EIGHT BOOKS OF CLEMENT - PART 1

Testamentum Domini (Testament Of Our Lord Jesus Christ)
The Testament, Or Words Which Our Lord, When He Rose From The Dead, Spake To The Holy Apostles, And Which Were Written In Eight Books By Clement Of Rome, The Disciple Of Peter
200’s AD (Per Alistair Stewart, 2011)
350 AD (Per Translators in Ante-Nicene Christian Library, 1902)

200’s AD Suggested Dating
The Apocalyptic Section of Testamentum Domini: An Attempt at Dating, by Alistair C. Stewart, Journal of Theological Studies, 2011
Abstract: The Testamentum Domini begins with an apocalypse of independent origin. Should it be possible to date this apocalyptic fragment that, in turn, would provide a terminus a quo for dating the church order. Whereas this apocalypse is often dated to the fifth century, this article suggests that it reflects events in the Roman Empire around the time of the rise of the Sassanid Empire in Persia and the consequent persecution of Christians, and that the antichrist depicted is a Zoroastrian priest; this, in turn, indicates a third-century date.
Ca. 350 AD Suggested Dating
1902 Translation
The Testament Of Our Lord
Translated into English from the Syriac With Introduction and Notes
By James Cooper, D.D. &Arthur John Maclean, M.A., F.R.G.S.
Dating Conclusion: In reviewing the evidence, three possible hypotheses emerge — (a) That the author was an Apollinarian writer about 400, who inserted obsolete customs and an obsolete liturgy as a forgery. Want of motive makes this unlikely ; (b) that he was an anti-Arian writer about themiddle of the fourth century, who was a precursor in his doctrinal phraseology of Apollinarius; (c) that he was an anti-Arian writer about the middle of the fourth century, but that a later editor inserted the Mystagogia, and perhaps a few other interpolations. The second of these hypotheses appears to be the most probable ; but in a case of this sort it is impossible to be dogmatic. It can only be said that a date about 350 AD seems to cover most fully all the facts.
The Testament Of Our Lord
Translated into English from the Syriac With Introduction and Notes
By James Cooper, D.D. &Arthur John Maclean, M.A., F.R.G.S.
English Translation, 1902
The Testament, Or Words Which Our Lord, When He Rose From The Dead, Spake To The Holy Apostles,
And Which Were Written In Eight Books By Clement Of Rome, The Disciple Of Peter
The First Book
Appearance of Christ to Disciples in Upper Room
It came to pass, after our Lord rose from the dead, and appeared unto us, and was handled by Thomas and Matthew and John, and we were persuaded that our Master was truly risen from the dead, that falling on our faces we blessed the Father of the new world, God, Who hath saved us by Jesus Christ our Lord; and being held in very great fear, we waited prostrate as babes which speak not. But Jesus our Lord, putting His hand on each one of us separately, lifted us up, saying:
Why hath your heart thus fallen, and are ye stricken with great astonishment? Know ye not that He who sent Me can do glorious things for the salvation of them that have from the heart believed on Him? Stand not then as [men] astonished, and staring, neither [be] slothful, but as the children of light ask of My Father which is in Heaven the Spirit of counsel and might, and He will fill you with the Holy Ghost and grant you to be with Me forever.
Chapter 1
And we returned answer, saying, Lord, what is the Holy Ghost, and what is His power, whom Thou badest us to ask for? And our Lord said unto us:
Verily I say unto you that ye shall not be the children of the light except by the Holy Ghost. And we returned answer to Him, and said, our Lord, give us this [Spirit]. And immediately Jesus breathed on us. And after we had received the Holy Ghost, He said unto us. Verily I say unto you, that ye who have been made disciples unto the Kingdom of Heaven, and who have believed in Me with undoubting heart, and have cleaved unto Me, shall be with Me; and all those who through you know and do the will of My Father, who keep My words and know My sufferings, shall be made Holy, and shall dwell in the habitations of My Father, and shall be delivered from the evil days that are about to come; and I will be with them, shewing them My ways in which they shall live.
[Signs of the End of This World]
Chapter 2
And Peter and John answered and said unto Him: Tell us, our Lord, the signs of the end, and all the deeds which shall then be [done] by them who live in this world, so that we also may make [them] known to them who believe in Thy Name in all the nations, that those generations may observe [them] and live. But Jesus answered and said: Did I not, before I suffered for those that dwell on the earth, tell you some things about the end? We answered and said, [Yea,] our Lord; but now we desire to know the deeds which [are] the signs of the end of this world, if our Lord hath judged that this is fitting for us to know; for us, and for those who [shall] hear.
Chapter 3
And Jesus answered and said: In the time when I was in the world, I spoke unto you before I should be glorified, of signs that the end is near, thus: that there shall be on earth famines and pestilences, tumults, and commotions, risings of nations against nations, and those other things whereof I have told you. But I commanded you to watch and pray. And now hear, ye children of the light; for My Father who hath sent Me to His inheritance hath predetermined in His foreknowledge, that in the last days, out of the latest generation, there should be vessels [of grace] Holy, and honoured, and elect. Wherefore I make known unto you exactly [what are] the things which are about to be, and when he shall arise, that Son of Perdition, the Enemy, the Adversary, and what he is like.
Chapter 4
There shall, then, be signs when the Kingdom is approaching such as these. After the famines and pestilences and tumults among the nations, then there shall rule, and rise to power, princes who love money, who hate the truth, who kill their brethren, liars, haters of the faithful, proud, lovers of gold, allied by relationship but not allied in counsel, for they wish each to destroy the life of his fellow. But there shall be in their hosts great affliction, and flight, and bloodshed.
Chapter 5
But there shall arise also in the West a king of foreign race, a prince of great craft, godless, a homicide, a deceiver, a lover of gold, great at devices, a hater of the faithful; a persecutor; and he shall bear rule also over barbarous nations, and shall shed much blood. At that time silver shall be despised and gold be honoured; and in every city and every country there shall be spoiling and robbery, and there shall be spilling of blood.
Chapter 6
Then there shall be signs in Heaven. A bow shall be seen, and a horn, and lights; and noises out of season, and sounds, and ragings of the sea and a roaring of the earth.
Chapter 7
But on the earth shall be signs; the birth of dragons from mankind, and likewise also of wild beasts; and young women newly wedded shall bring forth babes who speak perfectly and announce the last times, and pray to be put to death. And their looks shall be the looks of [men] far advanced in years; they shall be grey-headed when they are born. Also women shall bear babes with four feet: some shall bear spirits only, and some shall bear their progeny with unclean spirits. Others [there] shall [be who] practise divination in the womb, and shall speak with familiar spirits; and there shall be many other horrible signs.
Chapter 8
But in the assemblies, and nations, and Churches, there shall be many tumults, for there shall arise evil shepherds, unjust, slothful, avaricious, lovers of pleasures, lovers of gains, lovers of money, talkative, boastful, haughty, gluttonous, perverse, rash, given to delights, vain-glorious, opposing the ways of the Gospel and fleeing from the strait gate, removing from themselves every humiliation and not sorrowing for My humiliation, rejecting all the words of truth, and despising all the ways of piety, and not mourning for their sins. Therefore there shall be shed abroad among the nations, unbelief, hatred of the brotherhood, wickedness, bitterness, slothfulness, envy, hatred, strife, theft, oppression, drunkenness, debauchery, lasciviousness, licentiousness, fornication, and all such works as are contrary to the commandments of life. For from many mourning and gentleness shall flee away, and peace and meekness, and poverty and piety, and tears, because the shepherds heard these things, and did not do them, and moreover did not shew My commandments, seeing that they [themselves] are examples of wickedness in the nation.
But the time shall come when some of them will deny Me, and will stir up confusions in the earth, and put their trust in a corruptible king. But they who in My Name endure unto the end shall be saved. Then they shall ordain commandments for men, [commandments] unlike the book of commandments in which the Father is well pleased; and My elect and My Holy ones shall be rejected by them, and called among them, as it were, the polluted. Yet these are the upright ones, pure, sad, merciful, quiet, kind, always knowing Him who is among them at all times, and they shall be called mad for My sake, who have saved them. It shall come to pass also in those days that My Father shall gather together out of that generation the pure ones, even the pure and faithful souls, those to whom I will appear, and with whom I will make My habitation, and I will send to them the understanding of knowledge and of truth, and the understanding of holiness, and they shall not cease praising and giving thanks to their God, My Father who sent Me; and they shall speak the truth at all times, and they shall teach [others] whose spirit they have tried [and have found] that they are upright and worthy, as for the Kingdom, and shall instruct them in knowledge and strength and prudence. And those who suffer persecution because they live in piety shall receive the reward of their praise. And it shall be in those times that all the Kingdoms shall be disturbed, and all the world also [shall see] affliction and want; and all this world shall be reputed as nothing; and all its possessions shall be destroyed by many [destroyers], and there shall be great scarcity of crops, and the winter shall be very severe; and the princes shall be few in number and small, who have rule over gold and over silver, and are rich in all those things which are in this world; and the children of this world shall hold their storerooms and barns, and shall have rule over the markets of buying and selling. Many shall be afflicted, and on that account shall call upon their God that they may be delivered. Blessed are they who are not [alive] at that time; and [blessed] they [also] who shall be [alive indeed], but [shall] endure. For when these things shall come to pass, then soon she that travaileth is near to bring forth, for the time is fulfilled.
Chapter 9
Then shall come the Son of Perdition, the Adversary, who boasteth and exalteth himself, working many signs and miracles, that he may deceive the whole earth, and overcome the innocent, My Holy ones. Blessed are they who endure in those days. But woe to those who are deceived.
Chapter 10
But Syria shall be plundered, and shall weep for her sons. Cilicia shall lift up her neck until He who judgeth her shall appear. The daughter of Babylon shall arise from the throne of her glory, that she may drink that wine which is mixed for her. Cappadocia, Lycia, Lyconia shall bow down the back, for many multitudes shall be depraved by the corruption of their wickednesses. And then shall be opened the camps of the barbarians, for many chariots shall go forth so as to cover [the face of] the earth. In all Armenia, and in Pontus, and in Bithynia the young men shall fall by the sword, and the sons and the daughters shall be captives. [The sons and the daughters] of Lyconia shall be mingled in [their] blood. Pisidia which boasteth, and trusteth in [her] riches, shall be over-thrown [even] to the ground. The sword shall pass through Phoenicia, because [her inhabitants] are children of corruption. Judaea shall clothe herself with lamentation, and shall be made ready for the day of destruction, because of her uncleanness. Then shall she gather together the abomination of desolation. The East shall be opened by him; also the ways shall be opened by him. Sword and flame [are] in his hands: he burneth with anger and fiery indignation. This is the armour of the judgment of the corruption of them that are born in the earth; the extermination of the faithful, the way of bloodshed; for his way is in error and his power is to blaspheme, and his hand for deception, his right hand in misery, and his left hand in darkness.
Chapter 11
And these are the signs of him: his head [is] as a fiery flame: his right eye shot with blood, his left [eye] blue-black, and he hath two pupils. His eyelashes are white; and his lower lip is large; but his right thigh slender; his feet broad; his great toe is bruised and flat. This is the sickle of desolation.
After this let the prayer be completed, and let the Reader then read the Prophets and the rest; let the Presbyter or Deacon read the Gospel; and then let the Bishop or Presbyter teach those things which are convenient and profitable. After that let there be a prayer, and let the Catechumens receive a laying on of the hand.
[Reasons for Ecclesiastical Rule]
Chapter 12
Therefore I say unto you, [ye] children of the light, that the time is at hand, and the harvest is ripe that sinners should be harvested in judgment. And to many the Judge shall arise as one who is kind, and shall impute to them their own works. But when He shall be at hand, a sign shall be given to the elect, who keep the law of My Father.
Chapter 13
Then those who fear My words, and do them in truth and with a faithful mind, shall watch and pray without ceasing, reckoning continual supplication as a work, in nothing wandering or going about in this world, and in nothing anxious, but with an austere soul and a mind that doubteth not, daily taking on them the Cross, to do the will of My Father which is in Heaven, with a meek heart. For He who is anxious about them that trust in the truth, and careth for them, is the Lord; and He sendeth to them those things which are right and fitting — those things which He knoweth, and by the hands of them whom He knoweth.
Chapter 14
I have told you these things, therefore, that wherever ye go, ye may test the souls that are Holy, and tell them those things which are fitting and right, and those things which are about to be, and all those things which, before I was glorified, I gave you in commandment, so that believing [them] they may truly live. From henceforth shall be the beginning of travail, and the mystery of destruction.
Turning therefore to the Church, setting right, duly ordering, and arranging, and doing all things in uprightness and holiness, speak to every man as is helpful to him, so that your Father which is in Heaven may be glorified. Be ye wise, that ye may persuade those who are in captivity to error, and those who are sunk in ignorance, that coming to the knowledge of God, and living piously and purely, they may praise My Father and your God.
Chapter 15
Now after Jesus had spoken these words, Peter and John and Thomas and Matthew and Andrew and Matthias (?) and the rest said:
Our Lord, truly Thou hast spoken to us now also words of warning and of truth, and though we are not worthy Thou hast bestowed upon us many things, and hast granted also to those of future generations who are worthy, to know Thy words and to flee from the snares of the Evil One. But, our Lord, we beseech Thee, make Thy perfect light to shine upon us, and upon those who are foreordained and separated to be Thine. Because that we have many times asked Thee, we pray Thee teach us of what sort he ought to be who standeth at the head of the Church, or with what rule he should raise up and order the Church. For it is urgent that when we are sent to the nations to preach the salvation which is from Thee, it should not escape us as to how it is fitting to arrange the Mysteries of the Church. Therefore from Thy mouth, our Saviour and Perfecter, we desire to learn without omission how the Chief of the Holy things ought to please Thee, and [likewise] all those who minister in Thy Church.
Chapter 16
Then Martha and Mary, and Salome, who were with us, answered and said — Yea, O our Lord, teach us to know what we ought to do, that our souls may live unto Thee. Then Jesus answered and said unto them: I will that, persevering in supplication, ye should always serve My Gospel, and be examples of holiness, for the salvation of those who trust patiently in Me; and in all things be figures of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Chapter 17
But to us also Jesus said — Because that ye also have asked Me concerning the Rule Ecclesiastical, I deliver and make known to you how ye ought to order and commanded you. And it shall be to him that is embittered and doeth them not, but giveth My words without profit, for the destruction of their souls.
But My Father is mediator, and all His host, that if their sins are as the sand of the sea[shore] which cannot be numbered, and any of them, understanding these words, shall do them, these sins shall be forgiven him, and he shall live in Me.
Chapter 18
But because in the midst of the assembly of the people [there are], more and more, many carnal desires, and the labourers are feeble and few, only My perfect labourers shall know the multitude of My words, all also which at times I spake to you in private before I should suffer, and which ye know; ye both have them and understand them.
For My mysteries are given to those who are Mine, with whom I shall rejoice and be glad with My Father. When they shall be loosed from [this] life they shall come to Me.
But these remaining words, determining and appointing them, speak ye in the Churches.
But from the day that My faithful ones also have the desire to know, that they may do the things of My Father, what[soever is] in this My testament, I will be with them, and will be praised among them, and I will make My habitation with them, by power informing them of the will of My Father.
See that ye give not My holy things to the dogs, and cast not pearls before swine, as I have often commanded you.
Give not My holy things to defiled and wicked men who do not bear My cross, and are not subject [to Me]; and My commandments shall be for derision among them. And it shall be to him that is embittered and doeth them not, but giveth My words without profit, for the destruction of their souls.
But it shall be spoken and given to those who are firm and fixed, and do not fall away, who keep My commandments and this tradition, [to the end] that they, keeping these [things], may abide holy and upright and strong in Me, fleeing from the downfall of iniquity and the death of sin; the Holy Ghost [also] bestowing upon them His grace, that they may believe uprightly, that they may in the Spirit spiritually know the things of the Spirit, and in hope endure labour, and in joy serve My Gospel, and bear the reproach of My cross, not doubting but [rather] glorying; for verily I say unto you, that such as these [men] and such as these [women] shall, after death, dwell in the third order of My Father who hath sent Me.
[Of The Sanctuary]
[Chapter 19]
I tell you therefore how the Sanctuary ought to be; then I will make known the Holy rule of the Priests of the Church.
Let the Church then be thus: let it have three entrances as a type of the Trinity.
Let the Diaconicum be on the right of the right hand entrance, that the Eucharists, or offerings which are offered, may be seen. Let there be a forecourt, with a portico going round, to the Diaconicum.
Then within the forecourt let there be a place [to serve] for a baptistery, its length twenty-one cubits as a general type of the Prophets, and its width twelve cubits as a type of those who have been determined to preach the Gospel, with one entrance and three exits.
Let the Church have a house of the Catechumens, which shall be also the house of the Exorcists. Let it not be detached from the Church, but so that those who enter and are in it may hear the Lections and spiritual hymns of praise and Psalms.
Let there be a throne by the Altar; on the right and on the left [let there be] the places of the Presbyters, so that on the right may sit those who are more exalted and honoured, and those who labour in the word; but those who are of middle age on the left hand. But that place where the throne is, let it be raised three steps, for there the Altar ought to be.
Let that house have two porches, on the right and on the left, for men and for women.
Let all the places be lighted, both for a type, and also for reading.
Let the Altar have a Veil of pure linen, for it is without spot.
Also the baptistery likewise, let it be under a Veil.
Let a place be built as for commemoration, so that the Priest and Chief Deacon sitting with the Readers may write the names of those who offer the oblations, or of those for whom they have offered [them], so that when the Holy Things are offered by the Bishop, the Reader or Chief Deacon may name them by way of commemoration, which the Priests and people offer for them with supplication. For there is this type also in Heaven.
Let the place of the Presbyters be within the Veil, beside that place of commemoration.
Let the house of the offering and the treasury be quite beside the Diaconicum.
But let the place of the Lection be a little outside the Altar.
Let the house of the Bishop be beside that place which is called the fore-court.
Also that of those Widows who are called “Those That Sit In Front.”
Also let that of the Presbyters and Deacons be behind the baptistery.
Let the Deaconesses abide beside the door of the Lord’s house.
Let the Church have a house for entertaining nearby, where the Chief Deacon shall entertain strangers.
[Of The Bishop]
Chapter 20
Now after the house is [built] as is fitting and right, let the Bishop be appointed, being chosen by all the people according to the will of the Holy Ghost, being without fault, chaste, quiet, mild, without anxiety, watchful, not a money-lover, blameless, not quarrelsome, ready to forgive, a teacher, not given to much speaking, a lover of good things, a lover of labour, a lover of Widows, a lover of Orphans, a lover of the Poor, experienced in the Mysteries, not lax and distracted in company with this world, peaceful, and in all good things perfect, as one to whom the order and place of God is entrusted. It is good indeed that he be without a wife, but at any rate that he have been the husband of one wife only, so that he may sympathise with the weakness of Widows. Let him be appointed when he is of middle age, not a youth.
Chapter 21
Being such as this, let him receive ordination on the first day of the week, all consenting to his appointment, and bearing witness to him, with all the neighbouring Presbyters and Bishops. Let those Bishops lay hands on him, having first washed their hands, but let the Presbyters stand beside them, not speaking, in fear, lifting up their hearts in silence.
After [that], let the Bishops lay hands on him, saying:
We lay hands on the servant of God, who hath been chosen in the Spirit, for the true and pious disposing of the Church, which alone hath the principality, and which is not dissolved, of the invisible [and] living God, and for the delivering of true judgment and divine and Holy revelations, and of divine gifts and faithful doctrines of the Trinity, by the Cross, by the resurrection, by the incorruptibility, in the Holy Church of God.
After this, one Bishop, commanded by the other Bishops, shall lay hands on him, saying his calling of appointment; thus:
Prayer Of Ordination Of A Bishop
God, who hast done all things in power, and hast established them, and hast founded the inhabited world in reason, and hast adorned the crown of all these things which were made by Thee; who hast given to them to keep Thy commandments in fear; who hast bestowed upon us the understanding of the truth, and hast made known unto us that good Spirit of Thine; who didst send Thy Beloved Son, the only Saviour, without spot, for our salvation; God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who in the heights dost dwell eternally, who art high and adorable, dreadful and great; who seest all things, who knowest all things before they are, with whom all things were before they were [made]; who gavest illumination to the Church by the grace of Thy Only-begotten Son, having foreordained from the beginning those who delight in just things, and do those things that are Holy, to dwell in Thy habitations; who didst choose Abraham, who pleased Thee by his faith, and didst translate Holy Enoch to the treasure-house of life; who hast ordered Princes and Priests in Thine Upper Sanctuary; Lord, who didst call [them] to praise and glorify the Name of Thee and of Thy Only-begotten in the place of Thy glory; Lord God, who before the foundation of the world didst not leave Thine Upper Sanctuary without a ministry, and also, since the foundation of the world, hast adorned and glorified Thy Sanctuaries [on earth] with faithful Princes and Priests, after the pattern of Thine [own] Heaven; Thou, Lord, even now also art well pleased to be praised, and hast vouchsafed that there should be princes for Thy people: Cause to shine forth and pour out understanding, and the grace which cometh from Thy princely Spirit, which Thou didst deliver to Thy Beloved Son Jesus Christ; give wisdom, God, [give] reasoning, strength, power, unity of spirit to do all things by Thy co-operation. Give the Spirit which is Thine, Holy God; send to Thy Holy and pure Church, and to every place which singeth to Thee “Holy,” Him who was given to Thy Holy One; and grant, Lord, that this Thy servant may please Thee for doxology, and for laud without ceasing, God, for fitting hymns of praise, and for suitable times, for acceptable prayers, for faithful asking, for an upright mind, for a meek heart, for the working of life and of meekness and of truth, for the knowledge of uprightness. Father, who knowest the hearts, [grant] to this Thy servant whom Thou hast chosen for the episcopate, to feed Thy Holy flock, and to stand at the head of the Priesthood without fault, ministering to Thee day and night; grant that Thy face may be seen by him; vouchsafe, Lord, that he may offer to Thee the offerings of Thy Holy Church carefully [and] with all fear; bestow upon him that he may have Thy powerful Spirit to loose all bands, as Thou didst bestow them] on Thy Apostles, to please Thee in meekness; fill him full of love, knowledge, understanding, discipline, perfectness, strength, and a pure heart, when he prayeth for the people, and when he mourneth for those who commit folly and draweth them to [receive] help; when he offereth to Thee praises and thanksgivings and prayers for a sweet-smelling savour through Thy Beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom [are given] to Thee praise and honour and might, with the Holy Ghost, both before the worlds, and also now, and at all times, and forever and ever without end. Amen.
And let the people say: Amen. And then let them cry out: He is worthy, He is worthy, He is worthy.
After he is [ordained], let the people keep the feast three days, according to the mystery that in three days [our Lord] rose from the dead. And let everyone give him the Peace.
Chapter 22
Let him be constant at the Altar; in prayers let him be persistent day and night, especially at the obligatory times of night; at the first hour, at midnight, and at early twilight when the star of the dawn riseth. Then also in the morning, at the third, sixth, ninth [hours, and the] twelfth hour at the lamp [lighting]. If also at every hour he offer prayers without ceasing for the people and for himself, he doeth well. Let him abide in the house of the Church alone. If he have one or two likeminded with himself, it is good that he should be with them for united supplication in unison. For where two or three are gathered together in My Name, ye know that I have said unto you that I am in the midst of them. But if he cannot abide all night long, yet let him remain these hours that I have said. For then the Angels visit the Church.
Let him fast three days each [week] all the year. But for three weeks after his appointment let him maintain the fast according to the number of the eighteen Exalted Entrances by which the Only-begotten passed when He came to the passion. But on the first day of the week only let him feed on bread with oil and honey and salt, and all fruits of trees; but let him in no wise taste wine, except only the cup of the Offering. This let him use whether ill or well. For it is good that this be for the Priests only. And so after these weeks all the year, let him fast three days each [week]; and for the rest of the time let him fast according to his strength.
But in no wise let him eat meat, not because if he taste or eat [meat] he is to be blamed, but because when he loveth infirmity these strong meats are not fitting, and in order that he may watch. Let the Offering only be on Saturday, or on the first day of the week, and on a fast-day. On the eve let him instruct and teach these things in the manner of a mystery to those whom he hath tested as having ears to hear. But if he be sick in body, let him quickly take care to heal himself, feeding on fish, and constantly [taking] a little wine of the Holy thing, that the Church may not also come to an end because he is lying sick; but [that] those who learn may receive joy. But when teaching in the Church, let him speak thus carefully, as a man who knoweth that he is speaking for a testimony the doctrine of all the ministry of the Father of all, that [doctrine] which is accurately written. Let him say all these things — all those which he accurately knoweth and remembereth of old. For if he knoweth what he saith, he may have hope that his hearers also [will] have known these things. And with all his labour, let him beseech the Lord, so that his word may bring forth the fruits of the Holy Spirit in them that hear.
Let him do everything in order, and with knowledge. Let him dismiss the Catechumens after he hath admonished them with meditations and admonitions of the Prophets and Apostles, with instructive words, so that they may know Him whom they confess. But let him teach the faithful after the manner of a mystery, having first dismissed the Catechumens; and after the instruction in the Mysteries let him offer, so that knowing in what mystery they are taking part, they may offer with fear.
[Of the Eucharist]
Chapter 23
Let him offer on Saturday three loaves for a complete symbol of the Trinity; but on the first day of the week let him offer four loaves for a complete symbol of the Gospel.
Because that the ancient people erred, when he offereth let the Veil in front of the door be closed, and within it let him offer with the Presbyters and Deacons and the canonical Widows, and Sub-Deacons and Deaconesses and Readers [and] those who have gifts. But let the Bishop stand first in the middle, and the Presbyters immediately behind him on either side, and the Widows immediately behind the Presbyters on the left side, and the Deacons also behind the Presbyters on the right hand side; the Readers behind them, and the sub-Deacons behind the Readers, and the Deaconesses behind the Sub-Deacons.
Let the Presbyter then place his hand on those loaves which have been set on the Altar, and let the Presbyters place their hands together with him, and let the rest stand only.
Let not the loaf of Catechumens be received; not even if he have a believing son or wife and wish to offer on their behalf; let it not be offered unless he is baptized.
Before the Bishop or Presbyter offereth, let the people give the Peace to one another.
Then, a great silence being made, let the Deacon say thus:
Admonition Of The Deacon On The Eucharist
[Lift up] your hearts to Heaven. If any man have wrath against his companion, let him be reconciled. If any man have a conscience without faith, let him confess [it]. If any man have a thought foreign to the commandments, let him depart. If any man have fallen into sin, let him not hide himself: he may not hide himself. If any man have a disordered reason, let him not draw near. If any man be defiled, if any man be not firm, let him give place. If any man be a stranger to the commandments of Jesus, let him depart. If any man despise the Prophets, let him separate himself: from the wrath of the Only-begotten let him deliver himself. Let us not despise the Cross. Let us flee from threatening. We have our Lord as onlooker, the Father of Lights with the Son, [and] the Angels who visit [us]. See to yourselves that ye be not in anger against your neighbours. See that no man be in wrath: God seeth. [Lift] up your hearts to offer for the salvation of life and of holiness.
In the wisdom of God let us receive the grace which hath been bestowed upon us.
Then let the Bishop say, giving and rendering thanks with an awed voice: Our Lord [be] with you.
And let the people say: And with thy spirit.
Let the Bishop say: [Lift] up your hearts.
Let the people say: They are [lifted up] unto the Lord.
Let the Bishop say: Let us give thanks to the Lord.
Arid let all the people say: It is meet and right.
And let the Bishop cry: Holy things in Holy [persons].
And let the people call out: In Heaven and on earth without ceasing.
Eucharist Of Thanksgiving Over The Offering
Let the Bishop immediately say:
We render thanks to Thee, God, the Holy One, Confirmer of our souls, and Giver of our life, the Treasure of incorruptibility, and Father of the Only-begotten, our Saviour, whom in the latter times Thou didst send to us as a Saviour and Proclaimer of Thy purpose. For it is Thy purpose that we should be saved in Thee. Our heart giveth thanks unto Thee, Lord, [our] mind, [our] soul, with all [its] thinking, that Thy grace may come upon us, Lord, so that we may continually praise Thee, and Thy Only-begotten Son, and Thy Holy Ghost, now and always, and forever and ever. Amen.
Thou Power of the Father, the Grace of the nations, Knowledge, true Wisdom, the Exaltation of the meek, the Medicine of souls, the Confidence of us who believe, for Thou art the Strength of the righteous, the Hope of the persecuted, the Haven of those who are buffeted, the Illuminator of the Perfect, the Son of the living God, make to arise on us, out of Thy gift which cannot be searched into, courage, might, reliance, wisdom, strength, unlapsing faith, unshaken hope, the knowledge of Thy Spirit, meekness [and] uprightness, so that always, Lord, we Thy servants, and all the people, may praise Thee purely, may bless Thee, may give thanks unto Thee, Lord, at all times, and may beseech Thee.
And also let the Bishop say:
Thou, Lord, the Founder of the heights, and King of the treasuries of light, Visitor of the heavenly Sion, King of the Orders of Archangels, of Dominions, Praises, Thrones, Raiments, Lights, Joys, Delights, the Father of kings, who holdest all in Thy hand, and suppliest [all] by Thy reason, through Thine Only-begotten Son who was crucified for our sins: Thou, Lord, didst send Thy Word, who is of Thy counsel and covenant, by whom Thou madest all things, being well pleased with Him, into a Virgin womb; who, when He was conceived, [and] made flesh, was shown to be Thy Son, being born of the Holy Ghost and the Virgin; who, fulfilling Thy will, and preparing a Holy people, stretched forth His hands to suffering, that He might loose from sufferings and corruption and death those who have hoped in thee; who when He was betrayed to voluntary suffering that He might raise up those who had slipped, and find those who were lost, and give life to the dead, and loose [the pains of] death, and rend the bonds of the Devil, and fulfil the counsel of the Father, and tread down Sheol, and open the way of life, and guide the righteous to light, and fix the boundary, and lighten the darkness, and nurture the babes, and reveal the resurrection;
Taking bread, gave it to His disciples, saying, Take, eat, this is My Body which is broken for you for the forgiveness of sins. When ye shall do this, ye make My resurrection.
Also the cup of wine which He mixed He gave for a type of the Blood which he shed for us.
And also let him say:
Remembering therefore Thy death and resurrection, we offer to Thee bread and the cup, giving thanks to Thee who alone art God forever, and our Saviour, since Thou hast promised to us to stand before Thee and to serve Thee in Priesthood. Therefore we render thanks to Thee, we Thy servants, Lord.
And let the people say likewise.
And also let [the Bishop] say:
We offer to Thee this thanksgiving, Eternal Trinity, Lord Jesus Christ, Lord the Father before whom all creation and every nature trembleth fleeing into itself, Lord the Holy Ghost; we have brought this drink and this food of Thy Holiness [to Thee]; Cause that it may be to us not for condemnation, not for reproach, not for destruction, but for the medicine and support of our spirit. Yea, O God, grant us that by Thy Name every thought of things displeasing to Thee may flee away. Grant, God, that every proud conception may be driven away from us by Thy Name which is written within the Veils of Thy Sanctuaries, those high ones — unbelief is cast out, disobedience is subdued, anger is appeased, envy worketh not, pride is reproved, avarice rooted out, boasting taken away, arrogance humbled, [and] every root of bitterness destroyed.
Grant therefore, Lord, to our innermost eyes to see Thee, commemorating Thee [and] serving Thee, having a portion in Thee alone, Son and Word of God, who subduest all things.
Sustain unto the end those who have gifts of revelations.
Confirm those who have a gift of healing.
Make those courageous who have the power of tongues.
Keep those who have the word of doctrine upright.
Care for those who do Thy will always. Visit the Widows. Help the Orphans. Remember those who have fallen asleep in the faith. And grant us an inheritance with Thy Saints, and bestow [upon us] the power to please Thee as they also pleased Thee. Feed the people in uprightness: sanctify us all, God; but grant that all those who partake and receive of Thy Holy Things may be made one with Thee, so that they may be filled with the Holy Ghost, for the confirmation of the faith in truth, that they may lift up always a doxology to Thee, and to Thy Beloved Son Jesus Christ, by whom praise and might [be] unto Thee, with Thy Holy Spirit forever and ever.
Let the people say: Amen.
The Deacon: Earnestly let us beseech our Lord and our God that He may bestow upon us concord of spirit.
The Bishop: Give us concord in the Holy Spirit, and heal our souls by this offering, that we may live in Thee in all the ages of ages.
The people: Amen.
Let the people also pray in the same words,
After these things the seal of thanksgiving thus: Let the Name of the Lord be blessed forever.
The people: Amen.
The Priest: Blessed is He that hath come in the Name of the Lord. Blessed [is] the Name of His praise.
And let all the people say: So be it, so be it.
Let the Bishop say: Send the grace of the Spirit upon us.
If the Bishop be polluted, let him not offer, but let a Presbyter offer. Also let him not receive of the mystery, not as though he were defiled, but because of the honour of the Altar. But after he hath fasted and bathed in pure water, let him approach and minister. Similarly also a Presbyter. And if also a Widow he menstruous, let her not approach. Similarly if a woman or a layman or any of the company [of the clergy be polluted], let him not approach, for the honour [of the Altar] except after fasting and bathing.
Let the Priests first receive, thus: the Bishops, Presbyters, Deacons, Widows, Readers, Sub-Deacons. After these those that have gifts, those newly baptized, babes.
The people thus: old men, Virgins, and the rest. The women [thus]: Deaconesses, and after that the rest.
Let each one when he receiveth the thanksgiving say before he partaketh: Amen. After that let him pray thus; after that he receiveth the Eucharist. let him say:
Holy, Holy, Holy, Trinity ineffable, grant me to receive unto life this Body, [and] not unto condemnation. And grant me to bring forth the fruits that are pleasing to Thee, so that when I shall be shown to be pleasing to Thee I may live in Thee, doing Thy commandments; and [that] with boldness I may call Thee Father; when I call for Thy Kingdom and Thy will [to come] to me. May Thy Name be hallowed in me, Lord; for Thou art mighty and [to be] praised, and to Thee be praise forever and ever. Amen.
After the prayer let him receive.
When he taketh of the Cup, let him say twice Amen, for a complete symbol of the Body and Blood.
After all receive, let them pray, giving and rendering thanks for the reception, the Deacon saying:
Let us give thanks unto the Lord, receiving His Holy Things, so that the reception [of them] may be for the life and salvation of our souls. Let us beg and beseech [His grace], raising a doxology to the Lord our God.
After that let the Bishop [say]:
Lord, Giver of light eternal, the Helmsman of souls, the Guide of Saints; Give us understanding eyes which always look to Thee, and ears which hear Thee only, so that our soul may be filled with grace. Create in us a clean heart, God; so that we may alway comprehend Thy greatness. O God, Wonderful, who lovest man, make our souls better, and, by this Eucharist which we, Thy servants, who fail in much, have [now] received, form our thoughts so that they shall not swerve: for Thy Kingdom is blessed, Lord God, [who art] glorified and praised in Father and in Son and in Holy Ghost, both before the worlds, and now, and alway, and for the ages and forever and ever without end.
The people: Amen.
[Of Consecrating the Oil For Healing and for Baptism]
Chapter 24
If the Priest consecrate oil for the healing of those who suffer, let him say thus, quietly} placing the vessel before the Altar:
Lord God, who hast bestowed upon us the Spirit, the Paraclete, the Lord, the saving and unshaken Name, which is hidden from the foolish but revealed unto the wise; Christ, who didst sanctify us, and by Thy mercies dost make the servants whom Thou choosest wise with the wisdom that is Thine, who didst send the knowledge of Thy Spirit to us sinners by the holiness which is Thine, bestowing on us the power of the Spirit; who art the Healer of every sickness and of every suffering; who didst give the gift of healing to those who were counted worthy of this by Thee; send on this oil, which is the type of Thy fatness, the delivering [power] of Thy good compassion, that it may deliver those who labour and heal those who are sick, and sanctify those who return, when they approach to Thy faith; for Thou art mighty and [to be] praised forever and ever.
The people: Amen.
Chapter 25
Likewise, the same also over water.
[Hymn of Praise at Dawn, Including on Day of Baptism]
Chapter 26
At early dawn let the Bishop assemble the people, so that the service may be finished before the rising of the sun.
When he saith the First Hymn of Praise, of the Dawn, the Presbyters and Deacons and the rest, the faithful also, [standing] close by, let him say thus: Praise to the Lord.
And let the people say: It is meet and right.
Hymn Of Praise For The Dawn
The Bishop: It is meet and right that we should praise and laud and give thanks to Thee, who didst make all, ineffable God. Stretching forth our souls upward, we raise to Thee, O Lord, a hymn of praise for the morning, — to Thee who art all-wise, powerful, great in mercies, God, the Confirmer and Raiser-up of our souls; we praise Thee, the Word who before the worlds wast begotten of the Father, and restest alone with Thy Saints, who art praised with the hymns of the Archangels, — Thee the Maker, who wast not made with hands, and who makest known Holy things which are invisible, pure, and spotless, — Thee who hast made known to us the hidden Mysteries of wisdom, and didst promise to us immortal light; we lift up praise to Thee in pure holiness, we Thy servants, Lord.
And let the people say: We praise Thee, we bless Thee, we give thanks to Thee, Lord; and we beseech Thee, our God.
Also [let] the Bishop say: God, the Begetter of light, the Principle of life, the Giver of knowledge, the Gift of grace, the Maker of souls, who makest things [that are] beautiful, the Giver of the Holy Ghost, the Treasure of Wisdom, and the Maker of good things, the Lord, the Teacher of holiness, who rulest the worlds by Thy will, the Receiver of pure prayers; we praise Thee, the Only-begotten Son, the First-born and Word of the Father, who didst bestow all Thy grace on us who call upon Thee, the Helper, and upon the Father who begat Thee; who hast an essence that cannot be injured, where neither moth nor worm doth corrupt; who givest to all that with all their heart trust in Thee those things which the Angels have desired to behold; who art the Guardian of light eternal and [of] treasures incorruptible; who hast by the will of Thy Father shed light on the darkness which [is] in us; who from the depth hast raised us up to light; who hast given us life out of death, and bestowed upon us freedom out of slavery; who by the Cross hast made us of the household of Thy Father, and by Thy Gospel hast guided us to the heights of Heaven, and hast comforted us by Thy Prophets; who in Thine own Person hast made us of the household of God the Father of lights; grant us, Lord, that we may praise Thee, our God, so that always with unceasing thanksgiving we may speak praises to Thee, we Thy servants, Lord.
The people: We praise Thee, we bless Thee, we give thanks to Thee, we beseech Thee, our God.
Let the Bishop also say:
We sing to Thee with our mouths this triple hymn of praise as a figure of Thy Kingdom, Son of God, who [art] by eternity; who [art] above all, with the Father; whom all creation praiseth, trembling with fear of Thy Spirit; at whom all nature trembleth in fear and [whom] every soul of the righteous blesseth; with whom all we have taken refuge; who hast made confusion, storms, [and] wind to cease from us; who hast been to us an haven of rest, and a place to flee unto from corruption; in whom we have hope of eternal salvation; who makest the peacefulness of fine weather lo for those who are buffeted on the seas and with the tempests; who in sicknesses art entreated and healest without price; who art with those that are shut up in prison; who hast loosed us from the bonds of death; [who art] the Comforter of the Poor, and of those who mourn, and of those who have laboured and wearied themselves with the Cross; who turnest away from us every menace; who for us hast reproved the craft of Satan; who drivest away his menaces, and givest us courage; who thrusteth away all error from those that trust in Thee; whom the Prophets and Apostles praised secretly: we praise Thee, Lord, we lift up to Thee a doxology, so that, having known Thee, we may rest in the habitations of life, doing Thy will always. And grant to us, Lord, to walk according to Thy commandments, and in mercy visit us all, both small and great, the prince and his people, the shepherd and his flock; for Thou, Lord, art our God, and blessed and praised [is] Thy Kingdom — [the Kingdom] of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, both before the worlds, and now and always, and for the ages, and forever and ever without end.
And let the people say: Amen.
Let them sing Psalms and four hymns of praise; one by Moses, and of Solomon, and of the other Prophets. Thus: little singing-hoys; two Virgins; three Deacons; three Presbyters. And so let the hymn of praise be said by the Bishop, or by one of the Presbyters.
Let it be said thus: The grace of our Lord [be] with you all.
And let the people say: And with thy spirit.
And let the Priest say: Also let us praise our Lord.
And let the people say: Meetly and rightly.
Let the Priest say: Let your hearts be fixed.
And let the people say: We have [them fixed] with the Lord.
Hymn Of Praise Of The Seal
Lord, the Father, the Giver of light, the Author of all power and of all spirits, the Sealer of eternal light, and the Guide of life, the Maker of felicity and immortality, who hast made us to pass through material darkness, and hast bestowed upon us immaterial light; who hast loosed the bonds of disobedience and crowned us with the faith which is Thine; who dost not keep far off from Thy servants, but art in them always; who dost not neglect those [souls] which with labour and in Thy fear beseech Thee; who knowest all things before they are thought, and searchest out all things before they are considered, and givest what Thou wilt give before we ask Thee; who art well pleased to hear those who with heart undoubting serve Thee, King of the highest lights and the soldiery of Heaven, who hearest the Archangels when they praise Thee, and art pleased in them; Answer us, Lord, we beseech Thee. Grant us with boldness [with] unceasing voice to praise Thee, to laud Thee, to lift up to Thee a doxology; so that being guarded by Thee and guided in light, we Thy servants, Lord, may constantly praise Thee.
The people: We praise Thee, we bless Thee, we give thanks to Thee, Lord; and we beseech Thee, our God.
The Priest: Lord Jesus, hear us, Holy One, who wast the Voice of the dumb and the irrational, the Strength of the paralysed, the Giver of light to the blind, the Guide of the lame, the Cleanser of the lepers, the Curer of material fluxes, the Healer of the deaf and dumb, the Reprover of death, the Tormentor of darkness, the Ray of light, and the Lamp that is not quenched, the Sun that is not darkened [and] resteth [not]; but who always givest light unto Thy Saints; who hast established all things together for the good likeness of comeliness; who art the well-tempered Reason; who hast plainly given light to all; who art the Saviour of the sons of men, and the Converter of souls; who art the Provider of all things as is right, the Maker of the Angels, who adornest all; the Thought of the Father; who didst found the worlds in prudence and wisdom, and didst establish them together; and wast sent from Thy eternal Father unto us; the Intelligence of the Spirit who may not be apprehended or understood, the Maker-known of things invisible; Thou art glorious, and Thy Name is Wonderful. Therefore we also, Thy servants, Lord, give praise to Thee.
The people: We praise Thee, we bless Thee, we give thanks to Thee, Lord; we beseech Thee, our Lord.
The Priest: We sing, Holy Lord, this threefold hymn of praise to Thee, who didst give us a faith in Thee which cannot be loosed, whereby Thou didst make us to conquer the bonds of death; who didst create upright minds in them that trust in Thee, that they might be Gods; who by the Spirit didst give unto us to tread under foot all the power of the enemy that we may not profane those things which may not be profaned; who by Thy mediation hast made friendship for us with Thy Father. Answer us Thy servants, Lord, [Thou] whom without ceasing we entreat, who at our supplication givest [us] power against the adversary; whom always we ask, as [it were], for the overthrow of the Evil one; Hear us, King Eternal; comfort the Widows, help the Orphans; pity and cleanse those who are possessed with unclean spirits, give wisdom to the unwise; convert those who go astray; deliver those who are in prison; guard us all, for Thou, Lord, art our God; blessed and glorious is Thy Kingdom.
The people: Amen.
[Of the Eucharist]
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
[Of the Eucharist on the Day of Baptism]
After that let the Bishop teach the Mysteries to the people. But if he be not present, let a Presbyter speak so that the faithful may know to whom they are approaching and who is their God and Father. Then let the teaching of the Mysteries be said thus:
Initiation Into The Mysteries Which Is Said Before The Offering To The Faithful
[We confess] Him who is pre-existent, and was present, and is, and cometh; who suffered and was buried, and rose, and was glorified by the Father; who loosed our cords from death, who rose from the dead; who is not only Man but therewith also God; who by the Holy Ghost restored the flesh of Adam with [his] soul to immortality, because He preserved Adam by the Spirit; who clothed Himself with dead Adam and made him to live; who ascended into Heaven; under whom, after the Cross, Death fell, and was conquered, when its bonds, whereby the Devil sometimes waxed strong and prevailed against us, were dissolved; [and] through whose passion [Death] was manifested useless and weak when [Jesus] cut his cords and his power, when his snares were cut, and He struck him on his face, [even Death] who was filled with darkness and was shaken, and feared, beholding the Only-begotten Son; who in His [human] soul descended in the Godhead into Sheol; who descended from the pure heights above the Heavens; Him [we confess] the indivisible Thought who is from the Father, and [is] of one will with Him; Him the Maker, with His Father, of Heaven; who is the Angels’ Crown, the Archangels’ Strength, the Raiment of the Hosts and the Spirit of the Dominions; Him, the Ruler of the Everlasting Kingdom, and Prince of the Saints, the unfathomable Intelligence of the Father; Him who is the Wisdom, the Power, the Lord, the Thought, Intelligence, Hand, Arm of the Father.
As we believe, we confess Him who is our Light, Salvation, Saviour, Protector, Helper, Teacher, Deliverer, Rewarder, Assister, Strength, Wall; our Shepherd, Entrance, Door, Way, Life, Medicine, Provision, Drink, [and] Judge. We confess Him passible [yet] not passible. Son [yet] not created, dead [yet] alive, the Son of the Father, incomprehensible [yet] comprehensible; who, [Himself] sinless, hath borne our sins when He left the Father’s Heaven; whose Body being broken becometh our salvation, and [His] Blood and Spirit [our] life and holiness, and the water our cleansing; who giveth light to the hearts of those who fear Him, being with them in all things; who hath made us strangers to the whole way of the Devil; the Renewer of souls, in whom we all have put our trust.
He, being God, and before the worlds with the Father, eternal God, when He saw the world perishing in the bonds of sin, and trodden down by the power of a crafty wild beast, and made subject to death through ignorance and error, determining to heal the race of mankind, came to a Virgin womb, though hidden from all the camps of the heavenly ones, and cast into ignorance [the] opposing hosts. But when [He], the Incorruptible, clothed Himself with corruptible flesh, making flesh which was under death to be incorruptible, He thus showed in the flesh of dead Adam, wherewith He clothed Himself, an example of incorruptibility, by which example the things of corruption were abolished.
He delivered indeed Holy commandments through the Gospel, which is the fore-proclaiming of the Kingdom; by which Gospel as a figure of the Kingdom we learned to live; through which Gospel the bonds of the Devil have been cut, so that we may attain immortality instead of death, and instead of ignorance may receive [the grace] of watchfulness.
He, then, having become Man, who took [on Him] the dead race of Adam in all its kinds by emptying [Himself], He who is the First, came to birth, as Man, though He is God; He who was foreknown by the Prophets, and preached by the Apostles, and lauded by Angels, and glorified by the Father of all. He was crucified for us; and His Cross is our life, our strength, [our] salvation, for it is the Hidden Mystery, the ineffable joy, and through it the whole nature of mankind, always bearing it, is made inseparable from God, for it is the virtue benign and inseparable from God, that cannot be spoken as is meet by these lips, [and] that was hidden from the beginning; but now the Mystery which is revealed, which is for the faithful, shall be, not as it seemeth to be, but as it is.
This Cross in which we boast, so that we may be glorified, [and] the bearers whereof, the faithful and perfect, separate their souls from everything that can be felt, from everything that is seen, as from a thing which is not true — by this ask for yourselves, ye who quit you like men; make deaf your visible ears; make blind your bodily eyes; so that ye may know the will of Christ and all the Mystery of your salvation. Holy men and women, whose property it is to make your boast in the Lord, listen to the inward man.
Our Lord, when He taught us and appointed to us a covenant, and made us of [His] household, and came, after His passion, into Sheol, made captive all the earth — He who made the nature of death captive to life, and Death when it saw Him descending in His soul to Sheol, was deceived, and hoped that He was food for him, as was his custom. But when he saw in Him the beauty of the Godhead, he cried out with [his] voice, saying: Who is this that hath clothed Himself with Man who [was] under me, and hath conquered me? Who is this that snatcheth from destruction flesh which was bound by me? Who is this that hath clothed Himself with earth but [Himself] is Heaven? Who is this that was born in corruptibility, but suffereth no corruption? Who is this [that is] a stranger to my laws? Who is this that maketh captive those that are mine? Who is this that striveth with the power of burning Death, and conquereth darkness? What is this new glory which [is] in this vision that preventeth me from doing the things which I would? Who is this new dead One without sin? Who is this that by the abundance of light extinguisheth darkness, and doth not allow me to have rule over those that are mine, but draweth to Heaven the souls which were given unto me? What is this glory which preventeth the body from being corruptible? Who is this whom I cannot touch? What is this glory unsearchable to its surroundings? Woe is me! I am put to flight by Him and by those things which are His, for I cannot injure them.
He, being the Christ, who was crucified, by whom the [things] that were on the left hand were [placed] on the right hand, and those which were beneath [were] as those which [were] above, and those which [were] behind as those which [were] before, when He rose from the dead, and trod down Sheol, and by death slew Death; after He rose on the third day He gave thanks to the Father, saying: I give thanks to Thee, My Father, not with these lips which are fixed together, nor yet with a corporeal tongue through which truth and lying go out, nor with this created and material word; but I give thanks to Thee, the King, with that Voice which through Thee understandeth all [things], which cometh not by a bodily organ, which falleth not on carnal ears, which is not in the world and is not left on earth, but with this Voice, the Spirit who is in Us, only speaking to Thee, Father, loving Thee, praising Thee, through whom also the whole choir of perfect Saints calleth Thee beloved, [calleth] Thee Father,[calleth] Thee Sustainer, [calleth] Thee Helper; for Thou art all, and all [are] in Thee; for whatever is, is Thine and not another’s, but is Thine alone, who art forever and ever. Amen;
Let the shepherd know the Mysteries of all nature. After I have prayed to the Father, as ye know and see, I am taken up, saith Jesus.
Therefore it is right that the shepherd should speak the teaching of the Initiation into the Mysteries, so that they may know of whom in the Holy things they are partaking, and what memorial they are making through the Eucharist.
And at the end, after this, let him say thus:
As then we also have taken refuge in Him, and have learnt that it is in Him alone to give, let us beg from Him those things which He said that He would give us, which eye hath not seen and ear hath not heard, and [which] have not entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him, as Moses and some of the Saints have said. As then we have hoped in Him, let us give to Him praise; and to Him be glory and might forever and ever. Amen.
Let the people say: Amen.
After the people are taught the Initiation into the Mysteries, let the Eucharist be offered; but let not the Initiation into the Mysteries be said each time, but only at Pascha, on Saturday, and on the first day of the week, and on the days of the Epiphany and of Pentecost.
Of What Sort A Presbyter Ought To Be
Chapter 29
Let a Presbyter be ordained, being testified to by all the people, according to what has been said before; skilled in reading, meek, Poor, not money-loving, having laboured much in ministrations among the weak, proved to be pure, without blame; if he have been as a father to the Orphans, if he have ministered to the Poor; if he have not grown cold [in his love] for the Church; if in all things he be pious, quiet, so that being [thus] he may in all respects be worthy to have those things that are fitting and suitable revealed to him by God, and also may be counted worthy of the gift of healing.
Chapter 30
Then let the appointment of the Presbyter be thus. All the Priestly company conducting him, the Bishop laying his hand on his head, the Presbyters touching him and holding him, let the Bishop begin, and say thus:
Prayer Of Ordination Of A Presbyter
God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Ineffable One, the Light, who hast neither beginning nor ending, the Lord, who hast ordered all things, and set bounds to [them], and by reason hast defined the order of all things by Thee created; Hear us, and look upon this Thy servant, and make him partaker of, and grant unto him, the Spirit of grace and of reason and of strength, the Spirit of the Presbyterate who doth not grow old, and is indissoluble, homogeneous, loving the faithful, rebuking, that he may help and govern Thy people by labour, by fear, by a pure heart, by holiness, by excellency, by wisdom, and by the working of the Holy Spirit, through Thy care, Lord. In like manner as when Thou didst look upon Thy People, the Chosen, Thou didst command Moses to ask for the elders. and filling [them] with Thy Spirit didst bestow Him on Thy minister, so now, Lord, bestow on [this man] abundantly Thy Spirit, whom Thou didst give to those who by Thyself were made disciples, and to all those who through them truly believed in Thee. And make him worthy, being filled with Thy wisdom and Thy hidden Mysteries, to feed Thy people in holiness of heart: pure, and true; praising, blessing, lauding, giving thanks, offering a doxology always, day and night, to Thy Holy and glorious Name; labouring with cheerfulness and patience to be a vessel of Thy Holy Spirit; having and bearing always the Cross of Thy Only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom [be] praise and might to Thee with the Holy Ghost forever and ever.
Let the people say: Amen.
Let both the Priests and people give him the Peace, with an Holy Kiss.
Chapter 31
After he is [ordained] let him be constant at the Altar, making prayers laboriously without ceasing. But sometimes alone in some house let him take a rest from the things which belong to the house of the Lord; but not ceasing, or diminishing [one] hour, from prayers.
Let him fast three days each [week] all the year, [on the] one [hand] that he may be perfected in intelligence; and moreover [let him fast] according to his strength, not wandering about and going hither and thither with every spirit, but doing everything with energy.
If it be revealed to a Presbyter or Bishop to speak, let him speak; but if not, let him not neglect and despise his work.
If it be revealed to a Presbyter to visit his parishes, and speak the word, let him go; but if not, let him entreat God with supplication; and if it be revealed to him to speak to them, let him speak to them, always taking the burden and load of Him who was crucified for him, and praying for all the people.
Let not a Presbyter or Bishop be anxious about food or raiment. God taketh thought and careth for His own in the [things] which He knoweth. But if, when he receiveth from anyone food or clothing, it be said to him that he should receive also from another, let it suffice him to receive from [the first] alone, and that [only] in so far as is fitting, and as he needeth, and not to excess.
In respect of firmness of faith, let a Presbyter always be unchangeable; for it is such as these that God desireth; and let him prove the heart of each one; lest evil kept and buried within, make him a stranger to the grace of God.
Let him not allow tares to grow in the good wheat, but let him take them away from it, and cut off, those who bring [them] into it. Let not darkness cover his light. Let him teach all the faithful at all times that they accomplish their course, as it were, in the day; because the children of light walk not in darkness. Let the teaching of the Presbyter be fitting, and quiet and moderate, coupled with fear and trembling; and that of the Bishop also in like manner. And in teaching let them not speak vain things; but let him say such things as the hearers when they hear may keep [in memory]. Let the Presbyter be mindful of all the things that he teacheth. For in the day of the Lord the Word, it will be demanded [of him] that he should testify to the people the things which he spake, so that those who did not hear may be reproved. For he must stand before the glory of God, speaking those things which he hath taught. Thus, then, let him teach, that he perish not. Let him pray for those who hear, that the Lord may give them understanding of the Spirit, of knowledge, of truth; and let him not vainly cast pearls before swine; but let him search out [those] who are worthy, those who have heard and have performed; lest if the Word have not brought forth fruit in them, but have perished, he himself should prove the cause of its perishing. Let him not give the Holy things to dogs. Let him discern the signs of those who hear the word and bring forth good fruits. But in all things let him, without anxiety, keep [the matter] for the Bishop.
Let him not neglect nor despise those who do good works through teaching. But let him watch for signs in them; [and] of those [signs appearing] in them let him judge spiritually by [their] sighs, weeping, earnest conversations, silence, sadness, patience, humble bowing of the head. But that which best traineth and causeth suffering is weeping and groaning. But the work [these do] is watching, continence, fasting, quietness, unceasing prayer, meditation, faith, meekness, philanthropy, labour, weariness, love, subjection, goodness, gravity, and every [work of] light.
[On the other hand], the signs of those who do not bring forth the fruits of life are [these] — sloth, love of pleasure, eyes wandering in all directions, disobedience, complaining, restlessness, a laziness that will not move, wandering about.
But the work [these do] is gluttony, debauchery, anger, unbelief, idle and unseasonable laughter, confusion, neglect, error, disturbance, wantonness, love of gains, love of money, envy, contention, drunkenness, high-mindedness, vain talking, love of praise, and every [work of] darkness.
Let him recognise products such as these, and let him speak to those who are worthy. But let him not waste time upon those who do not receive [his teaching]. For those who sow on earth without fruits shall reap miseries.
Let the Presbyter, as is right and fitting, go about to the houses of those who are sick with the Deacon, and visit them; let him consider and say to them those things that are fitting and proper, especially to the faithful. Let him exhort that the sick who are Poor be helped by the Church, so that they also who do [deeds] of kindness may enter into the joy of their Lord. Let him confirm those who have newly become Catechumens with prophetical and evangelical utterances, with the word of teaching. Let him not neglect his prayers, for he is the figure of the Archangels: but let him know that God did not spare the Angels who sinned.
Let him fast; and if it is proper, let him receive of the cup. Let wine suffice him, as much as, in his judgment, profiteth and helpeth him, lest that drink which was for [his] healing he receive to [his] loss. In sickness, let him eat herbs and fish, and also that he may have care for his work. In everything let the Priest be an example to the faithful of the work of holiness.
Let the Presbyter praise and give thanks in the same way as the Bishop.
Chapter 32
Let them say the daily hymn of praise in the Church, each of them at his own time, thus:
Daily Hymn Of Praise
The Priest: he grace of our Lord [be] with you all.
The people: And with thy spirit.
The Priest: Praise ye the Lord.
The people: It is meet and right.
The Priest: Thee, Father of incorruptibility. Deliverer of our souls, Confirmer of the thoughts, and Guardian of our hearts, who hast illumined our hearts and hast brought to an end the darkness of our intelligence, by the knowledge which is in Thee; who hast by the Cross of Thy Only-begotten brought back anew to incorruptibility the old man which was given over to corruption; who hast brought error to an end, and by Thy commandments hast made man to pass to immortality; who didst seek that which was lost, we [Thy] servants [and] also [Thy] people praise.
The people: “We praise Thee, and the rest.
The Priest: We praise Thee, Lord, whom continually the unceasing doxologies of the Archangels singing praise, and the hymns of praise of Glories, and chants of Dominions praise. We praise Thee, Lord, who didst send Thy Thought, Thy Word, Thy Wisdom, Thy Energy, [namely] Him who [is] of old, and was with Thee before the worlds, the uncreated Word of the Uncreated one, but appeared, incarnate, in the end of times, for the salvation of created man, Thy Beloved Son Jesus Christ, who made us free from the yoke of slavery. Therefore we also, as we are accustomed, [we] Thy servants, Lord [and] also [thy] people, praise Thee.
The people: We praise Thee, and the rest.
The Priest: We sing to Thee a triple hymn of praise from our hearts, Lord who givest life, to Thee who dost visit the souls of the Poor, and neglectest not the spirits of those who are afflicted, the Assister of those who are persecuted, the Helper of those who are tossed on the sea, the Deliverer of those who are buffeted, the Provider for those who are hungry, who takest vengeance for those who are wronged, the Lover of the faithful, the Companion of the Saints, the Habitation of the pure, the Dwelling-place of those who call on Thee in truth, the Protector of Widows, the Liberator of Orphans, who givest to Thy Church a right government, and hast founded in it love-feasts, ministrations, receptions of the faithful, the partaking of the Spirit, gifts of grace and powers. We praise Thee; we cease not always in our hearts picturing the image of Thy Kingdom in ourselves, for Thy sake [and] also [for the sake] of Thy Beloved Son Jesus Christ, by whom [be] praise and might to Thee with the Holy Ghost, forever and ever. Amen.
And let the people say: Amen.
But if also anyone saith prophetical words, let him say [them]; he hath a reward.
But at midnight let the sons of Priestly service, and those of the people who are more perfect, give praise by themselves. For also in that hour our Lord, rising, praised His Father.
See, Children of the light; he who believeth the words of the Lord, walketh as He walked in this world, that where He is, there he may be also.
Of Deacons
Chapter 33
The Deacon is appointed, chosen like the things which have before been spoken of. If he be of good conduct, if he be pure, if he have been chosen for purity and for abstinence from distractions; if not, yet [if he] be the husband of one wife, borne witness to by all the faithful, not entangled in the businesses of the world, not knowing a handicraft, without riches, without children. But if he be married or have children, let his children be taught to work piety and to be pure, so that they may be approved by the Church, according to the rule of the ministry. But let the Church take care for them, so that they may persevere in the law and in the work of the ministry.
Chapter 34
But let him accomplish in the Church those things which are right. Let [his] ministry be thus. First, let him do only those things which are commanded by the Bishop as for proclamation; and let him be the counsellor of the whole clergy, and the mystery of the Church; who ministereth to the sick, who ministereth to the strangers, who helpeth the Widows, who is the father of the Orphans, who goeth about all the houses of those that are in need, lest any be in affliction or sickness or misery. Let him go about in the houses of the Catechumens, so that he may confirm those who are doubting and teach those who are unlearned.
Let him clothe those men who have departed, adorning [them]; burying the strangers; guiding those who pass from their dwelling, or go into captivity. For the help of those who are in need let him notify the Church; let him not trouble the Bishop; but only on the first day of the week let him make mention about everything, so that he may know.
Let him be watchful at the hour of the assembly, going about in the Church, and let him see that no one be [there who is] proud, or a buffoon, or a spy, or one who speaketh idle [words]. Let him rebuke [such], every one seeing and hearing, and let him thrust out him whom he hath condemned to receive punishment, so that the others also may fear. And if [the offender] persuade him to permit him to partake, let him give him comfort. But if the man persist in his transgression or disorderliness, let him take [word] about him up to the Bishop, and let him be separated seven days, and then called; so that he be not taken captive. But if when he cometh he still continue and persist in his folly, let him be cut off until he, repenting truly, come to himself, beseeching [to be received back].
If he be in a city on the seashore, let him go quickly about the places on the seashore, lest there be anyone dead in the sea; let him clothe him and bury him. Similarly also let him search out the guest house, lest there be anyone who is staying in the place sick or in need or dead; and let him make [it] known to the Church, so that it may provide what is right for each one. Let him cause the palsied and infirm to bathe as is right, so that they may have a breathing space from their pains. Let him give through the Church to each one what is right.
In the Church let twelve Presbyters, seven Deacons, fourteen Sub-Deacons, thirteen Widows who sit in front, be known.
But of the Deacons let him who is considered among them to be most earnest, and best in governing, be chosen to be the receiver of strangers. Let him alway be in the place of the guest house which is in the Church, clothed in white garments, a stole only on his shoulder.
Chapter 35
Let him be in everything as the eye of the Church, with fear admonishing, so that he may be an example to the people of piety Let him admonish thus:
Admonition Of The Deacon [at the Beginning of the Eucharist]
Let us arise.
Let everyone know his place.
Let the Catechumens depart.
See [that] no one polluted, no one slothful [remain]. [Lift] up the eyes of your hearts. The Angels are looking on. See [that] he who trusteth not, withdraw. Let us beseech in concord. Let no fornicator, no wrathful man [remain]; if one who is a servant of evil be [here], let him withdraw. See, as children of the light, let us beg [and] beseech our Lord and our God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.
When the Presbyter or Bishop beginneth the prayer, let the people pray and kneel.
Then let the Deacon say thus:
For the peace which is from Heaven let us beseech, that the Lord in His mercy may give us peace.
For our faith let us beseech, that the Lord may grant unto us to keep truly unto the end the faith which is in Him.
For harmony and concord let us beseech, that the Lord may keep us together in concord of the Spirit.
For patience let us beseech, that the Lord may bestow [upon us] patience unto the end in all afflictions.
For the Apostles let us beseech, that the Lord may grant to us to please Him, as they also pleased Him, and may make us worthy of their inheritance.
For the Holy Prophets let us beseech, that the Lord may number us with them.
For the Holy confessors let us beseech, that the Lord God may grant us to fulfil [our course] with the same mind [as they].
For the Bishop let us beseech, that our Lord may grant him to us for length of days in faith, rightly dividing the word of truth, and standing at the head of the Church purely and without blame.
For the Presbyterate let us beseech, that the Lord may not take away from them the spirit of the Presbyterate, but bestow on them earnestness and piety until the end.
For the Deacons let us beseech, that the Lord may grant unto them to run a perfect course, and to perfect holiness, and that He may remember their work and their love.
For the Presbyteresses let us beseech, that the Lord may hear their supplications and keep their hearts perfectly in the grace of the Spirit and help their work.
For the Sub-Deacons, Readers, Deaconesses let us beseech, that the Lord may grant to them to receive a reward in patience.
For the faithful laymen let us beseech, that the Lord may grant unto them to keep the faith perfectly.
For the Catechumens let us beseech, that the Lord may grant unto them to be counted worthy of the laver of forgiveness, and may sanctify them with the Seal of Holiness.
For the Kingdom let us beseech, that the Lord may bestow upon it tranquillity.
For the exalted powers let us beseech, that the Lord may grant to them prudence and the fear of Him.
For all the world let us beseech, that the Lord may provide for each one such things as are meet.
For those who travel by sea, and those who go on journeys let us beseech, that the Lord may guide them with the right hand of mercy.
For those who are persecuted let us beseech, that the Lord may grant to them patience and knowledge, and may bestow on them also a completed labour.
For those who have fallen asleep from the Church let us beseech, that the Lord may bestow upon them a place of rest.
For those who have fallen let us beseech, that the Lord may not remember their follies unto them, but moderate [His] threats unto them.
And let us all also, who need prayer, beseech that the Lord may protect and keep us with the peaceful Spirit. Let us persuade and beseech the Lord, that He may receive our prayers.
After the Deacon commemorateth, let the Bishop make a sign with his hand.
Let the Deacon say:
Let us arise in the Holy Ghost, that, being made wise, we may grow in His grace, boasting in His Name; being built on the foundation of the Apostles, let us beg [and] beseech the Lord that, being persuaded, He may receive our prayers.
Then let the Bishop complete [the prayer]. And let the people say: Amen.
[End of Deacon’s Words in Eucharist]
Chapter 36
Let the Deacon be such as this, so that he may appear with fear and modesty and reverence. With regard to fervour of spirit, let him have a perfect manner of life. Let him observe and look at those who come into the House of the Sanctuary. Let him investigate who they are, so that he may know if they are lambs or wolves. And when he asketh, let him bring in him that is worthy, lest, if a spy enter, the liberty of the Church be searched out, and his sin be on his head.
If anyone come late to the [service of] praise, either when that of the dawn is being said or when the Offering is being offered, whoever he be, let him remain outside, and let not the Deacon bring him in — for it is a type of the day of judgment which is to come — lest by the noise of the entrance there be distraction to those who are praying. But when he cometh and findeth that the door is shut, let him not knock, because of what hath been said already.
But after the hymn of praise which is placed first is finished, let the faithful man or faithful woman enter. Let the Deacon say, either over the offering or, For the hymn of praise:
Let us beseech that the Lord may write our supplication in the book of life, and [that] God who [is] forever may remember us in His Holy habitations of light. For [this] brother who is late, let us beseech that the Lord may give him earnestness and labour, and turn away from him every bond of this world, and give him the will of affection and love and hope.
Similarly also for a sister or for a Deaconess, for those who are late or remain outside, let him admonish that all the people may beseech for them. For thus when a Deacon mentioneth and admonisheth about them, earnestness is strengthened and the bond of love is fulfilled, and the despiser and the slothful is disciplined.
Chapter 37
If any woman whatsoever suffer violence from a man, let the Deacon accurately investigate if she be faithful and have truly suffered violence; if he who treated her with violence was not her lover. And if she be accurately thus, and if she that suffered mourn about the violence that happened to her, let him take it up to the hearing of the Bishop, that she may be shewn to be in all things in communion with the Church. If he who treated her with violence be faithful, let not the Deacon bring him into the Church for partaking, even if he repent. But if he be a Catechumen and repent, let him be baptized and partake.
Let the Deacon catechise those who repent and bring them to the Presbyters or to the Bishop that they may be catechised and taught knowledge. But if [his] power suffice to accomplish perfectly the office of the diaconate, let him abide only in prayer; and let him consider supplication and meditation, love, the way, mourning, and [to have] fear before his eyes, as a work; and he shall be called a son of the light.
Chapter 38
Let the appointment of a Deacon be thus:
Let the Bishop alone lay a hand on him, because he is not appointed to the Priesthood, but for the service of attendance on the Bishop and the Church. Over the Deacon then, let the Bishop say thus:
Prayer Of Ordination Of A Deacon
God, who didst create all things, and didst adorn [them] by the Word; who dost rest in the pure ages; who didst minister to us eternal life by Thy Prophets; who didst enlighten us with the light of knowledge; God, who doest great things, and [art] the Maker of all glory , Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, whom Thou didst send to minister to Thy will, that all the race of mankind might be saved, and didst make known to us and didst reveal Thy Thought, Thy Wisdom, Thine Energy, Thy Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, the Lord of light, the Prince of Princes, and God of Gods; give the spirit of grace and earnestness to this Thy servant, that there may be given to him earnestness, quiet, strength, power to please Thee; give him, Lord, as a worker in the law without shame, kind, a lover of Orphans, a lover of the pious, a lover of Widows, fervent in spirit, a lover of good things; and enlighten, Lord, him whom Thou hast loved and chosen to minister to Thy Church, offering in holiness to Thy Holy place those things which are offered to Thee from the inheritance of Thy High Priesthood; so that ministering without blame and purely and holily and with a pure conscience, he may be counted worthy of this high and exalted office, by Thy good will, praising Thee continually through Thy Only-begotten Son Jesus Christ, our Lord, by whom [be] praise and might to Thee forever and ever.
The people: Amen.
Chapter 39
If [one] be borne witness to and confess that he was in bonds and in imprisonment and in afflictions for the Name of God, a hand is not therefore laid on him for the diaconate. Similarly not for the Presbyterate. For he hath the honour of the clergy, having been protected by the hand of God, by [his] confessorship. But if he be appointed Bishop, he is also counted worthy of laying on of the hand. And [even] if he be a Confessor who hath not been judged before the power, and hath not been buffeted in bonds, but only hath confessed, he is counted worthy of laying on of the hand. For he receiveth the prayer of the clergy. But let him not pray over him repeating all these words; but when the shepherd advanceth, he will receive the effect.
Of the Widows
Chapter 40
Let a Widow be appointed being chosen, if for a long time past she have abided without a husband; if though often pressed by men to be married, because of the faith she have not been married. But if not, it is not yet right that she should be chosen; but let her be proved for a time, if she be pious, if having children she have brought them up in holiness, if she have not taught them worldly wisdom, if she have made them examples of the Holy law and of the Church, if she have loved and honoured strangers, if she have been constant in prayers, if she have lived meekly, if she have cheerfully aided those who are afflicted, if it have been revealed to the Saints about her, if she have not neglected the Saints, if she have ministered with all her power, if she be fit to bear and endure the burden, being one who prayeth without ceasing, being perfect in all things, being fervent in spirit, having the eyes of her heart opened in everything, being always kind, loving innocency, not possessing anything in this world, but always taking and bearing about the Cross, crucifying all evil, by night and by day abiding by the Altar, working cheerfully and secretly. If she have one or two or three likeminded in my Name, I am among them. But let her be perfect in the Lord, as one who is visited by the Spirit.
Let her do the things which are made known to her with fear and earnestness. Let her instruct those women who do not obey; let her teach those [women] who have not learnt; let her convert those who are foolish; let her instruct them to be grave; let her prove the Deaconesses; let her make those who enter to know of what sort and who they are; also let her instruct them that they abide. To those who hear let her patiently counsel those things which are proper. To those who are disobedient after three instructions let her not speak. Let her love those who desire to be in Virginity or in purity; those who oppose themselves let her correct modestly and quietly. With everyone let her be peaceful. Let her privately shut the mouth of those who talk much and idly; but if they do not hear, let her take with her an aged woman, or let her take [it] up to the hearing of the Bishop. But in the Church let her be silent. In prayer let her be persistent. Let her visit those [women] who are sick; on each first day of the week let her take with her one Deacon or two and help them. If she have any possession let her give it for the Poor and the faithful. But if she have nothing, let her be helped by the Church. Let her do no secular work, as it were for a trial. But let her have these works of the Spirit; let her continue in prayers and fasts; let her ask for nothing deep; let her receive those things which the Lord giveth; let her not be anxious for [her] children; let her deliver them to the Church, so that they living in the house of God may be fit for the service of the Priesthood.
Her requests to God will be acceptable; they are the sacrifice and Altar of God. For those who have ministered well shall be praised by the Archangels. But as for them who are dissolute and raging and drunken, and babblers and curious and evil, that is, those who love pleasures much, the figures of their souls, which stand before the Father of light, perish and are carried to darkness to dwell. For their deeds which are visible, going up before the most High, drag them easily to the pit, so that after this world is changed and passeth away the figures of their souls may stand against them as witnesses, not allowing them to look up. For the figure and type of every soul standeth before God from the foundation of the world.
Therefore let her be chosen who can go to meet the Holy Phials.
Of them are the twelve Presbyters who praise My Father who is in Heaven. These who receive the prayers of every holy soul, offer [them] to the most High [as] a sweet savour.
Chapter 41
Let the appointment be thus. As she prayeth at the entrance of the Altar, and looketh down, let the Bishop say quietly, so that the Priests may hear, thus:
Prayer Of The Institution Of Widows Who Sit In Front
God, the Holy One, the Most High, who seest the [things] that are humble, who hast chosen the weak and the mighty; the Honoured One who hast created also those [things] which are despised; give, Lord, the spirit of power to this Thine handmaid, and strengthen her with Thy truth, so that doing Thy commandment and serving in the House of Thy Sanctuary, she may be an honoured vessel unto Thee, and may glorify [Thee] in the day when Thou wilt glorify Thy Poor, Lord. And grant to her power cheerfully to accomplish Thy teachings which Thou hast determined for a rule for Thine handmaid. Grant to her, Lord, the spirit of meekness and of power and of patience and of kindness, so that, bearing with ineffable joy Thy burden, she may endure labour. Yea, Lord God, who knowest our weakness, perfect Thine handmaid for the praise of Thine house; strengthen her for edification and a good example, sanctify [her], make [her] wise; comfort [her] God; for blessed and glorious is Thy Kingdom, God the Father. And to Thee [be] praise, and to Thine Only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the Holy Ghost [who is] good and adorable and the Maker of life, and of equal essence with Thee, now and before all the worlds and for the ages and forever and ever.
The people: Amen.
Chapter 42
After she is [appointed] thus, let her not be anxious about anything, but let her remain solitary and having leisure for supplications of piety. For the foundation of holiness and life for a Widow such as this is solitude. For she hath loved none other but the God of Gods, the Father which is in Heaven. But at fixed times let her give praise by herself, in the night [and] at dawn. If she be menstruous let her abide in the Temple and not approach the Altar, not that she is as it were polluted, but that the Altar may have honour. Afterwards, when she fasteth and batheth, let her be assiduous [at the Altar]. In the days of Pentecost, let her not fast. In the feast of Pascha, let her give of those things which she hath to the Poor, and let her bathe, and so let her pray. But when she giveth thanks or praise, if she have friends like-minded, Virgins, it is well that they pray with her for the sake of the Amen. But if not, [let her pray] alone by herself, both in the Church and in the house, especially at midnight.
The times in which she should give praise are: Saturday, the first day of the week, either Pascha or Epiphany or Pentecost. At other time[s] let her give thanks meekly with Psalms, with hymns of praise, with meditations; and thus let her labour. For the Most High will sanctify them and will forgive all [their] sins, those which were before written against them, and their error; My Father, the Heavenly One, shall strengthen them and enlighten their faces as the faces of My Sanctuaries; they shall shine in My glory in the day of recompense.
Chapter 43
Let her hymns of praise be said thus quietly:
Night Hymn Of Praise Of Widows
Holy, Holy, without spot, who hast Thy dwelling in the light, God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, God of Enoch and David, of Elijah, of Elisha, of Moses, of Joshua, and of the Prophets and of the others who in truth preached Thy Name, God of the Apostles, the God who hast guided all things by Thy reason and hast blest them who lovingly trust in Thee; my soul praiseth Thee with the power of the spirit of my power, my heart praiseth Thee, O Lord, and Thy might, always. Let all my power praise Thee, Lord, for if Thou wilt, I am Thine, God, the God of the Poor; for Thou art the Helper of them that lack, and Thou art He that looketh on the meek, and the Assister of the weak; assist me, O Lord, because by Thy grace Thou wast well pleased in me that I should be Thine handmaid, for Thou hast bestowed upon me a great name, that I should be called a Christian. Thou who hast freed me from servitude that I may serve a servitude to God, the Mighty One who [art] forever, who seest all, that I may praise Thee uncondemned. Yea, Lord God, confirm my heart in Thee until it is perfected in the Holy Ghost. Rejuvenate us for the edification of Thy Holy Church, Son and Word and Thought of the Father, the Christ who camest for the salvation of the race of man, who didst suffer and wast buried, and didst rise, [and] also wast glorified by Him who sent Thee, turn, help, Lord, set upright our thoughts by the strong faith of the Spirit. Glorify Thy Name in us. For in Thy Father and in Thee and in the Holy Ghost is our hope forever and ever.
With those who are with her let her say: Amen.
But let her say the hymn of praise at dawn thus:
Hymns Of Praise At Dawn Of Widows Who Sit In Front
Eternal God, Guide of our souls. Maker of light, Treasure of life, who restest in the praises and prayers of the Holy ones; Lover of compassion, merciful, kind. King of all, and God, our Lord, my spirit praiseth [Thee], sending [up] to Thee the unceasing voices of Thine handmaid, Lord, who beseecheth Thee that Thou mayest perfect in Thine handmaid the spirit of reason and of piety and of right knowledge. I praise Thee, Lord, who didst take away from our poverty all disturbance and confusion (?), wrath and all contention and evil habit, who didst prepare [and] change the feelings of my understanding that I might serve Thee only, God; who hast adorned Thy Holy Church with various ministries, who drivest away from Thine handmaid all doubtfulness, fear, weakness; and boldest the thoughts of those who rightly serve Thee; I praise Thee, God, who hast enlightened me with the light of Thy knowledge, through Thine Only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom [be] praise and might to Thee forever and ever. Amen.
And with those who are with her let her say: Amen.
Of Sub-Deacons
Chapter 44
Similarly let a Sub-Deacon be appointed who is chaste, the Bishop praying over him. Let the Bishop say over him on the first day of the week, in the hearing of all the people, thus:
Thou, N., Minister and hear the Gospel in the fear of God. Cultivate holily the knowledge of thy soul; keep pureness; discipline thyself; observe and obey and hear meekly; neglect not prayers and fasts, so that the Lord may give thee rest and make thee worthy of a higher degree.
And let all the Priests say: So be it, so be it, so be it.
Of The Reader
Chapter 45
A Reader is instituted [who is] pure, quiet, meek, wise, with much experience, learned and of much learning, with a good memory, vigilant, so that he may deserve a higher degree. First let the book be given him in the sight of the people, on the first day of the week. But a hand is not laid on him. But he heareth from the Bishop [the following]:
Thou, N., whom Christ hath called to be a minister of His words, be careful, and strive that thou mayest appear approved both in this rule and in a higher degree, even by our Lord Jesus Christ; so that He in His everlasting habitations may pay thee a good reward for these things.
And let the Priests say: So be it, so be it, so be it.
Of Male And Female Virgins
Chapter 46
A male or female Virgin is not instituted or appointed by man, but is voluntarily separated and named [a Virgin].But a hand is not laid on him, as for Virginity. For this division is of [their] own free will. But it is right for Virgins that they be fixed and bound in the suffering of a sound body, that they be constant in fasts and in prayers, in weeping and in mourning daily; but that they always expect a departure from the flesh, and strive as at the departure. Let them not serve raging or debauchery or drunkenness or vain talking, or [be engaged] in worldly work or in distraction, but they are as one who is on the Cross; let their hearts be [lifted] up, with all meekness of thought and comeliness, with meditation on the Holy Scriptures, with faithful thoughts, with kind consolations, so that when they pray they may be answered concerning those things which they ask for the faithful who wish to provide for them. Let them not despise [these things (?)], so that through them also a portion of life may be divided to those. Let them be confirmed in love and kindness and in true and perfect grace. Let them be constant in consolation, consoling their neighbours, catechising and teaching those who have lately been made faithful, in understanding and in knowledge and in kindness, inciting those who are very young, being examples of holiness among them in all good things. Similarly also let the females do. But in order and in grace and in knowledge let them speak and work, that they may truly be the salt of the earth as it is called. But let females who are Virgins have their heads covered in the Church, and let them hide only their hair; but let them be counted worthy of honour from everyone, in order that the rest [of the women] who desire, may emulate them.
Of A Gift
Chapter 47
If anyone appear in the people to have a gift of healing or of knowledge or of tongues, a hand is not laid on him, for the work is manifest. But let them have honour.
The First Book of Clement is ended
The Second Book Of Clement
Of Laymen Thus:
Chapter 1
Let those who first come to hear the Word, before they enter among all the people, first come to teachers at home, and let them be examined as to all the cause [of their coming] with all accuracy, so that their teachers may know for what they have come, or with what will. And if they have come with a good will and love, let them be diligently taught. But let those who bring them be such as are well on in years, faithful who are known by the Church; and let them bear witness about them, if they are able to hear [the word]. Also let their life and conversation be asked about: if they be not contentious, if quiet, if meek, not speaking vain things or despisers or foul speakers, or buffoons or leaders astray, or ridicule mongers.
Also if any of them have a wife or not; and if of his own free will he have not [a wife], let him be instructed carefully and diligently and persuaded with all kindness to amend his failings. And let the Bishop provide for him in the Lord with prophetical instructions which lead him to purity; and if he maketh progress, also with Apostolic doctrines and then with Gospel [doctrines] and with the perfect word of doctrine; and if he be worthy, let him be baptized. And if thus he be worthy of the hidden things, let him hear [them] by himself, and also make progress in that which is hidden.
Let there be no obstacle at all to him who desireth to marry, so that he be not caught by the Evil One with fornication. But let him marry a Christian, a faithful [woman] of the race of the Christians, who is able to keep her husband in the faith; at the bidding of the Bishop, he thus providing for him.
And also let him who cometh be asked if he be a slave or free; and if the slave of one who is faithful, and if also his master permit him, let him hear. But if his master be not faithful and do not permit him, let him be persuaded to permit him. And if [his master] say truly about him that he wisheth to become a Christian because he hateth his masters, let him be cast out. But if no cause be shewn of hatred of servitude, but [if] he [really] wish to be a Christian, let him hear. But if his master be faithful and do not bear witness to him, let him be cast out. Similarly if [a woman] be the wife of a man, let the woman be taught to please her husband in the fear of God. But if both of them desire to serve purity in piety, they have a reward. Let him who is unmarried not commit fornication, but let him marry in the law. But if he desire to persevere thus, let him abide in the Lord.
If anyone be tormented with a devil, let him not hear the Word from a teacher until he be cleansed. For the intelligence, when consumed with a material spirit, doth not receive the immaterial and Holy Word. But if he be cleansed, let him be instructed in the Word.
Chapter 2
If a fornicatress, or brothel keeper, or a drunkard, or a maker of idols, or a painter, or one engaged in shows, or a charioteer, or a wrestler, or one who goeth to the contest or a combatant [in the games], or one who teacheth wrestling, or a public huntsman, or a Priest of idols, or a keeper of them, be [among those that come], let him not be received.
If any such desire to become faithful, let him cease from these [things]; and being in deed faithful, and being baptized, let him be received and let him partake. And if he do not cease, let him be rejected.
If anyone be a teacher of boys in worldly wisdom, it is well if he cease. But if he have no other craft by which to live, let him be excused. If anyone be a soldier or in authority, let him be taught not to oppress or to kill or to rob, or to be angry or to rage and afflict anyone. But let those rations suffice him which are given to him. But if they wish to be baptized in the Lord, let them cease from military service or from the [post of] authority, and if not let them not be received.
Let a Catechumen or a believer of the people, if he desire to be a soldier, either cease from his intention, or if not let him be rejected. For he hath despised God by his thought, and leaving the things of the Spirit, he hath perfected himself in the flesh, and hath treated the faith with contempt.
If a fornicatress or a dissolute man or a drunkard do not [these things], and desire, believing, to become Catechumens, they may [be admitted]. And if they make progress, let them be baptized; but if not let them be rejected.
If a concubine of a man be a servant, and desire to be faithful, if she educate those who are born [of her] and she separate from her master, or be joined to him alone in marriage, let her hear; and being baptized let her partake in the Offering, but if not let her be rejected.
He who doeth things which may not be spoken of, or a diviner or a magician or a necromancer , these are defiled and do not come to judgment. Let a charmer, or an astrologer, or an interpreter of dreams, or a sorcerer, or one who gathereth together the people, or a star-gazer, or a diviner by idols, either cease, and when he ceaseth let him be exorcised and baptized; or if not let him be rejected.
If a man have a concubine, let him divorce her and marry in the law and hear the word of instruction.
[Of Catechumens and Baptism]
Let him who is instructed with all care and heareth the perfectness of the Gospel, be instructed not less than three years, and if he, loving, strive to be baptized, let him [then] be baptized.
But if he be quiet and meek and earnest, and persevering and abiding with him who teacheth him, with labour, with watching, with confession, with subjection, and with prayers, and [if] he desire to be baptized sooner, let him be baptized. For it is not the time that is considered, but the will of faith.
Chapter 4
Let those who are instructed, after the teacher ceaseth, pray apart from the faithful and go out, so that the faithful may learn, when the Presbyter or Deacon readeth the New [Testament] or Gospels.
Let the faithful women stand in the Church by themselves and the female Catechumens by themselves apart from the faithful [women]. But all the [women] apart from the men; the girls also apart, each according to her order.
The men on the right and the women on the left; the faithful Virgins first, and the [women] who are being instructed to Virginity behind them.
After the prayer let the female Catechumens give the Peace to one another; also men to men; also women to women.
Let every woman cover her head with her hair also. Let the women becomingly and decorously show their modesty in their adornment, and let them not be adorned with plaited hair or with [precious] stones, lest the young men who are in the Church be caught, but with modesty and knowledge. But if not, let them be instructed by the Widows who sit in front.
But if they rebelliously resist, let the Bishop reprove them.
Chapter 5
After the Catechumens pray, let the Bishop or Presbyter, laying on them a hand, say the prayer of the laying on of the hand of Catechumens:
Prayer Of Catechumens
God, who dost send thunderings and preparest lightnings; who hast founded the Heaven and established the earth, and enlightenest the faithful and convertest them that err; who hast quickened those who were dead and hast given hope to those who [were] without hope, and hast freed the universe from error by the coming down of Thy Only-begotten Son Jesus Christ; hear us, Lord, and give to these souls intelligence, perfectness, undoubting faith, knowledge of the truth, that they may be in a degree higher than this, through the Holy Name of Thee and of Thy Beloved Son Jesus, our Lord, through whom [be] praise and might to Thee with the Holy Ghost, both now and always and forever and ever. Amen.
After this let them be dismissed.
If anyone, being a Catechumen, be apprehended for My Name and be judged with tortures, and hasten and press forward to receive the laver, let not the shepherd hesitate, but let him give [it] to him. But if he suffer violence and be killed, not having received the laver, let him not be anxious. For, having been baptized in his own blood, [he is] justified.
Chapter 6
But if they are severally chosen to receive the laver, let them be proved and investigated first, how they have lived while Catechumens; if they have honoured Widows, if they have visited the sick, if they have walked in all meekness and love, if they were earnest in good works. But let them be borne witness to by those who bring them.
And when they hear the Gospel, let a hand be laid on them daily.
Let them be exorcised from that day when they are chosen. And let them be baptized in the days of Pascha. And when the days approach, let the Bishop exorcise each one of them separately by himself, so that he may be persuaded that he is pure. For if there be one that is not pure, or in whom is an unclean spirit, let him be reproved by that unclean spirit.
If then anyone is found under any such imagination, let him be removed from the midst [of them], and let him be reproved and reproached that he hath not heard the word of the commandments and of instruction faithfully, because the evil and strange spirit abided in him.
Let those who are about to receive the laver be taught on the fifth day of the last week only, to wash and bathe their heads. But if any woman then be in the customary flux, let her also take in addition another day, washing and bathing beforehand.
Let them fast both [on] the Friday and [on] the Saturday.
Chapter 7
On the Saturday let the Bishop assemble them who receive the laver, and let him bid them to kneel while the Deacon proclaimeth. And when there is silence let him exorcise [them], laying a hand on them, and saying:
Exorcism Before The Laver
God of Heaven, God of the lights, God of the Archangels who are under Thy power, God of the Angels who are under Thy might, King of Glories and of Dominions, God of Saints, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; who hast loosed the souls that were bound by death; who hast enlightened him that was bound in darkness and fixed firm, by the firm-fixing of the suffering of Thy Only-begotten; who hast loosed our cords and hast loosed every weight from [off] us; who hast repelled from us every attack of the Evil One; Son and Word of God, who hast made us immortal by Thy death; who hast glorified us with Thy glory; who hast loosed all the bands of our sins by Thy passion; who hast borne the curse of our sins by Thy Cross, and by Thy resurrection hast taught [mankind] to pass from [being] sons of men to become Gods; who hast taken on Thee our humiliation; who hast trodden the way to Heaven for us; who hast changed us from corruption to incorruptibility; hear me, Lord, who cry to Thee in pain and fear, Lord God, and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, before Him before whom stand the Holy Hosts of Archangels and of Cherubim and Armies without number, of Princes and of Seraphim; whose Veil [is] the light, and before whose face [is] fire; the throne of whose glory is ineffable; the habitations of whose delights, which Thou hast prepared for Thy Saints, are ineffable, the Raiments and Treasures of which are visible to Thee alone and to Thy Holy Angels; before whom all things tremble, giving praise; whose glance measureth the mountains, and whose Name, when uttered, cleaveth the depths; whom the Heavens which are shut up by Thy hand, hide from view; before whom the earth and the depths together tremble; before whom the sea and the dragons that [are] in it quake; of whom the wild beasts, trembling, stand in awe; through whom the mountains and the firmament of the earth melt with fear: at whose power the tempest of the winter quaketh and trembleth, and the raging whirlwind keepeth its limits; because of whom the fire of vengeance doth not overpass that which hath been prescribed to it, but abideth when reproved by Thy commandment; because of whom the whole creation travaileth, groaning with groans, being bidden to tarry till its time; from whom all nature and creation that opposeth itself fleeth; because of whom the whole army of the adversary is subdued, and the Devil is fallen, and the serpent is trodden down, and .the dragon is killed; because of whom the nations which have confessed Thee are enlightened and strengthened in Thee, Lord; because of whom life is revealed and hope confirmed, and faith strengthened and the Gospel preached; because of whom corruption is brought to naught and incorruptibility waxeth strong; through whom man was fashioned from the earth, but having believed in Thee he is no longer earth; Lord God Almighty, I exorcise these in the Name of Thee and of Thy Beloved Son Jesus Christ.
Drive away from the souls of these Thy servants every disease and illness, and every stumbling block and all unbelief, all doubt and all contempt, every unclean spirit that worketh, that is a witch, that killeth, that is under the earth, that is fiery, dark, evil-smelling, given to witchcraft, lascivious, loving gold, uplifted, money-loving, wrathful.
Yea, Lord God, overthrow from these Thy servants who have been named in Thee the weapons of the Devil, all magic, witchcraft, fear of idols, divination, astrology , necromancy, observation of the stars, astronomy, pleasure of the passions, love of disgraceful things, sadness, love of money, drunkenness, fornication, adultery, lasciviousness, contumacy, contentiousness, wrath, confusion, wickedness, evil suspicion.
Yea, Lord God, hear me, and breathe on these Thy servants the spirit of tranquillity, that, being guarded by Thee, they may bring forth in Thee fruits of faith, of virtue, of wisdom, of purity, of self-discipline, of patience, of hope, of concord, of modesty, of praise. For by Thee they have been called as servants, in the Name of Jesus Christ, being baptized in the Trinity, in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, the Angels, Glories, Dominions, all the Heavenly Army being witnesses. Lord, the real essence of our life and theirs, guard their hearts, God, for Thou art mighty and glorious forever and ever.
And let all the people, also the Priests, say: Amen, So be it, so be it, so be it.
If anyone be in the endurance of anything, rise suddenly while the Bishop is saying [these words], and weep or cry out, or foam [at the mouth] or gnash with his teeth, or stare or be much uplifted or altogether run away, being quickly carried off, let such an one be put aside by the Deacons, so that there be no disturbance while the Bishop is speaking, and let such an one be exorcised by the Priests until he be cleansed, and so let him be baptized.
After the Priest exorciseth those who have drawn near, or him who is found unclean, let the Priest breathe on them and seal them between their eyes, on the nose, on the heart, on the ears; and so let him raise them up.
Chapter 8
In the forty days of Pascha, let the people abide in the Temple, keeping vigil and praying, hearing the Scriptures and hymns of praise and the books of doctrine.
But on the last Saturday let them rise early in the night, and when the Catechumens are being exorcised till the Saturday midnight. Let those who are about to be baptized not bring anything else with them except one loaf for the Eucharist.
But let them be baptized thus. When they come to the water, let the water be pure and flowing. First the babes, then the men, then the women.
But if anyone desire to approach as it were to Virginity, let him first be baptized by the hand of the Bishop.
Let the women, when they are baptized, loose their hair. Let all the boys who can answer in baptism make the responses and answer after the Priest. But if they cannot, let their parents make the responses for them, or someone of their households.
But when they who are being baptized go down [to the water], after they make the responses and say [the answers], let the Bishop see if there be any of them — either a man having a ring of gold, or a woman having on her gold; for no one should have with him any strange thing in the water, but let him deliver it to those who are near him.
But when they are about to receive the oil for anointing, let the Bishop pray over it and give thanks, and let him exorcise another [oil] with an exorcism, the same as in the case of Catechumens. And let the Deacon hear that which is exorcised, and let the Presbyter stand by him. Let him then who standeth by that [oil] on which a giving of thanks over the oil [is said] be on the right hand; but him who standeth by that which is exorcised, on the left.
And when he taketh hold of each one, let him ask — he that is being baptized turning to the West — and let him say: Say,
I renounce thee, Satan, and all thy service, and thy shows, and thy pleasures, and all thy works.
And when he hath said these things and confessed, let him be anointed with that oil which was exorcised, he who anointeth him saying thus:
I anoint [thee] with this oil of exorcism for a deliverance from every evil and unclean spirit, and for a deliverance from every evil.
And also, turning him to the East, let him say: [Say,]
I submit to Thee, Father and Son and Holy Ghost, before whom all nature trembleth and is moved. Grant me to do all Thy will without blame.
Then after these things let him give him over to the Presbyter who baptizeth. And let them stand in the water naked.
But let the Deacon descend with him similarly. But when he who is being baptized goeth down into the water, let him that baptizeth him say, putting his hand on him, thus:
Dost thou believe in God the Father Almighty?
Let him that is being baptized say: I believe.
Let him immediately baptize him once.
Let the Priest also say:
Dost thou believe also in Christ Jesus the Son of God, who came from the Father, who is of old with the Father, who was born of Mary the Virgin by the Holy Ghost, who was crucified in the days of Pontius Pilate, and died and rose the third day, [who] came to life from the dead, and ascended into Heaven and sat down on the right hand of the Father, and cometh to judge the quick and the dead?
But when he saith: I believe, let him baptize him the second time.
And also let him say:
Dost thou believe also in the Holy Ghost, in the Holy Church?
And let him who is being baptized say: I believe;
And thus let him baptize him the third time.
Then when he cometh up let him be anointed by the Presbyter with oil over which the giving of thanks has been said, [the Presbyter] saying over him: I anoint thee with oil in the Name of Jesus Christ. But let women be anointed by Widows who sit in front, the Presbyter saying over them [the words]. And let those Widows in baptism also beneath a Veil receive them by a Veil, the Bishop saying those Confessions, and so those whom they cause them to renounce.
Chapter 9
Then let them be together in the Church, and let the Bishop lay a hand on them after baptism, saying and invoking over them thus:
Invocation Of The Holy Ghost
Lord God, who by Thy Beloved Son Jesus Christ didst fill Thy Holy Apostles with the Holy Ghost, and by the Spirit didst permit Thy blessed Prophets to speak; who didst count these Thy servants worthy to be counted worthy in Thy Christ of forgiveness of sins through the laver of the second birth, and hast cleansed them of all the mist of error and darkness of unbelief; make them worthy to be filled with Thy Holy Spirit, by Thy love of man, bestowing upon them Thy grace, so that they may serve Thee according to Thy will, truly, God, and may do Thy commandments in holiness, and cultivating always those things which are of Thy will, may enter into Thine eternal Tabernacles, through Thee and through Thy Beloved Son Jesus Christ, by whom [be] to Thee praise and might with the Holy Ghost forever and ever.
Similarly, pouring the oil, placing a hand on his head, let him say:
Anointing I anoint [thee] in God Almighty, and in Jesus Christ and in the Holy Ghost, that thou mayest be His soldier, having a perfect faith, and a vessel pleasing to Him.
And sealing him on his forehead, let him give him the Peace, and say:
The Lord God of the meek be with thee. And let him who has been sealed answer and say: And with thy spirit.
And so each one severally.
[On the First Eucharist After Baptism]
Chapter 10
Thenceforward let them pray together with all the people.
Let the oblation be offered by the Deacon. And so let the shepherd give thanks. But the bread is offered for a type of My body. Let the cup be mixed with wine, — mixed with wine and water, for it is a sign of blood and of the laver; so that also the inner man, that is to say, that which is of the soul, may be counted worthy of those things which are like [them], that is to say, those things of the body also. And let all the people, according to what hath been said before, receive with Amen of the Eucharist which is offered.
Let the Deacons hover over [them], as hath before been said.
Let him who giveth [the sacrament] say:
The Body of Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost, for the healing of soul and body.
And let him who receiveth say: Amen.
He who spilleth of the cup gathereth up judgment to himself. Similarly also he who seeth and is silent and doth not reprove him, whoever he may be. Let those who take the Offering be exhorted by the Priests to be careful to do good works, to love strangers, to abound in fasting, and in every good work to engage in servitude. And let them be taught also about the resurrection of the body; before anyone receiveth baptism let no one know the word about the resurrection, for this is the new decree, which hath a new name that none knoweth but he who receiveth [it].
Note: Rev. 2:17; Entire Verse in KJV: He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth [it].
The Deacon doth not give the Offering to a Presbyter. Let him open the dish or paten, and let the Presbyter receive.
Let the Deacon give [the Eucharist] to the people in their hands. Let the Deacon, when the Presbyter is not present, of necessity baptize.
[Worship, Firstfruits and Offerings]
Chapter 11
If anyone receive any service to carry to a Widow or Poor woman or anyone constantly engaged in a Church work, let him give it the same day; and if not, on the morrow, let him add something to it from his own [property] and so give it. For the bread of the Poor hath been kept back in his possession. But in the last week of Pascha, on the fifth day of the week, let the bread and the cup be offered. And he who suffered for that which he hath offered, he [it is] who draweth near.
Let the lamp be offered in the Temple by the Deacon, saying: The grace of our Lord [be] with you all.
And let all the people say: And with Thy spirit.
And let the little boys say spiritual Psalms and hymns of praise by the light of the lamp. Let all the people respond Hallelujah to the psalm and to the chant sung together, with one accord, with voices in harmony; and let no one kneel until he who speaketh cease. Similarly also when a lection is read or the word of doctrine is spoken. If then the Name of the Lord be spoken, and the rest, as hath sufficiently been made known, let no one bow, having come creeping in.
Chapter 12
Let the end of Pascha be after the Saturday, at midnight.
[At] Pentecost let no one fast or kneel. For these are days of rest and joy.
Let those who bear the burdens of labour refresh themselves a little in the days of Pentecost, and on every first day of the week.
Let the Bishop, before he offereth the Offering, say what is fitting for the Offering, while those who are clothed in white receive from one another and say [to one another] Hallelujah.
Chapter 13
In the supper or feast, let those who have come together receive [a portion] thus from the shepherd, as for a blessing. But let not a Catechumen receive.
If anyone be of the household of, or related to, one who is a teacher of heathenism, let him not accord with him and give praise with him, also let him not eat with him because of relationship or for concord, lest he deliver ineffable things to a wolf and he receive judgment.
Let those who are called with the Bishop to the house of one who is faithful, eat with gravity and knowledge, not with drunkenness or to debauchery, and not so that he who is present may laugh, or so as to annoy the household of him that called him; but so let them enter that he who called [them] may pray that the Saints may enter into his house. For ye are the salt of the earth, [as] ye have heard.
Because when they eat, let them eat abundantly, [but] so that there may be left over both for you [and] also for those to whom he that called you wisheth [to] send, so that he may have them as foods left over by the Saints, and that he may rejoice at that which remaineth over.
Let those who come to a feast, being called, not stretch out a hand before them that are elder. But let the last eat when the first shall have done.
Let not those who eat strive in speech, but let them eat in silence; but if anyone desire, or the Bishop or Presbyter ask [a question], let him return answer.
But when the Bishop saith a word, let everyone quietly, praising [him], choose silence for himself, until he also be asked [a question].
Chapter 14
If anyone bring forward fruits or the first produce of crops as first fruits, let him offer [them] to the Bishop.
Chapter 15
If anyone depart from the world, either a faithful man or a faithful woman, having children, let them give their possessions to the Church, so that the Church may provide for their children, and [that] from the things which they have the Poor may be given rest, that God may give mercy to their children and rest to those who have left [them] behind. But if a man have no children, let him have not much possessions, but let him give much of his possessions to the Poor and to the prisoners, and only keep what is right and sufficient for him[self]. If a man have children, and he desire to discipline himself in Virginity, let him give all his possessions to the Poor, and discipline himself and abide in the Church, being constant in prayers and thanksgivings.
Chapter 16
The fruits which are offered to the Bishop let him bless thus:
God, we give thanks to Thee always, and also in this day when we offer to Thee the first fruits of the fruits which Thou hast given us for food, having ripened them by Thy power and by Thy Word, having commanded from the beginning of the creation of the worlds that the earth should bring forth different fruits for the joy and delight of man and of all beasts. We praise Thee, Lord, for all these things with which Thou hast benefited us, adorning for us all the earth with various fruits. Bless also this Thy servant N., and receive his earnestness and his love, through Thine Only-begotten Son Jesus Christ, through whom [be] praise and honour and might to Thee with the Holy Ghost forever and ever. Amen.
Vegetables are not blessed, but fruits of trees, flowers, and the rose and the lily.
Chapter 17
Of All The Faithful Who Receive And Eat
Let them give and return thanks and not eat with offence or scandal. Let no one taste that which is strangled or sacrificed to idols.
Chapter 18
On the days of Pascha, especially in the last days, on Friday and on Saturday, by night and by day, let the prayers be according to the number of the hymns of praise. But let the word be interpreted at length, and let the lections [be] various and continuous. And let the vigils and anticipations of the night be in good order.
Chapter 19
Let the Readers assist them; and Similarly also the Sub-Deacons. Let them not allow them to sleep. For that night is a figure of the Kingdom, and especially that of the Saturday.
Those who labour and work, let them work till midnight.
Let the Catechumens first be dismissed, having received blessings from the bread which is broken. When the faithful are dismissed, let them go in order and knowledge to their houses. In their feasts let them not forget the prayers.
Let the Priests not abbreviate their ministrations.
Let the women go, each one cleaving to her husband.
Let the Widows stay till dawn in the Temple, having food there.
Let the Virgins abide together in the Temple, and let the Bishop help and provide for them, and let the Deacons minister to them.
Let the Presbyteresses stay with the Bishop till dawn, praying and resting.
Similarly also those who were lately baptized.
Let Virgins who are ready for marriage go, cleaving to their mothers. This is thus fitting.
Chapter 20
Let the Bishop command that they proclaim that no one taste anything until the Offering is completed. And the whole body of the Church shall receive a new food. Then in the evening let those who are to be baptized be baptized, after one lection.
But if anyone before he approacheth and receiveth of the Eucharist eat something else, he sinneth and his fast is not reckoned to him.
When the Catechumens are dismissed, let a hand be laid on them.
If a faithful because of sickness remain [away], let the Deacon carry the Offering to him.
If anyone be a Presbyter who cannot come, let a Presbyter carry [it] to him.
Similarly if a woman be pregnant [and] sick, and cannot fast these two days, let her fast that one day, taking on the first [day] bread and water. And if she cannot come, let a Deaconess carry [the Offering] to her.
Chapter 21
Let them take [it] up to the hearing of the Bishop, so that if it seem good to the Bishop he may visit them; for the sick [man] is much comforted when the High Priest remembereth him, and especially when he is faithful.
Chapter 22
In answer to him who singeth the Psalms in the Church, let the Virgins and boys respond and sing. But if they sing the Psalms in a house privately, if they be two or three, let them respond to one another, singing the Psalms.
Similarly the men.
Chapter 23
If a Poor man die, let those who provide for each one, provide for his clothing. If anyone who is a stranger die and he have no place to be buried, let those who have a place give [it]. But if the Church hath [a place] let it give [it]. And if he have no covering, let the Church similarly give it. But if he has not grave clothes, let him be shrouded.
But if a man be found to have possessions, and do not leave them to the Church, let them be kept for a time; and after a year let not the Church appropriate them, but let them be given to the Poor for his soul.
But if he desire to be embalmed, let the Deacons provide for this, a Presbyter standing by.
If the Church have a graveyard, and there be one who abideth there and keepeth it, let the Bishop provide for him from the Church, so that he be no burden to those who come there.
Chapter 24
Let the people always take care about the early dawn, that arising and washing their hands they immediately pray. And so let each one go to the work which he willeth.
Let all take care to pray at the third hour with mourning and labour, either in the Church, or in the house because they cannot go (to the Church). For this is the hour of the fixing of the Only-begotten on the Cross.
But at the sixth hour similarly let there be prayer with sorrow. For then the daylight was divided by the darkness. Let there be then that voice which is like to the Prophets, and to creation mourning.
At the ninth hour also let prayer be protracted, as with a hymn of praise that is like to the souls of those who give praise to God that lieth not, as one who hath remembered His Saints, and hath sent His Word and Wisdom to enlighten them. For in that hour life was opened to the faithful, and blood and water were shed from the side of our Lord.
But at evening, when it is the beginning of another day, shewing an image of the resurrection., He hath caused us to give praise.
But at midnight let them arise praising and lauding because of the resurrection.
But at dawn [let them arise] praising with Psalms, because after He rose He glorified the Father while they were singing Psalms. But if any have a consort or wife [not] faithful, let the husband who is faithful go and pray at these times without fail.
Let those who are chaste not lessen [them]. For the adornments of Heaven give praise, the lights, the sun, the moon, the stars, the lightnings, the thunders, the clouds, the Angels, the Archangels, the Glories, the Dominions, the whole [Heavenly] Army, the depths, the sea, the rivers, the wells, fire, dew, and all nature that produceth rain.
All the Saints also give praise and all the souls of the righteous. These, then, who pray are numbered together in the remembrance of God.
[Reasons for Ecclesiastical Rule]
Chapter 25
When ye the faithful accomplish these things, teach and instruct one another, causing the Catechumens to make progress, as loving all men; ye do not perish, but will be in Me and I will be among you.
But always let the faithful take care that before he eat he partake of the Eucharist, that he may be incapable of receiving injury.
When ye teach these things and keep [them], ye shall be saved, and evil heresy shall not prevail against you.
Lo, then, I have taught you now all [things] that ye desire; and those things which I have spoken with you [of] from the beginning, and have taught and commanded you before I should suffer, ye know.
Chapter 26
And thou; especially John, and Andrew and Peter, even now ye know all [the things] which I have spoken to you while I am with you, as also that which [is] in this Testament, in order that when ye deliver [them] to the nations the will of My Father may always be accomplished, abiding firm in carefulness, so that there may be good fruits in them that hear.
Ye know that I have spoken with you that a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit. All [things], then, that I have commanded you openly and secretly, do. And the God of tranquillity be with you.
Chapter 27
And falling down we worshipped Him, saying. Glory to Thee, Jesus, Name of light, who didst give us the teaching of Thy commandments, so that we may be like unto Thee, we and all those who hear Thee. And when He spoke to us and taught and commanded us, and showed many loosings and miracles. He was taken up from us, giving us tranquillity.
John and Peter and Matthew wrote this Testament, and sent [it] in copies from Jerusalem by Dositheus and Silas and Magnus and Aquila, whom they chose to send [them] to all dioceses. Amen.
The Second Book of Clement is ended, translated from the Greek to the Syrian language by James the Poor, in the year 998 of the Greeks.
End of Second Book

