The Lord said: “Behold I give you power to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and upon all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you (Luke 10: 19).”
The power was given, but freedom was reserved to use the power and trample on snakes and scorpions, or to despise the gift and voluntarily be subject to them. Under the name of snakes the Holy Fathers understood openly sinful undertakings, and by scorpions they understand things camouflaged with an exterior of innocence and even goodness.
Ignatius Brianchaninov, On the Prayer of Jesus
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