What does it look like to give one's whole life to God? Written in the fourth century for a small community gathered on the banks of the Iris River, The Longer and Shorter Rules answers this question not with abstract theory but with practical, searching counsel on love, obedience, work, prayer, and life together. Basil the Great asks hard questions we still ask: Why should we follow God not for reward but for love? How do we keep an undivided heart in a distracted world? When is silence better than speech, and when does love require us to speak? His 55 Longer Rules unfold the inner logic of the Christian life, while 313 Shorter Rules bring that vision down to everyday matters: eating, sleeping, working, forgiving, and welcoming a stranger. This fresh, faithful modern-English edition makes a cornerstone of Christian wisdom clear and inviting for today's reader. Part of The World Scriptures Library.