THEOSISNilus of Sinai
The essence of virtue is highly sensitive, and when we are displeased, it readily shifts to its opposite. This concept is illustrated in Scripture, which states that ‘The land wherein ye enter’ is seen in light of ‘the people of the Gentiles’. When one skilled in virtue begins to waver, virtue itself is affected, as the land is already known. Thus, it is crucial not to allow harmful ideas to enter the heart, preventing a descent into Egypt, as this leads one to be seized by the Assyrians. When the heart becomes engulfed in the darkness of impure thoughts—interpreted as Egypt—it is involuntarily pulled into fervent actions. According to the Slavonic translation, ‘Unclean is, according to uncleanness.’ Instead of: κατελογίσθη the manuscript reads: μεταβληθή.