“If you see

Your brother

Committing a sin

That is not a mortal sin,

You will ask,

And God

Will give life

To such a one,

To those whose sin

Is not mortal.

There is sin

That is mortal.

I do not say

That you should pray

About that.”

Ἐάν τις ἴδῃ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ ἁμαρτάνοντα ἁμαρτίαν μὴ πρὸς θάνατον, αἰτήσει, καὶ δώσει αὐτῷ ζωήν, τοῖς ἁμαρτάνουσιν μὴ πρὸς θάνατον. ἔστιν ἁμαρτία πρὸς θάνατον· οὐ περὶ ἐκείνης λέγω ἵνα ἐρωτήσῃ.

This author said, “If you see (Ἐάν τις ἴδῃ) your brother (τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ) committing a sin (ἁμαρτάνοντα ἁμαρτίαν) that is not a mortal sin (μὴ πρὸς θάνατον), you will ask (αἰτήσει), and God will give (καὶ δώσει) life (ζωήν) to such a one (αὐτῷ), to those whose sin (τοῖς ἁμαρτάνουσιν) is not mortal (μὴ πρὸς θάνατον).  There is sin (ἔστιν ἁμαρτία) that is mortal (πρὸς θάνατον).  I do not say (οὐ περὶ ἐκείνης λέγω) that you should pray about that (ἵνα ἐρωτήσῃ).”  This author then turned to the question of sin and the kinds of sins.  If they saw their brother committing a non-deadly or non-mortal sin, they should ask God to give him his life.  God will do so if it is a non-deadly sin.  He explained that there was a difference between the kind of sins or injustices that they do in their lives.  Some of these sins are not killers, while others are.  He pointed out that there was such a thing as a mortal or deadly sin that deprived them of eternal life.  He did not want them praying for those people who had committed deadly, killer, or mortal sins.  They should pray for those who have done minor offenses and God would forgive them, what some Catholics call venial sins.  The deadly mortal sins were another question.  Do you believe that there is a kind of difference between the sins that you commit?