TheDidache
"The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles" (Late first century)

Chapter 1. The Two Ways and the First Commandment.
There are two ways, one of life and one of death, but a great difference between the two ways. The way of life, then, is this: First, you shall love God who made you; second, love your neighbor as yourself, and do not do to another what you would not want done to you. And of these sayings the teaching is this: Bless those who curse you, and pray for your enemies, and fast for those who persecute you. For what reward is there for loving those who love you? Do not the Gentiles do the same? But love those who hate you, and you shall not have an enemy. Abstain from fleshly and worldly lusts. If someone strikes your right cheek, turn to him the other also, and you shall be perfect. If someone impresses you for one mile, go with him two. If someone takes your cloak, give him also your coat. If someone takes from you what is yours, ask it not back, for indeed you are not able. Give to every one who asks you, and ask it not back; for the Father wills that to all should be given of our own blessings (free gifts). Happy is he who gives according to the commandment, for he is guiltless. Woe to him who receives; for if one receives who has need, he is guiltless; but he who receives not having need shall pay the penalty, why he received and for what. And coming into confinement, he shall be examined concerning the things which he has done, and he shall not escape from there until he pays back the last penny. And also concerning this, it has been said, Let your alms sweat in your hands, until you know to whom you should give.

Chapter 2. The Second Commandment: Grave Sin Forbidden.
And the second commandment of the Teaching; You shall not commit murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not commit pederasty, you shall not commit fornication, you shall not steal, you shall not practice magic, you shall not practice witchcraft, you shall not murder a child by abortion nor kill that which is born. You shall not covet the things of your neighbor, you shall not swear, you shall not bear false witness, you shall not speak evil, you shall bear no grudge. You shall not be double-minded nor double-tongued, for to be double-tongued is a snare of death. Your speech shall not be false, nor empty, but fulfilled by deed. You shall not be covetous, nor rapacious, nor a hypocrite, nor evil disposed, nor haughty. You shall not take evil counsel against your neighbor. You shall not hate any man; but some you shall reprove, and concerning some you shall pray, and some you shall love more than your own life.

Chapter 3. Other Sins Forbidden.
My child, flee from every evil thing, and from every likeness of it. Be not prone to anger, for anger leads to murder. Be neither jealous, nor quarrelsome, nor of hot temper, for out of all these murders are engendered. My child, be not a lustful one. for lust leads to fornication. Be neither a filthy talker, nor of lofty eye, for out of all these adulteries are engendered. My child, be not an observer of omens, since it leads to idolatry. Be neither an enchanter, nor an astrologer, nor a purifier, nor be willing to took at these things, for out of all these idolatry is engendered. My child, be not a liar, since a lie leads to theft. Be neither money-loving, nor vainglorious, for out of all these thefts are engendered. My child, be not a murmurer, since it leads the way to blasphemy. Be neither self-willed nor evil-minded, for out of all these blasphemies are engendered.

Rather, be meek, since the meek shall inherit the earth. Be long-suffering and pitiful and guileless and gentle and good and always trembling at the words which you have heard. You shall not exalt yourself, nor give over-confidence to your soul. Your soul shall not be joined with lofty ones, but with just and lowly ones shall it have its intercourse. Accept whatever happens to you as good, knowing that apart from God nothing comes to pass.

Chapter 4. Various Precepts.
My child, remember night and day him who speaks the word of God to you, and honor him as you do the Lord. For wherever the lordly rule is uttered, there is the Lord. And seek out day by day the faces of the saints, in order that you may rest upon their words. Do not long for division, but rather bring those who contend to peace. Judge righteously, and do not respect persons in reproving for transgressions. You shall not be undecided whether or not it shall be. Be not a stretcher forth of the hands to receive and a drawer of them back to give. If you have anything, through your hands you shall give ransom for your sins. Do not hesitate to give, nor complain when you give; for you shall know who is the good repayer of the hire. Do not turn away from him who is in want; rather, share all things with your brother, and do not say that they are your own. For if you are partakers in that which is immortal, how much more in things which are mortal? Do not remove your hand from your son or daughter; rather, teach them the fear of God from their youth. Do not enjoin anything in your bitterness upon your bondman or maidservant, who hope in the same God, lest ever they shall fear not God who is over both; for he comes not to call according to the outward appearance, but to them whom the Spirit has prepared. And you bondmen shall be subject to your masters as to a type of God, in modesty and fear. You shall hate all hypocrisy and everything which is not pleasing to the Lord. Do not in any way forsake the commandments of the Lord; but keep what you have received, neither adding thereto nor taking away therefrom. In the church you shall acknowledge your transgressions, and you shall not come near for your prayer with an evil conscience. This is the way of life.

Chapter 5. The Way of Death.
And the way of death is this: First of all it is evil and accursed: murders, adultery, lust, fornication, thefts, idolatries, magic arts, witchcrafts, rape, false witness, hypocrisy, double-heartedness, deceit, haughtiness, depravity, self-will, greediness, filthy talking, jealousy, over-confidence, loftiness, boastfulness; persecutors of the good, hating truth, loving a lie, not knowing a reward for righteousness, not cleaving to good nor to righteous judgment, watching not for that which is good, but for that which is evil; from whom meekness and endurance are far, loving vanities, pursuing revenge, not pitying a poor man, not laboring for the afflicted, not knowing Him Who made them, murderers of children, destroyers of the handiwork of God, turning away from him who is in want, afflicting him who is distressed, advocates of the rich, lawless judges of the poor, utter sinners. Be delivered, children, from all these.

Chapter 6. Against False Teachers, and Food Offered to Idols.
See that no one causes you to err from this way of the Teaching, since apart from God it teaches you. For if you are able to bear the entire yoke of the Lord, you will be perfect; but if you are not able to do this, do what you are able. And concerning food, bear what you are able; but against that which is sacrificed to idols be exceedingly careful; for it is the service of dead gods.

Chapter 7. Concerning Baptism.
And concerning baptism, baptize this way: Having first said all these things, baptize into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, in living water. But if you have no living water, baptize into other water; and if you cannot do so in cold water, do so in warm. But if you have neither, pour out water three times upon the head into the name of Father and Son and Holy Spirit. But before the baptism let the baptizer fast, and the baptized, and whoever else can; but you shall order the baptized to fast one or two days before.

Chapter 8. Fasting and Prayer (the Lord's Prayer).
But let not your fasts be with the hypocrites, for they fast on the second and fifth day of the week. Rather, fast on the fourth day and the Preparation (Friday). Do not pray like the hypocrites, but rather as the Lord commanded in His Gospel, like this:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily (needful) bread, and forgive us our debt as we also forgive our debtors. And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one (or, evil); for Thine is the power and the glory for ever.
Pray this three times each day.

Chapter 9. The Eucharist.
Now concerning the Eucharist, give thanks this way. First, concerning the cup:
We thank thee, our Father, for the holy vine of David Thy servant, which You madest known to us through Jesus Thy Servant; to Thee be the glory for ever.
And concerning the broken bread:
We thank Thee, our Father, for the life and knowledge which You madest known to us through Jesus Thy Servant; to Thee be the glory for ever. Even as this broken bread was scattered over the hills, and was gathered together and became one, so let Thy Church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into Thy kingdom; for Thine is the glory and the power through Jesus Christ for ever.
But let no one eat or drink of your Eucharist, unless they have been baptized into the name of the Lord; for concerning this also the Lord has said, "Give not that which is holy to the dogs."

Chapter 10. Prayer after Communion.
But after you are filled, give thanks this way:
We thank Thee, holy Father, for Thy holy name which You didst cause to tabernacle in our hearts, and for the knowledge and faith and immortality, which You modest known to us through Jesus Thy Servant; to Thee be the glory for ever. Thou, Master almighty, didst create all things for Thy name's sake; Thou gavest food and drink to men for enjoyment, that they might give thanks to Thee; but to us You didst freely give spiritual food and drink and life eternal through Thy Servant. Before all things we thank Thee that You are mighty; to Thee be the glory for ever. Remember, Lord, Thy Church, to deliver it from all evil and to make it perfect in Thy love, and gather it from the four winds, sanctified for Thy kingdom which Thou have prepared for it; for Thine is the power and the glory for ever. Let grace come, and let this world pass away. Hosanna to the God of David! If any one is holy, let him come; if any one is not so, let him repent. Maranatha. Amen.
But permit the prophets to make thanksgiving as much as they desire.

