John Chrysostom’s line means that a life of moral struggle will inevitably involve some pain, failure, or spiritual “wounds,” but that is better than avoiding the struggle altogether. He is praising active resistance against sin, temptation, or hardship rather than passive safety.

What he likely meant

  • If you “fight” for virtue, justice, or faith, you may get hurt along the way.
  • But if you never engage at all, you may avoid injury while also avoiding growth, courage, and holiness.
  • So the saying treats wounds as a sign of real engagement, not as something to fear above all else.

In plain language

It is a bit like saying: “You can’t live bravely and expect to stay untouched.”
Chrysostom’s point is not that suffering is good in itself, but that spiritual battle is worth the cost.

Why it matters

  • It encourages perseverance when doing the right thing is difficult.
  • It suggests that avoiding every risk can lead to a smaller, less faithful life.
  • It fits Chrysostom’s broader style of urging Christians to resist sin firmly and endure hardship with courage.

A simple example

A person trying to stop a harmful habit may stumble many times. Those setbacks are the “wounds” of the fight. But someone who never tries to change avoids those wounds only by remaining unchanged.

Bottom line

Chrysostom is saying that real virtue is costly, and the cost is part of the journey. The only people who never get wounded are the ones who never enter the battle at all.