIAN, UNLESS HE INJURE HIMSELF. CHRYSOSTOM: Do you hear the appeal? Do you hear the plotting of the Jews? Do you hear the strife? All this spurred him on in his desire to hear Paul. Festus pleases him, and so Paul becomes more renowned. For such, as I said, were their designs. If it were not so, none of the rulers would have agreed to listen to him or to have listened with such peace and quiet. He seems to be teaching and defending himself; in fact, he is making a public speech in good order. Therefore let us not consider plots as something difficult to bear, as long as we are not plotting against ourselves. For no one will be able to plot against us; or rather, they will plot, but they will do no harm but instead help us greatly. For it is within our power both to suffer and not to suffer evil. Look, I testify and affirm with a loud voice, more piercing than even the trumpet—and if it were possible, I would not hesitate to ascend on high and shout it out, that none of the human beings who inhabit the earth can harm a Christian. But why do I say “humans”? Not even the demon himself, not the tyrant, not the devil could do this, unless the Christian were to wrong himself. Indeed, whatever anyone does to us, he does it in vain. HOMILIES ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 51.

Acts