Chapter 11. Concerning Teachers, Apostles, and Prophets.
Whosoever, therefore, comes and teaches you all these things that have been said before, receive him. But if the teacher himself turns and teaches another doctrine to the destruction of this, hear him not. But if he teaches so as to increase righteousness and the knowledge of the Lord, receive him as the Lord. But concerning the apostles and prophets, act according to the decree of the Gospel. Let every apostle who comes to you be received as the Lord. But he shall not remain more than one day; or two days, if there's a need. But if he remains three days, he is a false prophet. And when the apostle goes away, let him take nothing but bread until he lodges. If he asks for money, he is a false prophet. And every prophet who speaks in the Spirit you shall neither try nor judge; for every sin shall be forgiven, but this sin shall not be forgiven. But not every one who speaks in the Spirit is a prophet; but only if he holds the ways of the Lord. Therefore from their ways shall the false prophet and the prophet be known. And every prophet who orders a meal in the Spirit does not eat it, unless he is indeed a false prophet. And every prophet who teaches the truth, but does not do what he teaches, is a false prophet. And every prophet, proved true, working unto the mystery of the Church in the world, yet not teaching others to do what he himself does, shall not be judged among you, for with God he has his judgment; for so did also the ancient prophets. But whoever says in the Spirit, Give me money, or something else, you shall not listen to him. But if he tells you to give for others' sake who are in need, let no one judge him.

Chapter 12. Reception of Christians.
But receive everyone who comes in the name of the Lord, and prove and know him afterward; for you shall have understanding right and left. If he who comes is a wayfarer, assist him as far as you are able; but he shall not remain with you more than two or three days, if need be. But if he wants to stay with you, and is an artisan, let him work and eat. But if he has no trade, according to your understanding, see to it that, as a Christian, he shall not live with you idle. But if he wills not to do, he is a Christ-monger. Watch that you keep away from such.

Chapter 13. Support of Prophets.
But every true prophet who wants to live among you is worthy of his support. So also a true teacher is himself worthy, as the workman, of his support. Every first-fruit, therefore, of the products of wine-press and threshing-floor, of oxen and of sheep, you shall take and give to the prophets, for they are your high priests. But if you have no prophet, give it to the poor. If you make a batch of dough, take the first-fruit and give according to the commandment. So also when you open a jar of wine or of oil, take the first-fruit and give it to the prophets; and of money (silver) and clothing and every possession, take the first-fruit, as it may seem good to you, and give according to the commandment.

Chapter 14. Christian Assembly on the Lord's Day.
But every Lord's day gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure. But let no one who is at odds with his fellow come together with you, until they be reconciled, that your sacrifice may not be profaned. For this is that which was spoken by the Lord: "In every place and time offer to me a pure sacrifice; for I am a great King, says the Lord, and my name is wonderful among the nations."

Chapter 15. Bishops and Deacons; Christian Reproof.
Appoint, therefore, for yourselves, bishops and deacons worthy of the Lord, men meek, and not lovers of money, and truthful and proved; for they also render to you the service of prophets and teachers. Therefore do not despise them, for they are your honored ones, together with the prophets and teachers. And reprove one another, not in anger, but in peace, as you have it in the Gospel. But to anyone that acts amiss against another, let no one speak, nor let him hear anything from you until he repents. But your prayers and alms and all your deeds so do, as you have it in the Gospel of our Lord.

Chapter 16. Watchfulness; the Coming of the Lord.
Watch for your life's sake. Let not your lamps be quenched, nor your loins unloosed; but be ready, for you know not the hour in which our Lord will come. But come together often, seeking the things which are befitting to your souls: for the whole time of your faith will not profit you, if you are not made perfect in the last time. For in the last days false prophets and corrupters shall be multiplied, and the sheep shall be turned into wolves, and love shall be turned into hate; for when lawlessness increases, they shall hate and persecute and betray one another, and then shall appear the world-deceiver as Son of God, and shall do signs and wonders, and the earth shall be delivered into his hands, and he shall do iniquitous things which have never yet come to pass since the beginning. Then shall the creation of men come into the fire of trial, and many shall be made to stumble and shall perish; but those who endure in their faith shall be saved from under the curse itself. And then shall appear the signs of the truth: first, the sign of an outspreading in heaven, then the sign of the sound of the trumpet. And third, the resurrection of the dead -- yet not of all, but as it is said: "The Lord shall come and all His saints with Him." Then shall the world see the Lord coming upon the clouds of heaven.

EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLES

1 The book which Jesus Christ revealed unto his disciples: and how that Jesus Christ revealed the book for the company (college) of the apostles, the disciples of Jesus Christ, even the book which is for all men. Simon and Cerinthus, the false apostles, concerning whom it is written that no man shall cleave unto them for there is in them deceit wherewith they bring men to destruction. (The book hath been written) that ye may be steadfast and not flinch nor be troubled, and depart not from the word of the Gospel which ye have heard. Like as we heard it, we keep it in remembrance and have written it for the whole world. We commend you our sons and our daughters in joy in the name of God the Father the Lord of the world, and of Jesus Christ. Let grace be multiplied upon you.
2 We, John, Thomas, Peter, Andrew, James, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Nathanael, Judas Zelotes, and Cephas, write unto the churches of the east and the west, of the north and the south declaring and imparting unto you that which concerneth our Lord Jesus Christ: we do write according as we have seen and heard and touched him, after that he was risen from the dead: and how that he revealed unto us things mighty and wonderful and true.
3 This know we: that our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ is God the Son of God, who was sent of God the Lord of the whole world, the maker and creator of it, who is named by all names and high above all powers, Lord of lords, King of kings, Ruler of rulers, the heavenly one, that sitteth above the cherubim and seraphim at the right hand of the throne of the Father: who by his word made the heavens, and formed the earth and that which is in it, and set bounds to the sea that it should not pass: the deeps also and fountains,that they should spring forth and flow over the earth: the day and the night, the sun and the moon, did he establish, and the stars in the heaven: that did separate the light from the darkness: that called forth hell, and in the twinkling of an eye ordained the rain of the winter, the snow (cloud), the hail, and the ice, and the days in their several seasons: that maketh the earth to quake and again establisheth it: that created man in his own image, after his likeness, and by the fathers of old and the prophets is it declared (or, and spake in parables with the fathers of old and the prophets in verity), of whom the apostles preached, and whom the disciples did touch. In God, the Lord, the Son of God, do we believe, that he is the word become flesh: that of Mary the holy virgin he took a body, begotten of the Holy Ghost, not of the will (lust) of the flesh, but by the will of God: that he was wrapped in swaddling clothes in Bethlehem and made manifest, and grew up and came to ripe age, when also we beheld it.
4 This did our Lord Jesus Christ, who was sent by Joseph and Mary his mother to be taught. [And] when he that taught him said unto him: Say Alpha: then answered he and said: Tell thou me first what is Beta (probably: Tell thou me first what is Beta. Cf. the Marcosian story quoted by Irenaeus (see above, Gospel of Thomas)- The story is in our texts of the Gospel of Thomas, and runs through all the Infancy Gospels). This thing which then came to pass Is true and of verity.
5 Thereafter was there a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and they bade him with his mother and his brethren, and he changed water into wine. He raised the dead, he caused the lame to walk: him whose hand was withered he caused to stretch it out, and the woman which had suffered an issue of blood twelve years touched the hem of his garment and was healed in the same hour. And when we marvelled at the miracle which was done, he said: Who touched me? Then said we: Lord, the press of men hath touched thee. But he answered and said unto us: I perceive that a virtue is gone out of me. Straightway that woman came before him, and answered and said unto him: Lord, I touched thee. And he answered and said unto her: Go, thy faith hath made thee whole. Thereafter he made the deaf to hear and the blind to see; out of them that were possessed he cast out the unclean spirits, and cleansed the lepers. The spirit which dwelt in a man, whereof the name was Legion, cried out against Jesus, saying: Before the time of our destruction is come, thou art come to drive us out. But the Lord Jesus rebuked him, saying: Go out of this man and do him no hurt. And he entered into the swine and drowned them in the water and they were choked.
Thereafter he did walk upon the sea, and the winds blew, and he cried out against them (rebuked them), and the waves of the sea were made calm. And when we his disciples had no money, we asked him: What shall we do because of the tax-gatherer? And he answered and told us: Let one of you cast an hook into the deep, and take out a fish, and he shall find therein a penny: that give unto the tax-gatherer for me and you. And thereafter when we had no bread, but only five loaves and two fishes, he commanded the people to sit them down, and the number of them was five thousand, besides children and women. We did set pieces of bread before them, and they ate and were filled, and there remained over, and we filled twelve baskets full of the fragments, asking one another and saying: What mean these five loaves? They are the symbol of our faith in the Lord of the Christians (in the great christendom), even in the Father, the Lord Almighty, and in Jesus Christ our redeemer, in the Holy Ghost the comforter, in the holy church, and in the remission of sins.
6 These things did our Lord and Saviour reveal unto us and teach us. And we do even as he, that ye may become partakers in the grace of our Lord and in our ministry and our giving of thanks (glory), and think upon life eternal. Be ye steadfast and waver not in the knowledge and confidence of our Lord Jesus Christ, and he will have mercy on you and save you everlastingly, world without end.
Here begins the Coptic text.
7 Cerinthus and Simon are come to go to and fro in the world, but they are enemies of our Lord Jesus Christ, for they do pervert the word and the true thing, even (faith in) Jesus Christ. Keep yourselves therefore far from them, for death is in them, and great pollution and corruption, even in these on whom shall come judgement and the end and everlasting destruction.
8 Therefore have we not shrunk from writing unto you concerning the testimony of Christ our Saviour, of what he did, when we followed with him, how he enlightened our understanding . . . .
9 Concerning whom we testify that the Lord is he who was crucified by Pontius Pilate and Archelaus between the two thieves (and with them he was taken down from the tree of the cross, Eth.), and was buried in a place which is called the place of a skull (Kranion). And thither went three women, Mary, she that was kin to Martha, and Mary Magdalene (Sarrha, Martha, and Mary, Eth.), and took ointments to pour upon the body, weeping and mourning over that which was come to pass. And when they drew near to the sepulchre, they looked in and found not the body (Eth. they found the stone rolled away and opened the entrance).
10 And as they mourned and wept, the Lord showed himself unto them and said to them: For whom weep ye? weep no more I am he whom ye seek. But let one of you go to your brethren and say: Come ye, the Master is risen from the dead. Martha (Mary, Eth.) came and told us. We said unto her: What have we to do with thee, woman? He that is dead and buried, is it possible that he should live? And we believed her not that the Saviour was risen from the dead. Then she returned unto the Lord and said unto him: None of them hath believed me, that thou livest. He said: Let another of you go unto them and tell them again. Mary (Sarrha, Eth.) came and told us again, and we believed her not; and she returned unto the Lord and she also told him.
11 Then said the Lord unto Mary and her sisters: Let us go unto them. And he came and found us within (sitting veiled or fishing, Eth.), and called us out, but we thought that it was a phantom and believed not that it was the Lord. Then said he unto us: Come, fear ye not. I am your master, even he, O Peter, whom thou didst deny thrice; and dost thou now deny again? And we came unto him, doubting in our hearts whether it were he. Then said he unto us: Wherefore doubt ye still, and are unbelieving? I am he that spake unto you of my flesh and my death and my resurrection. But that ye may know that I am he, do thou, Peter, put thy finger into the print of the nails in mine hands, and thou also, Thomas, put thy finger into the wound of the spear in my side; but thou, Andrew, look on my feet and see whether they press the earth; for it is written in the prophet: A phantom of a devil maketh no footprint on the earth.
12 And we touched him, that we might learn of a truth whether he were risen in the flesh; and we fell on our faces (and worshipped him) confessing our sin, that we had been unbelieving. Then said our Lord and Saviour unto us: Rise up, and I will reveal unto you that which is above the heaven and in the heaven, and your rest which is in the kingdom of heaven. For my Father hath given me power (sent me, Eth.) to take you up thither, and them also that believe on me.
13 Now that which he revealed unto us is this, which he spake: It came to pass when I was about (minded) to come hither from the Father of all things, and passed through the heavens, then did I put on the wisdom of the Father, and I put on the power of his might. I was in heaven, and I passed by the archangels and the angels in their likeness, like as if I were one of them, among the princedoms and powers. I passed through them because I possessed the wisdom of him that had sent me. Now the chief captain of the angels, [is] Michael, and Gabriel and Uriel and Raphael followed me unto the fifth firmament (heaven), for they thought in their heart that I was one of them; such power was given me of my Father. And on that day did I adorn the archangels with a wonderful voice (so Copt.: Eth., Lat., I made them quake -amazed them), so that they should go unto the altar of the Father and serve and fulfil the ministry until I should return unto him. And so wrought I the likeness by my wisdom; for I became all things in all, that I might praise the dispensation of the Father and fulfil the glory of him that sent me (the verbs might well be transposed) and return unto him. (Here the Latin omits a considerable portion of text without notice, to near the beginning of c. 17.)
14 For ye know that the angel Gabriel brought the message unto Mary. And we answered: Yea, Lord. He answered and said unto us: Remember ye not, then, that I said unto you a little while ago: I became an angel among the angels, and I became all things in all? We said unto him: Yea, Lord. Then answered he and said unto us: On that day whereon I took the form of the angel Gabriel, I appeared unto Mary and spake with her. Her heart accepted me, and she believed (She believed and laughed, Eth.), and I formed myself and entered into her body. I became flesh, for I alone was a minister unto myself in that which concerned Mary (I was mine own messenger, Eth.) in the appearance of the shape of an angel. For so must I needs (or, was I wont to) do. Thereafter did I return to my Father (Copt. After my return to the Father, and run on).
15 But do ye commemorate my death. Now when the Passover (Easter, pascha) cometh, one of you shall be cast into prison for my names sake; and he will be in grief and sorrow, because ye keep the Easter while he is in prison and separated from you, for he will be sorrowful because he keepeth not Easter with you. And I will send my power in the form of mine angel Gabriel, and the doors of the prison shall open. And he shall come forth and come unto you and keep the night-watch with you until the cock crow. And when ye have accomplished the memorial which is made of me, and the Agape (love-feast), he shall again be cast into prison for a testimony, until he shall come out thence and preach that which I have delivered unto you.
And we said unto him: Lord, is it then needful that we should again take the cup and drink? (Lord, didst not thou thyself fulfil the drinking of the Passover? is it then needful that we should accomplish it again? Eth.) He said unto us: Yea, it is needful, until the day when I come again, with them that have been put to death for my sake (come with my wounds, Eth.).
16 Then said we to him: Lord, that which thou hast revealed unto us (revealest, Eth.) is great. Wilt thou come in the power of any creature or in an appearance of any kind? (In what power or form wilt thou come? Eth.) He answered and said unto us: Verily I say unto you, I shall come like the sun when it is risen, and my brightness will be seven times the brightness thereof! The wings of the clouds shall bear me in brightness, and the sign of the cross shall go before me, and I shall come upon earth to judge the quick and the dead.
17 We said unto him: Lord, after how many years shall this come to pass? He said unto us: When the hundredth part and the twentieth part is fulfilled, between the Pentecost and the feast of unleavened bread, then shall the coming of my Father be (so Copt.: When an hundred and fifty years are past, in the days of the feast of Passover and Pentecost, &c., Eth.: . . . (imperfect word) year is fulfilled, between the unleavened bread and Pentecost shall be the coming of my Father, lat.).3
We said unto him: Now sayest thou unto us: I will come; and how sayest thou: He that sent me is he that shall come? Then said he to us: I am wholly in the Father and my Father is in me. Then said we to him: Wilt thou indeed forsake us until thy coming? Where can we find a master? But he answered and said unto us: Know ye not, then, that like as until now I have been here, so also was I there, with him that sent me? And we said to him: Lord, is it then possible that thou shouldest be both here and there? But he answered us: I am wholly in the Father and the Father in me, because of (in regard of) the likeness of the form and the power and the fullness and the light and the full measure and the voice. I am the word, I am become unto him a thing, that is to say (word gone) of the thought, fulfilled in the type (likeness); I have come into the Ogdoad (eighth number), which is the Lord's day. [The Lord's day considered as the eighth day of the week.] (In place of these sentences Eth. has: I am of his resemblance and form, of his power and completeness, and of his light. I am his complete (fulfilled, entire) word.
18 But it came to pass after he was crucified, and dead and arisen again, when the work was fulfilled which was accomplished in the flesh, and he was crucified and the ascension come to pass at the end of the days, then said he thus, &c. It is an interpolation, in place of words which the translator did not understand, or found heretical.) But the whole fulfilment of the fulfilment shall ye see after the redemption which hath come to pass by me, and ye shall see me, how I go up unto my Father which is in heaven. But behold, now, I give unto you a new commandment: Love one another and [a leaf lost in Copt.] obey one another, that peace may rule always among you. Love your enemies, and what ye would not that man do unto you, that do unto no man.
19 And this preach ye also and teach them that believe on me and preach the kingdom of heaven of my Father, and how my Father hath given me the power, that ye may bring near the children of my heavenly Father. Preach ye, and they shall obtain faith, that ye may be they for whom it is ordained that they shall bring his children unto heaven.
And we said unto him: Lord, unto thee it is possible to accomplish that whereof thou tellest us, but how shall we be able to do it? He said to us: Verily I say unto you, preach and proclaim as I command you, for I will be with you, for it is my good pleasure to be with you, that ye may be heirs with me in the kingdom of heaven, even the kingdom of him that sent me. Verily I say unto you, ye shall be my brethren and my friends for my Father hath found pleasure in you: and so also shall they be that believe on me by your means. Verily I say unto you such and so great joy hath my Father prepared for you that the angels and the powers desired and do desire to see it and look upon it; but it is not given unto them to behold the glory of my Father. We said unto him: Lord, what is this whereof thou speakest to us?
Copt. begins again: words are missing.
He answered us: Ye shall behold a light, more excellent than that which shineth . . . (shineth more brightly than the light, and is more perfect than perfection. And the Son shall become perfect through the Father who is Light, for the Father is perfect which bringeth to pass death and resurrection, and ye shall see a perfection more perfect than the perfect. And I am wholly at the right hand of the Father, even in him that maketh perfect. So Eth.: Copt. has gaps).
And we said unto him: Lord, in all things art thou become salvation and life unto us, for that thou makest known such a hope unto us. And he said to us: Be of good courage and rest in me. Verily I say unto you, your rest shall be above (?), in the place where is neither eating nor drinking, nor care (Copt. joy) nor sorrow, nor passing away of them that are therein: for ye shall have no part in (the things of earth, Eth.) but ye shall be received in the everlastingness of my Father. Like as I am in him, so shall ye also be in me.
Again we said unto him: In what form? in the fashion of angels, or in flesh? And he answered and said unto us: Lo, I have put on your flesh, wherein I was born and crucified, and am risen again through my Father which is in heaven, that the prophecy of David the prophet might be fulfilled, in regard of that which was declared concerning me and my death and resurrection, saying:
Lord, they are increased that fight with me, and many are they that are risen up against me. Many there be that say to my soul: There is no help for him in his God.But thou, O Lord, art my defender: thou art my worship, and the lifter up of my head.I did call upon the Lord with my voice and he heard me (out of the high place of his temple, Eth.). I laid me down and slept,and rose up again: for thou,O Lord, art my defender. I will not be afraid for ten thousands of the people, that have set themselves against me round about. Up, Lord, and help me, O my God: for thou hast smitten down all them that without cause are mine enemies: thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. Salvation belongeth unto the Lord, and his good pleasure is upon his people (Ps. iii. 1-8).
If, therefore, all the words which were spoken by the prophets have been fulfilled in me (for I myself was in them), how much more shall that which I say unto you come to pass indeed, that he which sent me may be glorified by you and by them that believe on me?
20 And when he had said this unto us, we said to him: In all things hast thou had mercy on us and saved us, and hast revealed all things unto us; but yet would we ask of thee somewhat if thou give us leave. And he said unto us: I know that ye pay heed, and that your heart is well-pleased when ye hear me: now concerning that which ye desire, I will speak good words unto you. 21 For verily I say unto you: Like as my Father hath raised me from the dead, so shall ye also rise (in the flesh, Eth.) and be taken up into the highest heaven, unto the place whereof I have told you from the beginning, unto the place which he who sent me hath prepared for you. And so will I accomplish all dispensations (all grace, Eth.), even I who am unbegotten and yet begotten of mankind, who am without flesh and yet have borne flesh : for to that end am I come, that (gap in Copt.: Eth. continues) ye might rise from the dead in your flesh, in the second birth, even a vesture that shall not decay, together with all them that hope and believe in him that sent me: for so is the will of my Father that I would give unto you, and unto them whom it pleaseth me, the hope of the kingdom.
Then said we unto him: Great is that which thou sufferest us to hope, and tellest us. And he answered and said: Believe ye that every thing that I tell you shall come to pass? We answered and said: Yea, Lord. (Copt. resumes for a few lines: then another gap. Follow Eth.) He said unto us: Verily I say unto you, that I have obtained the whole power of my Father, that I may bring back into light them that dwell in darkness, them that are in corruption into incorruption, them that are in death into life and that I may loose them that are in fetters. For that which is impossible with men, is possible with the Father. I am the hope of them that despair, the helper of them that have no saviour, the wealth of the poor, the health of the sick, and the resurrection of the dead.
22 When he had thus said, we said unto him: Lord, is it true that the flesh shall be judged together with the soul and the spirit and that the one part shall rest in heaven and the other part be punished everlastingly yet living? And he said unto us: (Copt. resumes) How long will ye inquire and doubt?
23 Again we said unto him: Lord, there is necessity upon us to inquire of thee -because thou hast commanded us to preach- that we ourselves may learn assuredly of thee and be profitable preachers, and that they which are instructed by us may believe in thee. Therefore must we needs inquire of thee.
24 He answered us and said: Verily I say unto you, the resurrection of the flesh shall come to pass with the soul therein and the spirit. And we said unto him: Lord, is it then possible that that which is dissolved and brought to nought should become whole? and we ask thee not as unbelieving, neither as if it were impossible unto thee; but verily we believe that that which thou sayest shall come to pass. And he was wroth with us and said: O ye of little faith, how long will ye ask questions? But what ye will, tell it me, and I myself will tell you without grudging: only keep ye my commandments and do that which I bid you, and turn not away your face from any man, that I turn not my face away from you, but without shrinking and fear and without respect of persons, minister ye in the way that is direct and narrow and strait. So shall my Father himself rejoice over you.
25 Again we said unto him: Lord, already are we ashamed that we question thee oft-times and burden thee. And he answered and said unto us: I know that in faith and with your whole heart ye do question me, therefore do I rejoice over you for verily I say unto you: I rejoice, and my Father that is in me, because ye question me; and your importunity (shamelessness) is unto me rejoicing and unto you it giveth life. And when he had so said unto us, we were glad that we had questioned him and we said to him: Lord, in all things thou makest us alive and hast mercy on us. Wilt thou now declare unto us that which we shall ask thee? Then said he unto us: Is it the flesh that passeth away, or is it the spirit? We said unto him: The flesh is it that passeth away. Then said he unto us: That which hath fallen shall rise again, and that which was lost shall be found, and that which was weak shall recover, that in these things that are so created the glory of my Father may be revealed. As he hath done unto me, so will I do unto all that believe in me.
26 Verily I say unto you: the flesh shall arise, and the soul, alive, that their defence may come to pass on that day in regard of that that they have done, whether it be good or evil: that there may be a choosing-out of the faithful who have kept the commandments of my Father that sent me; and so shall the judgement be accomplished with strictness. For my Father said unto me: My Son, in the day of judgement thou shalt have no respect for the rich, neither pity for the poor, but according to the sins of every man shalt thou deliver him unto everlasting torment. But unto my beloved that have done the commandments of my Father that sent me will I give the rest of life in the kingdom of my Father which is in heaven, and they shall behold that which he hath given me. And he hath given me authority to do that which I will, and to give that which I have promised and determined to give and grant unto them.
27 For to that end went I down unto the place of Lazarus, and preached unto the righteous and the prophets, that they might come out of the rest which is below and come up into that which is above; and I poured out upon them with my right hand the water (?) (baptism, Eth.) of life and forgiveness and salvation from all evil, as I have done unto you and unto them that believe on me. But if any man believe on me and do not my commandments, although he have confessed my name, he hath no profit therefrom but runneth a vain race: for such will find themselves in perdition and destruction, because they have despised my commandments.
28 But so much the more have I redeemed you, the children of light, from all evil and from the authority of the rulers (archons), and every one that believeth on me by your means. For that which I have promised unto you will I give unto them also, that they may come out of the prison-house and the fetters of the rulers. We answered and said: Lord thou hast given unto us the rest of life and hast given us <Joy? by wonders, unto the confirmation of faith: wilt thou now preach the same unto us, seeing that thou hast preached it unto the and the prophets? Then said he unto us: Verily I say unto you, all that have believed on me and that believe in him that sent me will I take up into the heaven, unto the place which my Father hath prepared for the elect, and I will give you the kingdom, the chosen kingdom, in rest, and everlasting life.
29 But all they that have offended against my commandments and have taught other doctrine, (perverting) the Scripture and adding thereto, striving after their own glory, and that teach with other words them that believe on me in uprightness, ie they make them fall thereby, shall receive everlasting punishment. We said unto him: Lord, shall there then be teaching by others, diverse from that which thou hast spoken unto us? He said unto us: It must needs be, that the evil and the good may be made manifest; and the judgement shall be manifest upon them that do these things, and according to their works shall they be judged and shall be delivered unto death.
Again we said unto him: Lord, blessed are we in that we see thee and hear thee declaring such things, for our eyes have beheld these great wonders that thou hast done. He answered and said unto us: Yea, rather blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed for they shall be called children of the kingdom, and they shall be perfect among the perfect, and I will be unto them life in the kingdom of my Father.
Again we said unto him: Lord, how shall men be able to believe that thou wilt depart and leave us; for thou sayest unto us: There shall come a day and an hour when I shall ascend unto my Father?
30 But he said unto us: Go ye and preach unto the twelve tribes, and preach also unto the heathen, and to all the land of Israel from the east to the west and from the south unto the north, and many shall believe on the Son of God. But we said unto him: Lord, who will believe us, or hearken unto us, or (how shall we be able, Eth.) to teach the powers and signs and wonders which thou hast done? Then answered he and said to us: Go ye and preach the mercifulness of my Father, and that which he hath done through me will I myself do through you, for I am in you, and I will give you my peace, and I will give you a power of my spirit, that ye may prophesy to them unto life eternal. And unto the others also will I give my power, that they may teach the residue of the peoples.
(Six leaves lost in Copt.: Eth. continues.)
31 And behold a man shall meet you, whose name is Saul which being interpreted is Paul: he is a Jew, circumcised according to the law, and he shall receive my voice from heaven with fear and terror and trembling. And his eyes shall be blinded and by your hands by the sign of the cross shall they be protected (healed: other Eth. MSS. with spittle by your hands shall his eyes &c.). Do ye unto him all that I have done unto you. Deliver it (? the word of God) unto the other. And at the same time that man shall open his eyes and praise the Lord, even my Father which is in heaven. He shall obtain power among the people and shall preach and instruct; and many that hear him shall obtain glory and be redeemed. But thereafter shall men be wroth with him and deliver him into the hands of his enemies, and he shall bear witness before kings that are mortal, and his end shall he that he shall turn unto me, whereas he persecuted me at the first. He shall preach and teach and abide with the elect, as a chosen vessel and a wall that shall not be overthrown, yea, the last of the last shall become a preacher unto the Gentiles, made perfect by the will of my Father. Like as ye have learned from the Scripture that your fathers the prophets spake of me, and in me it is indeed fulfilled.
And he said unto us: Be ye also therefore guides unto them; and all things that I said unto you, and that ye write concerning me (tell ye them), that I am the word of the Father and that the Father is in me. Such also shall ye be unto that man, as becometh you. Instruct him and bring to his mind that which is spoken of me in the Scripture and is fulfilled, and thereafter shall he become the salvation of the Gentiles.
32 And we asked him: Lord, is there for us and for them the self-same expectation of the inheritance? He answered and said unto us: Are then the fingers of the hand like unto each other, or the ears of corn in the field, or do all fruit-trees bear the same fruit? Doth not every one bear fruit according to its nature? And we said unto him: Lord, wilt thou again speak unto us in parables? Then said he unto us: Lament not. Verily I say unto you, ye are my brethren, and my companions in the kingdom of heaven unto my Father, for so is his good pleasure. Verily I say unto you, unto them also whom ye teach and who believe on me will I give that expectation.
33 And we asked him again: When shall we meet with that man, and when wilt thou depart unto thy Father and our God and Lord? He answered and said unto us: That man will come out of the land of Cilicia unto Damascus of Syria, to root up the church which ye must found there. It is I that speak through you; and he shall come quickly: and he shall become strong in the faith, that the word of the prophet may be fulfilled, which saith: Behold, out of Syria will I begin to call together a new Jerusalem, and Sion will I subdue unto me, and it shall be taken, and the place which is childless shall be called the son and daughter of my Father, and my bride. For so hath it pleased him that sent me. But that man will I turn back, that he accomplish not his evil desire, and the praise of my Father shall be perfected in him, and after that I am gone home and abide with my Father, I will speak unto him from heaven, and all things shall be accomplished which I have told you before concerning him.
34 And we said unto him again: Lord, so many great things hast thou told us and revealed unto us as never yet were spoken, and in all hast thou given us rest and been gracious unto us. After thy resurrection thou didst reveal unto us all things that we might be saved indeed; but thou saidst unto us only: There shall be wonders and strange appearances in heaven and on earth before the end of the world come. Tell us now, how shall we perceive it? And he answered us: I will teach it you; and not that which shall befall you only, but them also whom ye shall teach and who shall believe, as well as them who shall hear that man and believe on me. In those years and days shall it come to pass.
And we said again unto him: Lord, what shall come to pass? And he said unto us: Then shall they that believe and they that believe not hear (see Eth.) a trumpet in the heaven, a vision of great stars which shall be seen in the day, wonderful sights in heaven reaching down to the earth; stars which fall upon the earth like fire, and a great and mighty hail of fire (a star shining from the east unto this place, like unto fire, Eth. 2). The sun and the moon fighting one with the other, a continual rolling and noise of thunders and lightnings, thunder and earthquake; cities falling and men perishing in their overthrow, a continual dearth for lack of rain, a terrible pestilence and great mortality, mighty and untimely, so that they that die lack burial: and the bearing forth of brethren and sisters and kinsfolk shall be upon one bier. The kinsman shall show no favour to his kinsman,nor any man to his neighbour. And they that were overthrown shall rise up and behold them that overthrew them, that they lack burial, for the pestilence shall be full of hatred and pain and envy: and men shall take from one and give to another. And thereafter shall it wax yet worse than before. (Bewail ye them that have not hearkened unto my commandments, Eth. 2.)
35 Then shall my Father be wroth at the wickedness of men, for many are their transgressions, and the abomination of their uncleanness weigheth heavy upon them in the corruption of their life.
And we asked him: What of them that trust in thee? He answered and said unto us: Ye are yet slow of heart; and how long? Verily I say unto you, as the prophet David spake of me and of my people, so shall it be (?) for them also that believe on me. But they that are deceivers in the world and enemies of righteousness, upon them shall come the fulfilment of the prophecy of David, who said: Their feet are swift to shed blood, their tongue uttereth slander, adders' poison is under their lips. I behold thee companying with thieves, and partaking with adulterers, thou continuest speaking against thy brother and puttest stumbling blocks before thine own mother's son. What thinkest thou that I shall be like unto thee? Behold now how the prophet of God hath spoken of all, that all things may be fulfilled which he said aforetime.
36 And again we said unto him: Lord, will not then the nations say: Where is their God? And he answered and said unto us: Thereby shall the elect be known, that they being plagued with such afflictions, come forth. We said: Will then their departure out of the world be by a pestilence which giveth them pain? He answered us: Nay, but if they suffer such affliction, it will be a proving of them, whether they have faith and remember these my sayings, and fulfil my commandments. These shall arise, and short will be their expectation, that he may be glorified that sent me, and I with him. For he hath sent me unto you to tell you these things; and that ye may impart them unto Israel and the Gentiles and they may hear, and they also be redeemed and believe on me and escape the woe of the destruction. But whoso escapeth from the destruction of death, him will they take and hold him fast in the prison-house in torments like the torments of a thief.
And we said unto him: Lord, will they that believe be treated like the unbelievers, and wilt thou punish them that have escaped from the pestilence? And he said unto us: If they that believe in my name deal like the sinners, then have they done as though they had not believed. And we said again to him: Lord, have they on whom this lot hath fallen no life? He answered and said unto us: Whoso hath accomplished the praise of my Father, he shall abide in the resting-place of my Father.
37 Then said we unto him: Lord, teach us what shall come to pass thereafter? And he answered us: In those years and days shall war be kindled upon war; the four ends of the earth shall be in commotion and fight against each other. Thereafter shall be quakings of clouds (or, clouds of locusts), darkness, and dearth, and persecutions of them that believe on me and against the elect. Thereupon shall come doubt and strife and transgressions against one another. And there shall be many that believe on my name and yet follow after evil and spread vain doctrine. And men shall follow after them and their riches, and be subject unto their pride, and lust for drink, and bribery, and there shall be respect of persons among them.
38 But they that desire to behold the face of God and respect not the persons of the rich sinners, and are not ashamed before the people that lead them astray, but rebuke (?) them, they shall be crowned by the Father. And they also shall be saved that rebuke their neighbours, for they are sons of wisdom. and of faith. But if they become not children of wisdom, whoso hateth his brother and persecuteth him and showeth him no favour, him will God despise and reject.
(Copt. resumes.)
But they that walk in truth and in the knowledge of the faith, and have love towards me -for they have endured insult- they shall be praised for that they walk in poverty and endure them that hate them and put them to shame. Men have stripped them naked, for they despised them because they continued in hunger and thirst, but after they have endured patiently, they shall have the blessedness of heaven, and they shall be with me for ever. But woe unto them that walk in pride and boasting, for their end is perdition.
39 And we said unto him: Lord, is this thy purpose, that thou leavest us, to come upon them? (Will all this come to pass, Eth.) He answered and said unto us: After what manner shall he judgement be? whether righteous or unrighteous? (In Copt. and Eth. the general sense is the same: but the answer of Jesus in the form of a question is odd, and there is probably a corruption.)
We said unto him: Lord, in that day they will say unto thee: Thou hast not distinguished between ( probably: will they not say unto thee: Thou hast distinguished between) righteousness and unrighteousness, between the light and the darkness, and evil and good? Then said he: I will answer them and say: Unto Adam was power given to choose one of the two: he chose the light and laid his hand thereon, but the darkness he left behind him and cast away from him. Therefore have all men power to believe in the light which is life, and which is the Father that hath sent me. And every one that believeth and doeth the works of the light shall live in them, but if there be any that confesseth that he belongeth unto the light, and doeth the works of darkness, such an one hath no defence to utter, neither can he lift up his face to look upon the Son of God, which Son am I. For I will say unto him: As thou soughtest, so hast thou found, and as thou askedst, so hast thou received. Wherefore condemnest thou me, O man? Wherefore hast thou departed from me and denied me? And wherefore hast thou confessed me and yet denied me? hath not every man power to live and to die?
Whoso then hath kept my commandments shall be a son of the light, that is, of the Father that is in me. But because of them that corrupt my words am I come down from heaven. I am the word: I became flesh, and I wearied myself (or, suffered) and taught, saying: The heavy laden shall be saved, and they that are gone astray shall go astray for ever. They shall be chastised and tormented in their flesh and in their soul.
40 And we said unto him: O Lord, verily we are sorrowful for their sake. And he said unto us: Ye do rightly, for the righteous are sorry for the sinners, and pray for them, making prayer unto my Father. Again we said unto him: Lord, is there none that maketh intercession unto thee (so Eth.)? And he said unto us: Yea, and I will hearken unto the prayer of the righteous which they make for them.
When he had so said unto us, we said to him: Lord, in all things hast thou taught us and had mercy on us and saved us that we might preach unto them that are worthy to be saved, and that we might obtain a recompense with thee. (Shall we be partakers of a recompense from thee? Eth.) 41 He answered and said unto us: Go and preach, and ye shall be labourers, and fathers, and ministers. We said unto him: Thou art he (or, Art thou he) that shalt preach by us. (Lord, thou art our father. Eth.) Then answered he us, saying: Be not (or, Are not ye) all fathers or all masters. (Are then all fathers, or all servants, or all masters? Eth.) We said unto him: Lord, thou art he that saidst unto us: Call no man your father upon earth, for one is your Father, which is in heaven, and your master. Therefore sayest thou now unto us: Ye shall be fathers of many children, and servants and masters? He answered and said unto us: According as ye have said (Ye have rightly said, Eth.). For verily I say unto you: whosoever shall hear you and believe on me, shall receive of you the light of the seal through me, and baptism through me: ye shall be fathers and servants and masters.
42 But we said unto him: Lord, how may it be that every one of us should be these three? He said unto us: Verily I say unto you: Ye shall be called fathers, because with praiseworthy heart and in love ye have revealed unto them the things of the kingdom of heaven. And ye shall be called servants, because they shall receive the baptism of life and the remission of their sins at my hand through you. And ye shall be called masters because ye have given them the word without grudging, and have admonished them, and when ye admonished them, they turned themselves (were converted). Ye were not afraid of their riches, nor ashamed before their face, but ye kept the commandments of my Father and fulfilled them. And ye shall have a great reward with my Father which is in heaven, and they shall have forgiveness of sins and everlasting life, and be partakers in the kingdom of heaven.
And we said unto him: Lord, even if every one of us had ten thousand tongues to speak withal, we could not thank thee, for that thou promisest such things unto us. Then answered he us, saying: Only do ye that which I say unto you, even as I myself also have done it. 43 And ye shall be like the wise virgins which watched and slept not, but went forth unto the lord into the bride chamber: but the foolish virgins were not able to watch, but slumbered. And we said unto him: Lord, who are the wise and who are the foolish? He said unto us: Five wise and five foolish; for these are they of whom the prophet hath spoken: Sons of ; God are they. Hear now their names.
But we wept and were troubled for them that slumbered. He said unto us: The five wise are Faith and Love and Grace and Peace and Hope. Now they of the faithful which possess this (these) shall be guides unto them that have believed on me and on him that sent me. For I am the Lord and I am the bridegroom whom they have received, and they have entered in to the house of the bridegroom and are laid down with me in the bridal chamber rejoicing. But the five foolish, when they had slept and had awaked, came unto the door of the bridal chamber and knocked, for the doors were shut. Then did they weep and lament that no man opened unto them.
We said unto him: Lord, and their wise sisters that were within in the bridegroom's house, did they continue without opening unto them, and did they not sorrow for their sakes nor entreat the bridegroom to open unto them? He answered us saying: They were not yet able to obtain favour for them. We said unto him: Lord, on what day shall they enter in for their sisters' sake? Then said he unto us: He that is shut out, is shut out. And we said unto him: Lord, is this word (determined?). Who then are the foolish? He said unto us: Hear their names. They are Knowledge, Understanding (Perception) Obedience, Patience, and Compassion. These are they that slumbered in them that have believed and confessed me but have not fulfilled my commandments. 44 On account of them that have slumbered, they shall remain outside the kingdom and the fold of the shepherd and his sheep. But whoso shall abide outside the sheepfold, him will the wolves devour, and he shall be (condemned?) and die in much affliction: in him shall be no rest nor endurance, and (Eth.) although he be hardly punished, and rent in pieces and devoured in long and evil torment, yet shall he not be able to obtain death quickly.
45 And we said unto him: Lord, well hast thou revealed all this unto us. Then answered he us, saying: Understand ye not (or. Ye understand not) these words? We said unto him: Yea Lord. By five shall men enter into thy kingdom : notwithstanding, they that watched were with thee the Lord and bridegroom, even though they rejoiced not because of them that slumbered (yet will they have no pleasures because of, Eth.). He said unto us: They will indeed rejoice that they have entered in with the bridegroom the Lord; and they are sorrowful because of them that slumbered, for they are their sisters. For all ten are daughters of God, even the Father. Then said we unto him: Lord is it then for thee to show them favour on account of their sisters? (It becometh thy majesty to show them favour, Eth.) He said unto us: but his that sent me, and I am consenting with him (It is not yours,& c., Eth.).
46 But be ye upright and preach rightly and teach, and be not abashed by any man and fear not any man, and especially the rich, for they do not my commandments, but boast themselves (swell) in their riches. And we said unto him: Lord, tell us if it be the rich only. He answered, saying unto us: If any man who is not rich and possesseth a small livelihood giveth unto the poor and needy, men will call him a benefactor.
47 But if any man fall under the load of sin that he hath committed, then shall his neighbour correct him because of the good that he hath done unto his neighbour. And if his neighbour correct him and he return, he shall be saved, and he that corrected him shall receive a reward and live for ever. For a needy man, if he see him that hath done him good sin and correct him not, shall be judged with severe judgement. Now if a blind man lead a blind, they both fall into a ditch: and whoso respecteth persons for their sake, shall be as the two , as the prophet hath said: Woe unto them that respect persons and justify the ungodly for reward, even they whose God is their belly. Behold that judgement shall be their portion. For verily I say unto you: On that day will I neither have respect unto the rich nor pity for the poor.
48 If thou behold a sinner, admonish him betwixt him and thee: (if he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother, Eth.) and if he hear thee not, then take to thee another, as many as three, and instruct thy brother: again, if he hear thee not, let him be unto thee
(Copt. defective from this point.)
as an heathen man or a publican.
49 If thou hear aught against thy brother, give it no credence; slander not, and delight not in hearing slander. For thus it is written: Suffer not thine ear to receive aught against thy brother: but if thou seest aught correct him, rebuke him and convert him.
And we said unto him: Lord, thou hast in ail things taught us and warned us. But, Lord, concerning the believers, even them to whom it belongeth to believe in the preaching of thy name: is it determined that among them also there shall be doubt and division, jealousy confusion, hatred, and envy? For thou sayest: They shall find fault with one another and respect the person of them that sin, and hate them that rebuke them. And he answered and said unto us: How then shall the judgement come about, that the corn should be gathered into the garner and the chaff thereof cast into the fire?
50 They that hate such things, and love me and rebuke them that fulfil not my commandments, shall be hated and persecuted and despised and mocked. Men will of purpose speak of them that which is not true, and will band themselves together against them that love me. But these will rebuke them, that they may be saved. But them that will rebuke and chasten and warn them, them will they (the others) hate, and thrust them aside, and despise them, and hold themselves far from them that wish them good. But they that endure such things shall be like unto the martyrs with the Father, because they have striven for righteousness, and have not striven for corruption.
And we asked him: Lord, shall such things be among us? And he answered us: Fear not; it shall not be in many, but in a few. We said unto him: Yet tell us, in what manner it shall come to pass. And he said unto us: There shall come forth another doctrine, and a confusion, and because they shall strive after their own advancement, they shall bring forth an unprofitable doctrine. And therein shall be a deadly corruption (of uncleanness), and they shall teach it, and shall turn away them that believe on me from my commandments and cut them off from eternal life. But woe unto them that falsify this my word and commandment, and draw away them that hearken to them from the life of the doctrine and separate themselves from the commandment of life: for together with them they shall come into everlasting judgement.
51 And when he had said this, and had finished his discourse with us, he said unto us again: Behold, on the third day and at the third hour shall he come which hath sent me, that I may depart with him. And as he so spake, there was thunder and lightning and an earthquake, and the heavens parted asunder and there appeared a light (bright) cloud which bore him up. And there came voices of many angels, rejoicing and singing praises and saying: Gather us, O Priest, unto the light of the majesty. And when they drew nigh unto the firmament, we heard his voice saying unto us: Depart hence in peace.

Epistle of the Apostles
In 1895, 15 leaves of this Coptic text were found in Cairo. Later, fragments in Latin were discovered in Vienna. Previous to this time, the Epistle was completely unknown. Scholars have dated the work to the first half of the second century.
Joseph and Mary sent Jesus to school so that he might learn to read Greek. The teacher told him to "say, Alpha." "First, tell me what Beta is," was his answer.
To Jesus' place of burial came three women, Sarah, Martha, and Mary Magdalene. They brought ointment to anoint the body and were crying, for they found the tomb open, and the body gone. The Lord appeared and said, "For whom are you weeping? Do not weep; I am the one you are looking for. One of you must go to our brethren with the news, that the Master has risen from the dead."
Mary came to us and told us, and we said, "What have we to do with you, woman? He that is dead and buried, can he live?" She went back to our Lord and told him that "None of them believed me." He said to her, "Let someone else go and tell them again."
Sarah came with the same news; we called her a liar. She then reported back to our Lord. Then the Lord said to Mary and her sisters, "Let's go to them."
Veiled he came and found us inside. He appeared to us as a ghost. We doubted him and did not believe. He said to us, "Come closer; do not be afraid. I am the same teacher you, Peter, denied three times. Do you now deny a fourth? Why are you doubting, unbelieving? Am not I he who spoke to you concerning my body, death, and resurrection? So that you will know for sure that it is I, Peter, put your finger in the nail print of my hand; you, Thomas, in my side; and you, Andrew, see whether my footstep leaves a print on the ground." (It is written by the prophet that a ghost or demon leaves no footprint on the ground.)
We felt him and knew that he had truly risen from the dead. We fell to the ground in repentance and he said to us, "Stand and I will reveal to you what is on earth and above heaven, and the resurrection to the Kingdom of Heaven for you and those who believe in me.
"In passing through the heavens, sojourning from the Father of all, I put on the wisdom of the Father, and clothed myself with his power. I passed angels and archangels as though I was one of them. I passed orders, dominions and princes, and saw them through my Father's wisdom. I was followed closely by the archangels Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel through to the fifth level of Heaven. This is the kind of power I received from the Father! With the voice of the Father's wisdom, I bid the archangels to go up and complete their service at the altar of the Father. I had become their all in all, since I had the mercy and perfected glory of him who sent me, and since I was returning to him.
"You know about how the angel Gabriel brought the message to Mary?" We said, "Yes, O Lord." He continued, "It was I who appeared to Mary in the form of the archangel, and I spoke with her. Her heart received what I told her. She believed. She laughed! Then the Logos went into her and became flesh. I was my own servant in an angel's image. I will return to this image when I go to my Father."
"When you celebrate the Passover and remember my death, one of you will be thrown into prison for my name's sake. This one will be very sorrowful, for he will not be able to celebrate with you. But I will send my power in the form of an angel. The prison door will open wide and he will come to you to hold vigil with you and to rest. When the cock crows and you finish my Agape feast, he will again be thrown into the prison for a testimony, until he comes out to preach as I commanded."
We said to him, "Have you not completed the drinking of the Passover? Must we do it over and over again?" He said to us, "Remember me until I come from the Father. You will know me by my wounds."
We said, "In what kind of power or form will you return?" He answered, "I will burst forth like the sun, shining seven times brighter, while the clouds carry me on their splendorous wings and the cross goes on before. Then I will judge the living and the dead."
We said, "How many years?" He said, "My Father will come in 150 years, between Passover and Pentecost."
We asked, "Once you said, 'I will come.' Now you say, 'he who sent me will come.' Who will come?" He answered, "I am totally in the Father, and he is in me."
We asked, "Will you really leave us? Where will we find a teacher?" He answered, "I am both here and there, as is the one who sent me."
We continued, "Is it possible for you to be here and there?" He said, "I am totally in the Father and the Father is in me after his image, his form, his power, his perfection and his light. I am his perfect Logos. As you witness redemption through me you will see the wonders of his image and the manifestations of his perfection. Look now, a new commandment I give you, that you love one another, obey each other, and allow peace to rule. Love your enemies and do not do to others what you do not want done to yourselves."
"Preach and teach this new commandment to those who believe in me, and preach about the Kingdom of my Father. I have the power so that you may to bring the children of the heavenly Father near. Just preach, and they will believe. It is your duty to lead his children to Heaven."
We said, "We know that you have the power to do this, but what of us?" He said to us, "Truly I say, preach and teach, and I will be with you, that you may become joint heirs with me of the Kingdom of Heaven. Truly, you will be my brothers and sisters, my companions, for my Father delights in you and in those who will believe in me through you. Truly I say, such a great joy has been prepared for you that angels and powers desire to see it, but they will not be allowed to see the greatness of my Father.
"You will see a light brighter and more perfect than perfection. For the Son is perfected through the perfect Father, the Light, through whose power I conquered death by resurrection; the second accomplishment surpassing the first. I am totally at the right hand of the Father - I have brought it to pass!"
The twelve said, "You, O Lord, have become salvation and life to us in all things. Do you speak to us of such hope?" He said to us, "Have confidence; have courage. Truly I say, such a great rest will be yours. You will no longer need to eat, drink, mourn, care, or sing; and you won't have to worry about what you will wear, neither earthly garment nor perishing. You will no longer take part in the doings of creation below, but will belong to the incorruptibility of my Father and you will never perish. As I am in the Father, so also will you be in me."
We said again, "In what form? In some flesh or in spirit like an angel?" He answered us, "I have put on your flesh, the same in which I was born, died, and was buried; the same in which I rose again through my heavenly Father, that the prophesy of David might be fulfilled concerning my death and resurrection:
Lord, how numerous have they become that oppress me; many have risen up against me. Many say to my soul, He has no salvation by his God. But you, O Lord, are my refuge, my glory, and he who lifts up my head. With my voice I cried to God, and he heard me from the mount of his sanctuary. I laid down and fell asleep; and I rose up, for God raised me up. I was not afraid of thousands of people who surrounded me and rose up against me. Arise, O Lord my God, and save me. For you have smitten all who show me enmity without cause; and you have shattered the teeth of sinners. Deliverance is of God, and your blessing upon your people.
All that was said by the prophets was performed and has taken place and is completed in me, for I spoke in them; how much more will what I have told you really happen, so that he who sent me may be glorified by you and by those who believe in me."
Afterward, we said to him, "Lord, you have shown yourself merciful to us in all things, and saved us. You have patiently explained everything that we asked. Permit us to continue, we pray." He said, "I know that you are listening and long to listen. Ask me what you wish. Look! As long as you meditate on what you hear, I will speak to you.
"Truly I say to you, as the Father awakened me from the dead you shall also rise up above the heavens to the place that I have told you about from the beginning. He who sent me has prepared it for you. For this reason I have perfected all mercy. For without carnal relations I was born into the family of mankind. Without flesh before, I put it on and endured manhood so that you who were born might be reborn and experience resurrection of your body. You and all who hope and believe in the one who sent me will have garments that will not perish. My Father has found pleasure in you; to whomever I desire I will bestow the blessed hope of the Kingdom."
We said, "Your message is very great; you give us hope!" He said, "Believe that everything I tell you will happen, and it will!" We confessed, "Yes, O Lord!" He said, "Truly I tell you that I have received all power from my Father so that I might bring those in darkness to the light and those in corruptibility into incorruptibility and those in error into righteousness and those in death into life so that those in captivity may be loosed. What is impossible on the part of humanity is possible on the part of the Father. I am the hope of the hopeless, the helper of those who have no helper, the treasure of those in need, the physician of the sick, and the resurrection of the dead."
We said to him, "Lord, will the flesh be judged with the soul and spirit? Will one rest in heaven and the other be punished forever?" He said to us, "How long will you continue to ask questions?" Then we continued, "Lord, since you have commanded us to preach, prophesy and teach, it is necessary that we hear and understand accurately."
He told us, "Truly I say, the body will rise with the soul and spirit." And we said to him, "Lord, how can what is dead and scattered come alive? We do not ask as though we deny what you are telling us; we believe what you say will happen!" He became angry and said, "You of little faith, how long will you question me? Keep my commandments. Do what I tell you without delay; hesitate not out of respect for persons. Serve in the straight, direct and narrow way. Thereby in every respect the Father will rejoice about you."
We said again to him, "Lord, look: we anger you with so many questions!" He said to us, "I know that you question me from your faith, and sincerely with your whole heart. So your questions make me glad. Truly I tell you that I am well pleased, and my Father within me rejoices at your questions. The boldness in which you speak makes me rejoice, and affords you life."
When he had said this, we too were glad, for he had spoken out of gentleness.
Then he asked us a question: "Does the flesh or the spirit fall away?" We answered him, "The flesh." He said, "Now, what has fallen away will arise, what is ill will be sound, so that my Father might be praised. He has proven this to me. So I prove it to you and all who believe in me.
"Truly, the body and soul will rise alive together so that, as one, they may confess the works they have done and be judged by them. They will be selected and exhibited before those who have believed and done the commandments of my Father who sent me. Afterwards, the judgment of the righteous will take place - such is the will of my Father. He said to me, 'Son, on judgment day you will not fear the rich nor spare the poor. Deliver each one to eternal punishment according to his transgressions.' But to those who have loved me and fulfilled my commandments, I will give rest and life in the kingdom of my heavenly Father. Behold the power he has granted me and delivered to me! That I might give what I want to whom I want, those in whom hope has been awakened.
"For this reason I descended to speak with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and to your fathers the prophets, bringing them the news that they may arise from their rest below and ascend into heaven. I have given them the right hand of fellowship, the baptism of life, and full forgiveness and pardon for their wickedness, just as I have given you and will give those who believe in me from now on. However, the one who has only a head knowledge of me will find that it will do that one no good at the judgment, if he has not fulfilled my commandments. He has run his course in vain! His end is already determined: ruin and painful punishment, for though he may believe in my name, he transgressed my commandment! To you I have given the opportunity to be children of the light in God, thus pure of wickedness and exempt from the consequences of judgment. So goes it for those who will believe through you, that all who believe shall be rescued from the chains, spears and terrible fire!"
We said, "You have made us rejoice in our security in every respect. In faithfulness and truthfulness you have preached to our fathers and the prophets, to us and to all." He said to us, "Truly I say to you, I will cause all believers, present and future, to rise to heaven, the place where my Father has prepared for the elect and the most elect. He will give rest as he has promised, and eternal life! But those who have transgressed my commandment by teaching a substitution, subtracting from and adding to my commandments for their own glory, alienating my rightful believers -- they will have no part in the life that is eternal."
We said, "Will there exist another teaching and grievance?" He replied, "The wicked ones will manifest, just as those who fulfill what is good and beautiful. Then a righteous judgment will take place. These wicked ones will be judged according to the works they have done and how they have acted; they will be delivered to ruin!"
We said then, "We are very blessed, for we see and hear you speak personally, and we behold first-hand mighty deeds you do." He answered, "But more blessed than you are the ones who do not hear or see me, yet believe in me, for they will be called Children of the Kingdom and Perfect in the Perfect One. To these I will become eternal life in the Kingdom of my Father."
We said again, "You have told us, 'There is coming a time and an hour when I will go to my Father.' Lord, we wonder how we can possibly believe that you will leave us!" He answered only, "Go and preach to the twelve tribes of Israel and to the Gentiles, in the East and West, to the North and South in Israel! Many will believe in the Son of God."
We said, "Lord, who will listen to us? Who will believe us? How can we teach, tell, and do the wonders, signs, and mighty deeds you have done?" He said, "Go and preach my Father's mercy. What my Father has accomplished through me he will also accomplish through you. I will give you my peace, my spirit, my power, so that they might believe. I will transmit this same power to them, so that they might transmit it to the Gentiles.
"Behold; you will meet a man named Saul (interpreted 'Paul'). He is a Jew, circumcised according to the Law. With fear, trembling, and terror he will hear my voice from Heaven. His eyes will be blinded; you will cross them with your spittle. His eyes will be opened, and he will praise God, my heavenly Father. He will become well known among the nations by his preaching and teaching. Yet he will be hated by many and delivered to his enemies. He will testify before mortal kings. He will complete my testimony. Even though at first he persecuted and hated me, he will be converted, then preach and teach. He will be among my very elect: a chosen vessel, a wall that will not fall. The last of the last will become a preacher to the Gentiles, perfect in the will of my Father.
"As you have learned from the prophets of scripture, so you must become leaders. Every word that I have spoken to you and you have written down about me (that I am the Logos-Word of the Father and the Father is in me), you must become to that man Saul, as it befits you. Teach him and show him what the scriptures have said about me and how they have been fulfilled in me, then he will become the salvation of the Gentiles."
We said, "Have we the same hope of inheritance as the prophets?" He answered, "Are all the fingers of your hand alike? Is each ear of corn the same as the next? Do trees grow the same fruit? Doesn't the fruit grow from the tree according to its nature?"
"Lord," we said, "are you again speaking in parables?" He said, "Do not be grieved. Truly I say to you, you are my brothers and companions in the Kingdom of Heaven with my Father, for so it has pleased him. Truly I say this to you and the ones who you will teach to be believers in me: this hope is yours."
We said again, "When will we meet that Saul and when will you go to your Father, our God and Lord?" He answered us, "Saul will set out from Cilicia bound for Damascus in Syria to tear down the congregation which you will gather together. I will speak through you, and he will come quickly. He will act according to his faith that the prophesy might be fulfilled which says,
Behold, out of Syria I will call a new Jerusalem, and will subdue Zion and it will be fruitful and will be called the daughter of my Father, but I will call it my bride; for so has it pleased him who has sent me.
But I will turn him aside so that he might not complete an evil plan! Yet the glory of my Father will shine through him, for after I have gone away, I will speak to him from Heaven; then my predictions about him will come true."
We said to him, "Lord, you have preached such meaningful things to us, and have revealed great secrets never before spoken of. In every way you have comforted us and been gracious. For after your resurrection, you confided in us that we really might be saved. You have told us about the signs and wonders in heaven and earth that would happen before the end of the world. Teach us how to recognize these signs." He told us, "I will show you not only what will become of you, but also of those who will believe because of your teaching. In those days and years this will happen...."
He said nothing.
We encouraged him, "Lord, tell us what will happen." "All flesh, believers and unbelievers alike, will behold a trumpet in the heavens, great stars in the sky during the day, a dragon suspended between heaven and earth, and fiery stars and hailstone dropping fire. The sun and moon will fight each other in the midst of frightening thunder, lightening and earthquakes. Cities will fall down and people will be killed by the rubble, the rain will fail and there will be continuous drought, famines will cause both quick and prolonged death. So many will die that there will not be enough graves to hold them. When a child and a relative lies on the bed together, on will be taken and one left. Natural affection will die - caregivers will abandon children, children will turn from their parents, and neighbors will ignore each others' needs. Everything is hatred and affliction and jealousy, and they will take from one and give to another. But what comes after this will be worse! For then my Father will be angry because humankind's wickedness. Their offenses are many. The horror of their impurity is corrupting their lives."
We said, "Lord, what about those who hope in you?" He answered, "How long will you be slow of heart? Truly I say to you, as the prophet David spoke concerning me and mine, so will it be for those who will believe in me. There will be many deceivers in the world - enemies of righteousness - who are described by David who said,
Their feet are quick to shed blood, their tongues weave deceit, the venom of serpents in under their lips.
I see you as you ponder theft, casting in your lot with fornicators, slandering your brothers and setting traps for the sons of your own mother. What do you think of that? Should I be like you? See how the prophet of God has spoken about these ones, that his words might be fulfilled."
We said then, "Lord, won't the gentiles ask us, 'Where is your God?'" He said, "The elect will be revealed, since they will depart the world after being afflicted by such distress."
We said to him, "Will they exit this world through plague?" He said, "No. But if they suffer, it will be but a test for them to determine whether they have faith, remember my words, and keep my commandment. They will rise up after a few days, so that the one who sent me might be glorified, and I might be glorified. For he has sent me to tell you these things. So you may tell all Israel and the gentiles that they may be saved from the distress of plague that I describe by believing in me. But whoever escapes the distress of death will be kept in prison and tortured as a thief is tortured."
We asked, "Are those who have escaped the plague like unbelievers, and will you punish them as you say?" He said to us, "These ones I am speaking of have believed in my name, but they have lived like sinners. Though they believe, they act as if they did not."
Again we asked, "Lord, have they who have escaped have no life, then?" He said, "Whoever has lived to glorify my Father, he is in the dwelling of my Father."
Then we asked, "Teach us what will happen after this." He replied, "In those years and days there will be war upon war. The four corners of the world will be shaken - they will wage war with one another! Then will come a disturbance in the clouds heralding darkness and drought, with persecution of both believers and the elect. These people will succumb to dissension and conflicts, then will sin against one another. Among them are those who believe in my name, but teach vain doctrine and practice evil. Many will follow them because they have riches. They will submit to their riches, their depravity, alcoholism, and bribery. Respect of Persons will rule them.
"Those who want to see the face of God, who do not give undue respect to the sinful rich, and do not fear false teachers, rather, who reprove them, will be crowned in the realm of the Father: Those who reprove their neighbors will be saved as well, for one who does this is a son of wisdom and faith. But one who does not become a son of wisdom hates, persecutes and ignores his brother, despising him and casting him off. But those who walk in truth and faith-knowledge in me and have the knowledge of wisdom and perseverance for righteousness' sake have a great reward. Those who are reviled, tormented, persecuted, who hunger and thirst because they have persevered. Blessed will they be in Heaven, where they will always dwell with me. Woe to those who despise them! Their end is destruction!"
We said to him, "Will all this really happen?" He countered with a question, "How will the judgment of righteousness take place for sinners and righteous?" We said, "At that time, will they say to you, 'You have separated darkness from light, evil from good, but have allowed us choice between sin and righteousness?'" He said, "Adam was given the power to choose which of the two he wanted; so he stretched his hand out and chose light, and left the darkness behind. Everyone is given the ability to believe in the light. This is the life of the Father. Whoever has chosen light and believed in me will live. If anyone merely acknowledges light but does what is of darkness, not only will he have no defense, but he will not even be able to look the Son in the face. I will say to him, 'You took the effort to seek, and you have found. You have asked and you have received. So you cannot blame us, can you? Why did you abandon me and my Kingdom? Why have you known me and denied me?' So each one must be prepared to live as well as to die! Whoever keeps my commandment will be a son of light. For the faithful I came from Heaven. The Word became flesh and died. The Word came teaching and guiding: some will be saved, but the other will be ruined for eternity, punished both in flesh and spirit by fire."
Then we confessed, "We are truly disturbed on account of these, Lord." He said, "You do well; so should the righteous be anxious for the fate of sinners. The former naturally pray, imploring God on behalf of the latter." We said, "Does anyone entreat you on the behalf of sinners?" He said, "Yes. I do hear the requests of the righteous about them."
We said to him, "You have stimulated our thinking with all these teachings, and have been gracious to us; and we will preach your doctrine to whom it is fitting. So, ... will we be rewarded?" He said to us, "Just go and preach. Be good ministers and servants."
"Lord, you are our father," we said! He said, "Are all fathers? Are all servants? Are all teachers?" We said, "Didn't you say, 'Call no man on earth father and master, for your father and teacher is in Heaven?' Now you tell us that we should become fathers, teachers, and servants to many children like you." He said, "You have spoken rightly. Truly I say to you that all that have listened to you and believe will receive the light of the seal in my hand. Yes, through me you will become fathers and teachers."
We said, "How is it possible for these three to become one?" He answered, "Truly, truly I say to you, you will be called fathers because, through your compassion and lust for life, you will be able to reveal to people that they can receive the baptism of life and forgiveness of sin by my hand from Heaven. Teachers, for you have taught them my word without anguish, and have warned them to turn away from things you have warned them about. You did not revere the resources of the rich, nor esteem them because of their position; rather, you kept the commandment of the Father. Thus you have a reward with my heavenly Father, and those whom you father will have forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and a share in the Kingdom."
We said, "Lord, if they had ten thousand mouths they would still be unable to give you fitting thanks." He said, "I will tell you something to help equip you to do for others what I have done for you: Be as the wise virgins who did not sleep, but lit their lights and went to meet the Lord, who was the bridegroom, to go with him into the bridegroom's chamber. But the foolish virgins were full of talk, and were not able to stay awake." We said to him, "Who are the wise, and who are the foolish?" He said, "The wise virgins are the prophet daughters of God." But we were sad and cried for the virgins who slumbered and were shut out. He said, "The five wise virgins are Faith, Love, Joy, Peace, and Hope. Believers that possess the five wise virgins will become leaders of the faithful. For I am the Lord, the Bridegroom. The ones that have received me have gone into the house of the bridegroom with me, laid themselves down with the bridegroom, and rejoiced! But the five foolish virgins slept. When they awoke, they went to the bridegroom's house and knocked at the doors (which had been closed to them). So they cried, because they were shut out."
We said to him, "Lord, their wiser sisters are in the house. Why don't they open to them? Aren't they sorrowful on their account?" He said, "Yes, they sorrow and have great concern. They plead with the bridegroom on their sisters' behalves, yet are not granted their request."
We said, "When will they go infor their sisters' sakes?" He said, "Whoever is shut out remains shut out."
We said, "Lord, is this the last word on the matter?" No reply.
We continued, "Who then are the foolish virgins?" He said, "Listen up. Insight, Knowledge, Obedience, Endurance, Mercy: these have slept within those who have believed in me. So since those who fell asleep didn't obey my commandment, they will be outside the Kingdom and without the shepherd's fold. Whoever remains outside the fold will become a wolf's meal. And although someone merely hears my words, she still may be judged and die after much suffering, discomfort, and long endurance. Though she is in great pain, cut into pieces, smitten with long, painful punishments, yet she will not die quickly."
We said, "Lord, you have answered our questions well." He said to us, "Understand! Grasp these words!"
We said, "Five expect to enter your Kingdom; five are outside. Yet the five within the bridegroom's chamber who were watchful will not rejoice because of their sisters who slept." He said, "But they will rejoice that they have entered with the Lord, yet will be grieved for their sisters. See, these daughters of Elohim number ten."
We said, "Lord, it suits your greatness that you demonstrate your grace toward their sisters." He said to us, "This scenario is not of you, but it is his who sent me; moreover, I agree with him.
"But as you go along, preach and teach truly and rightly. Do not respect anybody for who they have become in the world, especially the rich and revelers in riches - those who do not keep my commandment."
We said to him, "Lord, do you speak only of the rich?" He said to us, "I speak of those who are not rich, also. The one who gives of what he has to another who has not will be called a doer of the Word, and not a hearer only.
"If someone should fall under the weight of his burden, that is, if he should sin against his neighbor, that neighbor should admonish him. After doing so, if he should repent, he will be saved. The neighbor who has been wronged will obtain eternal life. But if one encourages another in sins, such will be judged very strictly. If the blind leads the blind, both will fall into the ditch! Even so, both unrighteous encourager and the sinner will be sentenced with the same punishment, as the prophet said, 'Woe to those who counsel a sinner for the sake of a bribe, whose god is their belly.' You see how judgment is? Truly I say to you, on the day of judgment I will not fear the rich nor have pity on the poor.
"So if you see someone in sin with your own eyes, correct that one in private. If he listens to you, you have won him to correction. If he does not, then approach him with one or two others, then you may correct your brother. If even then he doesn't listen, as far as you are concerned, he is a gentile and a tax collector. If you hear talk about another, do not believe it, spread it, or love listening to it - it is to be considered slander. It is written, 'Let your ear listen to nothing against your brother, but if you have seen, then censure, correct, and convert him.'"
Then we said, "Lord, you have taught and exhorted us in everything! But shall we always expect dissension, dispute, envy, confusion, hatred, and distress among the believers of what is preached in your name? For you have said, 'They have not regarded each other well, but found fault.' Is it sin to hate the one who has corrected you?" He answered, "Why do you suppose that the judgment will take place at all? So that the wheat may be gathered to the barn and the chaff thrown into the fire. So will burn those who hate. But the one who loves me and finds fault with those who don't keep my commandments will be hated and persecuted; all will despise and mock that one! He will be lied about so as to create a conspiracy against the one who loves me. But the rebuke of the righteous may become the salvation of the sinner, though, because of the bad feeling involved, good may be prevented from being done. Those who have endured such hatred and spite will be considered as martyrs by the Father, because they were righteously zealous about righteousness. Furthermore, such exhortation and conviction will soon be expedient."
We said, "Tell us how?" He said to us, "Another teaching will appear that will bring conflict with it. Such teachers of it are motivated by vainglory; their teaching are such an offense as to warrant death to the believer in them, since they will nullify my commandment deceptively, even to the extent that those who believe in me will lose eternal life! But woe to those who use my word and commandment as a pretext for gain, and woe to those who listen but turn away from the teaching of life! Both teacher and disciple will be eternally punished!"
As he brought our discourse to a close, he said, "Look here. After three days and three hours the one who sent me will come so that I may go with him." As he spoke, there came thunder, lightning, and an earthquake. The skies divided, and a bright cloud descended and took him away. We heard the voices of many angels as one rejoicing and praising with these words: "Assemble us, O priest, in the light of glory!" When the Lord was ascending and approaching the blueness, we heard him say, "Go in peace."

