Fr. David Nix: St. Ignatius’ Rules For Discernment (Literal Translation)

By Father David Nix, “Padre Peregrino”, June 17th, 2025

Last year, I reproduced St. Ignatius’ Rules For Discernment (Dynamic Translation.) Today, I reproduce a literal translation for use with my new podcast series is called Peregrino Ignatian Paths on the Rules of Discernment and Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola.  We will be using both translations, but primarily the following.

St. Ignatius writes:  The soul is moved by diverse spirits, which it is important to discern, in order to follow the good and repel the bad. The following are some rules, of which the first are suited to souls less perfect and the others to those who are more so.

1. Let us suppose a soul that easily falls into mortal sin and goes from fall to fall: to plunge it deeper into crime and fill up the measure of iniquity, the infernal enemy ordinarily employs the charms of voluptuousness and all the baits of the senses, which he incessantly places before the eyes. On the contrary, to turn him from sin, the good spirit never ceases to prick his conscience with the sting of remorse and the counsels of reason.

2. But if this soul should set itself to use every effort in order to purify itself from its sins and to advance every day more and more in the service of God, the evil spirit, to stop and embarrass it, throws in its way every kind of scruple, disquiet, specious pretext, and subject of trouble and agitation. The good spirit, on the other hand, as soon as we begin to amend, encourages, fortifies, consoles, softens even to tears, enlightens the understanding, spreads peace in the heart, smoothes all difficulties and obstacles, so that every day more freely, more joyously and more rapidly, we advance in virtue by the practice of good works. ….

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