230 AD Syriac Antioch
Anonymous Syriac Source
The Didascalla, Or the Catholic Teaching of the Twelve Apostles and Holy Disciples of Our Saviour
Didascalia Apostolorum In Syriac Edited From A Mesopotamian Manuscript With Various Readings And Collations Of Other Mss
By Margaret Dunlop Gibson M.R.A.S.
London C. J. Clay And Sons
1903
Entry in Wikipedia.org (2011)
Didascalia Apostolorum (or just Didascalia) is a Christian treatise which belongs to genre of the Church Orders. It presents itself as being written by the Twelve Apostles at the time of the Council of Jerusalem, however, scholars agree that it was actually a composition of the 3rd century CE, perhaps around 230 CE.[1]
The Didascalia was clearly modeled on the earlier Didache.[2] The author is unknown, but he was probably a Bishop. The provenience is usually regarded as Northern Syria, possibly near Antioch.[3]
230 AD Syriac Antioch
Anonymous Syriac Source
The Didascalla, Or The Catholic Teaching Of The Twelve Apostles And Holy Disciples Of Our Saviour
English Translation (1903)
In the name of the Father Almighty, and of the Eternal Word and only Son, and of the Holy Ghost, one true God. We begin to write the Book Didascalla, as the holy Apostles of our Lord appointed to us, with regard to the presiding officers of the Holy Church, and the Canons and the Laws for believers as they commanded in it.
We, then, twelve Apostles of the only Son, the Everlasting Word of God, our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus the Christ, being assembled with one accord in Jerusalem the city of the great King, and with us our brother Paul, the Apostle of the Gentiles, and James the Bishop of the above-mentioned city, have established this Didascalla, in which are included the Confession and the Creed, and we have named all the Ordinances, as the ordinances of the heavenly bodies, and thus again the Ordinances of the Holy Church. We assert that everyone shall stand and confess and believe in what has been allotted to him by God; that is to say, the Bishop as a shepherd; the Elders as teachers; the Deacons as ministers; the Sub-Deacons as helpers; the Lectors as readers; the Singers as psalmists with intelligence and with constancy; and that the rest of the populace should be hearers of the words of the Gospel according to discipline. When we had completed and confirmed these Canons, we established them in the Church. And now we have written this other Book of doctrine which will enlighten all the habitable earth, and we have sent it by the hands of Clement our comrade. This which ye hear, O Christian Nazarenes, who are beneath the sun [is] that ye may learn with diligence and care. He who hears and keeps these commandments which are written in this Didascalla, will have everlasting life, and great boldness before the judgment-seat of our Lord Jesus the Christ the Son of God, He who taught us about His great mystery. And he who is contentious, and doth not keep them, they shall put him out as an opposer and quarreller, as it is written that those who do evil things shall go to everlasting torment and those who do good things shall inherit everlasting life in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Table of Contents
In It There Are Twenty-Seven Chapters (Only 26 Here, Including Additional Different Chapter 7 Only Available In Manuscript S)
Chapter I – About the simple and natural Law
Chapter II – That every man should please his Wife alone, etc.
Chapter III – The Doctrine about Women, that they please and honour their Husbands only / About the Ordination of Bishops / About the Election of Elders / How it is proper for the Elder to teach / About the Election of Deacons / About Catechumens / The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles / From Paul the Apostle about the Times of prayer / Commandments from the writing of Addai the Apostle
Chapter IV – What sort of man ought to be chosen for the Bishopric
Chapter V – Doctrine and caution for the Bishop
Chapter VI – Also teaches the Bishop, that he judge him that sins, as God, &c
[Chapter VII in Manuscript S - ] The Prayer of Manasseh
Chapter VII – A broad doctrine about the Bishop himself, &c.
Chapter VIII – Teaches the same Bishop that he be not luxurious, &c.
Chapter IX – Exhortation to the people that they bring heave offerings of prayers and confessions to God, and that they honour the Bishop as God, &c
Chapter X – Admonition about false Brethren, &c
Chapter XI – Again, exhortation to Bishops and Deacons, that they govern justly, &c
Chapter XII – Commands Bishops to be quiet and humble, &c. / The Order of the House of God, &c
Chapter XIII – That no Christian should neglect the assembly of the Church, &c.
Chapter XIV – About Widows
Chapter XV – How it befits Widows to conduct themselves / That it is not fitting for Widows to do anything without the commandment of the Bishop / Reproof of rebellious Widows / It is not proper to pray with one who is censured / It is not permitted to a woman to baptize / About the jealousy of false Widows towards one another / About the audacity of cursed Widows
Chapter XVI – Of the appointment of Deacons and Deaconesses
Chapter XVII – It is right that the Bishop should take care of Orphans, &c / Those are guilty who take alms when they are not in want
Chapter XVIII – Exhortation to Bishops, concerning gifts / Those Bishops are culpable who take alms from the guilty
Chapter XIX – Exhortation to Bishops to take care of those who are persecuted
Chapter XX – About the Resurrection of the Dead
Chapter XXI – Exhorting every Christian to keep himself from all evil and frivolous conversation, &c. / About the Holy Fast / About the Passion and Crucifixion of our Lord / About the fourteenth [day] of the Passover; about the Friday of the Passion, and the Sabbath of the Annunciation and the Sunday of the Resurrection / About the mourning of the Sabbath, and the rejoicing of the Christians
Chapter XXII – Commandment about children
Chapter XXIII – About heresies and schisms
Chapter XXIV – That God hath left the Synagogue of the Nation, and hath come to the Church of the Gentiles; and that Satan also hath removed from the Jews, and hath come against the Church / About Simon Magus, &c / About the false Apostles
Chapter XXV – Teaches that the Apostles settled the disputations in the Church, &c
Chapter XXVI – Showeth that from the first the Apostles turned to the Churches of the Gentiles, &c
230 AD Syriac Antioch
Anonymous Syriac Source
The Didascalla, Or The Catholic Teaching Of The Twelve Apostles And Holy Disciples Of Our Saviour
Chapter I
Teaches all men in general about the simple and natural law, that what is hateful to thyself thou shouldest not do to thy neighbour; About the simple and natural law
The planting of God, and the holy Vine of His Catholic Church, the chosen people who trust in the simplicity of the fear of the Lord, those who by their faith inherit the eternal Kingdom, those who have received the power and communion of the Holy Ghost, with which they are armed and confirmed in His worship, those who have been partakers in the sprinkling of the pure and precious blood of the great God, Jesus the Christ; those who have received boldness to call God the Almighty Father, as heirs and partakers with His Son [and] His Beloved; hear the Teaching of God, ye who hope for and expect His promises, according as it was written by order of our Saviour, and is in accordance with His glorious commandments! Take care, ye sons of God, and do everything so as to obey God, and in all things be pleasing to the Lord our God. If any man run after iniquity, and oppose the will of God, he shall be counted by God as an heathen and an evildoer. therefore and get far from all avarice and iniquity, that ye may covet nothing from any one, for it is written in the Law, “Thou shalt not covet anything from thy neighbour, neither his field nor his house nor his servant nor his maidservant nor his ox nor his ass nor any of his goods, for all these desires are of the Evil One. For he that coveteth his neighbour’s wife or his servant or his maidservant is already a thief and an adulterer.” He is guilty of abomination, like a Sodomite, from our Lord and Teacher Jesus the Christ, to whom be glory and honour forever and ever. Amen. As also in the Gospel He reneweth and confirmeth and completcth the Ten Commandments of the Law. For it is written in the Law, Thou shalt not commit adultery. But this I say unto you, as He who spoke in the Law of Moses, thus in person I myself say unto you, that everyone who looketh at the wife of his friend to lust after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart. Thus he that lusteth is guilty as an adulterer. Also he that coveteth the ox or the ass of his neighbour is likely to steal it and to lead it away. Again, he that coveteth the field of his neighbour, behold, doth he not wish to narrow it at the border, and to contrive to buy it to himself for nothing? Wherefore because of this, murders and deaths and condemnations come upon them from God. But to those men who are obedient to God there is one simple and valid law, and I say that thou shalt not make questions to Christians, this, that whatever thou hatest should happen to thyself from another, thou shalt not do to another. Thou dost not wish that any one should look at thy wife in an evil manner, for her corruption? Do not thou also look at the wife of thy neighbour with an evil mind. Thou dost not wish that any one should take from thee thy garment? Do not thou also take the garment of others.
Thou dost not wish to be cursed or beaten? also do not thou do either of these things to others; but if any one curseth thee, thou shalt surely it bless him, for it is written in the hook of the Psalms, “He that blesseth shall be blessed, and he that curseth shall be cursed,” and again also in the Gospel it is written, “Bless those that curse you, and do not evil to those that do evil to you; do good to those that hate you;” be long- suffering and patient, for the Scripture saith, “Do not say, I will repay to mine enemy evil as he has done to me, but be long-suffering, and the Lord will be a helper to thee, and will bring retribution on him that hath done thee evil.” Again He saith in the Gospel, “Love them that hate you, pray for them that curse you, and no one shall be an enemy to you.”
Let us look therefore, O beloved, and understand these commandments, and keep them, so that we may be the children of light.
Chapter II
Teaches every man that he should please his wife alone, and should not adorn himself and be a stumbling-block to women; that he should not love idleness; that he should study the Scriptures of life, and keep away from the scriptures of paganism and from the bonds which are in Deuteronomy; and that in the bath wash not with women, and let him not give his sons to the wickedness of Harlots.
Let us be patient with one another, O servants and sons of God! Let not a man despise his wife, nor behave contemptuously and haughtily towards her, but let him be compassionate, and let his hand be liberal in giving. Let him please his wife alone, and soothe her with honour; let him study to be loved by her alone, and not by any other. Do not adorn thyself so as to be seen by a strange woman and that she should desire thee. If thou, for instance, art constrained by her, and sinnest with her, death by fire shall come upon thee by decree from God, even that which is everlasting in the cruel and bitter fire. Thou shalt know and understand when thou art cruelly tormented. But, if thou doest not this abomination, but removest her from thee, and refusest her, in this alone thou hast sinned, that by means of thine adornment thou hast caused a woman to be held by desire of thee; for thou hast done this to her so that it has happened thus to her because of thee, and that by means of her desire she committeth adultery. But thou art not so much under sin, because thou hast not lusted after her. Mercy from the Lord shall be upon thee because thou hast not delivered thy soul unto her, and hast not been persuaded by her when she sent unto thee; not even in thy mind hast thou turned to this woman, who was held by desire of thee; but she suddenly met with thee, she was wounded in her mind, and she sent unto thee, but thou like a God-fearing man didst refuse her and remove thyself from her and hast not sinned with her. She in truth was struck in her heart because thou art a youth, beautiful and good, and thou didst adorn thyself and make her desire thee. And thou art found guilty, that she hath sinned in regard to thee; for because of thine adornment it hath thus happened to her. But seek from the Lord God, that no sin may be written against thee; on her account. If thou wishest to please God, and not men, and hopest for life and everlasting rest, do not adorn the beauty of thy nature which hath been given to thee by God, but with the humility of neglect, make it poor before man. Thus again also let not the hair of thy head grow, nor comb it nor dress it; but shave it, and anoint it not, that it may not attract to thee such women as snare or are snared by lust.
Also wear no beautiful garments nor even put on shoes of lustful and contemptible workmanship, nor set signet-rings encased in gold upon thy fingers, because that all these things are works of harlotry, and everything that thou doest which is beyond nature. For to thee, a man who believes in God, it is not allowed to let the hair on thy head grow, to comb it and make it even, which is this voluptuousness of desire, and thou must not put it in order and dress it, nor arrange it so as to be beautiful; nor must thou destroy the hairs of thy beard, nor the likeness of the nature of thy face, nor change it to something outside of what God has created, because thou wishest to please men. If thou doest these things, thou deprivest thyself of life, and thou art rejected from the presence of the Lord God. As a man therefore who wishes to please God, be watchful and do nothing like these things, keep away from everything which the Lord hates, and do not be wandering and turning vainly about in market-places, seeing the inane spectacles of those who behave themselves in an evil manner, but in thy craft and work be Constant and watchful, and wishful to do those things that are pleasing to God. Meditate constantly in the words of the Lord. If then thou art rich and requirest not to work for thy livelihood, be not wandering and turning inanely about, but be Constant at all times, and have intercourse with believers and those like-minded with thyself, and be instructed along with them in the words of life. But if not, then stay at home, and read in the Law, and in the Book of the Kings and in the Prophets and in the Gospel [which is] the fulness of these things. Keep far then from all the books of the heathen. For what hast thou to do with foreign words or with false laws or prophecies, which also easily cause young people to wander from the Faith. What then is wanting to thee in the Word of God that thou throwest thyself upon these myths of the heathen? If thou wishest to read the tales of the fathers, thou hast the Book of the Kings, or of wise men and philosophers, thou hast the Prophets, amongst whom thou wilt find more wisdom and scripture than [amongst] the wise men and the philosophers because they are the words of God, of one only wise God; if thou desirest songs, thou hast the Psalms of David; or if the beginning of the world, thou hast the Genesis of great Moses; if law and commandments, thou hast the Book of Exodus of the Lord our God. Therefore keep entirely away from all these foreign things which are contrary to them. But nevertheless what thou readest in the law of Deuteronomy, be heedful, that in reading thou readest only in it with simplicity. From the precepts and admonitions which are in it keep well away, lest thou lead thyself astray, and bind thyself with indissoluble heavy chains of burdens. For this reason therefore even if thou read in Deuteronomy, in this alone be intelligent to know, and glorify God, who has delivered us from all these chains. Let this also be put before thine eyes, that thou mayest distinguish and know what is the Law, and what are the chains that are in Deuteronomy; that after the Law had been given to those that were in the Law, on account of Deuteronomy they sinned all these sins in the wilderness. For the Law is in the first place that which the Lord God spake, before the people made the calf and offered the sacrifices of idols, which is the ten Commandments and Statutes; and after they had worshipped idols He justly put upon them chains as they deserved.
Thou therefore do not put them on thy heart, for our Saviour came for nothing else but to fulfil the Law, and to loosen us from the chains of Deuteronomy; for He loosened from these chains, and He called thus to those who believe in Him, and said, “Come unto me all ye who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Thou therefore without the weight of these burdens read the simple Law which agrees with the Gospel, and again in the Gospel and in the Prophets, also in the Book of the Kings, that thou mayest know how many Kings were righteous, and were made famous by the Lord God in this world, and rested also in the promises of everlasting life. But those Kings who turned aside from God, and worshipped idols, justly perished cruelly by a decreed judgment, and were cut off from the Kingdom of God, and instead of rest they were tormented. When therefore thou readest these things, thou shalt grow more in the faith and be increased. After these things rise and go out to the market-place, and wash in the baths for men, and not in those for women, lest, when thou hast stripped and shewn the bareness and nakedness of thy body, thou wilt either be hunted for or thou wilt constrain to fall and be hunted by thee; therefore be watchful against these things and live for God. Learn therefore what the Holy Word saith in Wisdom, “My son, keep my words, and hide my commandments within thee. My son, honour the Lord and be strong, and fear no other but Him; keep my commandments, and live well, and my law as the apples of thine eyes, bind them on thy fingers, and write them on the tables of thine heart. Say to Wisdom, Thou art my sister, and with understanding make thyself acquainted; that she may keep thee from the strange woman, and the adulteress whose words are flattering; for from the window of her house and her lattice she looketh out into the Street, and at every young man whom she seeth, those who are childish and void of understanding, who pass in the streets by the side of the corners of the paths of her house, and who talk in the dark, in the evening and in the thick darkness of the silence of the night; then the woman goeth out, and in the garb of a harlot she meeteth the young man, and she causeth the hearts of the youths to fly away. She is rebellious and insolent and prodigal, Her feet rest not in her house but she is now wandering out, and now in ambush in the Street and in the corners. She catcheth him who is likeminded and kisseth him and maketh her face bold and saith unto him, I have peace-offerings with me, this day I have paid my vows; therefore I have come out to meet thee, expecting to see thee, and I have found thee.
With a carpet have I spread my bed, and with Egyptian tapestries have I covered it; I have sprinkled saffron upon my bed, and in my house there is cinnamon. Come, let us enjoy ourselves with love till the morning, and embrace each other with desire. For my lord is not at home, he has gone a long way off. He has taken a bag of Silver in his band, and he will come to his house after many days. She causeth him to err by the multitude of her words, by the flattery of her lips and by a vile wink of her eyes she draweth him unto her. He goeth after her like an infant, and like an ox that goeth to the slaughter, and like a dog to the chain, and like a stag which an arrow pierces and he fleeth, like a bird into the snare, and he knoweth not that he is gone to the death of his soul. Wherefore hearken unto me, my son, and give ear to the words of my mouth. Incline not thy heart to her ways, and come not near to the door of her house; do not wander in her paths; for she hath cast down a multitude of slain, her victims are innumerable. The ways of her house are the ways of Sheol, which go down to the chambers of death. My son, give ear to my wisdom, power, and incline thy mind to my understanding, that my counsel may keep thee, and the knowledge of my lips, which I command thee, because that the lips of an adulteress distil honey, and with her flatteries she sweeteneth the palate; yet the latter end of them is bitterer than wormwood, and sharper than a two-edged sword; for the feet of the foolish woman bring down to the chambers of Sheol those who adhere to her, for there is nothing which goeth before her heels; she walks not into the land of life, for her paths are in error, and are not known. Therefore, my son, hearken unto me, and decline not from the words of my mouth; remove thy way from her, and come not near the door of her house, that thou give not thy life to others, and thy years to those that have no mercy; lest strangers be satisfied with thy substance, and thy merchandise [pass] to the houses of others; and in thine old age thou repent thyself, when the flesh of thy body faileth, and thou shalt say, Why did I hate my correction and my heart reject reproof, and I did not hearken to the voice of my teachers, nor incline my ears to my monitors? I was very nearly in all evil things.”
But let us not prolong and extend the admonition of our doctrine; if we omit anything, you, like wise men, choose from what pleaseth you in the holy books, and from the Gospel of God, so that ye may be confirmed, and all these evil things may be removed and cast away from you, and ye may be found blameless in everlasting life with God.

Chapter III
The doctrine about women, that they please and honour their husbands only, actively and wisely, attending with diligence to the works of their houses, and that they wash not with the men nor adorn themselves, and become a cause of offence to men nor hunt after them; that they he chaste and quiet and not quarrel with their husbands.
Additional Subjects: About the Ordination of Bishops; About the Election of Elders; How it is proper for the Elder to teach; About the Election of Deacons; About Catechumens; The Teaching of the Twelve Apostle; From Paul the Apostle about the Times of prayer; Commandments from the writing of Addai the Apostle
Again, let the woman be submissive to her husband, because the head of the woman is the man, and the head of the man who walks in the way of righteousness is the Christ, after the Lord Almighty our God and the Father of the worlds, of this one which exists and of that which is to come, Lord of all breathing things and of all powers, and His living and Holy Spirit, to Whom be glory and honour forever and ever. Amen. O woman I fear thy husband, and revere him, and please him alone; be ready for his service; stretch out thy hands to wool, and let thy mind be simple, as it is said in Wisdom, “Who can find a virtuous woman? she is more precious than fine stones, which are of great value. The heart of her husband doth trust in her, and treasure is not wanting to her; she is a helper of her husband in all things; there is nothing wanting to him in his dwelling. She worketh wool and linen with her clever hands; she furnisheth good things; like a merchant ship which gathereth all her
riches from afar. She riseth by night, and giveth covering to her household and work to her handmaids. She looketh to her field, and also buyeth it, and from the fruit of her hands she planteth a possession. She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. She tasteth that it is good to labour; her candle goeth not out all the night. She stretcheth out her arms with activity, and her hands to the spindle; she extendeth her right band to the poor, from her fruits she giveth to the needy. The master of the house is not anxious, because that all his household is clothed with wool above their raiment. She maketh for her husband garments of fine linen and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth in the seat of the Elders. She maketh linen in her house, and selleth girdles to the merchants. Strength and glory are her raiment, she shall rejoice on the last day. She openeth her mouth in wisdom. Her tongue speaketh firmly with intelligence and order; the ways of her house are strict, she eateth not bread in idleness. She openeth her mouth according to wisdom; the law of mercy is upon her tongue; her children shall arìse and grow rich, and praise her; she shall rejoice in them in the latter days; also her husband shall call her blessed. The multitude of her daughters possess great riches. She doeth great things and is exalted above all women, for the woman who feareth the Lord shall be blessed. The fear of the Lord is (her) glory. Give her of her fruits that are worthy of her lips. She shall be honoured in the gates, and in every place her husband shall be honoured. Again, a virtuous woman is a crown to her husband.”
We have learnt therefore what praises a chaste woman who loveth her husband receiveth from the Lord God, she who is found faithful and desirous of pleasing God. Therefore, thou, O chaste woman, do not adorn thyself so as to please other men, and do not plait the plaits of harlotry, nor wear the garments of lasciviousness, nor put on golden shoes, that thou mayest be like those that are such, that thou attract not to thyself those that are captivated by such things. Even if thou sinnest not by this act of abomination, nevertheless in this thou sinnest, that thou obligest and makest him to lust after thee; and if thou sinnest, thou also hast destroyed thy life from God, and thou art guilty also concerning the soul of that [man]. For again, as thou hast sinned with one, thou hast enervated thy soul, and thou wilt be going also after another, as it is said in Wisdom,
“When the wicked hath gone into the depths of evil, he despiseth and enervateth his soul; ignominy and disgrace shall come upon him.” She therefore that is thus, whose soul is completely wounded and is possessed by lust, taketh captive the souls of those who are void of understanding. But let US learn also about these things as the Holy Word unfolds them in Wisdom, for it speaks thus: “As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout, so is beauty to a woman who doeth evil;” and again, “As a worm in wood, so an evil woman destroyeth a man;” and again, “A woman void of understanding and boastful shall be in want of bread and shall not know shame. For she sitteth in the market-place, at the door of her house on a high seat, and she calleth to those who pass on the road and to those who walk in her ways, and saith, Whoso among you is simple, let him come near to me, and he who is void of understanding, and she saith to him. Come near lovingly to hidden bread and to stolen waters which are sweet; and he knoweth not that strong men have perished with her and have been brought to the depths of Sheol. But flee, and tarry not in that place; do not lift thine eyes to look at her.” And again, “It is better to sit upon a turret of the roof rather than to dwell with a woman who is garrulous and quarrelsome in the middle of the house.”
Thou therefore who art a Christian, do not be like such women, but if thou wishest to be faithful, please thy husband only, and when thou walkest in the market-place, cover thy head with thy garment, that by thy veil the greatness of thy beauty may be covered; do not adorn the face of thine eyes, but look down and walk veiled; be watchful, not to wash in the baths with men. When there are baths for women in the city or in the district, a believing woman will not wash in the baths with men; for if thou veilest thy face from strange men by a covering of chastity, how then goest thou with strange men to the baths?
But if there are no baths for women, and thou art compelled to wash in the baths for men and women, this at the least is necessary, that thou wash with chastity and modesty and bashfulness and moderation; not at every time nor every day; nor at noon, but let the time for thee to wash be known to thee, at ten o’clock; for it is required of thec, O believing woman, that by every means thou shalt flee from the multitude of vain sights of the pride of eye which is in the bath. But thy quarrel with everyone, especially that with thy husband, cut short and prevent like a believing woman, lest thy husband, if he be a heathen, should be offended because of thee, and blaspheme God, and thou shouldest receive a woe from Him, for woe to those through whom the name of God is blasphemed amongst the Gentiles. Again, if thy husband be a believer, he is constrained as one who knows the Scriptures, and he will say to thee the word from Wisdom, that “it is better to dwell on a turret of the roof rather than to dwell with a garrulous and quarrelsome woman in the middle of the house.”
For it is required of women that by a covering of modesty and humility they show the fear of God, for the conversion and growth of the faith of those who are without, of the men and of the women. If we have a little admonished and instructed you, our sisters and daughters, our members, ye likewise women, seek and choose for yourselves those things which are excellent and honoured and without rebuke in the dwelling of the world; learn and know such things by which ye can get to the Kingdom of our Lord and have rest, having already been pleasing to Him by good Works.
About the ordination of Bishops
Let a Bishop be ordained having already been chosen by all the people, according to the will of the Holy Ghost, being blameless, chaste, quiet, humble, not anxious, watchful, not loving money, without accusation, not quarrelsome, clement, who does not talk excessively, a lover of good things, a lover of work, a lover of Widows, a lover of Orphans), a lover of the poor, expert in the mysteries, not distraught nor wandering together with the world; who is peaceable and a fulfiller of all good things, like one who is entrusted with the order and place of God. It is better that he should be and remain without a wife, and if not, that he be husband of one wife only, that he may sympathize with the infirmity of the Widows. Let him be of middle age, let him be ordained when he is not a boy. Being like this, on the Sunday let him receive the imposition of hands, all of them taking part in his ordination, and bearing witness about him with all the Elders and with all the Bishops who are near.
About the election of Elders
Let an Elder be ordained when he has the witness of all the people, like what was said before about the Bishop, wise in reading, humble, gentle, poor, not a lover of money, who has laboured much in the services of the weak, who has been proved, and is pure without a stain; if he have been a father to the Orphans; if he have served the poor; if he have not stayed away from Church; who in everything excels in piety; as he has been, let him be worthy in all things that have been revealed to us by God, those that are useful and those that are suitable, as those [men] are also worthy of the gifts of healing.
How it is proper for the Elder to teach, also whom, and with experience. Let then the teaching of the Elder be suitable and apt, gentle and temperate, mingled with reverence and fear, in the likeness also of that of the Bishop, and in the teaching let them not talk vain things, but let the hearers when they have heard all keep all, that the Elder may say, that all the things which he has taught they remember; for in the day of the Lord the word will be required which he will testify to the people, so that those may be reproved who have not obeyed; that he may rise up before the glory of the Father. Again, when he speaks the things that he is teaching, thus therefore let him teach, so that he may not perish. Let him pray for those who hear, that the Lord may give them the sense of the Spirit of the knowledge of the truth, that he may not vainly throw pearls before swine, but may prove that they are worthy who have heard and laboured, lest when the word has not brought forth fruit in them, but has perished, he may give account of its perishing.
About the election of Deacons
Let the Deacon be ordained; when he has been elected according to what has been already said, if he be of good behaviour, if he be pure, if he have been elected on account of his purity, and because of his exemption from distractions; if not thus, even if he be in wedlock with one wife; one who is witnessed of by all the believers, who is not entangled in the merchandise of the world, who does not know a diabolical craft, who has no riches and no sons; and if he have sons, it is also fitting that they should cultivate the beauty of piety and that they be pure, that they may be of those who adorn the Church and the canon of service. Let the Church be careful about them so that some of them may abide permanently in the law and in the care of the service; should he not then fulfil in the Church the things that are suitable? Let then the service be like this: first, those things that are commanded by the Bishop, so that they only may be done at the ministration, and of all the clergy he may be the Counsellor and secret of the Church. He who ministers to the sick, he who ministers to the strangers, who helps the Widows, and goes round all the houses of those who are in want; lest there should be any one in distress or sickness or in misery he goes round to the houses.
About Catechumens
How he is to confirm those that are in doubt, and instruct those that are ignorant. Men who are dead he is to clothe, having adorned them, burying strangers, leading them from their dwellings, wayfarers or exiles. For the help of those who are in want let him have much care and let him inform the Church. How it is fitting that the children of the Church should be, Let twelve Elders be known in the Church, seven Deacons, and fourteen Sub-Deacons; and let those Widows who sit first be thirteen. Let the Deacon who is considered among them to be the one who is most diligent and most judicious; let him be chosen to be the receiver of strangers in the house which is the inn of the Church; let him be at all times clad in white garments, having only a stole upon his shoulder. In everything he is as the eye of the Church. With reverence let him make known what is to be the type of the people of piety.

The teaching of the Twelve Apostles.
Behold, ye sons and daughters of the Church, in the name of our Lord Jesus the Christ, John, Matthew, Peter, and Philip, and Andrew, and Simeon, and James, and Jude the son of James; with Nathanael, and Thomas and Bartholomew and Matthia, all of us gathered together by command of our Lord Jesus the Christ our Saviour, according as He commanded us, that before ye are ready to divide anything by lot, for eparchies, ye shall count the places of the numbers, the authorities of the Bishops, the seats of the Elders, the continual offerings of the Deacons, the admonitions of the Readers, the blamelessnesses of the Widows, and all the things that are fitting to the foundation and confirmation of the Church, according as they already know the type of heavenly things. Let them take care and keep themselves from all error, knowing that they have an account to give in the great day of judgment concerning the things that having heard they have not kept They commanded us Ho confirm’ His words in all places. It appeared to us therefore, about the reminding and admonition of the brethren, that as to each one of us our Lord revealed as the will of God by means of the Holy Ghost these words of remembrance, we should command you. John said, Men, brethren, knowing that we are about to give account concerning those things that were commanded us, do not accept one another’s persons, but if a man thinks good to say anything that is not thine, let someone speak adversely to him in opposition. It pleased them all that John should speak first
John said:
There are two ways, one of life and one of death, but the differences are many between these two ways; for the way of life is this, first, that thou shalt love God, Him who has made thee, with all thy heart, and glorify Him who has redeemed thee from death, which is the first commandment. But secondly, that thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, which is the second commandment, those on which hang all the Law and the Prophets.
Matthew said:
All those things that thou dost not wish to happen to thee, do not thou also do to others. That therefore which thou hatest, that shalt thou not do to others. O our brother Peter, teli thou the doctrine of these words.
Peter said:
Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not commit fornication. Thou shalt not corrupt boys. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not be a soothsayer. Thou shalt not use enchantments. Thou shalt not kill a child at its birth, nor after he is born shalt thou kill him. Thou shalt not covet what belongs to thy neighbours. Thou shalt not transgress oaths. Thou shalt not bear false witness. Thou shalt not say anything wickedly. Thou shalt not keep anger in thy heart Thou shalt not be double-minded, nor double-tongued, for doubleness of tongue is a snare of death. Thy word shall not be vain, nor false. Thou shalt not be avaricious nor rapacious. Thou shalt not be a respecter of persons, nor evil-minded, nor be a boaster, nor shalt thou receive evil^ about thy neighbour; neither shalt thou hate any one, but thou shalt reprove some, and have compassion on others, pray for some, love others more than thyself.
Andrew said:
My son, flee from all evil, and from all that resembles it; be not angry, for anger leads on to murder, for anger is a masculine demon. Be not jealous, but peaceful; nor quarrelsome, nor irritable; for from these things arises murder. Philip said, My son, be not licentious, for lust leadeth to fornication, and attracts men towards it, for lust is a feminine demon. One with anger, the other with mirth, they destroy those into whom they enter; for the way of an evil spirit is a sin of the soul, and when it has got a little entrance, it enlarges it as itself, and brings that soul to all evil things, and does not allow the man to look and see the truth. Let there be a measure for your wrath, rule it for a little time and repress it, lest it throw you into an evil deed. For anger is an evil enjoyment, [such as] when they remain with a man for a long season, become demons, and when a man allows them, they swell up in his soul, and become greater and lead him to the works of iniquity, also they laugh at him and enjoy themselves in the destruction of the man.
Simon the Zealot said:
My son, be not a necromancer, for this will lead thee to the worship of idols; nor an enchanter, nor one who teaches extraneous and heathenish doctrine, nor an augur, nor even seek to know these things; from all these things Comes the worship of idols.
James said:
My son, speak not foul and silly words, for these take one far from God, and be not haughty of eye, foreveryone that is haughty of eye falleth before God. Do not covet the wife of thy friend; do not love sodomy; from these things come adulteries and the wrath of God. Nathanael said, My son, be not false, for falsehood leads to theft, nor be a lover of money, nor vainglorious; from all these things come thefts. My son, be not a murmurer, for murmuring brings blasphemy, and be not proud^ nor arrogant, nor a contriver of evil things, for from all these things come blasphemies. Therefore be meek and humble, for the meek and humble shall inherit the Kingdom of Heaven; but be long suffering and merciful, a peace-maker, pure in heart from all evil, innocent, quiet, and gentle; it is good that thou shouldest attend and tremble at the words which thou hast heard. Do not exalt thyself, nor set thyself with the proud, but with the righteous, and have intercourse with the poor; and the events that happen to thee receive as good things, knowing that without God nothing happens.
Thomas said:
My son, he who speaks the Word of God, and is the cause of life to thee, and gives thee the seal that is in the Christ; love him as the apple of the eye; remember him then by night and by day; honour him moreover as of God, for where the Godhead is spoken of, there is the Lord. Thou shalt seek then his face daily; also the other Saints, that thou mayest be soothed by their words; for thou being joined to the Saints, art sanctified. Thou shalt honour him then as thou art able, by thy sweat and by the labour of thy hands. For if through him the Lord has honoured thee by giving thee spiritual food and the water of everlasting life, much more must thou offer him perishable and temporal food, for the labourer ìs worthy of his hire. The ox that grinds thou shalt not muzzle; and no one planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of its fruit.
Jude the son of James said:
My son, do not make schisms; cairn those who are quarrelling, and judge righteously. Be no respecter of persons in reproving a man who is in fault, for riches can have no power with the Lord, nor does the Lord give more honour to dignities, nor has beauty any advantage, but there is equality of all these things with Him. In thy prayer do not doubt which of them shall be yea, or nay. Let it not be that thou shouldest stretch out thine hand in order to receive, whilst the hand that giveth thou contractest. If there be [aught] in thy hands, give the redemption of thy sins, and do not hesitate to give, nor when thou givest murmur and tell. Know then who is the good payer of thy reward. Turn not thy face from the needy; share with thy brother in all things, and say not that they are thine own, for if ye are sharers in immortal things how much more in those that are perishable?
Bartholomew said:
We then persuade you, my brethren, that while it is yet time, and whilst ye have among you some of the things by which ye work, ye should not spare yourselves in anything whatever of what ye have, for the day of the Lord is at hand in which all these things will be destroyed together with the Wicked One. For our Lord shall come, and His reward with Him. To yourselves then be lawgivers; be good counsellors of yourselves, taught of God. Keep these things that thou hast received, not adding to them, and also not diminishing from them.
Matthias said about the Readers:
Let a Reader be appointed, having first been proved by many probations, not a talkative man, not a drunkard, not a speaker of laughable things; of good manner, of good disposition, persuadable, of good will; who in the Lord’s congregations on Sundays runs first, good at hearing, and as a maker of narratives; who knows that he takes the place of an Evangelist.
Peter said:
Brethren, other things concerning admonition the Scriptures teach, but let us command and teach the things that we have been commanded.
All of them said, Let Peter speak.
Peter said:
If there be (few people in a place,) and not many such as can make choice about a Bishop, nearly twelve men, let them write to those Churches that are near, where there is a Church founded, so that from thence may come three chosen and tried men, to prove him who is worthy; if he be a man who has a good report from the Gentiles; if he be without sin, if he be not irascible, if he be a lover of the poor, if he be chaste, if he be not a drunkard, nor a fornicator, not avaricious, nor a calumniator, nor a respecter of persons, nor anything like these. It is a good thing if he have no wife, or if not, that he have one wife; who is a sharer in discipline, who is able to explain the Scriptures, but if he know not letters, let him be meek and humble, and in love to all men let him abound, lest he be reproved about anything by the masses, let him be a Bishop.
John said:
Let the Bishop who is appointed, knowing the diligence and the love of God, and those who are with him, appoint two Elders, those whom he has proven.
All of them objected to this, and said:
Not two, but three, for there are twenty-four Elders, twelve on the right band and twelve on the left.
John said:
Well do ye remember, my Brethren, for those on the right band are those who having received (M. the vials) from the Archangels instead of a reward, which they offer to the Lord, but those on the left rule over many Angels. It is right that there should be Elders, those who formerly were for some time removed from the world, and in some way removed from intercourse with women, good at giving to the brethren, who do not accept any man’s person, sons of the Mystery of the Bishop, and his assistants in gathering the people together, who act promptly with the Pastor and serve him. Let the Elders who are on the right have the care of those who labour at the altar, so that they may give honour and blame, and may reprove in what is necessary. But let the Elders who are at the left have the care of the multitude of the people, so that there be good administration without tumult, they having leamt beforehand to conduct themselves with all submission. But if a man, having been admonished, give an answer (M. rebelliously), those who are at the altar, being of one opinion, shall judge him that is such with one mind, as he deserves, so that the others also may fear, lest they accept one another’s persona, and many think evil with the evildoers, and the evil spread like a gangrene, and all be taken captive.
James said (as Matthew on p. 15):
He that fills the ears of him that is ignorant of what is written is considered before God.
Matthew said:
Let three Deacons be appointed, for it is written that in the mouth of two or three every word of the Lord shall be established. Let them be those who are proved in all their service, that they may have witness from strangers and from the congregation, that they are [but once] married, and that their children are chaste, gentle, peaceable, not grumblers, not double-tongued, not wrathful, for wrath destroyeth a wise man; not respecters of the persons of the rich, nor oppressing the poor; not using much wine, very laborious and inventive in works that are hidden and good; inciters, obliging and constraining those of the brethren who have aught to stretch out their hands to give, and let them also be good givers, and communicators, that they may be honoured by the people with all possible honour and reverence, watching carefully for those who walk disorderly, dealing tenderly with some of them, and persuading others, inciting others with reproof, and others, who show complete contempt, excommunicating, knowing that those who are quarrelsome and contemptuous, and calumniators, are depraved, opposing themselves to the Christ.
Cephas said:
Let three Widows be appointed, two who shall be continually in prayer for all those who are in temptation and in regard to revelations and signs, for what is necessary, but one to he continually with the women who are tried by sickness, who is good at service, watchful to make known what is required to the Elders. [Let them] not be lovers of filthy lucre, not accustomed to much wine, so that they may be able to be watchful in the night services of the sick, and in any other good works that any one wishes to do, for these things are the first good treasures that are desirable.
Andrew said:
Let Deacons, doers of good works, go round to every place by night and by day, that they may not neglect the poor, nor accept the persons of the rich; let them recognize him who is in straits, and deprive him not of the blessings. Let them constrain those who are able to lay up for themselves treasures in good works, looking forward to the words of our Teacher, that ye saw Me hungry, and fed Me not; for those who have served Him well and blamelessly, prepare for themselves a large place.
Philip said:
The laymen shall obey the commands for laymen, being submissive to those who serve continually at the altar. Everyone in his place shall please the Lord, not shewing enmity to one another concerning those things that are appointed, everyone in that wherein he has been called of God. Let not one persuade to the course of another, for the Angels also, beyond what is appointed to them, do no other things.
Andrew said:
It would be very good, my brethren, that we should appoint women as Deaconesses.
Peter said:
As we have commanded and appointed all these things, and arrived at this point, let us in truth make known accurately about the offerings of the Body and Blood.
John said:
It has escaped you, my brethren, that when our Teacher asked for the Bread and the Cup, and blessed them saying, This is my Body and my Blood, He did not allow these to remain with us.
Martha said about Mary:
I saw her laughing between her teeth joyfully.
Mary said:
I did not surely laugh, but I remembered the words of our Lord, and I rejoiced, for ye know that He said to us before, when He was teaching. He that is weak shall be saved by means of the strong.
Cephas said:
We ought to remember the single things, for it is not fitting for women to take the communion with heads uncovered, but having covered their heads.
James said:
How then can we define any service for the women, except only some service of strengthening and helping those women who are in want?
Philip said:
Now, my brethren, let us say this to you, in regard to the participation in gifts. He that doeth good works, lays up and prepares good treasures for himself, for he who lays up for himself treasures in the Kingdom shall be counted as a workman (it is written) before God.
Peter said:
These things, my brother, we do not command as necessary from the power that we have over men, but as we have a commandment from the Lord, our Lord, we persuade you to keep the commandments, not diminishing aught from them nor adding aught.
In the name of our Lord Jesus the Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.
Amen.

The teaching of the Twelve holy Apostles is finished by the hands of Baltous, an odious and lazy servant of the Christ, son of George Moses of the tribe of the household of John, from the village of the fortress of the woman, which is beside the Convent of Kourkama, an (episcopal) see of Western Syria, between the city of Mardin and the above-mentioned Convent in the year 1896 in the month of July, and to Him be glory, may His mercies be over us forever.
From Paul the Apostle about the Times of Prayer:
Institute prayer in the morning and at the third hour, and at the sixth hour, and at the ninth hour, and in the evening, and when ye go to sleep, that for protection, and at the cockcrow: in the morning thanking God who has given us light, having made the night to pass and brought the day; at the third hour because at it our Lord suffered judgment from Pilate; in that of the sixth hour because in it the Christ was crucified, all created things were shaken, trembling at the daring deed which the wicked Jews did; He was pierced in His side by a lance, and shed forth blood and water; in that of the ninth hour because when our Lord was crucified the sun was darkened at mid-day, and the dead arose from their graves; created things could not bear to see the ignominy of our Lord; also He gave up His Spirit into the hands of His Father; in that of the evening thanking God, who gave us the night for rest from the labours of the day; in that for protection while ye now slumber the sleep of rest from work; but pray that in sleep and in rest ye leave not this world, and if that should happen, the prayer which ye have prayed will help you in the way that ìs everlasting; and at cockcrow, because that is the hour in which announcement is made to us of the coming of the day, and for the labour of the Works of light Commandments frotn the writing of Addai the Apostle,
(1) The Holy Apostles have therefore decreed, first, that people should pray towards the East, because, that as the lightning that flashes from the East, and is seen unto the West, thus shall be the coming of the Son of Man. By this let us know and understand when we pray, that He shall be seen from the East, and towards it we expect Him and we worship Him.
(2) Again, the Apostles have decreed, that on Sunday there shall be service and reading of the Holy Scriptures, and the Eucharist, because that on Sunday the Christ rose from the dead, and on Sunday He ascended to Heaven; on Sunday again He will appear at the end with His holy Angela.
(3) Again, the Apostles have decreed that on Wednesday there shall be service, that is to say, the Eucharist, because that on it our Lord revealed to His Apostles about His judgment and passion, and crucifixion, and death, and resurrection; and the disciples were in sorrow about this.
(4) Again, the Apostles have decreed, that also on Friday at the iiinth hour there shall be service, because of what was saicl on Wednesday about the Passion of our Saviour; on the Friday it was accomplished, the earth quaking and all creatures crying out, and the lights in the Heaven were darkened.
(5) The Apostles have also decreed that there shall be Elders in the Church like the holy Priests, the sons of Aaron; and Deacons, like the Lcvites; and Sub-Deacons, like those who carried the vessels of the court of the Sanctuary of the Lord; and an Overseer who should be leader of all the people, like Aaron the High Priest, chief and leader of all the Levites and Priests and of all the camp.
(6) The Apostles have also decreed that they should make the day of the Epiphany of our Saviour to be the beginning of the yearly feasts, on the 6th of January (second Canon) according to the number of the months of the Greeks.
(7) The Apostles have also decreed that forty days before the Passion of our Saviour they should fast, and then should keep the day of His Passion and the day of His Resurrection, because that also our Lord Himself, the Lord of the feast, fasted for forty days; also Moses and Elias, who were clothed with this mystery, fasted for forty days and then were glorified.
(8) The Apostles have also decreed that at the end of all the Scriptures the Gospel shall be read as the seal of all the Scriptures, the people rising to their feet to hear it; because it is the Message of the Salvation of all men.
(9) The Apostles have also decreed that at the end of forty days after His Resurrection, they should make remembrance of His Ascension to His glorious Father.
(10) The Apostles have also decreed that except the Old (Testament) and the Prophets, and the Gospel, and the Acts of their own triumphs, nothing should be read from the pulpit in the Church.
(11) The Apostles have also decreed that he who does not know the faith of the Church and the ordinances and the laws that are decreed in it, shall not be a leader and commander; and he who knows them and transgresses them, shall not again serve; because he is not true in his service, but false.
(12) The Apostles have also decreed that he who swears and is untrue, or who bears false witness or goes with wizards and diviners and Chaldeans, and confirms fortunes and nativities, or anything which those who know not God hold to; as if he were a man who knows not God, let him be put out of His service, and never again serve in it
(13) The Apostles have also decreed that if there be a man who is doubtful about his service and not sure of it, be shall never again serve, because the Lord of the service is not real to him, and be deceives men; but not God, before whom stratagems are not established.
(14) The Apostles have also decreed that be who lends and takes usury, or be who uses merchandise of avarice, shall never again serve, and shall not remain in his service.
(15) The Apostles have also decreed that be who loves the Jews like Judas Iscariot who loved them, or the heathen, who worship the creatures instead of the Creator, shall not enter among them nor serve; or if he be among them, they shall not allow him, but be shall be separated from them, and shall not serve with them.
(16) The Apostles have also decreed that if there have come a man of the Jews or of tbe heathen and been mingled with them, and after be bas come and bas been received and mingled with them, he have turned and gone again to the sect in which be stood, and again have come and been converted to them for the second time, be shall not be received again, but as the sect in which he was at the first, thus those that know him shall regard him.
(17) The Apostles have also decreed that it shall not be lawful for the ruler to administer the affairs of the Church without those who serve along with him, but in the counsel of all he shall command and oversee that with which all shall be pleased, and not in any way oppressed.
(18) The Apostles have also decreed that all those who go out of this world in the martyrdom of the faith of Jesus the Christ, and in tribulation for His Name’s sake, of them remembrance shall be made on the day of their murders.
(19) The Apostles have also decreed that whilst they stand in the service of the Church, they should recite the songs of David every day; because of this , “I will bless the Lord at all times, and at all times His songs are in my mouth,” and “In the night I will meditate and say and cause my voice to be heard before Thee.”
(20) The Apostles have also decreed that those who are void of riches and do not run after increase of silver shall be chosen and also presented for the service of government.
(21) The Apostles have also decreed that the Priest who binds in a haphazard and unjust manner shall receive punishment justly; but be who is bound shall receive the interdict as be who is reasonably bound.
(22) The Apostles have also decreed that those who are accustomed to bear judgment, if it be perceived that they are respecters of persons condemning the innocent, and acquitting the guilty; they shall not again bear another judgment, and they shall also receive the reproof of their partiality.
(23) The Apostles have also decreed that those who are high-minded and lifted up in the haughtiness of pride shall not be presented for service, because of this that “He who is haughty among men is abominable before God,” for it is also said, “I will repay vengeance on them that exalt themselves.”
(24) The Apostles have also decreed that the commands of the Bishop shall be upon the Elders of the Churches who are in all the villages, that he may be known to be the chief of them all, that through him they may all be judged, for Samuel also visited thus from place to place and commanded.
(25) The Apostles have also decreed that those Kings who shall become believers in the Christ; it shall be lawful for them to go up and stand before the altar with the Ruler of the Church, because also David and those who were like him went up and stood before the altar of the Lord.
(26) The Apostles have also decreed that no man shall venture to do anything with the authority of the Priesthood in unrighteousness and impropriety but in integrity without accusation of partiality.
(27) The Apostles have also decreed that the bread of the Eucharist in the day in which it is cooked shall be laid on the altar, and not after some days, which is not lawful.
Again, a list of the Canons of the Apostles, and the Fathers, by which the Church of the Christ is truly bound, To those who in everything agree with us in the Orthodox faith, and in the Apostolic laws; the holy Bishops, the glorious Priests, the pure Deacons; and the faithful and Christ-loving people, with the rest of all the ecclesiastical order, and the sons of the Lord; who live, that is to say, dwell as strangers in all the various provinces, keeping (themselves) continually in the Lord, Amen. Because, therefore, O beloved, we are sons and heirs of the laws, prophetical and apostolic, those which command and warn us that continually and always we shall learn the way which is straight and good, and that we should go in it; we have appointed to you twenty Canons, and they are these.

Canon I – A man shall not take a wife, and his son her daughter.
Canon II – Nor shall a man take a girl, and his son the mother of the girl.
Canon III – Nor a man and his son two sisters, or two daughters of a paternal uncle.
Canon IV – Nor two brothers a woman and her daughter.
Canon V – Also a man shall not take a woman, and give his daughter to her son.
Canon VI – Nor a man a woman, and give his daughter to her brother.
Canon VII – Nor a man a woman, and give his daughter to her father.
Canon VIII – Nor shall a man take the sister of his wife nor the daughter of his sister.
Canon IX – Nor a man the wife of the brother of his wife.
Canon X – Nor the wife of a brother or the wife of his son.
Canon XI – Nor (is) a man bound to the wife of his paternal uncle.
Canon XII – Nor is the wife of a mother’s brother lawful.
Canon XIII – Nor let a man take the daughter of the brother of his wife.
Canon XIV – Nor let a man take his godmother from among men for three generations.
Canon XV – Nor the brothers of that one for two generations.
Canon XVI – Nor let a man take a (fellow-) sponsor of baptism, nor a man who is related to him in race for five generations.
Canon XVII – Nor let an Elder baptize his son according to the flesh, unless a reason of death should happen to that child and there be no stranger Elder to baptize him.
Canon XVIII – Nor let a man confirm the espousals of a woman except before the Elders and Deacons, and before free persons who are worthy to be believed.
Canon XIX – And he who espouses a spouse let him not do violence to the girl, and let him not see her face until he has fulfilled to her all (things) that are obligatory to the order of Christians, and let the girl enter his house.
Canon XX – It is not lawful for a Christian to give a woman to any kind of marriage with a Nestorian or with a people out of our fold, nor to a heretic, nor to those who are strange to us in faith.
These things we have determined thus and appointed to you as to sons and obedient people; as therefore ye keep them and walk in them, attend also to the Canons spoken by the Spirit; by them ye shall be kept, in this world ye shall be blest, and in that which is to come ye shall be saved to the Kingdom of our Lord and ye shall have rest, pleasing Him by good Works.

Chapter IV
Teaches what sort of man it is right to be chosen for the Bishopric, and what like his works should be
About Bishops hear thus
Of the Pastor who is appointed as a Bishop and chief in the Eldership of the Church in all the assemblies, it is required that he be without reproof, irreprehensible, that he be far from all evil things, a man who is not less than fifty years (of age) and therefore far from the vehement manners of youth, from the desires of the Enemy, and from calumny, and from the blasphemy of false brethren which they bring against many, because they do not understand the word which is spoken in the Gospel, that “Everyone who speaks an idle word shall give account of it to the Lord in the day of judgment, for by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” If it be possible let him be a teacher, and if he be illiterate, let him be persuasive and wise of speech: let him be advanced in years. If the assembly be small and there be not found a man advanced in years, [one] about whom there be witnesses that he is wise and suitable to be appointed Bishop; one being found who is a youth, whose companions testify about him, and those who are with him, that he is worthy to be appointed to the Bishopric; he though yet a youth shewing the works of age in humility and meekness, if all men testify about him, being proved by all the people; thus let him sit in peace, because that even King Solomon when twelve years of age, reigned over Israel, and Josiah reigned in righteousness when eight years of age; again also Joash, when seven years of age, reigned over Israel; therefore, this man even if he be a youth, yet let him be meek and reverent and gentle; because the Lord God said by Isaiah, “To whom will I look and with [whom] will I rest, but with the gentle and meek who trembleth at My words.” Also in the Gospel He saith thus, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth;” and let him be merciful, for He saith in the Gospel, “Blessed are the merciful, for on them shall be mercy;” and again, let him be a peacemaker, for it is said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.” Let him be pure from all evil things, and injustice and iniquity, for it is said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Let him be watchful, and chaste, and stable, and well-regulated, and let him not be turbulent, nor trespass in wine, nor be a calumniator, nor let him be contentious, nor a lover of money, nor have a childish mind, nor let him exalt himself and fall into the condemnation of Satan; for it is said that, “Everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased.” Thus the Bishop is required to be; a man who bas taken one wife, who ruleth his house well; and thus let him be proved when be receives the laying on of bands, that be may sit in the place of tbe Bishops, if he be chaste, and if also his wife be believing and chaste, and if he have brought up his children in the fear of God, and if he have admonished and taught them, and if they reverence and respect him at home, and if all of them be obedient to him; for if his household according to the flesh oppose him and do not obey him, bow shall those who are without belong to him and submit to him? Let it also be proved that be is blameless in the affairs of the world, and in his body, for it is written; “See that there be no blemish in him who is appointed Priest.” Let him be also without anger, for the Lord hath said that anger destroyeth even the wise. Let him be merciful and gracious and full of love, for the Lord hath said that love shall cover a multitude of sins. Let his hand be stretched out to give; let him love both Orphans and Widows. Let him love the poor, and also strangers. Let him be apt in his service, and let him be Constant in service. Let him humble himself, and not be ashamed; let him know who is most worthy to receive. For if there be a Widow who possesses aught, or if she be able to provide for herself anything that is necessary for the nourishment of the flesh; and if there be another who is not yet a Widow and is in want, either on account of sickness or the education of children, or because of the infirmity of the flesh, to this one rather let him stretch out his band. If there be a person, who is spend-thrift or drunken or lazy, and is constrained in provision for the flesh, this one is not worthy of alms nor even for the Church. Therefore let the Bishop also not be a respecter of persons, and let him not be ashamed before the rich, and let him not please them beyond what is right, and let him not despise or neglect the poor; let him not be haughty towards them. Let him be frugal and poor in his food and drink; so that be can be watchful in admonition and in discipline towards those who have no education. Let him not be very designing nor eccentric, nor be luxurious, nor let him love dainties, nor love pleasant viands, and let him not be irritable, but let him be long-suffering in his admonition. Let him be very diligent in his instruction; let him be Constant in the reading of the divine books assiduously, that be may interpret and explain the Scriptures accurately. Let him compare the Law and the Prophets with the Gospel, how that the commandments of the Law and the Prophets agree with the Gospel. Before all things then let him be a good discriminator of the Law, and of Deuteronomy, so that he may distinguish and shew what is the law of believers, and what are the chains of the unbelievers; lest any man of those who are under thy hand should take the chains to be the Law, and should put heavy burdens upon his soul, and should become a son of perdition. Be therefore diligent and careful about the Word, O Bishop, if thou canst explain every commandment as it is in the doctrine (in order that by much teaching, thou mayest abundantly nourish and water thy people, for it is written in Wisdom, “Take care of the herb of the field, and shear thy flock; and gather the grass of summer, that there may be sheep for thy clothing. Take care and attend to thy flock, so that thou mayest have lambs.” Therefore let not the Bishop love filthy lucre, especially not from the heathen; let him be oppressed and not be an oppressor, and let him not love riches, and let him not murmur at any one, and do not let him bear false witness, nor be wrathful, nor let him love disputes, nor let him love rule; let him not be double-minded, nor double-tongued; and let him not love to incline his ear to the words of an accuser and a murmurer, and let him not be a respecter of persons.)
Let him not love heathen feasts, nor be led by vain error. Let him not be covetous, nor love money, because all these things come from the operation of demons. Then let the Bishop inquire into all these things and warn the whole world. Let him be wise and self-denying. Let him be a monitor and a teacher in his doctrine and in the discipline of God. Let his mind be clear, let him be far from all wicked designs of the heathen; let his mind be sharp to compare, that he may anticipate and know the wicked, and ye may keep yourselves from them. Let him be a lover of all men, being a righteous judge. Everything that is found good among men, let these things be in the Bishop; because when the pastor is far from all evil things, he can also constrain his disciples, and encourage them by his good manners, that they may be imitators of his good works; as the Lord said in the Twelve Prophets, “Let the people be like the Priest;” for it is required of you that ye be an example to the people, for ye also have the example of the Christ. Therefore be ye also a good example to your people. For the Lord has said in Ezekiel the Prophet, “The word of the Lord was upon me, saying, “Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, The land, when I bring a sword upon it, and captivity upon the people of this land, and they appoint a man from among them and make him a watchman, and he seeth the sword coming upon the land, and he bloweth with the trumpet and warneth the people; and whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet and taketh not warning, and the sword cometh and taketh him away, his blood shall be upon his head, because he heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning, his blood shall be upon his head, but he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul. But if the watchman see the sword coming, and blow not the trumpet, and warn not the people, and the sword come and take any soul from among them, he shall be taken away in his sins, but his blood shall be required at the watchman’s hands.” Therefore the sword is the judgment and the trumpet is the Gospel; the watchman is the Bishop who is appointed over the Church.
Chapter V
Doctrine and caution for the Bishop. that he should preach about judgment and warn the people. and remove himself from the disobedient, and judge those who do wrong like God, and not spare those that are wicked, and corrupt the people, It is required of thee, therefore, O Bishop, that when thou preachest thou shouldst testify and affirm about judgment, as in the Gospel, because the Lord hath said also to thee
Also thou, O son of man, I have set thee for a watchman unto the house of Israel, that thou mayest hear the word at My mouth, and take heed, and preach it as from Me. When I say unto the wicked, That the wicked shall surely die, and thou dost not preach and say, so that the wicked may turn from his iniquity, the wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thy hands. But thou, if thou warn the people from its way and it be not warned, the wicked shall die in his iniquity, but thou shalt deliver thy soul.” Therefore ye also, because upon you will fall the accusation of those who have sinned without knowing, preach and testify, and those who walk without discipline, admonish and reprove them publicly. Though we say and repeat these things often, O brethren, let us not be blamed, for by a great deal of doctrine and by much hearing it may happen that a man is made to blush, and to do good things and avoid evil things. For the Lord saith in the Law, “Hear, O Israel,” and to this day he has not heard. Again, in the Gospel he preacheth much and saith, “Everyone that hath ears to hear, let him hear,” and they have not heard, even those that thought they heard, because they leaned to the evil perdition of the heresies, those on whom the sentence of condemnation will come, for we do not believe, brethren, that when a man goeth down to the water, he will again do the abominable and impure works of the heathen and the depraved; for this is manifest and known to all men, that everyone who doeth evil things after having received baptism, is already condemned to the Gehenna of fire. We think that even the heathen blaspheme on account of these things, because we do not mix with them, nor are we partakers with them; and by means of the falseness of the heathen, keep the more, brethren, to the truth; for He saith thus in the Gospel, “Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and shall say against you every evil word falsely for my sake; rejoice then and be glad, for great is your reward in Heaven, for thus your fathers persecuted the prophcts.” Therefore if they blaspheme against a man falsely he is blessed, because he is tried by temptations, saith the Lord. And the Scripture saith, A man who is not tried is also not proved. For if a man be reproved for doing wicked works, he is not a Christian, but is false, and by hypocrisy he has adhered to the worship of God. On this account when some of these are detected and reproved in truth publicly, let the Bishop reject them, he who is without offence and without hypocrisy. If then even his mind be not pure, having respect to persons on account of filthy lucre, or on account of the presents he has received, and he should spare him who has sinned wickedly [and] allow him to remain in the Church, the Bishop who is such pollutes the congregation before God, and also before men, and before many of the communicants who are young in their minds, or before the hearers; again also he destroys those that are young along with himself; for on account of the wicked lasciviousness which they saw in him among them, they also doubt in their souls, and imitate him, and they also stumble and are taken by this passion and perish with him… .But if he who sinneth see the Bishop and the Deacons, that they are free from accusation and that all the flock are pure, in the first place he will not dare to go up to the congregation because he is reproved by his mind; and if it should happen that he have courage, and should go to the Church in his impudence, let him be reproved and reprimanded by the Bishop; he will look at them all, and will not find an offence in one of them, neither in the Bishop, nor in those who are with him; he will blush therefore, and with much shame he will go out quickly, weeping, and be in penitence of soul. Thus the flock will remain pure. Again, when he has gone out he will repent of his sin and weep and be consoled before God, that he may have hope. Then again, all the flock, having seen his weeping and his tears, will fear, knowing and understanding that everyone that sins shall perish.
Because of this, therefore, O Bishop, strive to be pure in thy works, and know thy place, that thou art appointed in the semblance of God Almighty, and that thou holdest the place of God Almighty; thus sit in the Church and teach, as one who hath power to judge those that sin, in the place of Almighty God; for to you Bishops it is said in the Gospel, that what ye bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven.
Chapter VI
Also teaches the Bishop, that he judge him that sins, as God, and not spare him; that he receive in love him that repents and pardons him, and that he adhere not to the passions of the laity. and shut the door in the face of those who repents but according to the greatness of his honour he carry the burden of all men’s sins; with demonstration and threatening from Ezekiel
Bishops who despise their flocks or about laymen who condemn the Bishop, Therefore judge severely, O Bishop, like Almighty God, and receive those who repent with compassion like God; and reprove, and beseech and teach, for even-the Lord God has promised with oaths pardon to those who have sinned, as Ezekiel the prophet has said, “And thou, son of man, say to them of the house of Israel; Thus ye say, our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and in them we pine away; how should we then live? Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I do not wish the death of the sinner, but that the wicked should repent of his evil way and live; repent therefore and turn from your evil deeds, and ye shall not die, ye house of Israel.” Here therefore he gives hope to those who have sinned when they repent, that they may have forgiveness in their repentance; and their hope may not be cut off, and that they may not remain in their sins, nor add to these; but that they may repent and weep for their sins, and be converted with all their heart; and those who have not sinned may remain without sins; lest these also should have need of weeping and sighings and forgiveness. How knowest thou, O man that hath sinned, how many may be the days of thy life in this world that thou mayest repent, for thou knowest not thy departure from this world; lest thou shouldest die in thy sins and have no repentance, as it is said in David, “In Sheol who confesseth to Thee?” Therefore everyone who hath pity on himself and remaineth without sins, may remain without danger; so that the righteousness which was done by him of old may be kept for him. Thou therefore, O Bishop, judge thus, first severely, and afterwards receive with mercy and clemency [him who] has promised to repent, reprove him and make him sorry and persuade him, because of the word that was said in David thus, “Thou wilt not give up the soul of him that confesseth to Thee.” Again, in Jeremiah He saith thus, about the repentance of those that sin, “He that falleth, shall he not rise; or he that returneth away [shall he] not turn back? Why hath My people turned away with a shameless turning; they are held fast in their thoughts, and do not wish to repent and be converted.” Because of this therefore receive him who repenteth, not doubting in the least, and be not prevented by those who have no mercy, those who say, We must not be defiled by those. For the Lord God hath said, “The fathers shall not die for the children, nor the children for the fathers.” And again in Ezekiel he saith thus, “The word of the Lord carne unto me, saying, Son of man, when a land sinneth against Me, and doeth wickedness before Me. I will stretch out My hand against it, and 1 will destroy from it the staff of bread, and I will send famine upon it, and I will destroy from it man and beast. Though these three men were in it, Noah, and Daniel, and Job, they should deliver their souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord God.” The Scripture therefore plainly sheweth that if the righteous be found with the wicked, he will not perish with him, but every man shall live by his righteousness, and if he be prevented, he is prevented by his own sins. In Wisdom again He saith, “Every man is bound with the cord of his sins.” Every one of the laity therefore shall give an account of his own sin and no man will be hurt because of the foreign sins of others. Not even Judas did cause us any loss by praying with us, but he alone perished. Noah also in the Ark and two of his sons who were saved, were blessed; but Ham, the other, was not blessed; but his seed was cursed, ^because he mocked at his father, for going out to the beasts. We do not require you therefore to confirm those who delight in death, hate their brethren, and love quarrels, for which reason they are ready to kill; but help those who are very sick, and are in danger and sin, and deliver them from death, not according to the hardness of their heart and their word and their thoughts. For it is not required of thee, O Bishop, that being the head thou shouldst listen to the tail, that is to say, to the layman, to the quarrelsome man who delights in the destruction of another; but look thou only at the command of the Lord God, and for this reason, that they may not expect to perish, nor be defiled with the sins of others. Cut away also their evil thoughts. Even in Ezekiel the Lord God saith thus, “The word of the Lord came unto me, saying. Son of man, why use ye this proverb in the land of Israel, saying. The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children s teeth are set on edge. As I live, saith the Lord God, ye shall not use this proverb any more in Israel, because all souls are mine; the soul of the father is mine, thus also the soul of the son is mine; the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
If a man be righteous, and doeth judgment and righteousness, and eateth not upon the mountains, and lifteth not up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, and defìleth not his neighbour’s wife, and cometh not near to a woman in her separation, and hath not acted to any one with violence, and even returneth the pledge of the debtor which he hath taken, and clotheth the naked with a garment, and giveth not out his money to usury, and taketh not with avaricc, and withdraweth his band from iniquity, and judgeth true judgment between man and man, and walketh in my laws, and doeth my statutes and keepeth them; this is a righteous man, he shall surely live, saith the Lord God. If he beget an evil son who sheddeth blood and doeth murder, and walketh not in the way of his righteous father, and eateth on the mountains, and defìleth his neighbour’s wife, and oppresseth the poor and needy, robbeth with violence, and returneth not the pledge that he hath taken; lifteth up his eyes to the idols, doeth iniquity, giveth out his money to usury, and taketh with avarice, he shall not live, because he hath done all this iniquity, he shall surely die, and his blood shall be upon him. Now if he beget a son, and he seeth all these sins that his father hath done, and feareth, and doeth not like unto him; and eateth not upon the mountains, and lifteth not up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, and defìleth not his neighbour’s wife, and oppresseth no man, and taketh no pledge, and robbeth not with violence; and giveth his bread to the hungry, and clotheth the naked with a garment, and withdraweth his band from iniquity, and taketh not usury and avaricious gain, and doeth righteousness, and walketh in My laws, he shall not die in the iniquity of his father, but he shall surely live. But his father, because he hath grievously oppressed, and robbed with violence, and hath not done good to My people, he shall die in his iniquity. And ye say, Why is not the son punished for the iniquity of his father? Because the son hath done righteousness and mercy, and hath kept all My commandments and done them, he shall surely live; and the soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not be recompensed for the sins of his father, and the father shall not be recompensed for the sins of his son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him. If the wicked man turn from all his iniquity that he hath done, and keep all My commandments, and do judgment and righteousness, he shall surely live, and shall not die, and all the iniquity that he hath done shall not be remembered unto him, but in the righteousness that he hath done shall he live; because I have no pleasure in the death of the sinner, saith the Lord God, but everyone that turneth from his evil way shall live. And if the righteous turn away from his righteousness, and do iniquity, according to all the iniquity that the wicked man hath done, all his righteousness that he hath done shall not he remembered to him, but in the iniquity that he hath done, in the sins that he hath sinned shall he die. And ye say, His way is not good. Hear, ye house of Israel, My way is good, but your ways are not good. If the righteous man turn away from his righteousness, and do iniquity, in the iniquity that he hath done shall he die; and if the wicked man turn away from his iniquity that he hath done, and do judgment and righteousness, he shall save his soul, because he hath turned from all his iniquity, he shall surely m live, and shall not die. And ye of the house of Israel say. The way of the Lord is not good. My way is good, O ye of the house of Israel, but your ways are not good. Because of this I will judge everyone of you so according to his ways, saith the Lord God. Repent, and be converted from all your iniquity and wickednesses, and these shall not be an evil punishment to you. Cast away and remove from you all the wickedness that ye have done wickedly, and make you a new heart and a new spirit, and ye shall not die, O ye of the house of Israel. For I have no pleasure in the death of the sinner, saith the Lord God, wherefore turn and live.” See, dear and beloved children, how many are the mercies of the Lord our God, and His goodness and clemency towards us. He requireth from those who have sinned that they repent; and in many places He speaketh about these things, and giveth no place to the opinion of those who are hard-hearted, and who wish to judge sharply and without mercy, and to cast completely away those who have sinned, as if there were no repentance for them. But God is not thus, but He calls even sinners to repentance, and gives tlem hope, but those that have not sinned He teaches and says to them, that they must not expect that we should bear or share in the sins of others. Simply therefore receive those that repent, not doubting. For He saith in the Prophet thus, “And thou, Son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day that he doeth evil, and the avarice of the wicked shall not hurt him in the day that he repenteth from his iniquity; and the righteous shall not be able to live in the day that he sinneth. When I say to is the righteous that he shall surely live, if he trust to his righteousness, and do iniquity, all his righteousness that he hath done shall not be remembered to him, but in the iniquity that he hath done shall he die.
When I say to the wicked that he shall surely die, and he turneth from his sin, and doeth his righteousness; returneth the pledge which he hath taken, and payeth back that which he hath violently robbed, and walketh in the statutes and commandments of life that he may not do iniquity; he shall surely live and not die, and all the sins that he hath sinned shall not be remembered unto him; he hath done judgment and righteousness, he shall surely live. And the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord God is not good. Say unto them, Your ways are not good. If the righteous turn from his righteousness and do iniquity, he shall surely die in his iniquity; and if the wicked turn from his wickedness and do judgment and righteousness, he shall live thereby).”
It is required of you, O Bishops, according to the Scriptures, that ye judge those who sin with pity and mercy. For him that walketh on the brink of a river and falleth, if thou leave him in the river, thou pushest and throwest him down and committest murder; or when a man has fallen by the side of a river’s brink, and nearly perishes, stretch out thy hand to him quickly and draw him up that he perish not: thus therefore do, that thy people may learn and be wise, and also that he that sinneth, may not perish utterly, but that thou mayest look to him that hath sinned, be angry with him, and command them to put him out And when he is put out, be ye not angry with him, and contend with him, but let them keep him outside of the Church, and then let them go in and make supplication for him, for even our Saviour made supplication to His Father for those that had sinned, as it is written in the Gospel, “My Father, they know not what they do, nor what they speak, yet, if it be possible, forgive them.” Then thou, O Bishop, command him to come in, and thyself ask him if he repents. If he be worthy to be received into the Church, appoint him days of fasting according to his fault, two, or three, or five, or seven weeks, and thus allow him to go, saying to him all that is proper for admonition and doctrine. Reprove him, and teli him to be humble-minded, and to pray and make supplication in the days of fasting, that he be found worthy of the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in Genesis, “Thou hast sinned, cease. Let thy repentance be with thee, and thou shalt have power over it.” Look also at Miriam the sister of Moses, when she had spoken against Moses, and afterwards she repented, and was thought worthy of forgiveness, it was said by the Lord, “If her father had but spit in her face, would she not have been ashamed and separated for seven days without the camp, and then she would have come in.” Thus also it is required of you to act towards those who promise to repent of their sins. Put them out of the Church as it is proper for their faults, and afterwards receive them as a merciful Father. If then the Bishop himself cause scandal, how can he rise and search for the sin of any one, or reprove for it, and command sentence by his hands? By respect of persons or gifts that they receive? Either he or his Deacons, whose conscience is not clear. They cannot contend in the help of the Bishop, for they fear lest they should hear as from a courageous man, this word that is written in the Gospel, “Why seest thou the straw that is in thy brother’s eye, but obscrvest not the beam that is in thinc own eye? Thou hypocrite, take first the beam out of thine eye, and then shalt thou explore clearly to take out the Straw from thy brother’s eye.”
Because [of this] therefore the Bishop fears the Deacons, lest they hear the word of the Lord from him that sinneth as from a courageous man. For he does not know that it is dangerous for a man to speak against the Bishop, and in all that place there will be a scandal, for he that hath sinned is wanting in reason, and doth also not spare his soul. Because of this therefore for every reason for which the Bishop fears, he makes himself as one who does not know him that hath sinned, and he passes away from him, and does not reprove nor correct him; and because of this, Satan, when he finds opportunity, will rule by means of one, also of others. God forbid that this should be! And should happen thus, that the flock becomes so as it can never again be. For many sinners being found, evil becomes a force, because sinners are not corrected and reproved so that they may repent. In every man there is an incitement to sin, and it is fulfilled that was said, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples, but ye have made it a den of thieves.” If then the Bishop does not keep silence before them that sin, but reproves and censures them, and corrects and admonishes and punishes him that hath sinned, he also throws fear on others; for it is required of the Bishop that by means of his doctrine he should be a preventer of sins unto death, and an exhorter to righteousness, and by the admonition of his doctrine a guide to good Works, a glorifier and exalter of good things to come, that are promised by God in the place of eternal life; and a preacher also of future wrath by the judgment of God, by the threat of cruel fire, quenchless and unbearable. Let him know the effect of the will of God, that he may not despise any one, for our Saviour has said, “See that ye despise not any one, not one of these little ones who believe in Me.”
Therefore let the Bishop care for everyone: for those who have not sinned that they may remain as they are without sin; also for those who have sinned, that they may repent, and let him give them pardon for their sins, as it is written in Isaiah that the Lord hath said, “Loose all the bands of wickedness, and cut all the burdens of deceit and of oppression.”
[Chapter VII in Cod. S.]
Therefore, O Bishop, teach, and reprove, and loosen by pardon, and know that thy place is that of God Almighty, and thou hast received power to forgive sins, for it is said to you Bishops, “All that ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven; and all that ye shall loose shall he loosed.” As therefore thou hast power to loose, know thyself and thy conduct and thy works, that in this life they may be (S. worthy) of thy place, but there is no man among the sons of men who is without sins, for it is written, “There is no man that is pure from the uncleanness of sin, no, not one, even if he have lived only one day in this world.” Because of this the conversation and the conduct of the works of the righteous, and of the first Fathers were written, that it might be known that in each one of them was found just a little sin, that it might be known that the Lord God alone is sinless, as David said, “That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings and be clear in thy judgments.” For the uncleanness of the righteous is to ourselves a comfort and a consolation and a good hope, that we, though we have also sinned a little, have an expectation of getting pardon. There is therefore no man without sin. But thou, according to thy strength, be diligent that thou be not overtaken in aught, and be careful about everyone, lest any man should be offended, and should perish because of thee; because the layman is careful of his own soul alone, but thou carriest the weight of every man, and it is a very great burden that thou bearest; “For he to whom the Lord hath given much, from him much will be required.” Forasmuch, therefore, as thou bearest the burdens of all men, be watchful. For it is written that the Lord said to Moses, “Thou and Aaron shall bear the sins of the Priesthood.” For thus, as thou shalt give a sufficient answer for many, so thou shalt care for everyone; that thou mayest keep those that are whole, and admonish those that sin, and correct and reprove and punish and lighten them by means of repentance and pardon; and when a sinner repents and weeps, receive him; and when the people have prayed for him, lay [thy hands] upon him, and allow him thenceforth to be in the Church. Those who sleep and are negligent restore and rouse and confirm, and pray for them and heal them, for thou knowest where is the reward to thee if thou hast clone thus; so if thou neglectest it, a great danger will come upon thee. For the Lord hath said in Ezekiel about the Bishops who despise their people thus: “The word of the Lord carne unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, and say unto them, “Thus saith the Lord God, Woe to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves, and the shepherds do not feed My flock. Ye eat the milk, and clothe yourselves with the wool, and ye kill her that is fat, but ye feed not the flocks. Her that is sick have ye not cured; her that is weak have ye not strengthened; her that was broken have ye not bound up; her that bad wandered have ye not brought back; and her that was lost have ye not found; but with violence and levity have ye ruled them; and My flock is scattered without a shepherd; it has become meat to the beasts of the field. My own flocks are wandering on all high mountains and on all the face of the earth.”
Thou shalt leave the ninety and nine on the mountain, and go to seek her that was lost; and when thou findest her carry her upon thy shoulders, rejoicing, because thou hast found her that was lost; bring her and mingle her with the flock. Thus obey thou also, O Bishop; visit the one that is lost, and seek the one that has wandered, and restore the one that is far away, because thou hast power to forgive the sins of him that has fallen, for thou fillest the place of the Christ.
Because of this also our Saviour said to him that bad sinned, “Thy sins are forgiven thee; thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.” Peace then is the Church of quiet and rest; she in whom He established those whom He loosed from their sins whole and without spot, having a good hope, and being diligent in the cultivation of works and afflictions. As a wise and sympathetic physician He cures all men, and mostly those who have wandered in their sins, for “The whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick.” Thou also, O Bishop, art made the physician of His Church, therefore do not restrain the medicine that thou mayest heal those that are sick in their sins, but cure them by every means and make them whole and establish them safe in the Church; that thou be not taken by this word which the Lord spake, “Ye have ruled them with violence and levity.” Lead not therefore with violence; be not vehement, nor judge sharply, nor be merciless, nor deride the people who are under thy hand, nor hide from them the word of repentance, for that would be to have ruled them with violence and levity. But if ye oversee my people harshly and punish them with violence, and drive them and expel them, and do not receive them that have sinned, but harshly and mercilessly hide repentance from them, thou wilt even be a helper in their conversion to evil, and in scattering the flocks to be food for the beasts of the field, that is to say, to the wicked men of this world, but not to men in truth, but to the beasts, to the heathen, to the heretics; for him who goes out of the Church they follow immediately, like evil beasts, to swallow him for food; because of thine own harshness, he then that goeth out of the Church, either goeth and entereth in unto the heathen, or plunges into heresies; he will be entirely a stranger, and be removed from the Church, and from the hope of God, and thou wilt be guilty of his ruin, because thou wert ready to put out and to cast away those who sin; and when they repented and returned, thou didst not wish to receive them. Behold, thou art fallen under the condemnation of this word which said, “Your feet hasten to evil, and are swift to shed blood; affliction and misery are in their paths, and the way of peace have they not known.” The Way of Peace is our Saviour, as He said, “Forgive the sins of those who sin, that your sins also may be forgiven; give and it shall be given unto you,” which is, “Give the pardon of sins, that you also may receive pardon.”
He also teaches us that we should be Constant in prayers at all times, and that we should say, “Forgive us our debts and our sins, as we also forgive our debtors.” For if thou forgivest not those that sin, how canst thou receive forgiveness? Behold, will not thy mouth accuse thee, and thou wilt convict thyself of having said, “I forgive” when thou hast not forgiven, but hast verily murdered; for he who puts any one out of the Church without mercy, what else does he do but murder bitterly, and shed blood without pity? For if a righteous man is unjustly killed by any one by means of the sword, he is received to rest with God; but he who puts any one out of the Church and receives him not again, kills verily evilly and bitterly for eternity; and God gives to be food to cruel fire forever, him who puts out of the Church, and does not look at the mercy of God, and does not remember His goodness to the penitent, and does not bear the likeness of the Christ, nor pay attention to any people who repent of the multitude of their failings that they may receive pardon from him. It is required of thee then, O Bishop, that the things which happened of old should be put before thine eyes, that from them thou mayest understand and be taught the cure of souls, and admonition and reproof and intercession. When thou judgest men, compare cautiously and with much investigation, and cleave to the will of God; and according as He acts, thus ought ye also to act in your judgments. Hear therefore, O Bishop, in regard to these things, an example that is congruous and helpful. It is written in the fourth Book of Kingdoms, and in the second Book of Days thus, that “In these days Manasseh reigned, being twelve years old, and for fifty years he reigned in Jerusalem; the name of his mother was Aphezeba (Hephzibah). He did that which was evil before the Lord, like the abomination of a the peoples, whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel.” He returned and built the high places for the sacrifices which Hezekiah his father had thrown down. He raised statues to Baal, and made abominations like as Ahab King of Israel had done. He made altars to all the army of Heaven, and worshipped all the powers of Heaven. He built an altar to demons in the house of the Lord, where the Lord had said, “In Jerusalem is My house, I will put My name there forever.”
Manasseh served the high places and said, My name shall endure forever. He built an altar to all the army of Heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord. He caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom; he used auguries and sorceries; he made soothsayings and incantations and divinations, and wrought many evil things in the eyes of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger. He set a molten and carved image of the abomination which he had made, in the house of the Lord, where the Lord had said to David and to Solomon his son, that in this house, and in Jerusalem which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever. Nor will I any more restrain My feet from the land of Israel which I have given to your fathers, only if they keep all that I have commanded them, according to all the commandments which I commanded my servant Moses, and they did not hear. Manasseh caused them to err, to do evil before the Lord, according to the works of the nations whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel.”
“The Lord spake with Manasseh, and to his people by the band of his servants the prophets, and said, Because Manasseh King of Judah has done these abominations in Jerusalem, like as did the Amorites who were before him, and has also made Judah to sin by his idols; therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Behold I bring such evil things upon Jerusalem and upon Judah, that the two ears of everyone that heareth them shall tingle. I will is stretch over Jerusalem that measure of Samaria, and the weight of the house of Ahab, and I will wipe Jerusalem as one wipeth a water-vessel when he turneth it on its face. I will give the remnant of Mine inheritance to the sword, and will deliver them into the band of their enemies, and they shall be for a prey and a spoil to all that hate them, because they have done evil before mine eyes, because they have been provoking from that day that I have brought out their fathers from Egypt until this day. Manasseh also shed much innocent blood, till he had filled Jerusalem from rim to rim with the slain, because of the sins which he committed; and he made Judah to sin in doing evil before the Lord.”
“And He brought against them the captains of Assyria; and they took Manasseh and bound him, and threw chains about him and carried him to Babylon in a copper star, and shut him up in prison, having completely chained and bound him in irons.” Bread of husks was given to him by weight, and water mixed with vinegar in small measure, that he might be alive and afflicted and heavily troubled.
“When he was much afflicted he sought the face of the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.” He prayed to the Lord God, and said:
The Prayer of Manasseh
Lord God of my fathers! God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, and of their righteous seed, who hast made the heavens with all their array, who hast chained the sea and established it by the command of Thy word, who hast bound the abyss and hast sealed it by Thine awful and glorious name; Thou before whose power everything trembles and shakes because of the unbearable greatness of the splendour of Thy glory, and no man can bear to stand before the anger of Thy wrath against sinners; whose mercies are infinite and measureless; for Thou art a Lord who is longsuffering and merciful and very gracious, and Thou regrettest the evils of the sons of man; Thou, Lord, according to the kindness of Thy goodness, hast promised forgiveness to those who repent of their sins, and in the greatness of Thy mercies Thou hast appointed repentance for the salvation of sinners. Thou, therefore, Lord God of the righteous, didst not appoint repentance to our father Abraham, and Isaac and Jacob, nor even to those who had never sinned against Thee. Yet thou hast appointed repentance to me, for I am a sinner, because my sins are more than the sand of the sea. I have not breath to lift up my head for the multitude of my iniquities. And now, Lord God, behold, I am justly afflicted, and I am grieved as I deserve. Behold, I am chained and bent by a multitude of iron chains, so that I cannot lift up my head. Nor am I worthy to lift up mine eyes and look and see the height of Heaven because of the multitude of my wickednesses, for I have done evil things before Thee, and I have kindled Thy wrath and set up idols, and multiplied abominations. And now behold, I bend the knees of my heart before Thee, and seek Thy kindness. I have sinned, Lord, I have sinned. Because I know my sins, I supplicate before Thee, forgive me, Lord, and destroy me not in my follies. Be not angry with me forever, nor keep my evil deeds, nor hold me guilty nor cast me down to the lower parts of the earth. For Thou, O Lord, art the God of those who repent, therefore even in me. Lord, shew Thy goodness, for though I am unworthy, save me according to Thy mercies. Therefore I will praise Thee at all times, and all the days of my life; for all the powers of Heaven praise Thee, and sing to Thee for ever and ever. And the Lord heard the voice of Manasseh, and had mercy upon him. There came upon him a flame of fire, and all the irons with which he was chained were melted and loosened; and the Lord delivered Manasseh from his afflictions, and restored him to Jerusalem to his Kingdom; and Manasseh knew the Lord, and said that He was God alone, with all his heart and with all his soul all the days of his life. He was counted righteous, and slept with his fathers, and Amon his son reigned after him.
Ye have heard, dear children. Like as Manasseh worshipped evil idols bitterly, and killed the righteous, and when he repented, the Lord forgave him, although there is no sin worse than the worship of idols, yet a place for repentance was given. But to him who saith, Good things shall happen to me though I walk in the perverse will of my heart, thus saith the Lord, I will stretch out My band upon him, and be shall be for a history and a proverb, because Amon son of Manasseh having taken counsel with the counsel of law-breaking said, My father from his childhood was very wicked, and good in his old age; I also will act now according to the lusts of my soul, and at the last I will repent towards the Lord. He did that which is evil before the Lord. He reigned two years only. Therefore the Lord God destroyed him from the good land. Therefore take heed, ye who have no faith, lest any of you should confirm in his heart the calculation of Amon son of Manasseh and perish quickly and swiftly.
Therefore, O Bishop, keep with strength as thou canst those who have not sinned, that they may remain without sinning, and those who repent of sins heal and receive. For if thou receive not him who repents, because thou art merciless, thou sinnest against the Lord God, because thou dost not obey our Lord and God in acting as He acted; for even He to that woman who had sinned, her whom the Elders placed before him and left it to judgment at His bands, and went away; He then who searcheth the hearts, asked her and said to her, “Have the Elders condemned thee, my daughter? She saith to him. No, Lord. And our Saviour said, Go, and return no more to do this, neither do I condemn thee.” In this therefore let our Saviour and King and God be to you a sign, O Bishops I be like Him, that ye may be gentle and humble and merciful and clement, and peacemakers and without anger, teachers, and reprouvers, and receivers and persuaders. Be not wrathful and be not tyrants, nor contemptuous, nor haughty, nor boasters.
Chapter VII
Again a grand doctrine about the Bishop himself, that with much diligence he take care of his flock and admonish and encourage them, and teach them, that they may not cut off hope about themselves when they fall; and a great consolation to those who are shaken and are converted repenting, and a great condemnation upon the Bishop who receiveth not those who repent, and a command to him that he be gentle and kind towards the children of his people, and be not harsh and angry.
Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord God. Forasmuch as my flock is for a prey and for meat to all the beasts of the wilderness, without a shepherd, and the shepherds have not sought my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock, therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require My flock at your hands, and cause them to cease from any more feeding My flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more, but I will deliver My flock from your hands, that they may not be meat for them. For thus saith the Lord God. Therefore behold I will visit my flock, and will seek them out, as a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day of storm, being amongst them, thus will I seek out my flock and gather it, from all the places where they have been scattered, in the day of cloud and darkness. And I will bring them out from the peoples, and gather them from the lands, and bring them into their own land, and I will feed them upon the mountains of Israel, and in all the waste places of the land. In a good and fat pasture I will feed them, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall be the glory of their splendour, and there they shall He in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed in the mountains of Israel. I will feed My flock, and I will establish them, saith the Lord God, I will seek that which is lost, and restore that which has wandered, and bind up that which is broken, and strengthen that which is sick, and I will keep that which is fat and strong, and will feed them with judgment And you My flock, the flocks of My pasture, thus saith the Lord my Lord, Behold I judge between sheep and sheep, and between ram and ram. Is it a small thing unto you that ye eat up the good and fat pasture, and the rest of your pasture ye tread down with your feet, and My flock drank what is trodden down by your feet. Therefore thus saith the Lord my Lord, Behold I judge between sheep and sheep, and between those that are sick; because ye thrust with your sides and your shoulders, and with your horns ye pierced all the sick ones, until ye scattered them out. And I will save My flock, and they shall no more be for a prey; and I will judge between sheep and sheep. And I will set up a shepherd over them, and David My servant shall be captain among them, I the Lord have spoken. I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land, and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the wood; and I will give them a blessing round about my hills. I will send down the rain in its season and it shall be a rain of blessings. The trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield her produce, and they shall dwell safely in their land; and they shall know that I am the Lord,when I have cut the nooses of their yoke, and I have delivered them from the hand of those who made them to serve. And they shall no more be for a prey, nor shall the beast of the field devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and there shall be none to make them afraid. And I will raise up for them a Plant of renown, that they may no more bear the shame of the nations; and they shall know that I the Lord their God am with them, so and that they of the house of Israel are My people, saith the Lord God.”
Hear therefore, ye Bishops, and hear, ye laymen, that as the Lord hath said, I will judge between ram and ram, and between sheep and sheep, that is to say, between Bishop and Bishop, and between layman and layman; for if the layman love the layman, let the layman also love the Bishop and honour him, and reverence him as father and lord and god after God Almighty, for it is said to the Bishop by means of the Apostles, that “All who hear you hear Me, and all that injure you injure Me, and Him that sent Me.” Again, let the Bishop love the laymen as children, and nourish and inflame them with the zeal of his love, like eggs, that chickens may come from them; hatch them like chickens and nourish them as with the nourishment of winged fowls. O Bishop! Teach and admonish everyone. Those who are deserving of reproof reprove, and make them sorry, as for conversion and not for destruction. Admonish as for repentance, and one Shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, and he shall Ih: their shepherd, that they may no more lie few and abandoned upon the earth, and admonish and correct them, so that thou mayest make their ways straight and smooth for them, and make stable their mode of life. Keep what is in health, that is to say, keep carefully him who is steadfast in the faith, and feed all the people in peace. That which is weak strengthen, that is to say, him who is tempted, strengthen by means of admonition. That which is sick heal, that is to say, him who is sick with doubt of the faith heal by means of doctrine. That which is broken bind up, that is to say, him who is beaten or struck or broken by his sins or halting in the way of righteousness, bind him up, that is to say, cure him by means of intercession and admonition; raise him from his fall and encourage him; shew him also that there is hope for him. Bind him up and heal him; admit him also to the Church. That which has wandered persuade, that is to say, him that is abandoned in sins, and excommunicated as for reproof, leave not without, but teach and admonish and convert, and receive him into thy flock, that is to say, him who by the multitude of his falls has cut off his hope, and has let his soul go to perdition; do not allow him to perish utterly, lest by means of temptation or much negligence he sleep, and through the heaviness of his slumber he forget his life, and be removed and turned from the flock, that is to say, from the Church, and he come to perdition; for since he has got out of the fold and is removed from the flock, a wolf will eat him as he wanders, and he will perish utterly. But do thou visit him, admonish and teach and convert him, command him and encourage him to awaken; tell him that there is hope, and cut this off from their minds, that they may not say nor think that which was said of old, that “Our iniquities and sins are upon us, and by them we are corrupted; how then can we live?” It is not required of us that we should say or think these things, or suppose that their hope is cut off on account of the multitude of their sins, but that they should know that the mercies of God are many, that He hath promised with oaths and good counsel, pardon to those who have sinned. If then a man sin, and know not the Scriptures, and be not persuaded of the long-suffering and pity of God, and knoweth not the boundaries of pardon and repentance, he perisheth by this, that he knoweth not. Therefore thou, O Bishop, as a shepherd, a partaker in suffering, who art full of love and tenderness, be assiduous in visiting thy flock. Count the flock. Seek that which has wandered, as said the Lord God Jesus the Christ, our Teacher and our Good Shepherd.
Chapter VIII
Teaches the same Bishop that he be not luxurious and covetous about the things that come into the Church, as provision for the poor, but that he furnish them with justice to those that are in want, as a just steward of God, and that he also may supply his own want out of them without guilt; and that he also stir up the people, that everyone according to his ability take a sitare, and supply the need of the Church, in regard to the provision for the poor and for Orphans and Widows.
Be not lovers of wine, nor drunkards, nor much puffed up, nor luxurious. Do not incur expense that is not proper from the gifts of God, as if it were not your own, but as if you were making use of your own; as those who are appointed to be good stewards of God, of Him who will in future require at your hands an account of the management of the stewardship with which you are entrusted. Let your sufficiency then be enough for you, food and raiment; make use of what is necessary and not beyond what is just from the things that come in, as from strange things, but in moderation; do not enjoy yourselves and be luxurious from the income of the Church, for to a workman his raiment and food are sufficient Therefore as good stewards of God, do well in dispensing the things that are given and come into the Church, according to the commandment, to the Orphans and Widows and those who are in straits and to strangers, like men who know that ye have a God who requires at your hands an account of the stewardship which He has committed to you.
Therefore distribute and give to everyone who is in want, also yourselves provide and live from these things, from the things that come into the Church. Do not consume them yourselves alone, but give a share with yourselves to those who are in want Be without offence before God; because God reproves Bishops who use the income of the Church avariciously and for themselves alone, and do not give a share with them to the poor.
The Lord said thus, “Ye eat the milk of the flocks, and ye clothe yourselves with the wool.” For it is required of you Bishops that ye be provided for out of the income of the Church, but not that ye swallow it up; for it is written, “Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that grinds.” Thus therefore as the ox that works in the threshing-floor without a muzzle eats food, but does not consume it all, thus also ye who labour in the threshing-floor, which is the Church of God, provide for yourselves from the Church, like the Levites who served in the Tabernacle of witness, which was the type of the Church, as its very name tells, for the Tabernacle of witness set forth the Church beforehand. Therefore the Levites who served in it were provided for without hindrance from the things that were given as the offerings of God by all the people, gifts, and oblations and first-fruits and tithes and sacrifices, and offerings and whole burnt-offerings, they and their wives and their sons and daughters, because their work was the service of the Tabernacle alone. Therefore they received no inheritance of land among the children of Israel, for the inheritance of Levi and of his tribe was the inheritance of the people. Therefore ye also to-day, O Bishops, are Priests to your people, and Levites who serve in the house of God, the Holy Catholic Church, those who remain continually before the Lord God. Therefore ye are to your people Priests and prophets and chiefs and governors and teachers and mediators between God and the believers, receivers of the Word, preachers of it, evangelists of it, knowers of the Scriptures and of the words of God, witnesses of His will, ye who bear the sins of all men, and who will
give account concerning all men; ye who hear how that word is kindled hardly against you, if ye despise, and do not preach the will of God, ye are they who are in grave danger of perdition, if ye despise your people. Ye again are those to whom is promised by God a great reward that will not disappoint nor be snatched away, and unspeakable grace in that great glory, if ye serve well the Tabernacle of God, the Catholic Church. Therefore as ye bear the burden of all men, thus also it is required of you that ye receive from all who are with you the service of food and clothing, and other things, such as are necessary. It is required also that ye take from the gifts that are given you by the people who are under your hands, and provide for the Deacons and the Widows and the Orphans, and those that are in want. For it is required of thee, Bishop, that thou care for all men as a faithful steward, for as thou carriest the weight of all those who are under thy hands, thus, and more than all men, thou shalt receive the glory of excellency from God; for thou art the propitiator of the Christ; and as He has borne the sins of us all, thus it is required of thee that thou carry the sins of all those who are under thy hands. For thus it is written in Isaiah about our Saviour, “We have seen Him, that He had no splendour and no beauty, but His visage was more shamed and humiliated than men, and that He was a man of suffering; and knoweth [how] to understand sicknesses; for His face was changed and done despite to, and He was of no account in our eyes. He then hath carried our sins, and for us He died; and we thought Him wounded and grieved and humiliated. But He was wounded for our sins, and afflicted for our iniquities, and by His wounds we are all healed.” Again he saith, that “He bore the sins of many, and was betrayed because of their iniquity.”
And in David and in all the Prophets and also in the Gospel, our Saviour entreats on account of our sins, He who was without sins. Therefore as ye have the example of the Christ, thus also be ye an example to the people that are under your hands, that as He hath taken our sins, so do ye also take the sins of the people. Do not imagine that the burden of the Bishopric is a light and easy one. Therefore as ye have received the burden of all men, thus also the fruits which ye draw from all the people, are yours for all things that are necessary to you. Provide well for those that are in want, like people who give account to an inquisitor
who does not err and cannot be got over. As ye serve in the office of the Bishopric, thus it is meet that from the office of the Bishopric ye provide for yourselves; like Priests and Levites and Deacons who serve before God; as it is written in the Book of Numbers, that God spake to Aaron and said, “Thou, and thy sons, and thy father’s house shall bear the sins of the holy things; and thou and thy sons shall bear the sins of the Priesthood; and thy brethren the sons of thy a father, the tribe of Levi, bring with thee; let them be placed beside thee and let them serve thee. Thou and thy sons with thee shall serve before this Tabernacle of witness, except that the sons of Levi shall not approach the vessels of the Sanctuary nor the altar, that they and ye die not; but they shall be added unto thee, and they shall keep the watches of the Tabernacle of witness for all the service of the Tabernacle, and a stranger shall not come nigh unto thee. Ye shall keep these charges of the holy things, and the charges of the altar; and there shall be no wrath upon the children of Israel. And behold, I have taken your brethren the sons of Levi from among the children of Israel, they are given as a gift to the Lord, to do the service of the Tabernacle of witness. Thou, and thy sons with thee, keep your Priesthood for all the service. of the altar, and of that within the Veil; do your service, as something that is given to your Priesthood; the stranger that cometh nigh shall die the death. And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, and said, Behold, I havc given you the charges and the first fruits of all that is hallowed to me by the children of Israel, to thee I have given them for service, and to thy sons after thee, a law forever. This shall be thine of all the holy things that are hallowed from their fruits and from their offerings, and from all their sacrifices, from all their errors and from all their sins, all that they offer to Me of all the holy things, let it be for thee and for thy sons; eat it in the Holy place; every male shall eat it, thou and thy sons, it shall be holy to thee. These shall be to you, the firstfruits of their gifts, from all the oblations of the children of Israel, to thee I have given them, and to thy sons and thy daughters with thee, for an everlasting law; everyone that is clean in thy house shall eat them, all the firstfruits of the oil, and all the first-fruits of the wine, and the first-fruits of the wheat, all that they give to the Lord shall be thine; everyone that is clean in thy house shall eat of them.
“All the rest that remains shall be thine, and all that openeth the matrix of all flesh, all that they bring to the Lord, of men and even of beasts shall be thine; nevertheless the firstborn of men shall surely be redeemed, and the firstborn of beasts that are not clean to be offered; and their redemption shall be from a month old and upwards; thou shalt redeem them for a price, five shekels by the shekel of the Sanctuary, which is ten shekels of Silver. But nevertheless the firstlings of oxen, and the firstlings of sheep and goats, thou shalt not redeem; they are holy; thou shalt pour out their blood before the altar, and their fat thou shalt send up as an offering of a sweet savour unto the Lord; and their flesh shall be pure to thee, the end of the wave breast and the right forefoot shall be thine. AH the heave ofierings of the Sanctuary, which the children of Israel destine to the Lord, to thee have I given them, to thy sons and also to thy daughters with thee, for an everlasting law: it shall be a statute forever before the Lord, to thee and to thy seed after thee.“
“And the Lord spake unto Aaron, and said, Thou shalt not inherit in their land, nor have any portion among them, because I am thy portion and thine inheritance among the children of Israel. And behold, to the children of Levi I have given all the tithes of the children of Israel
for an inheritance, on account of their service in the Tabernacle. And the children of Israel shall not again come nigh unto the Tabernacle of witness, that they receive not the sin of death, but the Levites shall do the service of the Tabernacle of witness, and they shall bear their sins, as an everlasting law to their generations. And among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance, because that the tithes of the children of Israel which they destine as heave offerings to the Lord, I have given to the Levites as an inheritance; therefore I said unto them, and to those of the house of Israel, that they shall have no inheritance forever. The Lord spake unto Moses and said to him, Speak with the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take from the children of Israel the tithes that I have given you from them as an inheritance, offer up from them also an heave offering to the Lord, even a tenth part of the tithes. The heave offering shall be reckoned to you as the wheat of the threshing-floor, and as the offering of the wine-press.
“Thus ye also shall offer a heave offering unto the Lord of all your tithes which ye receive from all the children of Israel, and ye shall give of them a heave offering to the Lord, to Aaron the Priest, of all your gifts ye shall offer a heave offering to the Lord, of the firstfruits which He hath sanctified. And say unto them, When ye offer the firstfruits of them, so it shall be reckoned unto the Levites as the produce of the threshing-floor, and as the produce of the wine-press; they shall eat it in every place, ye and your households, because that is your reward for your service in the Tabernacle of witness, and ye shall have no sin because when ye have offered the firstfruits of it; ye shall not pollute the offerings of the children of Israel, that ye die not.”

Chapter IX
Exhortation to the people that they bring heave offerings of prayers and confessions to God, and that they honour the Bishop as [they honour] God, and reverence him, and that they do nothing apart from his permission, nor even give alms to those that are in need without him; but take everything known to him by means of the Deacon, and le will administer whatever is given, and that everyone of the orders of the Church take its place and be featured as befits it; condemnation and commination on those who speak wickedly to Priests or despise them; that they think of them as of their Kings, that they take them gifts from their labour for the supply of the need of the poor and the Orphans and the Widows, making no reckoning with them, as to whether they give or do not give.
Hear, therefore, these things, ye also, ye laymen, the Church chosen of God, because that even the first people was called the Church. Ye then, Holy and perfect Catholic Church, royal Priesthood, holy assembly, people of inheritance, great Church, Bride adorned for the Lord God. As therefore was said before, hear also now, Bring heave offerings and tithes and firstfruits to the Christ, the true High Priest, also to His servants bring tithes of salvation, Him the beginning of whose name is the letter Yod.
Hear, thou Catholic Church, which art of God, who hast been delivered from IO plagues, and hast received commandments, and hast leamt the law and hast held the faith, and hast believed in a Yod at the beginning of a name, and art confirmed by the perfection of His glory; instead of the sacrifices of that time, offer now prayers and supplications and thanksgìvings; then were firstfruits and tithes and oblations and gifts, to-day are offerings that are presented by means of the Bishops to the Lord God, for those are your High Priests. Priests and Levites; now Elders and Deacons, and Orphans and Widows. For the Levite and the High Priest is the Bishop. He is a servant of the Word of God and a Mediator, but to you a Teacher and your Father after God, who has begotten you by means of water. He is your Head and Governor, and he is a powerful King to you. He governs in the place of the Almighty, but let him be honoured by you as God, because the Bishop sits for you in the place of Almighty God; but the Deacon stands in the place of the Christ; and ye should love him, but let the Deaconesses be honoured by you in the likeness of the Holy Ghost. Moreover, let the Elders be to you in the likeness of the Apostles, but Orphans and Widows be considered by you in the likeness of an Altar.
For as it was not allowed for the stranger, that is to say for him who was not a Levite, to approach the Altar, nor to offer anything apart from the High Priest, thus do ye naught apart from the Bishop. For if anyone do aught apart from the Bishop, he doeth it in vain, for it will not be counted to him as a work, because it is not fitting that any one should do aught without the High Priest Present, therefore, your offerings to the Bishop, either ye yourselves, or by means of the Deacons; and what he receives let him deal to you justly, for the Bishop is well acquainted with those who are afflicted; for he provides for everyone and gives as it becomes him; lest anyone should receive many times in the day or in the week, and another should not receive even a little. For to him whom the Priest and steward of God knows to be much afflicted, he does good, as is required of him. And those who ask Widows to help her whom he knows to be much afflicted, to her let him send oftenest. And again, if any one give gifts to Widows, to her who is in want let him send most. Let the portion of a shepherd be defined and known, according as the law of old is defined, and even if he be not present ye shall not cause to perish [any that belong] to God Almighty. As often then as is given to you or the Widows, let double be given to each of the Deacons for the honour of the Christ; twice double to the Governor for the honour of God Almighty.
If any man wishes also to honour the Elders, let him give also to them as to the Deacons. For it is required for them that they be honoured as Apostles, and as the counsellors of the Bishop, and also as the crown of the Church; for they are the directors and counsellors of the Church. And if there be also a Reader, let him also receive along with the Elders. Every office, therefore, let each of the laity as is proper to him, honour by gifts, by dignity, and the respect of the world. Let them have great boldness with the Deacons, and let them not be troubling the Chief at all hours, but whatever they require, let them make it known by means of the servants, that is to say, by means of the Deacons. For not even to God Almighty can one approach save by means of the Christ. All things, therefore, that ye wish to have done, make them known to the Bishop by means of the Deacons, and then let them be done. Not even of old in the Temple of the Sanctuary was anything offered or done apart from the Priest. Again also, with the idols of the heathen, polluted and abominable and reprehensible, even to our day they imitate the Sanctuary, though in comparison the house of impurity is very far from the Holy place; but nevertheless in the work of their oversight (in another manuscript, of their folly), without their polluted Priests they do not offer nor do anything; but thus they suppose that the mouth of the stones (that is to say, the idols he calls stones) is a polluted Priest, and they wait for whatever he commands them to do, and in all that they contemplate doing they are counselled by their polluted Priest, and they do nothing without him, for they think that this is acceptable whatever they do, honouring him and doing homage to him like their honouring of the dumb stones, those that are fixed as stones (S. in the walls) for the worship of impure and cruel demons. If they, therefore, who are foolish and [have] false customs and no hope, but err by a vain expectation, watch and desire to imitate a Sanctuary, and honour with every honour those who stand in the house of their ridiculous idols, why then ye to whom it is known and manifest that ye believe in the truth, and are possessed by a hope that will not be falsified, and look to the promise of eternal glory which passeth not away nor dissolveth, should not ye the more honour the Lord God, by means of those who are appointed over you? Consider, therefore, the Bishop as the mouth of God.
For if Aaron, because he interpreted to Pharaoh the words that were given through Moses, was called a Prophet, as the Lord said unto Moses, “Behold, I have given thee for a god unto Pharaoh, and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet,” why, therefore, do ye also not consider (S. as prophets, and adore) as God those who are to you mediators of the Word? Now for us ourselves, Aaron is the Deacon, and the Bishop. Let him be honoured by you as God, and the Deacon as a Prophet. Therefore for the honour of the Bishop make known to him everything that ye do. Even by means of him let everything be completed. If ye know that a man is much afflicted, but the Bishop doth net know it, inform him, but without him do nothing to disgrace him that thou bring no shame upon him as upon a despiser of the poor; for he who raises an evil report against the Bishop either by word or by deed, sins against God Almighty. But again, against a Deacon if any one speak evilly by word or by deed, he offends the Christ. Therefore it is written also in the Law, “Thou shalt not revile thy gods, nor speak evil against the ruler of thy people.” Let no one suppose then that the Lord was speaking about idols of stone, but He calls “gods” those who are placed over you. Moses also said again in the Book of Numbers, when the people had murmured against him and against Aaron, “It is not against us that ye murmur, but against the Lord God.”
Also our Saviour said, “He that wrongeth you wrongeth Me, and Him that sent Me.” For what hope is there, even a little, to him who has spoken evil things against the Bishop? Or against the Deacon? For if one have called a layman a fool or vile (Raca), he shall be condemned by the Synagogue, as one of those who rise up against the Christ, because he hath called his brother vain, him in whom the Christ dwelleth, who is not vain, but filled; or a fool him in whom dwelleth the Holy Spirit of God, the Perfecter in all wisdom, as if he were a fool from the Spirit that dwelleth in him! If, therefore, anyone who should say one of these things to a layman be found to have fallen into all this condemnation, how much [more] if one venture to say anything against a Bishop or against a Deacon? Him by whose
means the Lord hath given you the Holy Ghost, and by whose means ye have leamt the Word and know God, and by whose means ye are known of God, and by whose means ye are sealed; and by whose means ye are become the sons of light; and by whose means the Lord in baptism, by the laying on of the Bishop’s band, gave witness about each of you, and caused His holy voice to be heard and said, “Thou art My son, this day have I begotten thee.” Therefore, O my son, love thy Bishops, those by whose hands thou art become a son of God, and knowest the right, cherish him who after God is thy father and thy mother; for everyone who mocketh his father or his mother, let him die the death.
But honour ye the Bishops who are able to loose you from sins, those who have begotten you anew by means of water, those who have filled you with the Holy Ghost, those who have nourished you with the Word as with milk, those who have established you with the doctrine of life, those who have confirmed you by admonition, and made you partakers in the holy Eucharist of God, and made you sharers and heirs of God’s promise. Reverence these [men], and honour them (the Bishops) with all honour, for they have received authority from God of life and death, not that they may judge those who have sinned, and condemn them to death in everlasting fire, excommunicating and sending away those who are condemned, may this never happen! But that they may receive and give life to those who are converted and repent. Let these then be your Chiefs, and let them be considered by you as Kings, and by deeds give honour to them as Kings, for it is required of you that ye provide for them and for those that are with them.
For thus it is written in the first book of the Kingdoms, that Samuel the prophet said unto the people by means of words of the Lord, to those that asked from him a King, and he said unto them, “This is the law of the King who shall reign over you; he will take your sons, and appoint them over his chariots, and make them runners before him; and will make is to himself captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds; they shall reap his harvest, and gather his vintage, and shall keep in order the instruments of his chariots. Your daughters he shall take to be weavers, and servants of his house. Your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive-yards, the best, he will take and give to his servants, and to eunuchs. Your maidservants and menservants, and your oxen and your asses he shall take and tithe for the service of his work. He will take tithe of your sheep; and ye also shall be his servants.” According to this likeness also the Bishop rules. For if even a King who reigned over all a multitude of people, took from that people, as it is written in Hosea, that “The people of the children of Israel are many as the sand that is on the shore of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered,” and according to the number of that people were also the services that were required from it, thus now also the Bishop taketh to himself from the people, those whom he considereth and knoweth to be worthy of him and of his office, and maketh them Elders and counsellers, members of his session, Deacons and Sub-Deacons, all as he requireth according to the service of a house. What more can we say? for the King who wears the crown, reigns only over the body, and binds and looses only in this world, but the Bishop reigns over both soul and body, that he may loosen on the earth, and bind in Heaven, by heavenly power. For it is a great heavenly power, that of the Almighty, which is given to him. Nevertheless, love ye your Bishop as a father, reverence him as a King, and honour him as God. Present to him your fruits, and the work of your hands, that your firstfruits may be blessed. Give to him your tithes, and your vows, and your oblations; from them he will require to be nourished, and to provide also for those who are in want, to everyone as it is proper for him. Thus thy offering shall be acceptable to the Lord thy God, for a sweet savour in the height of Heaven, before the Lord thy God, and He will bless thee, and multiply to thee the good things of His promise. For it is written in Wisdom, that “Every simple soul shall be blessed” and that “Blessings shall be on the head of him who giveth.”
Because of this be Constant in work, and labour, and bring a gift; for the Lord hath lightened your burden, and loosened from you the chains of fetters, and lifted from you the heavy yoke; and made Deuteronomy pass away from you, according to the greatness of God’s mercy, as it is written in Isaiah, “Say to those who are in chains, Go out, and again, to bring out the prisoners from the prisons.” And in David He said that “He despiseth not His prisoners.” And again in the Gospel He said, “Come unto me, all ye that are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls; for My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” If, therefore, the Lord, in the gift of His goodness, hath loosed you and given you rest, and brought your souls to enlargement, that ye be not again bound by sacrifices and by sin-offerings, by purifìcations, by vows, and by gifts, by oblations, by burnt-offerings, by shewbread, and by observations of purifìcations, again, by tithes, and by firstfruits, and by heave offerings, and by gifts, all these things were of necessity appointed for them to give; ye then are not bound by these things, for it is required of you that ye know the word of the Lord which said, that “Unless your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.” Thus, therefore, your righteousness is more excellent than the tithes, and firstfruits, and heave offerings of these people, when ye act as it is written, “Sell all that ye have, and give to the poor.” Therefore do thus, and keep the commandment by means of the Bishop and the Priest, and thy mediator who is with the Lord God, for He has commanded thee to give. Take care that thou provide for these things, and do not exact an account from the Bishop; do not watch him as to how he provides and fulfils his stewardship, or when he gives, or to whom or how, whether well or ill, or if he gives as is fitting, for it is the Lord God who is the exactor, who has committed this stewardship to his hands, and counted him worthy of the Priesthood of all this office. In order, therefore, that thou observe not nor require an account from the Bishop, nor speak evil things against him, resisting God, nor offend the Lord, Jet there be put before thine eyes what was said to thee in Jeremiah, “Shall the day say to the potter, Thou workest not, and thou hast no hands;” as he that saith to his father and his mother, “Hast thou brought me forth?” but labour with a single mind and work in the house of God. Be it always written and established in thy heart, and remember the saving voice of the renewal of the Law, as the Lord hath said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength.” Your strength then is the property of the world. Do not love the Lord with the lips only, like that people to whom reproving Ile saith, “This people honoureth Me with its lips, but its heart is far from Me.” But love thou the Lord and honour Him with all thy strength; and bring thy gifts at all times, and keep not away from the Church. When thou receivest the Eucharist of the sacrifice, give whatever cometh to thy band, as thou partakest, to the strangers; for this is collected by the Bishop for the reception of all strangers. Therefore according as thou art able, put down, and keep thyself, because the Lord hath said in the Law, “Thou shalt not appear before Me empty.” Therefore do good works, lay up for thyself a treasure above in Heaven where moth doth not destroy, nor thieves steal. When thou doest thus, do not judge the Bishop, nor the layman, because to you laymen it is said, “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” For if thou judgest thy brother, and accusest him, thou considerest thy brother guilty, that is to say, thou accusest thyself; thou art then judged with the guilty; for the Bishop has the power to judge, as it is said to them, “Be accurate discerners.” It is, therefore, required of the Bishop as a tester of silver that he should divide the ecvil from the good; those that are completely evil he should reject and throw out; but those who are hard and defective for any reason, like those who are not defective, he should leave them in the crucible. The layman then is not allowed to judge his neighbour, nor even to impose upon himself a burden which is not his; for the weight of this burden belongs not to the layman, but to the Bishop. Therefore thou, being a layman, do not lay snares for thyself, but leave judgment in the hands of those who will have to answer for it to the Lord. But as for thee, strive to make peace with all men, and love thy limbs the children of thy people, because the Lord hath said, “Love thy neighbour as thyself.”
Chapter X
Admonition about false brethren, and investigations about those that are accusers, or witnesses against any one, and the decree of punishment against those who are convicted of sin; and the consolation and reception into the Church, if they shew repentance; and injunction to the Bishops that they give the hand and bind up those who have sinned if they repent; that they should not judge with partiality, and be convicted before God; and that they should convict him who accuses falsely in punishing as was fit him who was accused.
If then there be false brethren, [who] on account of envy or the jealousy of enemies and of Satan, who works by them, bring a false accusation against one of the brethren, or even a true one, those shall know that everyone who investigates about these things, in order to accuse or blaspheme about any one, he is the son of anger, and where anger is, God is not; for anger is of Satan, who by means of these false brethren never allows peace to be in the Church. Therefore when ye know them, those that are so far wanting in sense, first of all believe them not, and secondly, Bishops and Deacons, beware of them, how ye say ought of the things that ye have heard from them to any of the brethren. Consider about him against whom they bring an accusation, investigate wisely, compare his actions, and if he be found to merit reproof, according to the doctrine of our Lord which He hath spoken in the Gospel, reprove him between thee and him; if he repent, and be converted, save him. And if he will not be convinced, reprove him before two or three, and fulfil that which was said, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established; for therefore, brethren, it is required for witness, that it stand upon the mouth of two or three witnesses, because the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost testify about the works of men; for where there is admonition of doctrine, there is also discipline and conversion of those who have wandered. Therefore at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be Ap. Con. established. And if he obey not, reprove him before all the Church; if he do not hear even the Church, let him be counted unto thee as a heathen and as a publican. Because the Lord hath said unto you, O Bishops, that henceforth ye receive not that man into the Church as Christians and be not partakers with him; for not even the heathen or the wicked publicans dost thou receive into the Church, nor make thyself partaker with them, unless they first repent, promising so that they may believe, and never henceforth again do evil deeds; for therefore our Lord and Saviour gave room for repentance to those who have sinned; for even Matthew, who am one of the twelve Apostles, who speak to you by this Didascalla, I was a publican of old, and because I believed, grace carne upon me, and I repented from my former works, and I was thought worthy to become an Apostle and a preacher of the Word of God. Again also John the Baptist, that he might seek, preached in the Gospel to publicans, not to cut off their hope, but taught them how they should act in future. When they asked him for a reply he said to them, “Do not exact more than what is commanded and appointed for you.” And also Zacchaeus in repentance the Lord received, making a request of him. We do not refuse salvation even to the heathen if they repent and renounce and remove from themselves their error. Therefore let him be accounted to you as a heathen and as a publican, he who is convicted of evil works and of falsehood; and afterwards if he promise to repent as the heathen, when they wish and promise to repent and say, “We believe,” we receive them into the congregation that they may bear the Word, but we do not communicate with them until they receive the seal and are confirmed.
Thus also we do not communicate with these until they shew the fruits of repentance; for they can certainly come in, if they wish to hear the Word, that they may not perish utterly, but in prayer they take no part, but go outside; because that even they, when they see that they do not take part in the Church, restrain themselves, and repent of their former deeds, and become eager to be received into the Church in prayer.
They also who see them and bear that they have gone out like publicans may fear, and take heed to themselves that they sin not, lest it happen thus to them also, and they go out of the Church, being reproved for sin or for falsehood. Do not utterly prevent them then from entering the Church, and hearing the discourse of the Bishop; for even our Lord and Saviour did not completely reject and cast out the publicans and sinners, but even ate with them. Because of this also the Pharisees murmured against Him, saying, “He eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners.” Then our Saviour answered and said against their thoughts and murmurings, “They that are whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick.” Therefore have intercourse with those who have been reproved for their sins, and are in a bad state, and attach them to you, and take care of their [interests], and talk ye with them and console them, keep hold of them, and cause them to be converted; and afterwards when everyone of them has repented, and has shewn the fruits of repentance, thereafter receive him in prayer as [ye do] to the heathen. As therefore thou baptizest a heathen, and thereafter receivest him, so on that man also lay the hand, everyone praying for him; thereafter bring him in and let him partake with the Church. Let that laying on of the hand be to him instead of baptism; for if by the laying on of the hand and by baptism they receive the communication of the Holy Ghost… therefore as a sympathetic physician sharing in suffering, heal all those who have sinned, and distribute with all wisdom, offer healing for the help of their lives; and be not ready to cut off the members of the Church, but make use of the Word of remedies, also of admonitions of preparation and of the plasters of supplication; for if an ulcer goes deep, and diminishes his flesh, by means of curative medicines nourish it, and reduce it. If there be in it foulness, by a sharp medicine, that is to say by the word of reproof, purify it; and if more flesh should spring up, by a harsh medicine, that is to say, by the communication of judgment shave it off and reduce it. If there be in it gangrene, burn it with a cautery, that is to say, with the incision of a long fast, cut off the putridness of the ulcer. If the ulcer grow and get the better of the cauteries, decide about that which is corrupt, then after much consultation with other physicians cut off that member which is corrupt that it destroy not all the body. Be not ready to amputate speedily, and do not rush in a hurry and run to the saw of many teeth, but first use scalpels, and cut the ulcer, that the cause of the evil which is hidden inside it may be seen openly and be known, that the whole body may be kept from being affected. But if thou see a person who does not wish to repent, but has completely cut off hope of himself, then with grief and sorrow cut him off and cast him out of the Church. For if thou findest that that accusation of calumny is false, and ye pastors with the Deacons have received the falsehood as truth, because of the accepting of persons, or because of offerings which ye have received; and ye change judgments, because ye wish to do the will of the Evil one, and him who is accused, being guiltless of this accusation, ye put out and cast him from the Church, ye will give an account in the day of the Lord; for it is written, “Thou shalt not respect persons in judgment,” and again the Scripture hath said, that a “Bribe blindeth the eyes of seers, and perverteth righteous words.” And again it hath said, “Deliver the oppressed, judge the Orphans, justify the Widows;” and judge righteous judgment in the gates. Take heed then that ye be not respecters of persons and be condemned by the word of the Lord, who hath spoken thus, “Woe unto those that make bitter sweet, and sweet bitter; and call light darkness, and darkness what is bright, and justify the wicked for his reward, and pass over the righteousness of the righteous.” But be watchful, that ye condemn not any one iniquitously, and help the wicked, because that in condemning others ye are condemning yourselves; as the Lord hath said, that “With what judgment ye judge ye shall be judged, and as ye condemn, ye shall be condemned.” Therefore remember, and apply to yourselves this word, “Forgive, and it shall be forgiven you; condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned.” If then, your judgment, O Bishops, be without respect of persons, look at him who is the accuser of his brother, if he be a false brother, if for the sake of envy or jealousy or calumny he have brought disturbance on the Church of God, and he should kill him who is calumniated by him, being put out of the Church and delivered to the destruction of fire; thou therefore judge him severely, because he has brought an evil thing against his brother, as it were from his own imagination; if he had not found that it goes before to his hearing; he would have killed his brother in the fire; for it is written, that “Everyone who sheddeth man’s blood, his blood shall be shed for the blood which he hath shed.” When that one then is found out to be thus, put him out of the Church with a great reprimand as a murderer; and after a time, if he promise to repent, admonish him, and lay a hard discipline upon him; and thereafter put on [your] band and receive him into the Church; and take heed and observe him that is such, lest again it happen against someone else. And if ye see him after he has entered the Church, that again he quarrels and wishes to accuse others also, and chatters and fabricates, and casts blame upon many falsely: put him out, that he may never again disturb and trouble the Church; for he that is such, even if he be within, because he is not suitable to the Church, is of no advantage to her. For we see that there are men who are born with superfluous things in their bodies, let us say fingers or any other superfluous flesh; those people then that have such things according to the flesh, it is a disgrace and a shame to them, both to the flesh and to the man, because he has too much of them. When they are taken away by a practitioner, that man receives beauty and loveliness of flesh, and nothing is wanting to it, on account of that superfluity that has been taken away from him, but he is even the more seen in his beauty for it In like manner therefore, ye also, O pastors, conduct yourselves; because the Church is a body, the members being we who believe in God, and are in love in the fear of the Lord according to the commandment of the tradition which we have received. Therefore he that devises evil things against the Church, and troubles its members, and loves the blames and accusations of enemies, that is to say, turmoils and contentions and calumnies and murmurings and quarrels and questions and incrimination and afflictions and accusations; he that loves these things and makes them, and moreover the Enemy is working in him, and he remains in the Church, is a stranger to the Church, and of the household of the Enemy, for it is him whom he serves, who works in him, and he offends and afflicts the Church; that one then if he remains within, is a disgrace to the Church because of his blasphemies (S. and his great agitation, and there is danger lest he destroy the Church of God). To that one therefore do as it is written in Wisdom, “Cast out the evil man from the congregation, and his contention shall go out with him;” on account of litigation and reproach, that he sit not in the congregation and disgrace them all. For that one, when he goes out for the second time from the Church, is justly cut off, and the Church is the more beautified, for there is peace in it for it was wanting to her, because from that hour the Church will be free from blasphemy and trouble). But if your mind be not pure, either on account of respect of persons, or on account of gifts of filthy lucre which ye have received, and ye put out of the Church those who walk correctly, and ye increase many evil, quarrelsome persons, and profligate rulers amongst you, ye bring blasphemy against the assembly of the Church, and ye bring danger of death upon yourselves, that ye be deprived of eternal life, because ye have pleased man, and turned from the truth of God, for the sake of respecting persons, and for the sake of accepting vain gifts; and ye have scattered the Catholic Church, daughter and beloved of the Lord God.
Chapter XI
Again, exhortation to Bishops and Deacons, that they judge justly, and that they be with one another in concord and love; that they do not receive testimony from the heathen against a believer, and that a Christian be not vexed and contend with his neighbour, If it happen that they have a lawsuit, let them not say their say before the heathen, but before the Church, and let them be pacified, even if one of them lose something according to the flesh; and let him that is hard and obstinate about peace be kept from the Church until he repent; when the two persons approach, let those judges who judge without respect of persons, with much caution, on Monday, investigating the conduct of him who brings the accusation, and his conscience, and the reason of his law-suit and contention. And him that is abused in like manner, Let them punish justly him that is found guilty. Again, about those who are angry, that it is right they should forgive each other’s faults, if it be that we seek forgiveness from God.
Strive therefore, O Bishops, with the Deacons, that ye be righteous before the Lord, because the Lord hath said, “If ye be righteous with Me, I also will be righteous with you; and if ye walk with Me forwardly, also will walk forwardly, saith the Lord of Hosts.” Be ye therefore righteous, that ye may be worthy to receive praise from the Lord; therefore both the Bishops and the Deacons be of one mind, and let them feed the people carefully in one opinion. For it is required of you twain that ye be one flesh, father and son, for ye are in the likeness of the Divinity. Let the Deacon make known everything to the Bishop, as the Christ doth to His Father; let the Deacon settle some of them himself that he can; the rest of the other things the Bishop must judge; but nevertheless let the Deacon be the ear of the Bishop, and his mouth and his heart, and even his soul; for when ye twain are of one mind and in one consent there is peace in the Church. This praise then becomes the Christian, that he have not an evil word with any one.”
But if some temptation should happen to someone from the operation of the Enemy, and he have a lawsuit, let him strive to be delivered from it, even if he lose somewhat by it Only let him not go to the judgment of the heathen, and do not ye receive the testimony of the heathen about any of our people, for by means of the heathen the Enemy plots against the servants of God. Because the heathen are destined to stand on the left, he calls them the left, for our Lord hath said to us thus, “Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth.” Let not then the heathen know anything about your lawsuits, and receive not testimony against yourselves from them. Be not judged before them, as also it is said in the Gospels, “Give to Caesar that which is Caesar’s, and to God that which is God’s.” Be therefore willing to lose, and more zealous to make peace though losing somewhat in worldly matters for the sake of peace; before God it will be thy gain, because thou fearest God, and doest according to the commandment But if there be brethren who have an unavoidable quarrel with one another, which God forbid! It is required of you that ye immediately make peace, that ye rulers may know that those who venture to act thus perform no act of brotherhood in the Lord. If then one of them be of the children of God, humble and much oppressed, that one is a son of light; but he who is hard and bold and injurious and a blasphemer, he is a hypocrite (and the Enemy is working through him). Reprove him therefore, and a reprimand him, disgrace him and put him out of the Church as a rebel, and afterwards receive him that he may not perish utterly. When ye punish and rebuke those that are such, ye will not have many lawsuits.
For if they do not know the word which was spoken by our Lord in the Gospel, about how many times, if my brother offend me, shall I forgive him? And they are angry with one another (and become enemies), teach them, and make peace between them, as it is said, “Blessed are the peacemakers.” Know that it is required of the Bishop with the Elders that he judge cautiously, as our Saviour said, when they asked Him about how often, if my brother offend me, shall I forgive him? Until seven times? But our Lord said, Not until seven times, but until seventy times seven. For thus the Lord desireth, that those who are His own in truth, should never have aught against any, and should not be angry with any one. But if there happen anything, by the operation of the Enemy, let them be judged before you; let it be on Monday, lest it happen that someone rise up against the word of your judgments; that there be opportunity for you until the Sabbath, that ye may arrange the matter, and make peace, and pacify them on the Sunday. Let the Bishops then be Constant in all judgments with the Elders and Deacons, and judge ye without respect of persons; the two individuals therefore coming and standing together in judgment, as the Scripture hath said, “Those who have any controversy or litigation with one another,” and when ye have heard them righteously, give an answer of judgment. Strive to keep them in love, before the judgment come out against them, (S. lest against one of them being a brother there come among you a condemnation of earthly judgment, but judge thus, even as ye shall certainly be judged), so that in the judgment ye may have the Christ as Associate, Counsellor, Assessor and Overseer of the Court.
If there are people against whom an accusation is brought that they do not walk well in the way of the Lord, having heard the two individuals, investigate carefully, like people who decree judgment concerning eternal life, or for a harsh and bitter death; and if someone be reproved and go out of the Church, he is cast out from life and from everlasting glory, he is rejected by men, and found guilty before God. Therefore judge according to the gravity of that conviction with much clemency), and incline a little, that ye may save, without respect of persons, (rather than cause to perish, when ye have condemned those who are judged). But if there be a man who is innocent, and is condemned by judges from respect of persons, it will not hurt him before God but will rather advantage him the more on account of the short time that he hath been unjustly judged by men. (Afterwards in the day of judgment, because he was unjustly condemned, he will be the judge of the unjust judges, for ye have been mediators of unjust judgments.) Therefore thus shall ye receive retribution from God, and ye shall be cast out of the Catholic Church of God, and that shall be accomplished against you that by the judgment that ye have judged ye shall be judged. Therefore when ye sit to judge, Iet the two individuals come and stand together; we do not call them brethren until there be peace betwixt them; and investigate carefully with diligence between them about those things concerning which they have a lawsuit and contention with one another. Learn first about him who accuses if there be any accusation against him, or if he have brought actions also against others, and again [if] the accusation proceed from some former enmity, or from contention or envy, and what his conduct is, and if he be humble and without anger; if he love Widows, and the poor, and strangers, and doth not love filthy lucre; if he be quiet and philanthropic, a lover of all men; if he be merciful, and stretch out his band to give; not a glutton and not greedy; not avaricious and not a drunkard; for a perverse heart that deviseth evil things disturbeth cities (at all times), even if he have not done the evil things that are in the world (adultery, and fornication, and other such things). If then he who accuses be free from all these things, (from of old it is known and manifest that he is a believer and his accusation truthful; but if it be known that he is perverse and quarrelsome, and that his deeds are unrighteous, it is evident that he hath brought false witness against your brother. When, therefore, it is found and known that he is unjust; reprove him and put him out for a time; until he repent and be converted and weep; test again he blaspheme against any other person among the brethren who conducts himself well; or lest another who is like him, sitting in your assembly and seeing that he is not reproved, venture also and do likewise to one of the brethren, and perish from before God; but if he who has sinned be reproved and punished, and go out for a time, he also who is ready to be like him and to act like him, when he sees him put out, may also fear, lest it happen to him in like manner; and he will submit, and live before God, and not be ashamed at all before man.
Also in regard to him who is accused, take counsel likewise, and consider amongst yourselves, and observe his habits and deeds in the world, whether ye have heard many accusations against him, or whether many wicked things are done by him; if it be found that many evil deeds are wrought by him, it appears as if also this accusation that they bring against him were true.
It may also happen, that some sin has formerly been committed by him, but that he is innocent from the present accusation. Therefore investigate carefully about these things; that with great caution and with truth you pronounce sentence of judgment Against him that is found guilty judge righteously, and pronounce judgment against him; but he amongst them who doth not stand by your judgment, let him be reproved, and let him go out of the assembly, until he repent, and implore the Bishop or the Church, and confess that he has sinned and that he repents; and thus there will be a help to many, lest even, when another person sees him sitting in the Church neither rebuked nor punished, he also venture to do like him, thinking that he will live before men, but before God he will perish. But if ye hear one person alone, the other not standing, nor defending himself on account of the action which they bring against him, but ye pronounce judgment hastily without consultation or investigation, and condemn according to false words which ye believe, he not having stood nor made any defence on his own behalf and ye have condemned him, ye have become partakers before God with him that hath brought the false witness, and ye shall be punished with him before God; for the Lord hath said in the Proverbs, that “He who stirs up strife that is not his is like him that taketh hold of the tail of a dog.” In another place He hath said, “Judge righteous judgment;” and again He hath said, “Judge the Orphans, and justify the Widows,” and again He saith, “Let the oppressed go free, and loose every unjust bond.” But if it be that ye resemble those Elders that were in Babylon, who brought false witness against Susan, and condemned her unjustly to death, ye also will be partakers in their judgment and condemnation. For the Lord saved Susan by means of Daniel from the band of the unjust; but these Elders who were guilty of her blood He condemned to the fire. Then let those who are of the Sanctuary be far removed from the things of the world. Nevertheless we say that ye [must] see, brethren, when murderers are brought before Authority, that the judges question carefully those that have brought them, and learn from them what they have done, and then again they say to that doer of evil things, if these things are so, and he confess and say yea, they send him not at once to die, but again they interrogate him for many days, and draw the curtains, and consider and consult much together, and then at last pass sentence of death upon him, and lift up their hands to Heaven, and call to witness that we are clear from men’s blood; for they do these things being yet heathen, and knowing not God nor that they shall receive retribution from God on account of those whom they judge and condemn unjustly. But ye, knowing who our God is, and what are His judgments, do ye dare to pronounce sentence on one who is not guilty?
We therefore counsel you to investigate carefully with much caution, because that the sentence of judgment which ye pronounce goeth up to God at once; and if ye have judged justly, ye will receive the reward of justice from God, both now and in that [world] which is to come; and if ye have judged unjustly, thus also shall ye receive retribution from God. Strive therefore, brethren, that ye be found worthy to receive praise from God, and not blame, because praise from God is everlasting life to men, but blame from God is everlasting death to men.)
Be careful therefore, O Bishops, that ye be not hasty in sitting down in judgment hurriedly, lest ye oppress and condemn any one; but before they come and stand in judgment, bring them together, and make peace between them; and admonish them that have the lawsuit and strife with one another; and teach them first that no one ought to be angry; for the Lord hath said, that “Every one who is angry with his brother, without cause, is condemned in the judgment;” and again, that if it happen that there is anger by the work of the Enemy, it is required of you immediately in that day that ye be reconciled and pacified, and that ye be at peace with one another; for it is written, “Let not the sun go down upon wrath against thy brother.” David also said, “Be ye angry, and sin not” This is, that ye be quickly reconciled, lest anger remaining, there be a grudge with it, and it should bear sin, for it is said in the Proverbs, “The soul that keepeth a grudge shall die.” Again, also our Saviour said, “If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother keepeth anger against thee; leave thy gift before the altar, and go, first be m reconciled to thy brother, and then come, offer thy gift.” But the gift of God is our prayer and our Eucharist. If it be then that thou hast some grudge against thy brother, or he against thee, thy prayer is not heard, nor thy Eucharist accepted, but thou art found void of prayer and of the Eucharist, because of the anger that thou keepest. Prayer ought to be made diligently at every season. But those who are in anger and malice with their brethren, God heareth them not. If then thou prayest three times an hour, thou hast no advantage, for thou art not heard because of the enmity towards thy brother. Therefore, if thou carest, and strivest to be a Christian, acquiesce in the word of the Lord which He spake: “Loose all the bonds of wickedness, cut the bonds of the yoke of avarice; for our Saviour hath given thee this authority, to forgive thy brother who hath wronged thee, until seventy times over seven, seven, that is 49 times. How many times therefore hast thou forgiven thy brother, that thou dost not wish again to forgive him, but keepest a grudge and cherishest enmity, and desirest to go to law; thy prayer therefore is hindered, even if thou fulfil the 490 times which thou hast forgiven him, increase also for thine own sake, and in thy goodness without anger forgive thy brother. If thou doest it not for thy brother’s sake, consider, and do it for thine own sake: forgive thy neighbour, that thou mayest be heard when thou prayest, and mayest bring an acceptable offering to the Lord. Because of this therefore, O ye Bishops, that your gifts and prayers may be received, when ye stand in the Church to pray, let the Deacon say with a loud voice,
Is there anyone who is keeping any grudge against his fellow?
If there be found any people who have a lawsuit and strife with one another, persuade and make peace betwixt them; in the house as they go in and say, Peace be to this house; they are also evangelists of peace who bring peace. If therefore thou preachest peace to others, it is required yet more of thee, that thou be at peace with thy brethren, as a son of light and of peace. Be to everyone light and peace; and do not contend with any one, but be at rest and at peace with everyone, and be a helper with God (so that the number of the saved may be increased), for this is the will of the Lord God. They who love to be in enmity and quarrels, those are the enemies of God, because that the Lord from the beginning from generation to generation, by means of prophets and righteous men, calleth to repentance and to life. And we too, the Apostles, who have been found worthy to be witnesses of His revelation in (and preachers of) the knowledge of the Divine Word, we have heard from the mouth of the Lord Jesus the Christ, we know truly and say, what is His will and the will of His Father, that should perish, but that all men should believe and live; for this is what He taught us, that we should say when we pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven,” that as the Angels of Heaven and all the Powers praise God, thus also upon the earth should men praise God. It is His will therefore to save all men, and this is His delight, that there should be many who are saved. But he who is contentious, and is an enemy to his neighbour, diminishes the people of God (for he sends out him whom he accuses from the Church and diminishes it) and deprives God of the soul of a man which would have been saved, or by means of his contentiousness expels and casts himself out from the Church, and thus again he sins against God, for God our Saviour hath said thus, “Everyone that is not with Me is against Me, and everyone that gathereth not with Me scattereth abroad.”
Thou art not therefore a helper with God, to gather the people, because thou art a disturber, and a scatterer of the flock, and an adversary of God. Be not therefore constantly prone to quarrel, either by fights or by calumnies, or by enmity or by lawsuits, that thou scatter not people from the Church, because that we, by the power of the Lord God, have collected from all peoples, and from all tongues, and have brought [them] to the Church by much labour and toil, and by daily danger, that we may do the will of God, and fill the chamber with guests, that is to say, the Catholic Church, that they should be glad and rejoice and confess and praise God, Him who has called them to salvation, and ye therefore, O ye laity! be at peace with one another, and likewise doves, strive to fill the Church, and those who are without convert and reconcile and cause to enter her (the Church). This is a great reward which is promised by God, if ye save them from the fire and bring them into the Church, confirmed and believing.
Chapter XII
Commands Bishops to be quiet and humble, far removed from all harshness and anger, and teaches them about the Order of the House of God, and how the places in it should be distributed for standing and or sitting, to every rank as befits it. And if there come a man from another Church, let him have honour as befits him; let him be honoured with the place that suits him, and let not the Christ, who loveth strangers, be despised in him.
Ye then, O Bishops, be not harsh nor tyrannical nor irascible; and be not wroth with the people of God whom He has given into your hands; do not destroy the House of God nor scatter His people; but convert all men, that ye may be helpers with God. Assemble the believers with much humility and long suffering, and with patience without anger; by doctrine and entreaty, as servants of the everlasting Kingdom; in your assemblies, in the holy Churches, after all good patterns form your gatherings, and arrange the places for the brethren carefully with all sobriety. Let a place be reserved for the Elders in the midst of the eastern part of the House, and let the throne of the Bishop be placed amongst them; let the Elders sit with him; but also at the other eastern side of the house let the laymen sit; for thus it is required that the Elders should sit at the eastern side of the house with the Bishops, and afterwards the laymen, and next the women: that when ye stand to pray the rulers may stand first, afterwards the laymen, and then the women also, for towards the East it is required that ye should pray, as ye know that it is written, “Give praise to God, who rideth on the heavens of heavens towards the East.” As for the Deacons, let one of them stand constantly over the gifts of thankfulness (the Eucharist), and let another stand outside the door and look at those who come in; and afterwards when ye make offerings, let them serve together in the Church. And if a man be found sitting out of his place, let the Deacon who is within reprove him, and make him get up and sit in the place that befits him, for our Lord compared the Church to a fold. For as we see the irrational beasts, we mean oxen, sheep, and goats, lying down in herds, rising and feeding and mating, and none of them is separate from its race; and also the beasts of the deserts go in the mountains along with those who are like them. Thus therefore it ought to be also in the Church, that those who are children should sit by themselves, if there be room; if not, let them stand upon their feet. And let those who are advanced in years sit by themselves. But let the children stay at one side, or let their fathers and mothers keep them beside them and let them stand on their feet.
Again, also let those who are girls sit apart, or if there be not room let them stand on their feet behind the women. Let those who are married and young and have children stay by themselves, but the old women and Widows sit by themselves, the Deacon seeing as everyone enters that he goes to his place, lest anyone sit in a place that is not his. Let the Deacon also notice lest anyone whisper, or sleep or laugh or make signs; for thus it is required that [people] be attentive in the Church, with watchfulness and good manners, and with their ears open to the word of the Lord. If there comes a person from another assembly, a brother or a sister, let the Deacon ask and learn if she be the wife of a man, or again if she be a believing Widow, if she be a daughter of the Church, or if it be one of the heresies, and then let him lead her and put her in the place that befits her. If an Elder come from another assembly, ye Elders receive him to a share in your place, and if he be a Bishop let him sit with the Bishop, and let him give him the honour of his place like himself; and let the Bishop say to him that he preach to his people; for entreaty and admonition of strangers is of great help, especially because it is written, that “No prophet is acceptable in his country.”
When ye are offering the Eucharist, let him speak. If he be wise, and give thee honour and do not wish to officiate, yet over the cup let him speak. If while ye are sitting, there come another person, either man or woman who has honour in the world, either from the place or from another assembly, thou then, O Bishop, who speakest the word of the Lord, or hearest, or readest, do not shew respect to persons and leave off the service of thy word to appoint them a place, but remain thou quietly as thou art; do not interrupt thy word, but let the brethren receive them. If there be no room, let that one of the brethren who is full of love, and loves his brethren and would do honour, rise and give them place. Let him stand on his feet. If while the boys or the girls are sitting, he or she that is eldest rise and give up his [or her] place, look thou, O Deacon, at those who are sitting, for him who is younger than his comrades or her who is younger; make them rise, and seat the one who rose and gave up his place. Lead the one whom thou hast made to rise and put him behind his comrades, that others also may be educated and learn to give place to those who are more honourable than they. If a poor man or a poor woman come, either belonging to thine own assembly, or from another assembly, and especially if they are advanced in years, and there be no room for such, appoint a place for them with all thy heart, O Bishop, even if thou hast to sit on the floor, and be not thou like a respecter of persons, but let thy service be acceptable to God.
Chapter XIII
That no Christian should neglect the assembly of the Church at the time of prayer, or of the Eucharist; not for the sake of the work of the hands, or any other work of the world; he should not go to a theatrical spectacle to hear heathen words, dissuading his sons away from the learning of the words of the Scriptures of life; nor to the foreign assemblies of heretics. Let those who are children in the Church fear and serve in it without laziness. Let no Christian love idleness from the work of luimiicraft, which is alien to the Church.
When thou teachest, command and remind the people, that they be Constant in the assembly of the Church; so that ye be not hindered, but that they be constantly assembled, that no one diminish the Church by not assembling, and make smaller by a member the body of Christ For it is not about others alone that a man should think, but also about himself, hearing what our Lord hath said, that “He who gathereth not with Me scattereth abroad.” As, therefore, ye are members of the Christ, scatter not yourselves from the Church by not assembling yourselves, for ye have a head, that is the Christ, as He counsels and promises, that ye are partakers with us.
Therefore do not despise yourselves, and do not deprive our Saviour of His members; do not mangle and scatter His body, do not have more respect to the affairs of the world than to the word of God, but leave everything on the Lord’s day and run eagerly towards your Church, for this is your glory.
If not, what excuse will ye have before God, for those who have not assembled on the Lord’s day, to hear the Word of Life, and to be nourished with the divine food which endureth forever? For ye strive to get the things that are for a time, for a day or an hour, but ye neglect those that are eternal; ye go on providing for bathing, for eating, for drinking, for the belly, and for other things to be nourished; but for eternal things ye do not care; ye despise your souls and do not hasten to the Church, that ye may hear and receive the Word of God. In comparison with those who err, what apology have ye? For, because the heathen, when they rise from their sleep every day, go in the morning to worship and serve their idols, before all their works and labours they go first and worship their idols, and also they do not neglect their feasts and pilgrimages, but assemble constantly, not only the natives, but also those who come from afar. They also assemble for the spectacle of their own theatre, and all of them come. Thus also those who vainly are called Jews, are idle one day for six, and assemble in their synagogue. They do not neglect their holidays, they who have deprived themselves of the strength of the Word, because they believe not, nor even of the name by which they have called themselves, Jews. Jew is interpreted as confession, but they are not confessors, for they do not confess to the murder of the Christ, which they have committed in transgressing the Law, that they may repent and live. If, therefore, those who are not saved strive always for the things in which there is no profit nor help to them, what excuse has he before the Lord God? He who restrains himself from the assembly of the Church, and does not even imitate the Gentiles; and because he does not assemble, neglects himself and goes afar, and does iniquities; those to whom the Lord spake by means of Jeremiah, “My laws ye have not kept; but ye have not even walked according to the laws of the Gentiles, and ye have almost excelled them in wickedness. Have the nations changed their gods, which yet are no gods? But My people hath changed its glory for that which doth not profit.” How then can he who is neglectful make excuse, he who is not zealous in the assembling of the Church of God? If a man gets an excuse on account of secular work and is prevented, let him know that the handicrafts of believers are called works of superfluity; for the sure work is the fear of God.
Do your handicrafts, therefore, as a work of superfluity for your nourishment, but let your real work be the worship of God. Strive, therefore, never to be hindered from the assembling of the Church. But if a man forsake the assembling of the Church of God, and go to the assembly of the Gentiles, what shall he say, and what excuse will he make to God in the day of judgment? who has left the Holy Church, and the words of the living God which live and give life, and can redeem and save from the fire and give life? And hath gone to the assembly of the heathen, because he desired the spectacle of the theatre? Therefore he will be considered as one of those who enter there because he desired to hear and receive the fables of their words, which are those of dead men, and of the spirit of Satan; for they are dead and cause death, they cause people to tum from the faith, and bring near to everlasting fire. Yet ye care for the world, and occupy yourselves with domestic concerns, and ye disdain to hasten to the Catholic Church, the beloved daughter of the Lord God Most High, that ye may receive the doctrine of God which remaineth forever and is able to give life to those who receive the Word of Life. Be, therefore, Constant in assembling with the believers who are saved in your mother the Church, her who liveth and giveth life to her children. Be watchful not to assemble yourselves as those who perish in the theatre, which is an assembly of the heathen of error and of perdition; for he who enters into the assembly of the Gentiles shall be counted as one of them, and shall receive woe; for the Lord saith by means of Isaiah the Prophet to those who are such, “Woe, woe, to [those who] come from the spectacle,” and again He saith, “Women who come from the spectacle, because this is a people who have no understanding.” Therefore He calls the Church women, those whom He has called, and brought out, and drawn from the spectacle of the theatre, and He holds and receives them, and He has taught us not to go there anymore; for He saith in Jeremiah, “Lean not the way of the nations,” and again in the Gospel He hath said, “Go not in the way of the Gentiles.” Here, therefore. He teaches and warns, that we remove completely from all heresies, which are the cities of the Samaritans, and that we should not enter into strange synagogues, and, from their pilgrimages which are on behalf of idols. Let a believer not approach their pilgrimage, excepting to buy provision for his body and his life. Remove yourselves far from all vain spectacles of idols, and from their feasts and pilgrimages. Let then those who are children in the Church serve diligently without laziness, in all things that are required, with much modesty and chastity. AH ye believers, therefore, at all times always when ye are not in the Church be Constant at your labours; and in all the course of your life either be Constant in exhortation, or labour at your work and never be idle, because the Lord hath said, “Be like the ant, O sluggard; emulate its ways, and learn from it; for it has no office, and no one to impel it, nor is it under authority. It gathers its food in the summer, and collects much food in the harvest” And again He saith, “Go to the bee, and learn how she works, that she doeth her work with wisdom, and from her work she offereth food to the rich and to the poor. She is beloved and honoured, and yet she hath little strength. She honoureth wisdom and she is illustrious. Until when wilt thou sleep, O sluggard, and when wilt thou arise from thy slumber? Thou wilt sleep a little and slumber a little, and sit a little, and put thy hands upon thy breast. Poverty shall come upon thee as one who runs, and want as a skilful man. If then (S. thou art) without laziness, thy revenues shall increase and overflow like a fountain, and poverty be removed from thee.” Work, therefore, at all times, for idleness is a blot for which there is no cure. “If any man among you .work not, neither let him eat,” for the Lord even hateth sluggards, for a sluggard cannot be a believer.

Chapter XIV
About Widows, and about the time of their ardor in the Church, Eiicomiuni on her who keeps the statute of her Widowhood before God, and condemnation of her who tramples on her statute, Exhortation to the Bishop about the Widows and the Poor and the Needy
Let Widows then be appointed; she who is not less than fifty years of age and over, in order that by reason of her years she may be removed from the thought of having another husband. If you appoint one who is a girl to the place of a Widow, and she doth not support her Widowhood because of her youth, she will take a husband, and bring disgrace upon the glory of Widowhood. She will give account to God, first for having had two husbands, and next for having promised to God to be a Widow; she has received as a Widow and did not remain in Widowhood. If there be the Widow of a young man who was for a short time with her husband, and he died, or for any other reason which she receives and there be no separation, and she remain alone by herself, being in the honour of Widowhood, she will be blessed by God, because she has resembled that Widow who was in Zareptah of Sidon, with whom the holy messenger, the Prophet of God, found rest, or she will be as Anna, who celebrated the coming of the Christ, and there was a testimony to her, and for her goodness she receives honour from man on the earth, and inherits glory Heaven. Let not then young Widows be to the office of Widows, but let them be taken care of and trained, lest by reason of their indigence they seek to take a husband a second time, and this act be an undisciplined one; for ye know that she who has had one husband has had him lawfully, and beyond this it is fornication. Therefore take by the hand those who are young, that they may remain in chastity to God. Take care of them, therefore, O Bishop, and remember also the poor; hold them by the hand, and provide for them, even if none of them be Widowers or Widows, and they need help on account of poverty, or of sickness, or are straitened on account of the education of their children. It is required of thee that thou care for all men, and pay attention to all men. Therefore those who bring gifts are not to give to the Widows with their own hands, but are to offer to thee on their behalf, as thou art well acquainted with those who are straitened, that thou mayest distribute to them like a good steward (S. from what is given to thee); for God knoweth him that giveth, even when he is not present;
and when thou distributest to them the name of the giver, that they may pray for him by his name. For in all the Scriptures the Lord commandeth about the poor, even that they be partakers; and He even adds in Isaiah, and saith thus, “Break thy bread to the hungry, and bring the poor man that hath no shelter into thy house; when thou seest the naked clothe him, and tum not away from thine own flesh.” Therefore by every means care for the poor.
Chapter XV
How it befits Widows to conduct themselves in tranquillity and chastity, and it is not fitting that women should teach, not even those who are the Widows of the Church, nor the laity, About the dissimulation of false Widows, On the manners of chaste Widows. That it is necessary for Widows to be obedient to the Bishop and Deacons, and not to do anything without permission, and that those are guilty who act thus, or pray with those who are separated, That it is not permitted to a woman to baptize, Again, of the jealonsies of false Widows amongst themselves. Reproof of those who curse by their jealonsies.
It is required, therefore, of everyone who is a Widow that she be humble, peaceful and quiet; and also that she be not wicked nor angry, nor a great talker, nor lift up her voice when she speaks, and that she have not a long tongue, nor love quarrels; and that when she sees or hears anything that is hateful, she be as though she saw and heard it not. Let the Widow care for nothing else, but to pray for those who give, and for the whole Church. When she is asked for an explanation by any one, let her not give an answer in haste, unless it be about righteousness alone, and about the faith of God, and let her send those who wish to be instructed to the authorities. To those who ask them, let them return an answer only.
[S. It is not fitting for a Widow to teach, nor for a layman either.]
But about the destruction of idols, and about there being only one God, about punishment and about rest, and about the Kingdom of the name of the Christ, and about His providence, it is not incumbent on the Widow nor on the layman to talk; for if they talk without the knowledge of doctrine, they bring blasphemy against the Word; for our Lord compared the word of His Gospel to a grain of mustard; for mustard, if it be not prepared with art, is bitter and sharp to those who use it. Therefore the Lord said in the Gospel to Widows and to all the laity, “Do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them with their feet, and turn again and rend you;” for when the heathen who are instructed, hear the Word of God that it is not spoken in an orderly manner as it ought to be, for edification to eternal life, especially because it is declared to them by a woman, about how our Lord became incarnate, and about the Passion of the Christ, they mock and joke, instead of praising as is right the word of the doctrine, and she will incur a great condemnation for the sin. Therefore it is not required nor necessary that women should be teachers, especially about the name of the Christ, and about salvation by His Passion, for women were not appointed to teach, especially not a Widow, but that they should make prayer. and supplication to the Lord God. For even Jesus the Christ, our Teacher, sent us the Twelve to make disciples of the people and the nations. There were with us female disciples, Mary Magdalene, and another Mary (S. and Mary the daughter of James), and He did not send [them] to make disciples with us of the people. For if it were required that women should teach, our Teacher would have commanded them to make disciples with us. But let the Widow know that she is the Altar of God, and let her constantly sit in her house; let her not wander and gad about among the houses of believers in order to receive; for the Altar of God doth not wander and gad about anywhere, but remaineth in one place. It is, therefore, not fitting that a Widow should wander and gad about amongst houses; for those who are wanderers are without modesty, and do not even frequent their own houses and sit in them, because they are not Widows, but blind persons, and they care for nothing else, but to be ready to receive, because they are talkative, and murmurers, insolent and inciters of quarrels, and they have no shame, for those that are such are unworthy of Him who has called them, for not even in the communion of the assembly of rest on Sunday, when they come, are they attentive who are such, the woman or the man, they either sleep soundly, or talk about something else; so that by their means others also are taken captive by Satan the enemy, and he does not allow them to be attentive to the Lord. Therefore those that are such, when they enter the Church empty, go out of the Church yet more empty, because they hear nothing that is spoken or read that they should receive it with the ears of their hearts. Those that are such are like those about whom Isaiah spoke, “Hear ye indeed, but understand not, and see ye is indeed, but perceive not; for the heart of this people is made fat, and with their ears they hear heavily; their eyes have they closed that they may ncver see with their eyes, nor hear with their ears.” In this same manner are closed the ears of the hearts of such Widows, so that they sit not beneath the shelter of their houses in order to pray and entreat the Lord, but they hasten to run so as [to gain] some advantage, and by their talking they accomplish the lusts of the Enemy. Such a Widow then is not fitted for the Altar of the Christ; for it is written in the Gospel, “That if two agree and ask about all that they wish to be, it shall be given to you; and if they say to a mountain, that it be removed and fall into the sea, yes, it shall be thus.” We see, therefore, that there are Widows, by whom this thing is considered a merchandise, and they receive with avidity, and instead of doing good works and giving to the Bishop as for the reception of strangers, and for the relief of the oppressed, they lend for bitter usury, they care for nothing but Mammon, those whose gods are their purses, and their glory is their bellies; for where their treasure is, there is also their heart. For she who is assiduous to gad about in order to receive does not devise good things, but only worships Mammon, and serves filthy lucre; and she cannot please God, nor attend to His service, by being Constant in prayer and supplication, for her soul is much held captive by diligence in avarice. When she stands up to pray, she recollects where she should go to receive something, or that she has forgotten again to say some word to her friends. While she is standing in prayer her mind is not upon the prayer, but upon the idea that has come up in her soul. The prayer of such an one will not be heard, but is quickly cut short because of the agitation of her mind, because she has not offered prayer to God with her whole heart, but she goes into the thought wrought by Satan, and she speaks with her friends about something in which there is no advantage, because she does not know how she has believed, or of what place she is deemed worthy. But the Widow who wishes to please God sits within her house, and meditates in the Lord by day and by night, without ceasing, at all times offering prayer and supplication, praying purely before the Lord, and receiving whatsoever she asketh, because all her mind is set upon this, for her soul is not greedy to receive, nor is her desire great to make great expenses, nor doth her eye wander about to see and desire anything and impede her mind. She doth not listen to wicked words to consent to them, for she goeth not out and gaddeth not without. Because
of this her prayer is not impeded by anything, and her peacefulness, her quietness, with her purity, are accepted before God. Whatever she asketh of God she quickly receiveth her desire, for such a Widow as she loveth not Silver, nor fìlthy lucre, and is not greedy nor covetous, but is constant in prayer, humble, not excitable, pure and modest; who sitteth in her house and worketh with wool and flax, that she may provide something for those who are straitened, or make return to others and not receive anything from them, because she remembereth that Widow to whom our Lord bare witness in the Gospel, her who came and threw into the treasury two mites, which make one dinar, her whom when our Lord and Teacher, the searcher of hearts, saw. He said unto us, O my disciples! this poor Widow hath cast in more alms than all men, because they all from their abundance have cast in, but she hath cast in all the treasure that she had. (S. That it is not fitting for Widows to do anything without the commandment of the Bishop,) It is therefore required of Widows to be obedient to the Bishop, to be shamefaced and modest, to reverence the Bishop as [they reverence] God; not to act according to their own will, nor to do anything except what is commanded them by the Bishop, nor talk with any one without counsel as if for conversion, nor go with any one to cat or to drink, nor should they fast with any one, nor receive aught from any one, nor put their hands upon nor pray for any one, except by the command of the
Bishop; but if some one do any thing that has not been commanded let her be prevented (S. reproved) because she has conducted herself without discipline. For whence dost thou know, O woman, from whom thou hast received, or from what service thou hast been nourished, or on account of whom thou hast fasted, or on whom thou hast put thy hand? Dost thou not know that about each of these things thou shalt give account to the Lord in the day of judgment, because thou hast been partaker of their Works?
Reproof of rebellious Widows.
But thou, O Widow who art without discipline, thou seest the Widows thy companions, or thy brethren, in sicknesses, and thou carest not to fast and pray for thy members, to put thy hand and to visit them; but thou makest thyself as if thou wert not in health, or as if thou wert not sufficient, and with others who are in sins or who have gone out from the Church,
because they give much, thou art ready to go joyfully and to visit them.
Therefore ye ought to be ashamed, ye who are such, ye who wish to be wiser and more intelligent not only than men, but also more so than the Elders and the Bishops. Know then, O sisters! that in obeying all that the Pastors command you, with the Deacons, ye are obeying God, and in all that ye take part by the order of the Bishop ye are blameless before
God, as also every brother of the laity, when he obeyeth the Bishop and submitteth unto him, because they will give account on behalf of all men, but if ye obey not the mind of the Bishops and the Deacons, they will be clear from your faults, and you will give account of all that you have done of your own will, or of yours, O ye Widows!
It is not proper to pray with one who is censured (S. separated), Foreveryone who prays or takes part with anyone who has gone out of the Church, is justly reckoned with him, for these things lead to the dissolution and the destruction of souls. For if any one take part and pray with him who is censured and is put out of the Church, and doth not obey the Bishop, he obeyeth not God, and is polluted along with him. Also he alloweth him not to repent. For if a man doth not take part with him he repenteth, and weepeth, and prayeth, and imploreth to be received, and turneth from what he hath done and is saved.
It is not permitted to a woman to baptize
We do not advise a woman to baptize or to be baptized by a woman, for that is a transgression of the commandments, and there is great danger to her who baptizeth and also to him who is baptized; for if it were lawful to be baptized by a woman, our Lord and Teacher would have been baptized by Mary His mother; but He was baptized by John, as also others of the people. Therefore do not bring danger on yourselves, brothers and sisters, acting beyond the law of the Gospel.
About the jealousy of false Widows towards one another
About jealousy, or envy, or about calumny and murmurings, and about strife and vain talking, or about contention, we have spoken to you before; it is not suitable that these things should be in a Christian; nor is it fitting that one of them should even be named among the Widows. But because the Author of Evil has many devices he enters into those who are not Widows, and is glorified in them. For there are some who say of themselves that they are Widows, and do no works worthy of their name. For it is not for the name of Widowhood that they are found worthy to enter the Kingdom; but on account of faith and works. For if she cultivate good things, she will be honoured and praised; but if she cultivate evil things, and do the works of the Wicked One, she shall be reproved, and cast out from the everlasting Kingdom, because she hath forsaken eternal things, and (S. desired and) loved the things of time. For we see and hear that there are some who are called Widows and there is among them jealousy of one another. For when some old woman, thy companion, has received a garment or a gift from someone, thou, O Widow, when thou seest thy sister comforted, thou who art a Widow of God oughtest to say, Blessed be God, who comforteth the old woman my comrade; thou wilt glorify God, and afterwards him that gave, and thou wilt say, Let his deed be received in truth. Remember him. Lord, for good in the day of Thy retribution; and also my Bishop; his conduct is good before Thee, and he dispenses alms as it is necessary. For this old woman, my comrade, was naked, and was provided for. Increase praise to him, and give him a crown of glory in the day of Revelation, the [day] of Thy coming.
Again, also that Widow who has received alms from the Lord shall pray for him who served (S. did this service), hiding his name, like a wise woman, that his righteousness may be with God, and not with men. This service is as it was said in the Gospel, “When thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth,” lest when thou dost disclose and reveal his name in praying for him who gave, his name be exposed and come to the ears of the heathen, and the heathen, that is the men of the left hand, should know; for it might happen also that one of the believers, on hearing thee, should go out and talk. It is not suitable that such things should go forth and be revealed, or be spoken of in the Church, for he who goeth out and talketh about them obeyeth not God. But do thou pray for him, concealing his name, and thus thou shalt fulfill that which is written, thou and the Widows that are such, who are the holy Altar of the God, Jesus the Christ. We have now heard that there are Widows who do not conduct themselves according to the commandment, but only care for this, that they may beg and wander and gad about. She again who has received alms from the Lord, if she be without sense, revealing what has happened (S. what is evident to her that interrogates her), reveals and makes known the name of the giver. And she, whenever she has heard it, grumbles and blames the Bishop who made the provision, or the Elder (S. Deacon) or him that gave the gift, and says, Dost thou not know that I am nearer to thee, and I am much more destitute than she? She knoweth not that this hath not happened by the will of man, but by the commandment of God. For if thou testifiest, and sayest, I am nearer to thee, and thou knowest that I am more destitute than she, thou oughtest to know him who has commanded, and be silent, and not blame him who has served; but go into thy house, and fall on thy face, and thank God on behalf of the Widow thy companion, and pray also for the giver, and for the server, and seek from the Lord that the door of compassion may be opened also to thee, and the Lord will hear thy prayer quickly which is without grudge, and will send to thee more compassion than to that Widow thy comrade, from whence thou hast never hoped to be served, and the proof of thy patience shall be found (S. praised). Or do ye not know that it is written in the Gospel, “When thou doest alms, do not blow a trumpet before thee (S. before men), that thou mayest be seen of them, as the hypocrites do. Verily I say unto thee that they have received their reward?”
About the audacity (S. reproof) of cursed Widows
If therefore God command that a service be performed in secret, and he who serves has performed it thus; thou therefore who hast received in secret, why dost thou proclaim openly? or thou again, why dost thou inquire? for not only dost thou roundly blame, and grumble like a fool (S. not a Widow), and thou also givest forth curses like the heathen. Or hast thou not heard what the Scripture saith, “Everyone who blesseth shall be blessed, and everyone who curseth shall be cursed?” Again in the Gospel He said, “Bless them that curse you,” and again He said, “When ye go into an house, say, Peace be to this house. And if the house be worthy of your peace, it shall come upon it, but if it be not worthy, it shall return to you.”
If therefore peace return to those that have sent it, more therefore shall the curse be upon him who hath launched it. For if we (S. they) who have sent it out in vain, because he against whom it was sent was not worthy to receive a curse, everyone who curseth anyone in vain curseth himself; for it is written in the Proverbs, “As the swallows and the birds fly, thus vain curses return.” And again he said, that “Those who send forth curses are void of understanding;” for we are compared to the likeness of the bee, as the Lord said, Go to the bee, and learn from her how she worketh, that she doeth her work with wisdom, and from her work food is offered to the rich and the poor, for she is graceful and glorious, though she hath little strength. Therefore as the bee with little strength, when she stingeth anyone leaveth her dart, is sterile and soon dieth, thus also we Believers, in this likeness, every evil thing that we do to another person we are hurting ourselves. For everything that thou wouldst hate to happen to another. Therefore everyone who blesseth is blessed, and he who curseth is cursed. Admonish and reprove those who are without discipline. Admonish therefore, strengthen and increase those who act honestly. Let the Widows therefore be removed from curses, for they are appointed to bless. Therefore neither let Bishop, nor Elder, nor Deacon, nor Widow send out a curse from their mouth, that they inherit not a curse, but a blessing. Let this be a care to thee, O Bishop, that not even one of the laity should send out a curse from his mouth; for thou hast the care of every man.
Chapter XVI
Of the appointment of Deacons and Deaconesses, and of how it is fitting for them to conduct themselves in their service, without indolence of the mind nor license.
Therefore, O Bishop, appoint for thyself workers of righteousness and helpers, to help with thee to life, electing those who please thee from all the people (S. and appoint Deacons). The man who is elected is for many oversights that are required, but a woman for the service of the women; for there are houses where thou canst not send a Deacon to the women on account of the heathen. Send a Deaconess for many things. The office of a woman Deaconess is required, first, when women go down to the water, it is necessary that they be anointed by a Deaconess, and it is not fitting that the anointing oil should be given to a woman to touch; but rather the Deaconess. For it is necessary for the Priest who baptizeth, to anoint her who is baptized; but when there is a woman, and especially a Deaconess, it is not fitting for the women that they be seen by the men, but that by the laying on of the hand the head alone be anointed, as of old time the Priests and Kings of Israel were anointed.
Thou also, in like manner, by laying on [thy] hand, anoint the head of those who receive baptism, whether of men or of women, and afterwards, whether thou thyself baptize, or command the Deacon or the Elder to baptize, let it be a Deaconess, as we said before, who anoints the women.
Let a man repeat over them the names of the invocation of the Godhead in the water. And when she that is baptized arises from the water let the Deaconess receive her, and teach her and educate her, in order that the unbreakable seal of baptism he with purity and holiness. Therefore we affirm that the service of a woman, a Deaconess, is necessary and obligatory, even our Lord and Saviour was served by the band of women Deaconesses, who were Mary the Magdalene, and Mary (Cod. S. daughter) of James, the mother of Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s children, with other women. This service of Deaconesses is necessary also to thee for many things, for in the houses of the heathen, where there are believing women, a Deaconess is required, that she may go in and visit those who are sick, and serve them with whatever they need, and anoint (S. wash) those who are healed from sicknesses.
Deacons, Let the Deacons in their conduct resemble the Bishop; let them however work very much more than he. Let them not love filthy lucre, but let them be diligent in service. According to the number of the congregation of the Church let there be Deacons, that they may be able to distinguish and to comfort everyone, so that to the aged women who have no strength, and to the brothers and sisters who are in sicknesses, they may prepare for everyone of them the service that is fitting for him. But let a woman preferably be diligent in the service of the women, and a man, a Deacon, in the service of the men. Let him be ready to hear and to obey the command of the Bishop. In every place to which he is sent to serve or to say something to any one, let him work and labour; for it is necessary that everyone should know his office, and be diligent in fulfilling it; and be of one counsel, and of one mind, and of one soul dwelling in two bodies. Know what that service is, as our Iord and Saviour said in the Gospel, “Whosoever among you wishes to be chief let him be your servant; even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His soul a ransom for many.” Thus ye ought to work also, ye Deacons, even if ye have to givo your lives for your brethren, in the service that is required of you. For even our Lord and Master did not despise when He served us, as it is written in Isaiah, “To justify the righteous who doeth a good service to many.” If therefore the Lord of Heaven and of earth did service to us, bore and endured everything on our account, how much more is it required of us, that we should do thus to the brethren, that we, who are His imitators, and take the place of the Christ, should be like Him? You will find also that it is written in the Gospel, how our Lord girt a towel about His loins, and poured water into the wash-bason, while we were reclining, and drew near and washed the feet of us all, and dried [them] with the towel; but He did this, that He might show US the love and affection of brethren, that we also should do likewise to one another. If therefore our Lord did thus, ye Deacons, do ye hesitate to do thus to those who are sick and have no strength, ye who are doers of the Truth, and preserve the likeness of the Christ? Therefore serve in love, and do not grumble nor hesitate; but if not, if ye have done this service for the sake of men, and not for God, ye shall receive your reward according to your service in the Day of Judgment. It is therefore required of you Deacons, that ye visit all those who are in want, and make known to the Bishop those who are afflicted, that ye be his soul and his mind, and that ye labour and obey him in everything.
Chapter XVII
It is right that the Bishop should take care of Orphans, those who are Ufi yotifig, and give them to be reared; and there is a contemplation on you, on those who have aught, and are not in want, who are greedy, and take of the gifts that are given to the Church for the Orphans and the poor.
If one of the children of Christians be an Orphan, either a boy or a girl, good that if there be one of the brethren who hath no children, he take the boy in place of children, and let him take a girl, everyone who has a son; when her time comes let him give her to him in marriage, and fulfill his work in the service of God. If there be people who do not wish, because of their riches, to do thus to Orphan members, such people will meet also with the same, and they shall spend (S. their) parsimony in these things, and what the saints have not eaten, the Assyrians shall eat; and strangers shall devour your land before your eyes. Ye therefore, O Bishops, take up the burden of them, that they be brought up so that nothing be wanting to them, and when it is the time for the maiden, give her in marriage to one of the brethren. And let the boy when he is grown up learn a handicraft, and when he is a man let him take the wage that is meet for his craft, (S. and acquire the necessary tools,) that he may no longer be a burden on the charity of the brethren, which they had without deceit and without hypocrisy. And truly blessed is he who is able to help himself, and does not straiten the place of the Orphans and the Widows and the poor.
Those are guilty who take alms when they are not in want. Woe unto them who possess, and who receive falsely. For everyone of those who receives will give account to the Lord God in the day of judgment, of how he received, whether it was on account of childish Orphanhood, or on account of the feebleness of old age, or on account of the weakness of sickness, or for the education of children that he received. Verily this man is also to be praised, he is considered as the Altar of God, therefore he shall be honoured by God; for it was not in vain that he received, for he prayed diligently at all times without idleness for those who gave.
He offered his prayer, which is his strength, in return for his receiving, for such people shall receive from God a blessing in everlasting life. But those who possess, and receive by improbity, or again, who are idle, and instead of working and giving to others, themselves receive a gift, what therefore they have received shall be required of them, because they have straitened the place of the believing poor. Everyone who has property and does not give to others, nor make use of it himself, lays up for himself a treasure which perishes on the earth; and inherits the place of the serpent who sits upon the treasure, and incurs the danger of being reckoned with it. For he who possesses, and receives by falsehood, does not believe in God, but in the mammon of iniquity, and because of the gains of avarice holds the Word in hypocrisy, and is filled with infidelity. He that is such, incurs the danger of being reckoned with the Infidels. But he who simply gives to everyone, does well to give, and he is also pure who has received through necessity, and uses with sense what he has received; he has well received, and will be glorified by God in everlasting life and rest.
Chapter XVIII
Exhortation to Bishops, that they watchfully take care not to receive gifts from those who are guilty, as for the provision of Orphans and Widows and the poor, not even if they are constrained to be degraded by hunger, and that they are guilty if they accept; and that the prayers of the poor are not heard when they pray for them that are such, being supplied by their goods, It is fitting that they receive from the believing and the honest for the provision of the poor, and for the redemption of prisoners and the oppressed.
Therefore, O Bishops and Deacons, be Constant in the service of Christ’s Altar. For we have said about Widows and Orphans, that with all care and diligence ye shall observe the things that are given, what is the conduct of him or of her who gives for the provision, we say also again, of the Altar; because when Widows are provided for by the works of righteousness, they bring a holy and acceptable service before the Lord (S. God Almighty) by means of His beloved Son and His holy Spirit, to Whom be glory and honour to all eternity. Amen. Therefore take care and be diligent that ye serve the Widows with the service of a pure mind, that what they ask for be given [to them] quickly with their prayers. If there be any Bishops who are contemptuous, and pay no attention to these things through partiality, or for the sake of filthy lucre, or because they are careless and do not investigate, they shall give an account in no ordinary manner. For they accept what is for the service of the provision for Orphans and Widows, from the rich who have put people in prison, who act badly towards their servants, or who deal hardly in their cities, or who oppress the poor, or from the impure and from those who use their bodies wickedly (S. or from doers of evil), from those who diminish and lend with usury; (S. or from villainous advocates); (S, or from infamous accusers); or from judges who are accepters of persons; (S. or from the concocters of poisons; or from the makers of idols); from worshippers of gold or Silver or brass (S. as thieves; or from unjust publicans; or from seers of visions); from those who change weights, or from those who measure in deceit; or from tavern-keepers who mix [wine] with water; or from soldiers who conduct themselves iniquitously; (S. or from murderers; or from guilty executioners); or from any arrogant princes who have been polluted in wars, and have shed innocent blood unjustly; (S. or from the reversers of judgments who for theft act unjustly and deceitfully towards the country people and all the poor; and from worshippers of idols; or from the polluted); or from the usurers and the covetous; those therefore that from these [persons] provide for Widows and the poor, will be found guilty in the judgment of the (S. day of the) Lord; because the Lord hath said, “Better is a dinner of herbs with love and peace than a slaughter of fatted oxen with hatred.” If a Widow be nourished only with food from honest work, it will be of profit to her; but if aught be given to her from abundance of iniquity, it will be a certain loss to her. If a Widow be nourished by aught that is unjust, she cannot offer her service and her prayer (S. in innocence) before God; even if she be just who prays for the wicked, her prayer for them will not be heard, but only [that] for herself; for God is a trier of hearts and He receives prayers in righteousness (S. and discrimination),but if they pray for those who have sinned and repent, their prayers will also be heard; for those who are enchained in sins and do not repent, not only are they certainly unheard when they pray, but they also call their delinquencies to mind before God.
Those Bishops are culpable to take alms from the guilty. Therefore, O Bishops, flee from such services; for it is written, “Thou shalt not take up to the altar of the Lord the price of a dog nor the wages of a harlot.” For if the Widows in their blindness pray for adulterers and transgressors of the law, “Their prayers are not heard.” Ye cause a blasphemy to come upon
the Word by your evil administration, as if there were not a good and they are not heard, not receiving their requests liberal God. Be very watchful therefore that ye serve not the Altar of God from the services of a transgressor, for there is no cause for your saying, We did not know, for ye have heard what the Scripture has said, “Remove from evil, and fear not.” (S. and terror shall not come near thee).
Say not, These are they who alone give alms, and if we do not accept from them, from whence shall the Orphans and Widows who are in straits be served? God has said to you not to take from the wicked and help the Churches, it were profitable for you to be tortured by hunger, rather than to take from the wicked. Therefore investigate and prove, that ye may receive from believers, those who are in communion with the Church and conduct themselves aright, that ye may nourish those who are in straits.
Do not receive from those who are put out of the Church and are blamable, until they are thought worthy to become members of the Church. But if ye be in want, tell the brethren, let them work amongst you, and give; serve thus with justice. Teach and say to the people, that it ìs written, “Honour the Lord with honest work, and with the first of all thy fruits.” Therefore with the honest work of believers nourish and clothe those who are greatly in want (S. and what is given to you by them, as we said to you before, distribute it at the time for the ransom of believers).
Ransom slaves and captives, and those who are treated with violence, those who are condemned by the mob, (S. those who are condemned to the circus, or to the mines, or to exile, or to the amphitheater), and those who are in straits (S. Let the Deacons go in to them), let them visit everyone and provide them with what they are in want of. If it should happen that ye take from the wicked, against your will, make no use of it for nourishment, unless it be just a little, expend it in wood for fire; lest a Widow being in straits should buy with it some food for herself. Thus let the Widows, not being polluted by evil, pray that they may receive from God all good things that they ask and seek. Also each one of them by herself, and ye also, will not be held by these sins.
Because ye have received the gifts of the Levites, the first-fruits and offerings of your people, that ye may be nourished, and have also a superfluity that ye be not straitened and take from the wicked. But if the Churches are so poor, that those who are in want must be nourished by such people.
Chapter XIX
Exhortation to Bishops to take care of those who are persecuted or imprisoned far the name of the Christ, that they visit them, and keep away from him who is imprisoned and receives punishment front judges because of his depravity. Also exhortation to all Christians that they suffer with those who suffer for the sake of the Christ, and that out of fear they €Uìiy not or forsake them. He who denieth them, denieth Christianity and the Christ. And let him pray that he enter not into temptation.
Do not take your eyes off the Christian who is put in prison for the name of God, and for his faith and love, and is cast into the mines; but by your work and by the sweat of your face send him nourishment, and for the wage of the soldiers who guard him, that he may be at ease and be taken care of, but that your blessed brother be not completely afflicted. For he who is condemned for the name of God the Christ, let him be considered by you as a holy Martyr, and an Angel of God, (S. or as God upon earth) he who is clothed spiritually with the Holy Ghost (S. of God, by whose means ye behold the Lord our Saviour), because he has been thought worthy of an incorruptible crown (S. he has renewed the testimony of the Passion). Therefore it is obligatory that all ye believers should diligently comfort the Martyrs with your goods (S. by means of your Bishops). But if there be a man who has nothing, let him fast, and what he would have spent for himself for that day, let him give to his brother. But if thou art rich, it is required of thee that thou serve them according to thy power, or even that thou give all thy property to redeem them from the chains of death, for they are worthy of God, and children who fulfìl His will, as the Lord hath said, “Whosoever shall confess Me before men, him will I also confess before My Father which is in Heaven.” Do not be ashamed to talk with them when they are imprisoned, and in doing these things ye shall inherit everlasting life, for ye shall be partakers in their martyrdom; as we know that our Lord hath spoken thus in the Gospel, “Come unto Me, all ye blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom that is prepared for you before the foundation of the world. I was hungry, and ye fed Me; I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and ye gathered Me in; I was naked, and ye clothed Me; in prison, and ye came unto Me. Then shall the righteous answer and say, Lord, when saw we Thee hungry, and fed Thee; or thirsty, and gave Thee to drink; or naked, and we clothed Thee; or sick, and we visited Thee; or a stranger, and we gathered Thee in; or in prison, and we carne unto Thee? And he shall answer and say unto them, that all that ye have done to My little brethren, ye have done it unto Me.” Then shall the righteous go unto eternal life.
But if there be a man who is called a Christian, and he should stumble, and be tempted by Satan, and be reproved for wicked works, either theft or murder, keep away from any that are such; lest one of you be tempted by those who belong to him. For if a heathen should lay hold of thee, and ask thee and say to thee; Thou art also a Christian like that man, thou
canst not deny that thou art a Christian, but thou confessest, and thou art not condemned as a Christian, but art punished as an evil-doer, for thou wast asked if thou wert like that man, and thy confession is in vain to thee; if thou deniest, thou hast denied the Lord. Therefore keep away from them, that ye may be without offence. But help with much zeal those believers, your members, who are in the bond of iniquity as evil-doers and are imprisoned, and free them from the hand of the wicked.
For if someone approach those who are imprisoned for the name of the Christ our Lord, and is laid hold of along with them, blessed shall he be that he has been thought worthy of all thìs companionship.
Receive and refresh those who are persecuted on account of the faith, who migrate from city to city according to the Lord’s command, rejoicing that ye are partakers of their persecution; for our Lord spake about you in the Gospel, “Blessed are ye when they persecute you, and upbraid you for My name;” because when a Christian is persecuted, and killed because of the Faith, he is a Martyr of God; (S. + and henceforth he will not be persecuted by any one, for he is known of the Lord). But if he deny that he is a Christian, he will be called a [cause of] offence; he will not be persecuted by men, but he will be rejected by God because of his denials (S. and henceforth he will have no part with the saints in the everlasting Kingdom, and according to the promise of the Lord; but his inheritance shall be with the wicked), for the Lord God hath said, Whosoever denieth Me, or is ashamed of Me and of My words, I will deny him before My Father which is in Heaven, when I come (S. + with strength and glory) to judge the quick and the dead.” Again it is written. “Everyone who loveth his father and mother more than Me, is not worthy of Me (S. + and everyone who loveth his son or his daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me); and everyone who taketh not up his cross, rejoicing, and cometh not after Me, is not worthy of Me.” (S. and everyone who loseth his life because of Me shall find it, and everyone that saveth his life by denying shall lose it.) For what shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and lose his soul, or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” and again, “Fear not those who kill the body, but they cannot kill the soul; rather fear Me, who am able to destroy soul and body in hell.” Now everyone who learns a handicraft looks at his master, and sees how by means of his craft and knowledge he perfects his work; he also imitates him, and perfects the work that has been entrusted to him that he may not bear upbraiding from him, but if he come short of what has been entrusted to him, he is not a disciple; but we who have a master and teacher, our Lord and Saviour, who rose incorruptible from the grave, because by His doctrine we possess incorruptible beauty, thus He came in poverty; He also separated Himself from Mary, His blessed mother, and from His brethren, also from Himself, and endured persecution even unto the Cross.
These things He suffered on our account, that He might save us who believe, who are of the house of Israel, from chains and condemnations, which we have mentioned before, and deliver you who are of the Gentiles from the worship of idols and from all iniquity. If therefore the Christ suffered on our account, to save us who believe in Him, why should we not resemble Him in His sufferings when He has given us patience? And these things [are] for our own sake, that we may be delivered from the Gehenna of fire. For He suffered for us; let us suffer for ourselves (S. + or does our Lord certainly need that we should suffer for Him except for this only that He would prove the warmth of our faith and the desire of our souls).
Let US separate ourselves from our fathers and from our tribe, and from all that is in the world, and turn from ourselves, praying that we fall not into temptation. But if we are called to martyrdom, being questioned, let US confess; suffering. let us endure; being oppressed, let us rejoice; being persecuted, let us not be saddened; because it is not only our own souls that we are delivering (S. from hell, by acting thus), but also those who are children in the faith, (S. and we teach the hearers to act thus,) that they may live before God. But if we are defaulters towards the faith in the Lord, and deny because of the weakness of the flesh, as the Lord hath said, “The spirit is ready and willing, but the flesh is weak,” it is not merely ourselves whom we destroy, but also the souls of our brethren (S. -whom we kill along with ourselves); for when they see our denials, they will think that they have been taught error of doctrines, and when they are made captive we shall have to answer for them as well as for ourselves, everyone of us to the Lord in the day of judgment (S. + But if thou art taken and brought before the governor, and deniest thy hope in the Lord in thy holy faith, and art set free today, but to-morrow thou art sick with a fever, and fallest on thy bed, or thy stomach pain thee, and thou takest no food, but givest it back with severe pains, or fallest into the affliction of gripes, or of the hurt of one of thy members; or thou sendest forth from thy bowels blood and gall by severe pains; or thou hast a tumour in one of thy members; and thou art cut up by the hands of doctors, and diest in afflictions and in great agonies, what will thy denial that thou hast made profit thee, O man? for behold, thou hast caused thy soul to inherit pains and sufferings, and thou hast lost thy eternal life before God. Thou wilt burn and be tormented without rest forever: as the Lord hath said, “Everyone who loveth his life shall lose it; and everyone that loseth his life for My sake shall find it.” Therefore the Christian who denies, loves his life for a short time in this world, that he may not die for the sake of the name of the Lord God; but he destroys himself forever in the fire, for he himself falls into hell, because Christ denies him, as He hath said in the Gospel, “Whosoever denieth Me before men, I also will deny him before my Father which is in Heaven.” But those whom the Lord denieth go out and are cast into outer darkness, and there they shall have weeping and gnashing of teeth; for He has said that “Everyone who loveth his life more than Me is not worthy of Me.”) But let us be diligent, my brethren, to commend our lives to the Lord God; and if a man be found worthy of martyrdom, let him receive it with joy, that he is thought worthy of this crown, and that his exit from this world should be by martyrdom; for our Saviour has said that “There is no disciple that is above his Lord, but let everyone be perfect like his Lord.”
Our Lord therefore chose all these sufferings in order to save us; He accepted to be beaten and blasphemed against, and His face spat upon, and to drink vinegar and myrrh, and at length He endured even to being hanged upon the cross.) We therefore who are His disciples, let us be imitators of Him; for if He endured everything for our sakes (S. even to sufferings) how much ought not we to bear for ourselves? Suffering and not hesitating, for thus He has counselled us, that if even we were to burn in coals of fire, let us believe in the Lord Jesus the Christ, and in His Father, the Lord God Almighty, and in the Holy Ghost, to whom be glory and honour forever and ever. Amen.
Chapter XX
About the Resurrection of the dead, we are taught not only by the Holy Scriptures, but also by means of demonstrations from the books of the beatitudes; and by means also of these natural demonstrations let us, being diligent like believing men who have a sure hope of the Resurrection, not excuse ourselves from martyrdom on account of the Christ, if we are called to it.
God the Father Almighty will raise us by means of God our Saviour, as He has promised. He will raise us from among the dead just as we are, in the likeness in which we now are; nevertheless there shall not be wanting to us the great glory of everlasting life; for even should we be thrown into the depths of the sea, or scattered by the winds like chaff, we shall always be within this world, and all this world is enclosed in the hand of God, and therefore from the interior of His hand the Lord God will raise us, as He hath said, “A hair of your head shall not perish,” and ‘In your patience possess ye your souls.” About the resurrection and about the glory of martyrs the Lord hath said in Daniel thus, that “Many who sleep in the surface of the earth shall arise in that day, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and contempt (S. and dispersion). And they that be wise shall shine as the lights of Heaven, and those that are mighty in the Word as the stars of Heaven.” As the sun and as the moon (S. those lights of Heaven). He hath promised to give (S. the glorious light) to those who (S. are wise, and) are martyrs for his Name. And it is not to believers that He hath promised resurrection, but also to all men; for He hath said thus in Ezekiel, “The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he led me out into (S. in the Spirit and set me in the midst of)
the plain, and it was full of bones, and He caused me to pass by them round about, etc. (S. + and they were many and very dry. ) And He said unto me, Son of man, do these bones live? And I said, Thou knowest, O Lord God. And the Lord said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear ye the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones, Behold, I will upon you, and build flesh upon you, and clothe you with skin, and I will give breath into you, and ye shall live, and ye shall know that I am the Lord. So I prophesied as He had said to me, and as I prophesied there was a voice, and a shaking, and the bones carne together, bone to bone; and I saw that sinews and flesh carne up upon them, and skin was drawn over them from above, but there was no breath in them. And the Lord said unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, and say, Thus saith the Lord God, Come, O wind, from the four quarters, and enter into these dead men, and they shall live. So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the wind came into them, and they lived; and they stood up upon their feet, in a great army. And the Lord said unto me, Son of man, those bones are they of the house of Israel, who say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is destroyed, and we are not. Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I open your graves, and I will bring you from thence, O my people, and I will lead you into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord when I open your graves, to bring out My people from the tombs. And I will put My Spirit into you, and ye shall live, and I shall cause you to dwell in your land, and ye shall know that I am the Lord who hath spoken and done, and all the dwellers on earth shall be at peace, saith the Lord.”
Again He hath said by means of Isaiah, “All they that sleep and the dead shall arise, and all that are in the graves shall awake, for thy dew is unto them the dew of healing, but the land of the wicked shall be destroyed.”)
And again he hath spoken by means of Isaiah the prophet about the Resurrection and eternal life and about the glory of the righteous, and also about the shame and destruction of sinners, (S. + about their conduct, and their fall, about their dissolution, their ruin, and their condemnation, for when He said that the land of the wicked shall fall, he spoke of their body, because it is from the earth, and will be accounted with shame as of the earth; because they did not worship God, they shall fall into fire and torment). And in the Twelve Prophets they said thus, “Behold, ye wicked, and see and understand wonders, and return to corruption, for I will work a work in your days (S. + which if a man declare it unto you ye will not believe.”) These things and more than these are said against those who do not believe in the Resurrection, and against those who deny God, (S. + and against those who do not worship God, and against transgressors of the Law and against the heathen,) that when they shall see the glory of believers they shall return to perish in the fire because they did not believe. But we have learnt and believed in His Resurrection from the dead. The Resurrection which God has promised to us is sure to us and not deceptive, because our Saviour Himself is the earnest of our resurrection, He having risen first.
Confirmation about the Resurrection, even from the writings of the heathen.
Also those among the Gentiles who read, read and hear, even among the heathen, about the Resurrection from the Sybil, what was said and preached to them thus, “When everything shall be dust and ashes, the Most High God shall cause the fire which He hath kindled to cease, and then God Himself shall raise the bones and ashes of men, and shall clothe them with their likeness, and raise men as they were before. And then the judgment shall take place, in which God shall judge the wicked in the future world, and the earth shall cover the impious. The just and the righteous shall live in the land of life; God will give them spirit and goodness, (S. -h and life) and thereafter they shall all see one another.”
It is not only, my friends, by means of the Sybil that the Resurrection was preached to the heathen, but also by means of the holy Scriptures, before the Lord preached to the Jews and to the heathen and to the together, and announced the Resurrection of the dead which shall come to men. (S. -h Confirmation about the Resurrection also from natural demonstrations,) God shows us abundantly about the Resurrection, even by means of a bird that cannot speak, we mean the phoenix, which is solitary, for if it had a mate many would be seen by man, but now one alone is seen once in five hundred years, which enters Egypt and goes to the altar that is called of the Sun. It brings cinnamon; as it prays towards the East, the fire kindles of itself, and consumes it, so that it becomes ashes; and again from the ashes is formed a worm, which grows up in its likeness, and becomes a perfect phoenix, and thereafter it departs and goes whence it came.)
Confirmation that we must not excuse ourselves from Martyrdom for the sake of the Christ, If therefore God has shown us about the Resurrection by means of an irrational animal, much more we who believe in the Resurrection of God and in the promise of God. if martyrdom come upon us as on men worthy of all this glory of God, shall receive the incomprehensible crown in eternal life, and in the glorious honour of the martyrdom of God; let US receive it joyfully with all our hearts, and let us believe in the Lord God who will raise us in glorious light. As in the beginning, God commanded by a word, (S. + and the world was) and He said, Let there be light, and night and day; and Heaven and earth and seas, and birds and beasts, and creeping things of the earth (S. + and fourfooted beasts) and trees, and everything was established (S. +in its nature) by His Word, as the Scripture hath said, (S. + all these works that were done were by means of the obedience they give Him; they witness about God who made them, that “He created and founded them out of nothing,”(S. they also show a sign of the Resurrection. As therefore He made everything,) thus also man who is His creature He will especially vivify and raise (S. For if He founded and established the world out of nothing, this would be still more easy, that out of nothing He should vivify and raise man, who is the creature of His hands), and as with human seed He clothes man with a garment in the womb and makes him grow. If therefore He shall raise all men, as He hath said in Isaiah, “All flesh shall see the salvation of God,” yet more will He vivify and raise believers (S. + and again the believers of believers, who are the Martyrs, He will vivify and raise and establish in great glory, and make them His councillors), because to the simple disciples who believe in Him, He hath promised a glory like that of the stars; but (S. 4- to the Martyrs) He hath promised to give eternal glory, (S. + like shining bodies that are not wearied with exceeding light, which shine continually. Therefore, as disciples of the Christ, let us believe that we shall receive from Him all good things which He hath counselled and promised us in eternal life. Let us be conformed to all His doctrine and to His patience.) Let us believe in His birth from a virgin, and in His coming and in His willing Passion. Let us be convinced by means of the Holy Scriptures, as the Prophets announced beforehand everything about His coming, and (S. -h all these things) were confirmed in our hearts (S. + for even the demons, when they trembled at His name, extolled His coming. You believe therefore and are convinced of the things that we said before); and we stili more, we who were with Him, and saw Him with our eyes and ate with Him, and were companions and witnesses of His coming, we believe in the great unspeakable things (S. gifts) which He will give as He hath promised (S. + Let us believe and hope that we shall receive, for all our faith is surely proved) if we believe in His promises that they shall be. Let us be called to martyrdom for His name’s sake; when we go out of this world by confession, we are sanctified from all our sins (S. -f and follies, and we shall be found pure, for He hath said in David about martyrs thus, “Blessed are they whose transgression is forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute his sins.” Therefore the Martyrs are blessed and pure from all follies, who are raised above all evil and taken away from ìt, as He said in Isaiah about the Christ and His Martyrs, “Behold, the righteous perisheth, and no man considereth; and holy men are taken away, and no one careth for it; for the righteous is gathered away before the evil, and his grave shall be in peace.” But these things are said about those who suffer martyrdom for the name of the Christ Sins are also forgiven) in baptism to those who come from the heathen and enter the holy Church of God. (S. + Let us ask again to whom sins are not imputed.) Their sins are considered like Abraham and Isaac and Jacob (S. + and all the Patriarchs, as well as the Martyrs. Hear then, my brethren) for the Scripture saith, “Who shall boast himself and say, I am pure from sins, or who will (S. -f dare to) say, I am holy?” And again, “There is no man clean from pollution, even if his life should be only for a day upon the earth.” Everyone therefore who believeth and is baptized, his former sins are forgiven; but should he again sin after baptism, (S. + even if he do not commit a mortal sin or participate in it, but only seeth or heareth or speaketh, and thus again) he is guilty of the sin. If then one go out of this world by martyrdom for the name of the Lord, blessed is he; for the brethren who have suffered martyrdom and have gone out of this world, in these things their sins are covered (S. + Behold, like this, that “Everyone who looketh on a woman to lust after her,” hear also, “Accusation and evil speaking,” or like this, that “Every vain word that men shall speak.” etc)

Chapter XXI
Exhorting every Christian to keep himself from all evil and frivolous conversation, and from all bad and heathenish conduct. About the Holy Fast, About the Passion and Crucifixion of our Lord, About the fourteenth [day] of the Passover of the Jews; about the Friday of the Passion, and the Sabbath of the Annunciation and the Sunday of the Resurrection of our Saviour. About the mourning of the Sabbath-day of the nation of the Jews, and about the rejoicing of the people of the Christians
Therefore it is required of the Christian that he keep himself from vain work, and from lascivious and impure words, (S. + even on Sundays when we are glad and rejoice) no one is allowed to say a word that belongs to sport or is foreign to the fear of God. (S. + as our Lord also taught us in the Psalm, in David, and saith thus, “Now therefore understand, ye Kings, and be instructed, all ye judges of the earth; serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice before Him with trembling. Attend to discipline, lest the Lord be angry, and ye perish from the way of justice, because His anger is kindled but a little against you; blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.”) But it is therefore required of us that we keep feasts, and that we make our rejoicing with fear and trembling, for a believing Christian ought not to recite the hymns of the heathen, nor to approach those foreign customs, nor to remember the name of an idol, may this be far from believers! For the Lord rebuketh in Jeremiah and saith, “They have forsaken Me, and sworn by those that are not gods,” (S. and again Ile saith, “If Israel will return unto Me, let him return, saith the Lord, and if he will take away his abominations from his mouth, and will fear before My face, and will swear as the Lord liveth,” and a again He saith, “I will take the name of the idols from your mouth.” By means of Moses again He saith to them, “They have moved Me to jealousy with that which is no God, and with their idols they have made Me angry.”
And in all the Scriptures He speaketh against these things, and not only concerning the idols.) It is not allowed to believers to swear, not by the sun nor by the moon, for the Lord God hath spoken thus by means of Moses, “My people, if ye see the sun and the moon, be not led astray by them, nor worship them; for the Lord hath given them to you for lights upon the earth.” (S. and by means of Jeremiah again He saith, “ Learn not according to the ways of the heathen, and be not afraid of the signs of Heaven.”) And by means of Ezekiel He hath said thus, “And He brought me into the court of the house of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, and I saw there men with their loins girt towards the Temple of the Lord, and their faces opposite the East, and they were worshipping the sun. And the Lord said unto me, Son of man, is this a small thing to the house of Judah to commit these abominations here? and they have filled the land with iniquity. (S. + and they have returned to provoke Me to anger, and they are as mockers. I also will deal in fury; mine eye shall not spare, nor will I have pity; even if they cry in Mine ears with a loud voice, I will not hear them.” Ye see, beloved, how severely and bitterly the Lord giveth judgment in His wrath against those who worship the sun or swear by it) It is therefore unlawful for the believer to swear either by the sun or by any of the signs of Heaven (S. or the elements); either to mention the name of an idol with his mouth, or to let a curse go out of his mouth, but only blessings (S. + and psalms, and the authoritative and divine Scriptures, which are the foundations of the truth of our faith), especially in the day of the fast and the holy Passover, in which all believers fast (S. + who are in all the world), as our Lord and Teacher said, when they asked Him, “ Why do the disciples of John fast, and Thy disciples fast not?” And He said unto them, “The children of the bride-chamber cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them, (S. -f but the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast in those days)” Now then by means of His deeds He is with US (S. + but to sight He is far off, because He hath risen to the heights of Heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of His Father). Therefore when ye fast, pray and implore for those who are lost, as we also did when our Lord was suffering; for while He was yet with us before He suffered, while we were eating the Passover with Him, He said to us, “This day, in this night, one of you betrayeth Me.” And everyone of us said to Him, “Surely it is not I, Lord?” And He answered and said unto us, “He who stretcheth out his hand with Me in the dish.” He signified Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve (S. +Then our Lord said unto us, “Verily I say unto you, yet a little while, and ye shall leave Me, for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of His flock shall be scattered.” And Judas came with the scribes and with the Priests of the people, and up our Lord Jesus. But this was on Wednesday, for when we had eaten the Passover on Tuesday in the evening, we went out to the Mount of Olives, and in the night they took our Lord Jesus; and on the next day, which was Wednesday, He remained in prison in the house of Cepha the High Priest. In that day the chiefs of the people were assembled, and they took counsel together against Him. Again, the next day, which was Thursday, they brought Him to Pilate the governor, and again He remained in prison with Pilate, in the night after Thursday. And when it dawned on Friday, they accused Him much before Pilate, yet they could show nothing true, but they brought false witness against Him. And they asked Him from Pilate, to put Him to death, and they crucified Him on Friday. At six o clock therefore on Friday He suffered, and these hours during which our Lord was crucified have been reckoned a day, afterwards it was again dark for three hours, and it was reckoned a night; and again from the ninth hour till the evening, three hours, a day; and again afterwards the night of Passion Sabbath; but in the Gospel of Matthew it is thus written, that “In the evening of the Sabbath, when the first day of the week dawned, came Mary, and another Mary, the Magdalene, to see the sepulchre. And there was a great earthquake, for the Angel of the Lord came down and rolled the stone.” And again the Sabbath-day. Then three hours of the night after the Sabbath, in which our Lord slept [and rose], and the saying was fulfilled (marg. Take heed!) that “It is required of the Son of Man that He should pass through the heart of the earth, three days and three nights,” as it is written in the Gospel. Again, it is written in David, “Behold, thou hast appointed my days by measure,” because therefore these days and nights are made shorter. Thus it is written, “In the night therefore, as the first day of the week dawned, He was seen by Mary Magdalene, and by Mary the daughter of James; and in the night of the first day of the week Me went in to Levi, and then He was seen also by us.” But He said unto us when He was teaching us, “Will ye fast because of Me in these days? Or do I need that ye afflict yourselves? But for the sake of your brethren ye have done this, and do it in these days when ye fast; and on Wednesday, and on Friday at all times, as it is written in Zechariah, “The fast of the fourth and the fast of the fifth, which is Friday; for it is not lawful for you to fast on Sunday, because it belongs to My resurrection; wherefore Sunday is not counted amongst the numbers of the fast-days of the Passion, but they are counted from Monday, and are five days. Therefore let the fourth fast, and the fifth fast, and the seventh fast, and the tenth fast be to those of the house of Israel. Fast, therefore, from Monday, fully six days, until the night after the Sabbath, and let it be counted to you as a week; but the tenth, because the beginning of My name is “yod” in which is the beginning of the fasts, but is not as a feast of the former people, but as a new covenant which I have appointed to you, that you should fast on their behalf on Wednesday, because on Wednesday they began to destroy themselves and laid hold of Me; for the night after Tuesday, which was Wednesday, as it is written, that “The evening and the morning were one day;” the evening [see that thou take heed!] Therefore belongs to the day that follows it, for on Tuesday in the evening I ate with you My passover, and in the night they laid hold on Me [fast then], but again also on Friday, fast on their behalf, because on it they crucified Me in the midst of their feast of unleavened bread, as it was foretold by David, “In the midst of their feasts they have put their signs, and have not known.” But do ye fast constantly during these days at all times, especially those who are from the Gentiles; for because the nation doth not obey I have separated them from the blindness and from the error of idols; and I have received them in order that by means of your fast, and of those who are Gentiles, and your worship during those days, whilst ye are praying and imploring on account of the error and ruin of the nation, your prayer and entreaty may be accepted before My Father which is in Heaven, as from the one mouth of all the believers that are on the earth, and all that they have done to Me may be forgiven them.
Therefore also in the Gospel I said before to you, “Pray for your enemies;” and “Blessed are they who mourn for the perdition of unbelievers.” Therefore know, brethren, that our fast which we keep in the Passover, because our brethren have not obeyed, ye shall keep even if they hate you; but brethren we are bound to call them, because it is written for us thus in
Isaiah, “Call them brethren that hate you and reject you, that the name of the Lord may be glorified.” On account of them and of the judgment therefore and corruption of the land we are required to fast and mourn, that we may rejoice and be glad in the world to come, as it is written in Isaiah, “Rejoice, all ye who mourn over Zion,” and again He saith, “To comfort all those who mourn over Zion; instead of ashes the oil of joy, and instead of the spirit of heaviness the garment of glory.” It is required of us therefore to pity upon them, and to believe, and to fast and pray for them; because that when our Lord came to the nation they did not believe Him when He was teaching them, but they let His teaching pass away from their ears. Because therefore this nation obeyed not, He received you, brethren, who are from the Gentiles, and He opened your ears for the hearing of your heart, as our Lord and Saviour said by means of Isaiah the prophet, ”I was seen of those that asked not for Me; I was found of those that sought Me not; and I have said, Behold Me, to a people who have not called [upon] My name.” About whom therefore did He thus speak? Was it not about the Gentiles, because they had never known God, and because they had worshipped idols? But when our Lord came to the world and taught you, ye believed, ye who believed in Him, that God is one. And again those believe who are worthy, until the number of the saved shall be completed; a thousand times a thousand and ten thousand times ten thousand, as it is written in David; but about the nation which did not believe in Him thus He said, “I have stretched out My hands all the day unto a people who will not be persuaded and are disobedient, and who walk in a way that is not good, and who go after their sins, a people who provoke Me to anger before Me.” See therefore that the people provoked our Lord to anger because they did not believe in Him; wherefore He saith that “They provoked the Holy Spirit to anger, and turned themselves to enmity.” And again otherwise He saith about them by means of Isaiah the prophet, “The land of Zebulun, the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations; the people that sat [in] darkness, ye have seen a great light, and those who sat in darkness and in the shadows of, upon them hath the light shined. Those that sat in darkness,” He said, about those from the Nation who believed in our Lord Jesus; for because of the blindness of the Nation a great darkness surrounded them; for they saw Jesus, and they did not know that He was the Christ, and did not understand Him, not from the writings of the Prophets, nor from His Works and healings; but to you of the Nation who believe in Jesus we say, that ye have learnt how the Scripture testifieth about us and saith, “They have seen the great light.” Ye therefore who have believed in Him, ye have seen a great Light, Jesus the Christ our Lord. And again those who believe in Him shall see; but those who sit in the shadows of death, are ye who are from among the Gentiles; for ye have been among the shadows of death, ye who have trusted in the worship of idols, and have not known God; but when Jesus the Christ, our Lord and Teacher, was seen by us, a light dawned upon you, in that ye have gazed on and trusted in the promise of an everlasting Kingdom, and ye have removed yourselves from the feasts and customs of the former error; and ye worship idols no more as ye worshipped them; but ye have long since believed and have been baptized in Him, and a great light hath dawned upon you. Thus therefore because the Nation did not obey, there was darkness; but the hearing of your ear, you who are from among the Gentiles, became light. Because of this therefore pray and implore for them, and especially in the days of the Passover, that by your prayers they may be found worthy of forgiveness, and may be converted to our Lord Jesus the Christ.)
But it is required of you, my brethren (S. + in the days of the Passover), that ye (S. + investigate and) keep your fast with all care, (S. + but commence, when your brethren of the Nation keep the Passover); because when our Lord and Teacher ate the Passover with us, after that hour He was delivered up by Judas, and immediately we began to be grieved about what we had done to Him; and the number of the moon is as our number in the numbers of the believing Hebrews. In the tenth of the moon, on Monday, came the Priests and the Elders to the court of Kaipha, the High Priest, and took counsel to kill Him, but they feared, saying, “Not on the feast-day, lest there be an uproar of the people,” because everyone was attaching himself to Him and they held Him to be a Prophet, on account of the wonders that He wrought amongst them. But Jesus was in that day in the house of Simeon the leper, and we were together with Him; He also related to us about what was to happen. But Judas had gone out from among us in secret, on that Monday, hoping to deceive the Lord; and he went to the house of Kaipha. where the High-Priests and Elders were assembled, and he said to them, “What will ye give me, and I will deliver my Lord unto you, when I have opportunity?” And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. And he said to them: “Get ready young men armed because of His disciples” (S. + that if he should go out by night to a desert place, I may come and lead you; then they prepared the young men, and were ready to take Him). But Judas watched when he could find opportunity to betray Him, (S. + because of the crowds of all the people who had come from every city and every village, up to the Temple, to keep the Passover in Jerusalem). And the prìests and Elders (S. + considered and) commanded (S. + and decreed) that they should keep the feast with haste, that they might take Him without tumult; for the people of Jerusalem were occupied in the sacrifice and the eating of the Passover, and all the people from without had not yet come, because they deceived them [about] the days, that they might be reproved before God that they were greatly mistaken in everything. So they anticipated and kept the Passover three days earlier, in the eleventh of the moon on Tuesday; for they said, because that all the people go astray after Him, now that we have the opportunity to take Him; and then when all the people have come, we will kill Him before all men for His fault, and this will be known openly, and all the people will turn from after Him. Thus Jn the night (S. + when Wednesday dawned) Judas delivered up our Lord, but they had given the reward to Judas when he covenanted with them (S. + on the tenth of the moon) on Monday. Therefore it was considered by God, as if they had taken Him from Monday (S. + because that on Monday they consulted how to take Him and to kill Him), and they accomplished their deed on Friday, as it was said in the Book of Exodus, “The Passover shall be kept by you from the tenth to the fourteenth, (S. + on marg., now pay great attention) and then all Israel shall keep the Passover.” Therefore from the tenth day, which is Monday, during the days of the Passover, ye shall fast, and be nourished by bread and salt and water (S. + only), at the ninth hour, until Thursday. But on Friday and on Saturday ye shall fast completely, and eat nothing; but assemble yourselves, and wake and pray the whole of the night, with prayers and supplications, and with the reading of the Prophets, with the Gospel and the Psalms, with reverence and fear, and intercession, until the third hour of the night after the Sabbath, and then ye shall cease your fast, for it was thus that we also fasted, while our Lord was suffering, in testimony to the three days, and we watched and prayed and implored about the perdition of the Nation, because they went astray and did not confess our Saviour. Thus also pray ye, that the Lord may not remember to them their guilt unto the end, on account of the perfidy which they showed unto our Lord, but may give them a place for repentance, and conversion for the pardon of their iniquity; because he that was a heathen, and a stranger from the Gentiles, Pilate the judge, had no pleasure in the work of their wickedness, but took water and washed his hands and said, “I am innocent of the blood of this man;” but the people answered and said, “His blood be upon us and on our children.” Herod commanded that he should be crucified, and our Saviour suffered for us on Friday. Therefore the fast of Friday (S. + and Saturday) is especially required of you, also the watch and vigil of Friday, the reading of the Scriptures and the Psalms, and the prayers and supplications for sinners (S. + and the expectation and hope of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus, until the third hour of the night after the Sabbath. Then bring your offerings, and thereafter eat and enjoy yourselves, rejoice and be glad, because the Christ is risen, the earnest of your resurrection). Let that be to you an eternal law until the end of the world. (S. + for those who do not believe in our Saviour, He is dead, because their hope in Him is dead, but for you who believe, our Lord and Saviour is risen, because your hope in Him is immortal, and lives eternally. Fast therefore on Friday, because in it the Nation killed itself in crucifying our Saviour; and on Sabbath again, because it is the sleep of our Lord, for it is a day when fasting is especially required), as the blessed Moses (S. + the prophet of all this) has thus commanded; and it was commanded him by God, who knew what the Nation was about to do to His Son and His beloved Jesus the Christ; as they denied Moses and said to him, “Who hath made thee a chief and a judge over us?” Therefore he bound them beforehand in mourning at all times in separating and appointing to them the Sabbath, because they deserved to mourn (S. + who denied their life), who laid their hands upon Him who gave them life, and delivered Him over to death.
Therefore He appointed to them beforehand the mourning of their perdition. Let us look and see, my brethren, that most men in their mourning imitate the Sabbath; thus also those who keep the Sabbath sit in mourning; for he who is in mourning does not kindle a light, nor do the people of the Jews on account of the commandment of Moses (S. + for thus they were commanded by him. He who is in mourning does not wash himself, nor do the people on the Sabbath. He who is in mourning does not furnish a table, nor do the people on the Sabbath), but they prepare it in the evening and put in order for themselves something to eat, because they have a consciousness of mourning that they were ready to lay hands on the Christ. He who is in mourning does not work nor speak, but sits in sadness; thus also do the people on the Sabbath; (S. + for it was said thus to the people about the mourning of the Sabbath) “Thou shalt not lift thy foot to do any work, nor speak any word from thy mouth.” Who is it therefore that testifieth that the Sabbath is a mourning to them? The Scripture testifieth and saith, “Then the people shall lament, tribe by tribe; the tribe of the Levites apart, and their wives apart; the tribe of Judah apart, and their wives apart.” As also after the mourning of the Christ even until now, on the ninth of the month of Ab, they read in the Lamentations of Jeremiah, and assemble, and wail and lament. But the ninth is called 6, for the 6 indicates God; therefore they lament about God, about the Christ who suffered; but nevertheless on account of the Christ our Saviour, and about themselves and their perdition. Why, my brethren, doth a man lament, unless he be in mourning? Wherefore mourn ye also for them, on the Sabbath day of the Passover, until the third hour of the following evening; and thereafter rejoice in His resurrection; be glad and rejoice on their account; cease your fast, and the remainder of your fast of six days offer to the Lord God.
Let those who abound in worldly goods serve those who are poor and in want, and succour them diligently, that the reward of your fast may be received. Whenever the fourteenth day of the Passover may fall, thus observe it; for neither the month nor the day corresponds in time every year, but it varies. Therefore ye, when the people keep the Passover, fast and study to complete your vigil in the midst of their unleavened bread. On Sunday be always glad, for everyone who afflicts his soul on Sunday is guilty of sin. Therefore also, except at the Passover, no one is allowed to fast during these three hours of the night which is between Saturday and Sunday, because it belongs to that night of Sunday. But nevertheless in that night only fast those three hours of that night, being assembled together, ye Christians who are in the Lord.
Chapter XXII
Commandment about children that they should be given to learn handicrafts, and that they should not learn bad habits of idleness, and at suitable times wives should be given to them that they fall not into sin, and their fathers be held guilty for their sins
Teach your sons handicrafts which are suitable and helpful to the fear of God, lest by means of idleness they serve voluptuousness, for not being educated by their parents, they wickedly do works like the heathen.
Therefore spare them not, but reprove and discipline and teach them, for, by correcting them verily ye will not kill them, but rather ye will give them certain life, as also our Lord teacheth us in Wisdom and saith thus, ”Chasten thy son because there is hope for him, for thou shalt beat (S. + him) with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from Sheol.” And again, He saith, “Everyone who spareth his rod hateth his son” But our rod is (S. + the Word of God,) our Lord Jesus the Christ, as also Jeremiah saw the rod of an almond-tree. Everyone who spareth to speak a word of reproof to his son hateth his son. (S. + Therefore teach your sons the word of the Lord.) Therefore chasten them with blows, and do not spare on account of their youth, by the word of the fear of God, and do not give them the power of rising against you, and against their parents; and let them do nothing without your advice; that they go not with those of their age to assemble and amuse themselves; because thus they learn vanity, and are laid hold of by harlotry and fall. Should this happen without their parents, they and their parents will be themselves guilty in the judgment before God. If again by your permission they are without correction, and you, their parents, sin, ye shall be held guilty on their account before God. Therefore be zealous that in their time ye take wives for them; and marry them, lest in their youth, in the fire of their adolescence, they commit fornication like the heathen, and ye shall give answer to God in the day of judgment.
Chapter XXIII
About heresies and schisms; that those are condemned to the Gehenna of fire who split the Churches, like Korah and Dathan and Abiram, those who wished to split Israel, Teacheth that the Church of God is one, and that the Churches of heresies are not Churches of God
Before everything beware of all odious heresies, and flee from them as from a burning fire, and from those who adhere to them; for if a man in making a schism, condemneth himself to the fire with those who err after him; what shall it be if a man go to steep himself in heresies? For know this, that if any of you love preeminence or venture to make a schism, he will inherit the place of Korah and Dathan and Abiram, he and those who are with him, and also with them he will be condemned in the fire. They also of the house of Korah were Levites, and they served in the Tabernacle of witness. They loved preeminence, and coveted the high-Priesthood, and began to speak evil things against that great Moses, as that he had espoused a heathen woman, because he had an Ethiopian wife, and he was defiled by her. Many others of the house of Zambri were with him who committed fornication with Midianitish women, and that the people were defiled along with him. His brother Aaron was the leader in the worship of idols, who made images and sculptures for
his people; and they spoke wicked things against Moses, him who did all these signs and wonders from God to the nation, him who had done these glorious and perfect works for their help; him who had brought upon Egypt ten plagues, him who had divided the Red Sea, and raised the waters like a wall on either side, and made the people pass over as in the dry wilderness; and had drowned their enemies (S. + and evildoers and all who were with them); him who had sweetened for them the fountain of waters; and from the flinty stone had brought them out streams, and they had drunk (S. + and been satisfied); him who had brought down to them manna from Heaven, and with the manna had given them flesh; him who had given them a pillar of light (S. + for light and guidance) by night, and a cloud for a shade by day; and in the desert had stretched out a hand to them for the dispensation of the Law, and had given them also the Ten Commandments of God. They spoke evil things against the friend and servant of the Lord, as if to be glorified in righteousness and to boast in holiness and to exhibit purity, and in hypocrisy they showed religion. They also said thus as sober and sedate in holiness, “We will not be soiled with Moses and the people who are with him, for they are polluted. Two hundred and fifty men arose, and led [them astray in leaving that great Moses, as if they hoped for themselves that would the better glorify God, and zealously serve Him; for in that multitude of the people it was said, for one censer of perfumes was offered to the Lord God, but those who were in the schism were two hundred and fifty with their leaders; everyone of them offered a censer of perfumes to God, two hundred and fifty censers, as those who were more pure and zealous than Moses and Aaron, and than the people of the Lord; but the multitude of the service of their censers which was in schism was of no advantage to them; but a fire was kindled from before the Lord and devoured them; and these two hundred and fifty men were burnt while they were still holding the censers in their hands; and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed Dathan and Korah and Abiram, and their tents and their vessels and all that was with them, and they went down alive to Sheol. The chiefs of their error of schism were swallowed up by the earth (S. + but these two hundred and fifty men who went astray were burnt in the fire, all the people looking on). The Lord spared the rest of the multitude of the people, though there were many sinners amongst them; the Lord judged each one of them according to his works.
The Lord spared the multitude of the people; but those who thought that they were purer and more holy and had done more service the fire devoured because they were in schism. And the Lord said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take the censers of brass from out of the burning, and make them into thin plates, and strew them upon the altar, that the children of Israel may see, and not add to their sins by doing thus, (S. + and pour out the strange fire there, because the censers of the sinners are hallowed in their souls, in the fire; the Lord hath condemned to fire, in that fire came out from before the Lord, and burnt those who put on the incense, which was not permitted to them). Let us look then, beloved, at the latter end of schisms, what happened to them; because if they appear to be pure and holy, their final consummation is in fire and everlasting burning. Let this therefore be a cause of fear to you, for the fire of schism is also judged by fire (S. + not because it sanctified the censers, for they sanctified them through themselves), that is to say, because the fire finished its work, for these people thought in their hearts that their censers were holy; for it was necessary that the fire which was taken for the service of transgression (S. + and for the irritation of God) should not obey them, but should cease from its work or be quenched, and should not consume anything that was put upon it; for now tt would not have done the wìll of the Lord, but would have obeyed schism.
Therefore it was said, Pour out there also the strange fire, that is to say, that the Lord judged fire by fire; (S. + if therefore this curse and judgment are appointed for these schisms that think they are praising God,) what will happen to these heresies which blaspheme against Him? But ye from the Scriptures and with the eyes of faith, seeing the plates of brass that are encrusted on the altar, be careful not to make a schism, and not to fall into judgment, but therefore, as believing and intelligent people, keep far away from schisms, (S. and come not near to them, not even in anything, as Moses said about them to the people, "Separate yourselves from among these cruel people, and come not near to anything that is theirs, that ye perish not with them in all their sins."
Whilst the wrath of the Lord was burning about the schism, it is written that the people fled from them, saying ”Lest the earth swallow us also with them.” Thus ye also, like people who make a struggle for your lives, flee from schisms, and reject those who wish to do thus, for ye know the place of their condemnation. But about heresies, do not even wish to hear their names, and do not defile your ears, for not only do they not verily praise God, but they even verily blaspheme Him, [mar, nor does the Lord have pleasure in the prayers of the heretics, nor their supplications, nor their praises.] Therefore the heathen will be judged because they knew not)” and offences and divisions, as our Lord said, “Woe to that man by whose means the offence cometh; it were right for him and better for him that a millstone of an ass were hung about his neck and he were drowned in the sea.” But the heretics, because they oppose God, are guilty, (S. + as also our Lord and Saviour Jesus said, “There shall be heresies and schisms,” and again, “Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences and schisms come, but woe to that man by whose means they come,” then we verily heard) but now we verily see, as also the Scripture hands down by means of Jeremiah, that “Profanity and heresies have gone out into all the land” (S. + as if to persuade our heart) and to confirm our faith that the prophecies are sure; for behold they exist and have been accomplished; because of all the work of the Lord our God, the Lord has turned it from the Nation to the Church by means of US the Apostles, and He hath removed and forsaken the Nation, (S. + as It is written in Isaiah, that He hath forsaken the people of the house of Jacob), and Jerusalem is forsaken; and Judah is fallen, and their tongues are in iniquity, and they have obeyed not the Lord, (S. + and He hath abandoned the vineyard), and behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
Chapter XXIV
That God hath left the Synagogue of the Nation, and hath come to the Church of the Gentiles; and that Satan also hath removed from the people of the Jews, and doth not tempt them anymore; and he hath also come against the Church, that he may make in it sects and divisions; and first he raised up in it Simon Magus, afterwards the false Apostles, those from among the Jews who obliged the Christians to act as Jews.
God therefore hath left the Nation, and hath filled the Church, and hath considered her the mount of [His] habitation, and the throne of glory, and the house of exaltation; and as David said, “The mountain of God is a mountain of fat, a mountain of arches. What think ye, ye arched mountains; this is the mountain which God hath chosen to dwell in; the Lord will tabernacle in it forever.” (S. + Ye see therefore how He speaketh to others, “What think ye?” to those who erroneously suppose that there are other Churches), for one only is the Church which is the mountain of the Sanctuary of God. Isaiah also hath said, “There shall be in the latter days (S. + He shall establish) the mountain of the House of the Lord God of Jacob (S. + in the top of the mountains and higher than the heights), and all nations shall flow unto it, and many peoples shall go and say, Come, let US go up to the mountain of the Lord; let us learn His way and walk in it”; (S. + and again he hath said, “There shall be signs and wonders in the midst of the people from the Lord of Sabaoth, and Him that dwelleth in Mount Zion,” and in Jeremiah also He hath said, “A high throne is the house of our Sanctuary”). Because therefore the Lord hath forsaken the nation of Israel, He hath also abandoned the Temple (S. + He hath made them desolate, and cloven the veil of the door), and taken away from it the Holy Spirit (S. + and cast it on those who believe from among
the Gentiles, as He hath said by means of Joel, “I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh,”) and the power of His Word, and He hath taken away all service from the Nation, and hath established it in the Church of the Gentiles. In like manner also, Satan the Tempter hath gone away and taken for the service of transgression (S. + and for the irritation of God) should not obey them, but should cease from its work or be quenched, and should not consume anything that was put upon it; for now it would not have done the will of the Lord, but would have obeyed schism.
Therefore it was said, Pour out there also the strange fire, that is to say, that the Lord judged fire by fire; (S. + if therefore this curse and judgment are appointed for these schisms that think they are praising God,) what will happen to these heresies which blaspheme against Him? but ye from the Scriptures and with the eyes of faith, seeing the plates of brass that are encrusted on the altar, be careful not to make a schism, and not to fall into judgment, but therefore, as believing and intelligent people, keep far away from schisms, (S. and come not near to them, not even in anything, as Moses said about them to the people, “Separate yourselves from among these cruel people, and come not near to anything that is theirs, that ye perish not with them in all their sins.” Whilst the wrath of the Lord was burning about the schism, it is written that the people fled from them, saying “Lest the earth swallow us also with them.” Thus ye also, like people who make a struggle for your lives, flee from schisms, and reject those who wish to do thus, for ye know the place of their condemnation. But about heresies, do not even wish to bear their names, and do not defile your ears, for not only do they not verily praise God, but they even verily blaspheme Him, [mar. nor does the Lord have pleasure in the prayers of the heretics, nor their supplications, nor their praises.] Therefore the heathen will be judged because they knew not) and offences and divisions, as our Lord said, “Woe to that man by whose means the offence cometh; it were right for him and better for him that a millstone of an ass were hung about his neck and he were drowned in the sea.” But the heretics, because they oppose God, are guilty, (S + as also our Lord and Saviour Jesus said, “There shall be heresies and schisms,” and again, “Woe unto the world because of offences! For it must needs be that offences and schisms come, but woe to that man by whose means they come,” then we verily heard) but now we verily see, as also the Scripture hands down by means of Jeremiah, that “Profanity and heresies have gone out into all the land” (S. + as if to persuade our heart) and to confirm our faith that the prophecies are sure; for behold they exist and have been accomplished; because of all the work of the Lord our God, the Lord has turned it from the Nation to the Church by means of US the Apostles, and He hath removed and forsaken the Nation, (S. + as it is written in Isaiah, that He hath forsaken the people of the house i.e., of Jacob), and Jerusalem is forsaken; and Judah is fallen, and their tongues are in iniquity, and they have obeyed not the Lord, (S. + and He hath abandoned the vineyard), and behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
Chapter XXV
Teaches that the Apostles assembled and settled the disputations and confusions that were in the Church, and aired the scandals that the false Apostles had wrought in it; and freed the people of the Christ from the burden of the observances of the law of Moses; and wrote writings to all the Churches of the Gentiles about what was necessary for them to observe;
and they wrote this Didascalla
We therefore have begun to preach the Holy Word of the Catholic Church. We returned again to visit the Churches, and found them of different opinions; some observed as holiness, thinking marriage profane, and some abstained from flesh and from wine, and some from swine’s flesh; and they kept all the bonds that are in Deuteronomy. When therefore a danger arose that heresies should be in all the Church, we assembled together, the twelve Apostles, in Jerusalem, and considered about what was to be. It pleased us all with one mind, to write this Catholic Didascalla, for the assurance of you all; and in it we confirmed and appointed that ye should worship God (S. + the Father) Almighty, and His Son Jesus the Christ, and the Holy Ghost, and that ye should minister in the Holy Scriptures, and believe in the Resurrection of the dead, and make use of all His creatures with thankfulness, and take wives, for He said in Proverbs, that “From God the wife is betrothed to the man,” and in the Gospel our Lord said, that “He that created in the beginning the male hath said that He created also the Female. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they twain shall be one flesh; what therefore God hath joined together let no man put asunder.” But the spiritual circumcision of the heart is sufficient for believers, as it is said in Jeremiah, “Light a lamp for yourselves; sow not among thorns” (S. + “Circumcise to the Lord your God; circumcise the foreskins of your hearts, ye men of Judah;” and again in Joel He saith, “Bend your hearts and not your garments”). About Baptism also, this one alone is sufficient (S. + to you), the one which has completely taken away your sins; for Isaiah did not say “Be ye washed,” but “Wash yourselves once and be clean.” But we had a long disputation, as men who wrestle for the sake of life; it was not among us the Apostles only, but also among the people, with James
the Bishop and Saint of Jerusalem, him who according to the flesh was brother of our Lord, (S. + and with his Elders) and the Deacons, of the Church of Jerusalem. Because also some days before men had come down from Judaea to Antioch, and had taught the brethren, “Except ye be circumcised, and conduct yourselves according to the Law of Moses, and be cleansed from meats (S. + and from all the other things), ye cannot be saved.” And they had much vexation (S. -f and disputation). The brethren of Antioch did not know that we were all assembled and come in order to examine about these things; they sent to us believing men who were acquainted with the Scriptures, that they might learn about this question, (S. + and when they were come to Jerusalem, they told us about the dispute) which they had in the Church at Antioch. But some men of the doctrine of the Pharisees who believed arose and said, “Ye ought to be circumcised, and to keep the Law of Moses,” (S. + and others also cried out and said thus). Then I Peter rose and said unto them, “Men and our brethren, ye also know that from the first days when I was among you, God chose that by means of me the Gentiles should hear the Gospel and believe; and God, who searcheth the hearts, bare witness to them, to Cornelius the Centurion, when the Angel appeared to him, and spoke to him about me, and he sent for me. But while I was getting ready to go to him, it was revealed (S. + to me) about the Gentiles who should believe, and about all meats; for I went up on a roof to pray; and I saw the Heavens opened, and a garment bound at its four corners, and it was let down and descended to the earth, and in it were all four-footed beasts and creeping things of the earth and fowls of the Heaven; and there carne to me a voice saying, Simon, rise, slay and eat And I said, Be it far from me, Lord, to eat anything that is impure, (S. + for I have never eaten anything that is impure and polluted). And another voice came to me the second time, saying, What God hath cleansed, call not thou common. But this was done three times, and it was lifted up from me into Heaven. Then I considered and knew the word of the Lord, that as He said, Be glad ye Gentiles, Deut. with the people, (S. + and that in every place He hath spoken about the calling of the Gentiles). And I rose and went; and when I entered his house, I began to speak the Word of the Lord; the Holy Ghost rested upon him and upon all the Gentiles who were present there. God therefore gave them the Holy Spirit, even as unto us, and made no difference in faith between them and us, and purified their hearts. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon their necks, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But by the goodness of our Lord Jesus the Christ, we believe that we shall be saved even as they; for the Lord hath come to us, and hath loosed us from these bonds, and hath said to US, Come unto Me, all ye who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me, for I am quiet and humble in My heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls, for so My yoke is pleasant and My burden is light If therefore our Lord
loosed US and lightened from us, why do ye wish to put a halter on yourselves?” Then all the people kept silence, and I James answered and said, “Men and our brethren, hearken unto me. Simon hath declared how God at first did say that He would choose from among the Gentiles a people for His name; and to this agree the words of the Prophets, as it is written, “After this I will raise and build the Tabernacle of David which is fallen; is and its ruins I will build and raise; that the residue (S. + of men) may seek the Lord, (S. + and all the Gentiles, upon whom My name is called, saith the Lord, who knoweth these things from everlasting. Therefore I say, let no man dispute with those who from among the Gentiles are turned to God), but let US send to them thus: Remove from idols and from sacrifices and from blood and from strangled things.” Then it pleased us the Apostles (S. + and the Bishops and the Elders) with all the Church, to choose from among them men and to send them with those of Barnabas and Paul, who came from thence; and we chose Judah who was called Barnaba, and Shela, men distinguished among the brethren, and we wrote these with our hands:
Letter of the Apostles
The Apostles, and Elders and Brethren, to the Brethren who are of the Gentiles that are in Antioch, and in Syria, and in Cilicia, much greeting. Because we have heard that men whom we have not sent trouble you with words which corrupt your souls; it seemed good to all of US, being assembled together, to choose and send men to you with our beloved ones those with Barnaba, whom we have sent. But we have sent Judah and Shela, who also by word will speak to you about these things: for it hath pleased the Holy Ghost, and us, that no greater burden should be put upon you than that ye remove yourselves from what is necessary, and from sacrifices, and from blood, and from strangled things (S. + and from fornication); from these keep yourselves. and ye shall do good things, and fare ye well in our Lord.” But we sent this letter, and we remained in Jerusalem many days; and we examined and we decreed together the things that were said, to all the people; but further we wrote also this Catholic Didascalla.
Chapter XXVI
Sheweth that from the first the Apostles tumed to the Churches of the Gentiles. as from the beginning of preaching, and in passing among them, they fixed and confirmed them, and appointed Canons among them
The opinion therefore which we have counselled and considered about those who were formerly in error, and we have sent and decreed, is thus, that we should return again anew, and also go to the Churches a second time, as from the beginning of preaching; we should also confirm believers, that they should avoid the before-named offences, that they receive not those who come among them falsely in the name of the Apostles, and that they distinguish them by the difference between their words, and the effects of their deeds, because these are those of whom our Lord said that there shall come to you men wearing sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves; and by their fruits ye shall know them. Beware of them therefore, for false Christs and lying prophets shall arise, and shall deceive many, and because of the greatness of iniquity, the love of many shall wax cold; but he that shall endure unto the end, he shall be saved.
Those therefore that have not been deceived and those who repent of error, they shall be left in the Church; but those who hold fast the error and repent not, we cut off and appoint that they go out of the Church, and be separated from the believers, because they have heresies, (S. + in order to command the believers, to keep entirely away from them), and they should have no communion with them either by word or by prayer; for these people are the enemies (S. + and spoilers) of the Church; for about these our Lord hath commanded us and said unto us, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees;” and “Into the cities of the Samaritans enter not,” (S. + but the cities of the Samaritans are of heresies), which walk in a crooked way (S. + of which He spake in the Proverbs, “There is a way that men think straight,”) and its end leadeth lower than Sheol.” These are they against whom our Lord decreed severely and bitterly, and said, “They shall not be forgiven, neither in this world, nor in that which is to come,” (S. + for because of the Nation which did not believe in the Christ, and laid hands upon Him, on the Son of man, that laid hands on Him blaspheming; and our Lord said, “It shall be forgiven unto them”; and again our Lord said about them, “My Father, they know not what they do, nor what they speak; if it be possible, forgive them”; but again also the Gentiles blaspheme against the Son of man, because of the Cross, and to them he hath also given forgiveness), to those who believed (S. + of the Nation or) of the Gentiles by means of baptism, and blasphemed, He hath not given the pardon of their wicked deeds, as the Lord the Christ hath said, “Wherefore I say unto you, that all sins and blasphemies shall be forgiven unto men; but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven, neither in this world nor in that which is to come; and everyone who speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; for everyone that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven, (S. + neither in this world, nor in the world to come). Those who blaspheme against the Holy Ghost, those who against God Almighty hastily and hypocritically blaspheme, (S. + those heretics who receive His holy Scriptures, or who receive them wickedly in hypocrisy with blasphemy, or who blaspheme by wicked words against the Catholic Church, which is the receptacle of the Holy Ghost, are those who before the future judgment and before the Spirit, have from of old been condemned to give answer before the Christ; for this which He said, that “it shall not be forgiven unto them,” is a sentence of severe punishment of the condemnation which expels them), and say that the Holy Ghost does not dwell in baptism, nor in the flesh and blood of the Christ. Having decreed and established and confirmed with one mind, each one of us went out and departed to his first portion, confirming the Churches, because the things that had been predicted were fulfilled, and disguised wolves had come, and false Christs and lying prophets had appeared; for this was known and manifest that when (S. + the times) should approach (S. + and His coming be near, there should be more and worse than these, from whom may the Lord God therefore deliver you!) may they also repent of their godless error, and by much admonition and by the word of doctrine of prayer we have cured and healed and forgiven in the Church. Those who restrain the word by the perverted word of error, and there is no cure for them, we put out, that they may not lead the holy Church astray, the pure Church of God; lest like a hateful leprosy and like a cancerous ulcer it should get to everyone; but that pure and unpolluted and passionless and spotless, the Church may be sealed to the Lord God, they who are in every place and in every city, and in all the habitable part of the world.
We make and testify; and we leave this Didascalla, holy and Catholic, justly and righteously to the Catholic Church, and for the assurance of believers.
Appendix
Translation of note by Professor Nau on the Chronology contained in Chapter XXI. {La Didascalle, p. 119).
“There are numerous discussions on the chronology of the week of the Passion…. The greatest difficulty consists in conciliating the Synoptics with St John. The Didascalla does not think of this conciliation, for it seems to ignore the Gospcl of St John, but nevertheless it furnishes a solution. (On Sunday Jesus announces that in two days it will be the Passover, and that the Son of man will be delivered up to be crucified.) On Monday the chief Priests assemble, and decide to seize Jesus and to keep the Passover on Tuesday. On this Monday Jesus was in the house of Simon the Leper. As Friday is to count for two days, that really takes place, as St John says, six days before the Passover or the Saturday. For the evening of Friday, when the Passover was usually celebrated, was the commencement of Saturday. Thus the Synoptists and St John speak, the first of the day on which the Passover was celebrated that year, and the second of the day on which it ought to have been celebrated. All are then right; it was enough that we should understand them. Next, our Lord celebrates the Passover on Tuesday; He is arrested on the night following Tuesday, that is to say, on Wednesday; He passes Wednesday in the house of Caiphas, Thursday in the house of Pilate; He is crucified on Friday. At His death darkness covers the earth, which makes two days of Friday, and allows it to be said that our Lord to be dead during three nights, namely, the supplementary night consisting of the darkness which followed His death, the night from Friday to Saturday, and the night from Saturday to Sunday. This explanation, if it had been imagined in our day, would be worthless, but as it has been written at the latest in the third century, it may rest upon a tradition still more ancient, and ought not to be rejected without examination.”

BOOK VII – Concerning Deportment, And The Eucharist, And Initiation Into Christ.
Chapter I – That there are two ways; the one natural, of life, and the other introduced afterwards, of death; and that the former is from God, and the latter of error, from the snares of the adversary
THE lawgiver Moses said to the Israelites, Behold, I have set before your face the way of life and the way of death; and added, Choose life, that thou mayest live. Elijah the prophet also said to the people, How long will ye halt with both your legs? If the Lord be God, follow him. The Lord Jesus also said justly, No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. We also, following our Master Christ, who is the Saviour of all men, especially of those that believe, are obliged to say that there are two ways, the one of life, the other of death: which have no comparison one with another; for they are very different, or rather entirely separate. And the way of life is natural, but that of death was afterwards introduced; it not being according to the mind of God, but from the snares of the adversary.
Chapter II – Moral exhortations of the Lord’s constitutions agreeing with the ancient prohibitions of the divine Law; The prohibition of anger, corruption, adultery, and every forbidden action
The first way, therefore, is that of life, and is this, which the Law also appointeth, To love the Lord God with all thy mind, and with all thy soul, who is the one and only God, besides whom there is no other; and thy neighbor as thyself. And whatsoever thou art unwilling to have done to thee, that do not thou to another. Bless them that curse you; Pray for them that despitefully use you. Love your enemies . For what thanks is it if ye love those that love you? For even the Gentiles do the same. But love ye those that hate you, and ye shall have no enemy. For it saith, Thou shalt not hate any man, no, not an Egyptian, nor an Edomite. For they are all the workmanship of God. Avoid not the persons, but the sentiments, of the wicked. Abstain from fleshly and worldly lusts.
If anyone smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. Not that retaliation is evil, but that patience is more honorable. For David saith, If I have made returns to them that repaid me evil. If anyone compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. And he that will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And from him that taketh thy goods require them not again.
Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away and shut thy hand. For the righteous man is compassionate, and lendeth. For your Father would have you give to all, who himself maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth his rain on the just and on the unjust. It is therefore reasonable to give to all out of thine own labors. For the Scripture saith, Honor the Lord out of thy righteous labors; but so that the saints be preferred.
Thou shalt not kill; that is, thou shalt not destroy a man like thyself; for thou dissolvest what was well made. Not as if all killing were wicked, but only that of the innocent; but the killing which is just, is reserved to the magistrates alone.
Thou shalt not commit adultery; for thou dividest one flesh into two. They two shall be one flesh. For the husband and wife are one in nature, in consent, in union, in disposition, and the conduct of life. But they are separated in sex and in number.
Thou shalt not corrupt boys; for this wickedness is contrary to nature, and arose from Sodom, which was consumed with fire sent from God. Let such a one be accursed; and all the people shall say, So be it.
Thou shalt not commit fornication. For the Scripture saith, There shall not be a fornicator among the sons of Israel.
Thou shalt not steal. For Achan, when he had stolen in Israel at Jericho, was stoned to death; and Gehazi, who stole, and told a lie, inherited the leprosy of Naaman; and Judas, who stole the money of the poor, betrayed the Lord of glory to the Jews, and repented, and hanged himself, and burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out; and Ananias and Sapphira his wife, who stole their own goods, and tempted the Spirit of the Lord, were immediately, at the sentence of Peter our fellow-apostle, struck dead.
Chapter III – Prohibition of conjuring, murder of infants, perjury, and false witness
Thou shalt not use magic. Thou shalt not use witchcraft. For the Scripture saith, Ye shall not suffer those to live who practise sorcery.
Thou shalt not slay thy child by causing abortion, nor kill that which is begotten. Foreverything that is shaped, and hath received a soul from God, if it be slain, shall be avenged, as being unjustly destroyed.
Thou shalt not covet the things that belong to thy neighbor, as his wife, or his servant, or his ox, or his field.
Thou shalt not forswear thyself; for it is said, Swear not at all. But if that cannot be, thou shalt swear piously and truly. Everyone that sweareth by him shall be commended.
Thou shalt not bear false witness. For he that falsely accuseth the needy provoketh to anger him that made him.
Chapter IV – Prohibition of evil speaking, and wrath, of deceitful conduct, idle words, falsehood, covetousness, and hypocrisy
Thou shalt not speak evil. For the Scripture saith, Love not to speak evil, lest thou be taken away. Nor shalt thou be mindful of injuries; for the ways of those that remember injuries are unto death.
Thou shalt not be double-minded nor double-tongued. For a man’s own lips are a strong snare to him; and a talkative person shall not be prospered upon the earth.
Thy words shall not be vain. For ye shall give account of every idle word.
Thou shalt not lie. For the Scripture saith, Thou wilt destroy all those that speak lies.
Thou shalt not be covetous nor rapacious. For it saith, Woe to him that is covetous towards his neighbor, with an evil covetousness.
Thou shalt not be a hypocrite, lest thy portion be with them.
Chapter V – Prohibition of malignity, acceptation of persons, prolonged anger, and detraction
Thou shalt not be ill-natured nor proud. For God resisteth the proud.
Thou shalt not accept persons in judgment; for the judgment is the Lord’s.
Thou shalt not hate any man; thou shalt surely reprove thy brother, and not become guilty on his account. And, Reprove a wise man, and he will love thee. Eschew all evil, and all that is like it. For, saith the Scripture, Abstain from injustice, and trembling shall not come nigh thee.
Be not soon angry, nor spiteful, nor passionate, nor furious, nor daring, lest thou undergo the fate of Cain, and of Saul, and of Joab; for the first of these slew his brother Abel, because Abel was found to be preferred before him with God, and because Abel’s sacrifice was preferred; the second persecuted holy David, who had slain Goliath the Philistine, being envious upon the praises of the women who danced; the third slew two generals of armies, Abner of Israel, and Amasa of Judah.
Chapter VI – Concerning augury and enchantments
Be not a diviner; for that leadeth to idolatry. Besides, Divination, saith Samuel, is a sin. And, There shall be no divination in Jacob, nor soothsaying in Israel. Thou shalt not use enchantments or purifications for thy child. Thou shalt not be a soothsayer, nor a diviner by great or little birds. Nor shalt thou learn wicked arts. For all these things the law hath forbidden.
Long not for what is evil; for thou wilt be led into much sin.
Speak not obscenely, nor use wanton glances, nor be a drunkard. For from such causes arise whoredoms and adulteries.
Be not a lover of money, lest thou serve mammon, instead of God.
Be not vain-glorious, nor elated, nor haughty; for hence spring manifestations of arrogance. Remember him who said, Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty; I have not exercised myself in great matters, nor in things too high for me. Surely I was humble.
Chapter VII – Prohibition of murmuring, arrogance, pride, and audacity
Be not a murmurer, remembering the punishment which they underwent who murmured against Moses. Be not self-willed; be not malicious; be not hard-hearted; be not passionate; be not pusillanimous. For all these things lead to blasphemy. But be meek, as were Moses and David; since the meek shall inherit the earth.
Chapter VIII – Of Long-suffering , simplicity, meekness, and patience
Be slow to wrath; for such a one is very prudent; since he that is hasty of spirit is a very fool.
Be merciful; for blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Be sincere, quiet, good, trembling at the word of God.
Thou shalt not exalt thyself, as did the Pharisee; foreveryone that exalteth himself shall be abased. And that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination with God.
Thou shalt not entertain temerity in thy soul; for a rash man shall fall into mischief.
Thou shalt not go along with the foolish; but with the wise and righteous. For he that walketh with wise men shall be wise; but he that walketh with the foolish shall be known.
Receive the afflictions that befall thee, with an even mind; and reverses, without overmuch sorrow; knowing that a reward shall be given to thee from God, as was given to Job and to Lazarus.
Chapter IX – That it is our duty to esteem our Christian teachers above our parents; the former being the means of our well-being, the other only of our being.
Thou shalt honor him that speaketh to thee the Word of God, and be mindful of him, day and night; and thou shalt reverence him, not as the cause of thy being, but as the cause of thy well-being. For where the doctrine concerning God is, there God is present. Thou shalt every day seek the face of the saints, that thou mayest acquiesce in their words.
Chapter X – That we ought not to separate ourselves from the saints, but to make peace between those that quarrel, to judge righteously, and not to accept persons
Thou shalt not make schisms among the saints, but be mindful of the followers of Corah.
Thou shalt make peace between those that are at variance, as Moses did, when he persuaded them to be friends.
Thou shalt judge righteously; for the judgment is the Lord’s. Thou shalt not accept persons when thou reprovest for sins; but do as Elijah and Micaiah did to Ahab; and Ebedmelech the Ethiopian to Zedekiah, and Nathan to David, and John to Herod.
Chapter XL – Concerning him that is double-minded, or of little faith
Be not of a doubtful mind in thy prayer, whether it shall be granted or not. For the Lord said to me, Peter, upon the sea, thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? Be not thou ready to stretch out thy hand to receive, and to shut it when thou shouldst give.
Chapter XII – Of doing good
If thou hast by the work of thy hands, give, that thou mayest labor for the redemption of thy sins. For by alms and acts of faith, sins are purged away. Thou shalt not grudge to give to the poor; nor, when thou hast given, shalt thou murmur. For thou shalt know who will repay thee thy reward; for the Scripture saith, He that hath pity on the poor, lendeth to the Lord; and according to his gift so it shall be repaid him again. Thou shalt not turn away from him that is needy. For it saith, He that stoppeth his ears, that he may not hear the cry of the needy, himself also shall call, and there shall be none to hear him. Thou shalt communicate in all things to thy brother, and shalt not say that they are thine own. For the common participation of the necessaries of life is prepared by God for all men. Thou shalt not take off thy hand from thy son, or from thy daughter, but shalt teach them the fear of God from their youth. For it saith, Correct thy son; so shall he afford thee good hope.
Chapter XIII – How masters ought to behave themselves to their servants; and how
servants ought to be subject
Thy man-servant or thy maid-servant, who trust in the same God, thou shalt not command with bitterness of spirit; lest they groan against thee, and wrath be upon thee from God. And ye servants, be subject to your masters, as to the representatives of God, with attention and fear, as to the Lord, and not to men.
Chapter XIV – Concerning hypocrisy, and obedience to the laws, and confession of sins
Thou shalt hate all hypocrisy; and thou shalt do whatsoever is pleasing to the Lord. By no means forsake the commands of the Lord; but observe the things which thou hast received from him, neither adding to them, nor taking away from them. For thou shalt not add unto his words, lest he convict thee, and thou become a liar.
Thou shalt confess thy sins to the Lord thy God; and thou shalt not add to them anymore, that it may be well with thee from the Lord thy God, who willeth not the death of a sinner, but his repentance.
Chapter XV – Concerning the regard due to parents
Thou shalt be observant to thy father and mother, as the causes of thy being born; that thou mayest live long on the earth, which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Overlook not thy brethren and thy kindred. For thou shalt not overlook those who are nearly related to thee.
Chapter XVI – Concerning the subjection due to the king and to rulers
Thou shalt fear the king, knowing that his appointment is of the Lord. His rulers thou shalt honor, as the ministers of God; for they are the avengers of all unrighteousness; to whom pay taxes, tribute, and every oblation, with a willing mind.
Chapter XVII – Concerning the pure conscience of those that pray
Thou shalt not proceed to thy prayer in the day of thy wickedness, before thou hast laid aside thy bitterness. This is the way of life; in which may ye be found, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Chapter XVIII – That the way which was afterwards introduced by the snares of the adversary, is full of impiety and wickedness
But the way of death is known by its wicked practices; for in it are ignorance of God, and the introduction of many evils, and disorders, and disturbances; through which come murders, adulteries, fornications, perjuries, unlawful lusts, thefts, idolatries, magic arts, witchcrafts, rapines, false testimonies, hypocrisies, double-heartedness, deceit, pride, malice, insolence, covetousness, obscene talk, jealousy, rashness, haughtiness, arrogance, impudence, persecution of the good, enmity to truth, love of lies, ignorance of righteousness. For they who do such things adhere not to goodness, nor to righteous judgment. They watch not for good, but for evil; from whom meekness and patience are far off; who love vain things, pursuing after reward, having no pity on the poor, not laboring for him that is in misery, nor knowing Him that made them; murderers of infants, destroyers of the workmanship of God; who turn away from the needy, adding affliction to the afflicted; the flatterers of the rich; the despisers of the poor; full of sin.
May you, children, be delivered from all these.
Chapter XIX – That we must not turn from the way of piety, either to the right nor to the left
See that no one seduce thee from piety. For, saith God, Thou mayest not turn aside from it, to the right hand nor to the left; that thou mayest have understanding in all that thou doest. For if thou turn not out of the right way, thou wilt not be wicked.
Chapter XX – That we ought not to despise any of the sorts of food that are set before us, but gratefully and orderly to partake of them
Now, concerning the several sorts of food, the Lord saith to thee, Ye shall eat the good things of the earth. And all sorts of flesh shall ye eat, as the green herb; but thou shalt pour out the blood. For not those things that go into the mouth, but those that come out of it, defile a man: I mean blasphemies, evil-speaking, and if there be any other thing of the like nature. But do thou eat the fat of the land, with righteousness.
For if there be anything pleasant, it is His; and if there be anything good, it is His: wheat for the young men, and wine to cheer the maids. For who shall eat, or who shall drink, without him? And wise Ezra admonisheth thee, saying, Go your way, and eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and be not sorrowful.
Chapter XXI – That we ought to avoid the eating of things offered to idols
But abstain from things offered to idols, that ye may not become partners with demons; for the Gentiles offer those things in honor of demons, that is, to the dishonor of the one God.
Chapter XXII – A constitution of our Lord, how we ought to baptize, and into whose death
Now, concerning baptism, bishop or presbyter, we have already given direction; and we now say that thou shalt so baptize as the Lord commanded us, saying, Go ye, and teach all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: of the Father who sent; of Christ who came; of the Comforter who testified.
But thou shalt first anoint the person with the holy oil, and afterwards thou shalt baptize him with water, and in the conclusion thou seal him with ointment; that the anointing with oil may be the participation of the Holy Spirit, and the water the symbol of the death of Christ, and the ointment the seal of the covenants. But if there be neither oil nor ointment, water is sufficient, both for the anointing and for the seal, and for the confession of him that is dying, namely, dying together with [Christ] .
Moreover, before baptism, let him that is to be baptized, fast. For even the Lord, when he was first baptized by John, and abode in the wilderness, afterwards fasted forty days and forty nights. But he was baptized, and then fasted, not having himself any need of cleansing, or of fasting, or of purification, who was, by nature, pure and holy; but that he might both testify the truth to John, and afford to us an example. Wherefore our Lord was not baptized into his own passion, or death, or resurrection; for none of those things had then happened; but for another purpose. On which account he, by his own authority, fasted after his baptism, as being the Lord of John.
But he who is to be initiated into his death, ought first to fast, and then to be baptized. For it is not reasonable that he who has been buried with Christ, and is risen again with him, should appear dejected at his very resurrection. For man is not Lord of our Saviour’s constitution, since one is the Master, and the other the servant.
Chapter XXIII – Which days of the week we ought to fast, and which not, and for what reasons
But let not your fasts be with the hypocrites; for they fast on the second and fifth days of the week. But do ye fast either the five days, or the fourth day and the day of the Preparation, because on the fourth day the condemnation went out against the Lord, Judas then promising to betray him for money; and ye must fast the day of the Preparation, because on that day the Lord suffered the death of the cross, under Pontius Pilate. Yet the Sabbath and the Lord’s day keep as festivals, because the former is the memorial of the creation, and the latter of the resurrection. And in the whole year there is only one Sabbath to be otherwise observed by you, that of our Lord’s burial, on which men ought to keep a fast, but not a festival. For inasmuch as the Creator was then under the earth, the sorrow for him is more forcible than the joy for the creation; because the Creator is more honorable by nature and dignity than his own creatures.
Chapter XXIV – What sort of people they ought to be who offer the prayer that was given by the Lord
Now when ye pray, be not as the hypocrites; but as the Lord hath appointed us in the Gospel, so pray ye: Our Father who art in heaven; hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom forever. Amen.
Pray thus thrice in a day, preparing yourselves beforehand, that ye may be worthy of the adoption of the Father, lest, when ye call him Father unworthily, ye be reproached by him, as Israel once his first-born son was told, If I be a Father, where is my glory?
And if I be a Lord, where is my fear? For the glory of fathers is the holiness of their children, and the honor of masters is the fear of their servants; as the contrary is dishonor and confusion. For saith he, Through you my name is blasphemed among the Gentiles.
Chapter XXV – A Mystical Thanksgiving
But be ye always thankful, as faithful and honest servants; and, in respect to the Eucharist, say thus:
We thank thee, our Father, for that life which thou hast made known to us by Jesus thy Son, by whom thou madest all things, and takest care of the whole world; whom thou hast sent to become man for our salvation; whom thou hast permitted to suffer and to die; whom thou hast raised up, and been pleased to glorify, and hast seated at thy right hand; by whom also thou hast promised us the resurrection of the dead. Do thou, Lord Almighty, everlasting God, so gather together thy church from the ends of the earth into thy kingdom, as THIS was once scattered, and is now become one loaf. We also, our Father, thank thee for the precious blood of Jesus Christ, which was shed for us, and for his precious body, of which we celebrate these representations, as he himself appointed us, to shoiv forth his death. For through him glory shall be given to thee forever. Amen.
Let no one eat of them that is not initiated; but those only who have been baptized into the death of the Lord.
But if anyone that is not initiated conceal himself, and partake, he eateth eternal condemnation; because, being not of the faith of Christ, he hath partaken of such things as it is not lawful for him to partake of, to his own punishment. But if anyone be a partaker through ignorance, instruct him quickly, and initiate him, that he may not go out a despiser.
XXVI – A Thanksgiving at the divine participation
After the participation, give thanks in this manner: We thank thee, God and Father of Jesus our Saviour, for thy holy name which thou hast caused to dwell among us, and for the knowledge, faith, love, and immortality, which thou hast given us through thy Son Jesus. Thou, Almighty Lord, the God of the universe, hast by him created the world, and the things that are therein; and hast planted a law in our souls, and beforehand hast prepared things for the convenience of men. God of our holy and blameless fathers, Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, thy faithful servants; thou, God, who art powerful, faithful, and true, and without deceit in thy promises; who didst send upon earth Jesus thy Christ to converse with men, as a man, when he was God the Word, and Man, to take away error by the roots; do thou thyself even now through him be mindful of this thy holy church, which thou hast purchased with the precious blood of thy Christ, and deliver it from all evil, and perfect it in thy love and thy truth, and gather us all together into thy kingdom which thou hast prepared. Maranatha: Our Lord is come. Hosanna to the Son of David, Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord (God the Lord, who was manifested to us in the flesh.) If anyone be holy, let him draw near; but if anyone be not such, let him become such by repentance. Permit also your Presbyters to give thanks.
XXVII – A Thanksgiving in respect to the mystical ointment
Concerning the ointment, give thanks in this manner:
We give thee thanks, God, the Creator of the whole world, both for the fragrancy of the ointment, and for the immortality which thou hast made known to us by thy Son Jesus; since thine are the glory and the power, forever. Amen.
Whosoever cometh to you, and giveth thanks in this manner receive him as a disciple of Christ. But if he preach another doctrine, different from that which Christ by us hath delivered to you, ye must not permit him to give thanks; for such a one insulteth God rather than glorifieth him.
Chapter XXVIII – That we ought not to be indifferent about fellowship
But whosoever cometh to you, let him be first examined, and then received; for ye have understanding, and are able to know the right hand from the left, and to distinguish false teachers from the true. But when a teacher cometh to you, supply him cordially with what he needeth. And even when a false teacher cometh, ye shall give him for his necessity, but shall not receive his error. Nor indeed may ye pray together with him, lest ye be polluted with him.
Every true prophet or teacher that cometh to you is worthy of his maintenance, as being a laborer in the word of righteousness.
Chapter XXIX – A constitution concerning oblations
All the first-fruits of the wine-press, the threshing-floor, the oxen, and the sheep, thou shalt give to the Priests, that thy store houses and garners, and the products of thy land, may be blessed; and that thou mayest be strengthened with corn, and wine, and oil; and that the herds of thy cattle, and the flocks of thy sheep, may be increased. Thou shalt give the tenth of thine increase to the orphan, and to the widow, and to the poor, and to the stranger. All the first-fruits of thy hot bread, of thy barrels of wine or oil, or honey, or nuts, or grapes, or the first-fruits of other things, thou shalt give to the Priests; but those of silver, and of garments, and of every kind of possessions, to the orphan and to the widow.
Chapter XXX – How we ought to assemble together, and celebrate the festival day of
our Saviour’s resurrection
On the day of the resurrection of the Lord, that is, the Lord’s day, assemble yourselves together, without fail; giving thanks to God, and praising him for those mercies which God hath bestowed upon you, through Christ, in delivering you from ignorance, error, and bondage; that your sacrifice may be unspotted, and acceptable to God, who hath said concerning his church universal, In every place shall incense and a pure sacrifice be offered unto me; for l am a great king, saith the Lord Almighty, and my name is Wonderful among the heathen.
Chapter XXXI – Priesthood Holders – What qualifications they ought to have, who are to be ordained
Moreover, elect Bishops worthy of the Lord, and Presbyters, and Deacons, pious men, righteous, meek, free from the love of money, lovers of truth, approved, holy, impartial, able to teach the word of piety, and rightly dividing the doctrines of the Lord. And honor ye them as your fathers, as your lords, as your benefactors, as the causes of your well-being. Reprove ye one another, not in anger, but in mildness, with kindness and peace.
Observe all things that are commanded you by the Lord. Be watchful for your life. Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; and ye yourselves like unto men who wait for their Lord, when he will come; at even, or in the morning, or at cock-crowing, or at midnight. For at what hour they think not the Lord will come. And if they open to him, blessed are those servants, because they were found watching. For he will gird himself, ,and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth, and serve them.
Watch, therefore, and pray, that ye do not sleep unto death. For your former good deeds will not profit you, if at the last part of your life ye go astray from the true faith.
Chapter XXXII – A Prediction concerning events which are to occur
For in the last days false prophets shall be multiplied, and such as corrupt the word; and the sheep shall be changed into wolves, and love into hatred; for, through the abounding of iniquity, the love of many shall wax cold. For men shall hate, and persecute and betray one another. And then shall appear the deceiver of the world, the enemy of the truth, the prince of lies, whom the Lord Jesus shall destroy with the Spirit of his mouth; who taketh away the wicked with his lips. And many shall be offended at him. But they that endure to the end, the same shall be saved. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven. Thereupon shall be the voice of a trumpet by the archangel, and immediately the revival of those that were asleep. And then shall the Lord come, and all his saints with a great concussion above the clouds, with the angels of his power, on the throne of his kingdom, to condemn the deceiver of the world, and to render to every one according to his deeds. Then shall the wicked go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous shall go into life eternal, to inherit those things which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man such things as God hath prepared for them that love him; and they shall rejoice in the kingdom of God, which is in Christ Jesus.
Since now we have been honored with so great blessings from him, let us become his supplicants, and call upon him by continual prayer, saying:
Chapter XXXIII – A Prayer declarative of God’s various providence
Eternal Saviour, the king of gods, who alone art almighty, and the Lord, the God of all beings, and the God of our holy and blameless fathers, and of those before us; the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob; who art merciful and compassionate, long-suffering, and abundant in mercy; to whom every heart is naked, and by whom every heart is seen, and to whom every secret thought is revealed: to thee do the souls of the righteous cry aloud; upon thee do the hopes of the godly trust, thou Father of the blameless, thou hearer of the supplications of those that call upon thee with uprightness, and who knowest the supplications that are not uttered. For thy providence reacheth to the inmost parts of men, and by thy knowledge thou searchest the thoughts of every one; and in every region of the whole earth the incense of prayer and supplication is sent up to thee.
Thou who hast appointed this present world as a place of combat to righteousness, and hast opened to all the gate of mercy, and hast shown to every man, by implanted knowledge, and natural judgment, and the admonitions of the Law, that the possession of riches is not everlasting, the ornament of beauty is not perpetual, our strength and force are easily dissolved; all indeed is vapor and vanity; and nothing but consciousness of faith unfeigned passeth through the midst of the heavens, and, returning with truth, taketh hold of the right hand of the joy which is to come. And, withal, before the promise of the restoration of all things is accomplished, the soul itself exulteth in hope, and is joyful. For from the beginning, when our forefather Abraham was laboring after the way of truth, thou, by a vision, didst guide him, teaching him what kind of a state this world is; and knowledge went before his faith, and faith ensued upon his knowledge, and the covenant was a consequence of his faith. For thou saidst, I will make thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand which is by the sea-shore. Still further, when thou hadst, given him Isaac, and knewest him to be similar in his character, thou wast called also his God, saying, I will be a God to thee, and to thy seed after thee.
And when our father Jacob was sent into Mesopotamia, thou showedst him Christ, and by him spakest, saying, Behold, I am with thee, and I will increase thee, and multiply thee exceedingly. And thus spakest thou to Moses, thy faith ful and holy servant, at the vision of the bush, I am he that is. This is my name forever, and this is my memorial unto all generations. thou Protector of the posterity of Abraham, blessed art thou forever.
XXXIV – A Prayer declarative of God’s various creation
Blessed art thou, Lord, the King of ages, who, through Christ, hast made the whole world, and through him, in the beginning, didst reduce into order the disordered parts; who didst divide the waters from the waters by a firmament, and didst put into them a spirit of life; who didst fix the earth, and stretch out the heaven, and didst dispose every creature by an accurate constitution. For by thy power, Lord, the world is beautified; the heaven is fixed as an arch over us, and is rendered illustrious with stars, for our comfort in the darkness. The light, also, and the sun, were produced for days, and for the production of fruits; and the moon for the change of seasons, by its increase and diminutions; and night and day received their respective names. The firmament, moreover, was exhibited in the midst of the abyss; and thou didst command the waters to be gathered together, and the dry land to appear. But, as for the sea itself, who can possibly describe it? which cometh with fury from the ocean, yet runneth back again from the sand of the shore, being stopped at thy command; for thou hast said, Thereby shall her waves be broken. Thou hast also made it capable of supporting little and great creatures, and made it navigable for ships.
Then did the earth become green, and was planted with all sorts of flowers, and the variety of different trees; and the shining luminaries, the nourishers of those plants, preserve their unchangeable course, and in nothing depart from thy command. But where thou biddest them, there they rise and set, for signs of the seasons, and of the years, making a constant return of the work of men.
Afterwards the kinds of the several animals were created: those belonging to the land, to the water, to the air, and both to air and water; and the skilful wisdom of thy providence bestoweth upon each a suitable provident care. For as it was not unable to produce various kinds, so neither hath it disdained to provide variously for each.
And at the conclusion of the creation, thou gavest direction to thy Wisdom, and formedst a rational living creature, as the citizen of the world, saying, Let us make man after our image, and after our likeness; and hast exhibited him as the ornament of the world, and formed him a body out of the four elements, those primary bodies, but hast prepared a soul out of nothing, and hast bestowed upon him his five senses, and set over his sensations a mind, as the conductor of the soul.
And besides all these things, Lord God, who can worthily declare the motion of the rainy clouds, the shining of the lightning, the noise of the thunder, in order to the supply of proper food, and the most agreeable temperature of the air?
But, when man was disobedient, thou didst deprive him of the life proposed for his reward; yet thou didst not utterly destroy him, but laidest him to sleep for a time; and thou hast by oath called him to a resurrection, and hast loosed the bond of death, thou Reviver of the dead, through Jesus Christ, who is our hope.
XXXV – Prayer with thanksgiving, declarative of God’s care over the beings he hath made
Great art thou, Lord Almighty, and great is thy power; and to thine understanding there is no limit; our Creator and Saviour, rich in benefits, long-suffering, and the Bestower of mercy, who dost not take away thy salvation from thy creatures; for thou art good by nature, and sparest sinners, and invitest them to repentance; for admonition is the effect of thy bowels of compassion. For how should we abide if we were required to come to judgment immediately, when, after so much long-suffering, we hardly emerge from our miserable condition!
The heavens declare thy dominion, and the earth shaketh with earthquakes, and, hanging upon nothing, declare thine unshaken steadfastness. The sea, raging with waves, and feeding a flock of ten thousand creatures, is bounded with sand, as standing in awe at thy will; and it compelleth all men to cry out, How great are thy works, Lord! In wisdom hast Thou made them all. The earth is full of what thou hast created.
And the bright host of angels, and the intellectual spirits, say to Him, One is holy! And the holy seraphim, together with the six-winged cherubim, who sing to thee their triumphal song, cry never-ceasing voices, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of thy glory. And the other multitudes of the orders, angels, archangels, thrones, dominions, principalities, authorities, and powers, cry aloud, and say, Blessed be the glory of the Lord out of his place. But Israel, thy church on earth, taken out of the Gentiles, emulating the heavenly Powers, night and day, with a full heart and a willing soul, singeth, the chariot of God is ten thousand fold, thousands of them that rejoice. The Lord is among them in Sinai, in the holy place.
The heaven knoweth Him who fixed it as a cube of stone, in the form of an arch, upon nothing; who united the land and the water to one another, and scattered the vital air all abroad, and conjoined fire therewith for warmth, and for the mitigation of darkness. The choir of stars striketh us with admiration, declaring Him that numbereth them, and showing Him that nameth them; the animals declare Him that putteth life into them; the trees, Him that maketh them grow; all which creatures, being made by thy word, show forth the greatness of thy power. Wherefore, every man, since by thine appointment he hath power over them all, ought, from his very soul, to send up a hymn to thee, through Christ, in the name of them all.
For thou art kind in thy benefits, and beneficent in thy bowels of compassion; who alone art almighty; for when thou willest, to be able is present with thee. For thine eternal power quencheth flame, and stoppeth the mouths of lions, and tameth whales, and raiseth up the sick, and over-ruleth the power of all things, and overturneth the host of enemies, and casteth down a people numbered in their arrogance. Thou art He who art in heaven, He who art on earth, He who art in the sea, He who art in finite things, thy self unconfined by anything. For of thy majesty there is no boundary; for it is not ours, Lord, but the oracle of thy servant, who said, And thou shalt know in thy heart that the Lord thy God is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath; and there is none other besides him. For there is no God besides thee alone; there is none holy besides thee, the Lord, the God of knowledge, the God of the saints, holy above all holy beings; for they are sanctified by thy hands.
Thou art glorious, and highly exalted, invisible by nature, and unsearchable in thy judgments; whose life is without want; whose duration can never fail; whose operation is without toil; whose greatness is unlimited; whose excellency is perpetual; whose habitation is inaccessible; whose dwelling is unchangeable; whose knowledge is without beginning; whose truth is immutable; whose work is without assistant; whose dominion cannot be taken away; whose monarchy is without succession; whose kingdom is without end; whose strength is irresistible; whose army is most numerous. For thou art the Father of wisdom, the Creator, as the primary Author, of the creation, by a Mediator; the Bestower of providence; the Giver of laws; the Supplier of want; the Punisher of the wicked, and the Rewarder of the righteous; the God and Father of Christ, and the Lord of those that are pious towards him, [thine anointed One;] whose promise is infallible; whose judgment is without bribes; whose sentiments are immutable; whose piety is incessant; whose thanksgiving is perpetual; and through whom worthy adoration is due to thee from every rational and holy nature.
XXXVI – A Prayer commemorative of the Incarnation of Christ; and his various providence to the saints
Lord Almighty, thou hast created the world by Christ, and hast appointed the Sabbath in memory thereof; since thou hast made us rest on that day from our works, for meditation upon thy laws. Thou hast also appointed festivals for the rejoicing of our souls, that we might come into the remembrance of the Wisdom that was created by thee; how he, for our sake, submitted to be born of a woman. He appeared in life, manifesting himself in his baptism, that he who thus came forth is God and man. He suffered and died for us by thy permission, and rose again by thy power; on which account, we, solemnly assembling to celebrate the festival of the Resurrection on the Lord’s day, rejoice concerning Him who hath conquered death, and hath brought life and immortality to light. For by him thou hast brought home the Gentiles to thyself, for a peculiar people, the true Israel, beloved of God, and seeing God. For thou, Lord, broughtest our fathers out of the land of Egypt, and didst deliver them out of the iron furnace, from clay and brick-making, and didst redeem them out of the hands of Pharaoh, and of those under him; and didst lead them through the sea, as through dry land; and didst bear their manners in the wilderness, and bestow on them all sorts of good things. Thou didst give them the Law, or Decalogue, which was pronounced by thy voice, and written with thy hand. Thou didst enjoin the observance of the Sabbath, not affording them an occasion of idleness, but an opportunity of piety, for their knowledge of thy power, and the restraint of evils; having enclosed the people, as within a holy circuit, for the sake of instruction, so that they might rejoice on the seventh day. On this account were appointed one week, and seven weeks, and the seventh month, and the seventh year; and the sevenfold revolution of this, the jubilee, which is the fiftieth year, for remission; that men might have no occasion to pretend ignorance.
(For this purpose he permitted men, every Sabbath, to rest, that no one might be disposed to utter a word out of his mouth in anger on the day of the Sabbath. For the Sabbath is the ceasing of the creation, the completion of the world, the inquiry after laws, and the grateful praise to God for the blessings he hath bestowed upon men.)
All which appointed times the Lord’s day excelleth, and showeth the Mediator himself, the Provider, the Lawgiver, the Author of the Resurrection, the First-born of the whole creation, God the Word, and Man; who was born of Mary alone, without a man; who lived a holy life; who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and died, and rose again from the dead; so that the Lord’s day commandeth us to offer unto thee, Lord, thanksgiving for all. For thus is the grace afforded by thee, which, on account of its greatness, hath obscured all other blessings.
Chapter XXXVII – A Prayer containing a memorial of providence, and an enumeration of the various, benefits afforded to the saints by the providence of God through Christ
Thou who hast fulfilled thy promises made by the prophets, and hast had mercy on Zion, and compassion on Jerusalem, by exalting the throne of David, thy servant, in the midst of her, by the birth of Christ, who was born of his seed, according to the flesh, of a virgin alone; do thou now, Lord God, accept the prayers which proceed from the lips of thy people, who are of the Gentiles, who call upon thee in truth, as thou didst accept of the gifts of the righteous in their generations. In the first place, thou didst respect the sacrifice of Abel, and accept it, as thou didst accept the sacrifice of Noah, when he went out of the ark; of Abraham, when he went out of the land of the Chaldeans; of Isaac, at the well of the oath; of Jacob, in Bethel; of Moses, in the desert; of Aaron, between the dead and the living; of Joshua, the son of Nun in Gilgal; of Gideon, at the rock, and the fleeces, before his sin; of Manoah and his wife, in the field; of Samson, in his thirst, before his transgression; of Jephthah, in the war, before his rash vow; of Barak and Deborah, in the days of Sisera; of Samuel, in Mizpeh; of David, in the threshing-floor of Oman the Jebusite; of Solomon, in Gibeon, and in Jerusalem; of Elijah, in Mount Carmel; of Elisha, at the barren fountain; of Jehosaphat, in war; of Hezekiah, in his sickness, and concerning Sennacherib; of Manasseh, in the land of the Chaldeans, after his transgression; of Josiah, in his Passover; of Ezra, at the return; of Daniel, in the den of lions; of Jonah, in the whale’s belly; of the three children in the fiery furnace; of Hannah, in the tabernacle before the ark; of Nehemiah, at the rebuilding of the walls; of Zerubbabel; of Mattathias and his sons, in their zeal; of Jael, in blessings. And now, therefore, accept the prayers of thy people, which are offered to thee with knowledge, through Christ, in the Spirit.
Chapter XXXVIII – A Prayer for the assistance of the righteous
We give thee thanks for all things, Lord Almighty, that thou hast not taken away from us thy mercies and thy compassions; but in every succeeding generation thou dost save, and deliver, and assist, and protect. For thou didst assist in the days of Enos and Enoch; in the days of Moses and Joshua; in the days of the judges; in the days of Samuel, and of Elijah, and of the prophets; in the days of David, and of the kings; in the days of Esther and Mordecai; in the days of Judith; in the days of Judas Maccabeus and his brethren. And in our days thou hast assisted us by thy great High Priest, Jesus Christ, thy Son. For he hath delivered us from the sword, and hath freed us from famine, and sustained us; hath delivered us from sickness, and hath preserved us from an evil tongue. For all which things we give thee thanks, through Christ, who hath given us an articulate voice for confession, and added to it a suitable tongue, as an instrument to modulate withal, and a proper taste, and a well-adapted feeling, and sight for seeing, and the hearing of sounds, and the smelling of exhalations, and hands for work, and feet for walking. And all these members thou formest from a little drop in the womb; and, after the formation, thou bestowest on it an immortal soul, and bringest it forth into the light. The rational creature, man, thou hast instructed by thy laws, thou hast purified by thy statutes; and though thou bringest on a dissolution for a little while, thou hast promised a resurrection.
Wherefore, what life is sufficient, what length of ages will be long enough, for men to render thanks? To do it worthily is impossible; but to do it according to our ability, is just and right. For thou hast delivered us from the impiety of polytheism, and from the heresy of the murderers of Christ. Thou hast delivered us from error and ignorance. Thou hast sent Christ among men, as a man, being the only-begotten God. Thou hast sent the Comforter to dwell in us. Thou hast set angels over us. Thou hast put the devil to shame. Thou hast brought us into being when we were not; thou takest care of us when made; thou measurest out life to us; thou suppliest us with food; thou hast promised repentance.
Glory and worship be to thee, for all these things, through Jesus Christ, now and ever, and throughout all ages. Amen.
Meditate on these things, brethren; and the Lord be with you upon earth, and in the kingdom of his Father, who both sent him, and hath delivered us, by him, from the bondage of corruption into his glorious liberty; and hath promised life to those who, through him, have believed in the God of the universe.
Now, after what manner those ought to live that are initiated into Christ, and what thanksgivings they ought to send up to God through Christ, have been mentioned in the foregoing directions. But it is reasonable not to leave, without assistance, even those who are not yet initiated.
Chapter XXXIX – How the Catechumens are to be instructed in the elements
He, therefore, who is to be catechized in the word of piety, let him be instructed before his baptism in the knowledge of the unbegotten God, in the understanding of his only-begotten Son, in the assured acknowledgment of the Holy Spirit. Let him learn the order of the several parts of the creation, the series of providence, the different dispensations of the laws. Let him be instructed why the world was made, and why man was appointed to be a citizen therein. Let him also know his own nature; of what sort it is. Let him be taught how God punished the wicked with water; and how he glorified the saints in each generation; I mean Seth, and Enos, and Enoch, and Noah, and Abraham and his posterity, and Melchisedek, and Job, and Moses, and Joshua, and Caleb, and Phineas the priest, and those that were holy in each generation; and how God still took care of and did not reject mankind, but, at various times, called them from their error and vanity to the acknowledgment of the truth; bringing them back from bondage and impiety to liberty and piety, from injustice to righteousness, from death eternal to everlasting life.
Let him who is coming to baptism learn these and the like things, in his catechetical instruction; and let him who layeth his hands upon him, adore God, the Lord of the universe, and thank him in behalf of his creature, for sending Christ, his only-begotten Son, that he might save man, blotting out his transgressions; and that he might remit ungodliness and sins, and might purify him from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, and sanctify man according to the good pleasure of his kindness, that he might inspire him with the knowledge of his will, and enlighten the eyes of his heart to consider of his wonderful works, and make known to him the judgments of righteousness; that so he might hate every way of iniquity, and walk in the way of truth; that he might be thought worthy of the laver of regeneration, to the adoption of sons, which is in Christ; that, being planted together in the likeness of the death of Christ, in hope of a glorious participation, he may be dead to sin, and may live to God, as to his mind, and word, and deed, and may be numbered together in the book of the living.
And, after this thanksgiving, let him instruct him in the doctrines concerning our Lord’s incarnation, and in those concerning his passion, and his resurrection from the dead, and his assumption.
Chapter XL – A constitution how the Catechumens are to be blessed by the Priests, in their initiation; and what things are to be taught them
And when the catechumen is just at the point of being baptized, let him learn what concerneth the renunciation of the devil, and the joining himself with Christ. For it is fit that he should first abstain from things contrary, and then be admitted to the mysteries. He must, beforehand, purify his heart from all wickedness of disposition, from all spot and wrinkle, and then partake of the holy things. For as the most skilful husbandman first cleareth his ground of the thorns which are grown up therein, and then soweth his wheat, so ought ye also to take away all impiety from them [the catechumens]; and then to sow the seeds of piety in them, and bestow baptism. For thus our Lord exhorted us, saying, first, Make disciples of all nations; and then he added this, and baptize them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
Let, therefore, the candidate for baptism declare, in his renunciation,
Chapter XLI – The renunciation of the adversary, and the dedication to the Christ of God
I renounce Satan, and his works, and his pomps, and his worship, and his angels, and his inventions, and all things that are under him.
And, after this renunciation, let him, in his dedication, say, And I associate myself with Christ, and believe in and am baptized into one unbegotten Being, the only true God Almighty, the Father of Christ, the Creator and Maker of all things, from whom are all things; and into the Lord Jesus Christ, his only-begotten Son, the First-born of the whole creation, who, before the ages, was, by the good pleasure of the Father, begotten, not created; through whom all things were made, both those in heaven and those on earth, visible and invisible; who, in the last days, descended from heaven, and took flesh, and was born of the holy virgin Mary, and lived a holy life, according to the laws of his God and Father, and was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and died for us; and rose again from the dead, after his Passion, the third day, and ascended into the heavens, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father; and again is to come at the end of the world, with glory, to judge the living and the dead; of whose kingdom there shall be no end. I am baptized also into the Holy Ghost, that is, the Comforter, who wrought in all the saints from the beginning of the world, but was afterwards sent to the apostles by the Father, according to the promise of our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ, and, after the apostles, to all who believe, in the holy Catholic church; into the resurrection of the flesh, and into the remission of sins, and into the kingdom of heaven, and into the life of the world to come.
And, after this declaration, he cometh in order to the anointing with oil.
Chapter XLII – A Thanksgiving in respect to the anointing with the mystical oil
Now this is blessed by the high priest for the remission of sins and the preparative for baptism. For he invoketh the unbegotten God, the Father of Christ, the King of all sensible and intelligent natures, that he would sanctify the oil in the name of the Lord Jesus, and bestow spiritual grace, and efficacious strength, the remission of sins, and the preparation for the confession of baptism; that so the candidate for baptism, when he is anointed, may be freed from all ungodliness, and may become worthy of initiation, according to the command of the Only-begotten.
Chapter XLII – A Thanksgiving concerning the mystical water
After this, he cometh to the water. The priest blesseth and glorifieth the Lord God Almighty, the Father of the only-begotten God; returning thanks, that he sent his Son to become man on our account, that he might save us; that he permitted him to become obedient, in all things, to the laws of that incarnation, to preach the kingdom of heaven, the remission of sins, and the resurrection of the dead.
Moreover, he adoreth the only-begotten God himself (after the Father, and for him), giving him thanks that he undertook to suffer death by the cross for all men; an emblem of which death he hath appointed to be the baptism of regeneration.
He giveth glory also, that, in the name, of Christ, God, the Lord of the universe, in the Holy Spirit, hath not cast off mankind, but hath suited his providence to the difference of times; first giving to Adam himself, with a regard to his enjoyment, Paradise, as a habitation; then, with a regard to provident care, delivering to him a command, but justly expelling him when he had transgressed; yet not utterly casting him off, but instructing his posterity, in succeeding ages, in various ways; and, on his account, towards the conclusion of the world, he hath sent his Son to become man for man’s sake, and to be subject to all human affections without sin. Him, therefore, let the priest even now implore at the baptism, and let him say, Look down from heaven, and sanctify this water; and bestow grace and power, so that he who is to be baptized, according to the command of thy Christ, may be crucified with him, and may die with him, and may be buried with him, and may rise with him to the adoption which is in him, by being made dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto righteousness.
And after this, when he hath baptized him in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, he shall anoint him with ointment, and shall add as followeth:
Chapter XLIV – A Thanksgiving concerning the, mystical ointment
Lord God, who art without generation, and without a superior. the Lord of the universe, who hast scattered the fragrance of the knowledge of the Gospel among all nations, do thou grant, at this time, that this ointment may be efficacious upon him that is baptized, so that the sweet odor of thy Christ may continue upon him firm and fixed, and that, having died with him, he may rise with him, and live with him.
Let him say these and the like things; for this is the efficacy of the laying of hands on each. For, unless there be such an invocation made by a pious priest over every one of these, the candidate for baptism only descendeth into the water, as do the Jews; and he putteth off only the filth of the body, not the filth of the soul.
After this, let him stand up, and pray that prayer which the Lord taught us; for, of necessity, he who is risen again ought to stand up and pray; because he that is raised up standeth upright. Let him, therefore, who hath been dead with Christ, and is raised up with him, stand up. But let him pray towards the east. For this also is written in the second book of the Chronicles, that, after the temple of the Lord was finished by king Solomon, in the very Feast of Dedication, the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, stood up towards the east, praising and thanking God, with cymbals and psalteries, and saying, Praise the Lord, for he is good; for his mercy endureth forever.
Chapter XLV – A Prayer of the newly initiated
Moreover, let him pray thus after the foregoing prayer, and say, God Almighty, the Father of thy Christ, thine only-begotten Son, give me a body undefiled, a heart pure, a mind watchful, an unerring knowledge, the influence of the Holy Spirit for the obtaining and the full assurance of the truth, through thy Christ; by whom glory be to thee, in the Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.
These constitutions we have thought it right to make concerning the catechumens.
Chapter XLVI – Who they were whom the holy apostles sent and ordained
Now concerning those Bishops who have been ordained in our lifetime, we make known to you that they are these: Of Jerusalem, James, the brother of our Lord; upon whose death the second was Symeon, the son of Cleopas; after whom, Judas, the son of James. Of Caesarea in Palestine, the first was Zaccheus, who was once a publican; after whom was Cornelius; and the third, Theophilus. Of Antioch, Euodius, by me, Peter; and Ignatius, by Paul. Of Alexandria, Annianus was the first, by Mark the Evangelist; the second, Avilius, by Luke, who also was an evangelist.
Of the church of Rome, Linus, the son of Claudia, was the first, by Paul; and Clement, after Linus’s death, the second, by me, Peter. Of Ephesus, Timothy, by Paul; and John, by me, John. Of Smyrna, Aristo was the first; after whom, Strataeas, the son of Lois; and the third, Aristo. Of Pergamos, Gaius. Of Philadelphia, Demetrius, by me [John]. Of Cenchrea, Lucius, by Paul. Of Crete, Titus. Of Athens, Dionysius. Of Tripoli in Phoenicia, Marathones. Of Laodicea in Phrygia, Archippus of Colosse, Philemon. Of Beroea in Macedonia, Onesimus, once the servant of Philemon. Of the churches of Galatia, Crescens. Of the parishes of Asia, Aquila and Nicetas. Of the church of Egina, Crispus.
These are the Bishops who have been intrusted by us with the parishes in the Lord; whose doctrine keep ye always in mind, and observe our words. And may the Lord be with you now, and to endless ages; as he himself said to us, when he was about to be taken up to his own God and Father. For, Lo (he saith), I am with you all the days, until the end of the world. Amen.
Chapter XLVII – A Morning Prayer
Glory be to God in the highest; and upon earth, peace, good will among men. We praise thee, we sing hymns to thee, we bless thee, we glorify thee, we worship thee, by thy great High Priest; thee, who art the true God, who art the One unbegotten, the only inaccessible Being. For thy great glory, Lord and heavenly King, God, the Father Almighty, Lord God, the Father of Christ, the immaculate Lamb, who taketh away the sin of the world, receive our prayer, thou that sittest upon the cherubim; since thou only art holy. Thou only, Jesus, art our Lord, the Christ of the God of all that hath been brought forth, of the God our King. Through this our Lord, glory be to thee, and honor, and worship.
Chapter XLVIII – An Evening Prayer
Ye children, praise the Lord; praise the name of the Lord. We praise thee, we sing hymns to thee, we bless thee for thy great glory, Lord, our King, the Father of Christ, the immaculate Lamb, that taketh away the sin of the world. Praise becometh thee, hymns become thee, glory becometh thee, the God and Father, through the Son, in the most Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.
Now, Lord, lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to enlighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
Chapter XLIX – A Prayer at Dinner
Blessed art thou, Lord, who dost nourish me from my youth; who givest food to all flesh. Fill our hearts with joy and gladness, that, having always what is sufficient for us, we may abound to every good work, in Christ Jesus, our Lord; through whom glory, honor, and power, be to thee forever. Amen.
End of Book VII
BOOK VIII – Concerning Gifts, And Ordinations, And Ecclesiastical Canons.
Chapter I – On whose account the miraculous powers are put forth
JESUS CHRIST, our God and Saviour, having delivered to us the great mystery of godliness, and called both Jews and Gentiles to the acknowledgment of the one and only true God his Father, as he himself somewhere saith, when he was giving thanks for the salvation of those that had believed, I have manifested thy name to men; I have finished the work which thou gavest me; and having said concerning us to his Father, Holy Father, although the world hath not known thee, yet I have known thee; and these have known thee; he with good reason said to all of us together, when we were perfected, concerning those gifts which were given from him by the Spirit, Now these signs shall follow them that have believed in my name: They shall cast out demons; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them. They shall lay their hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
These gifts were first bestowed on us the apostles, when we were about to preach the Gospel to every creature; but afterwards they were of necessity afforded to those who through us had believed, not for the advantage of those who perform them, but for the conviction of the unbelievers; that those whom the word did not persuade, the power of signs might put to shame. For signs are not for us who believe, but for the unbelievers, both of the Jews and of the Gentiles. For neither is it any profit to us to cast out demons, but to those who are so cleansed by the power of the Lord; as the Lord himself somewhere instructeth us, and showeth, saying, Rejoice not that the spirits are subject unto you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven: since the former is done by his power, but this by our good will and diligence; we, it is evident, being assisted by him.
It is not therefore necessary, that every one of the faithful should cast out demons, or raise the dead, or speak with tongues; but that he should, on whom this gift has been bestowed for some useful object, in respect to the salvation of the unbelievers, who are often put to shame, not by the convincing proof of words, but by the power of signs; that is, such as are worthy of salvation. For all the ungodly are not converted by miracles; and this God himself testifieth, as when he saith in the Law, With other tongues will I speak to this people, and with other lips, and yet they will not believe. For neither did the Egyptians believe in God, when Moses had done so many signs and wonders; nor did the multitude of the Jews believe in Christ (who was like Moses), when he healed every sickness and every disease among them; nor were the former shamed by the rod which was turned into a living serpent, nor by the hand which was made white with leprosy, nor by the river Nile turned into blood; nor the latter by the blind who recovered their sight, nor by the lame who walked, nor by the dead who were raised. Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses; Annas and Caiaphas, Christ. Thus signs do not shame all into belief, but only those of a good disposition; for whose sake also it is that God is pleased, as a wise superintendent, to appoint miracles to be wrought, not by the power of men, but by his own will.

Now we say these things, that those who have received such gifts may not exalt themselves against those who have not received them; such gifts, we mean, as are for the working of miracles; since there is no man who hath believed in God, through Christ, that hath not received some spiritual gift. For this very thing, to have been delivered from the impiety of Polytheism, and to have believed in God the Father, through Christ, is a gift of God; as also it is to have cast off the veil of Judaism, and to have believed that, by the good pleasure of God, his only-begotten Son, who was before all ages, was in the later time born of a virgin, without the company of a man; , and that he lived as a man, yet without sin, and fulfilled all that righteousness which is of the law; and that, by the permission of God, he who was God the Word endured the cross, and despised the shame; and that he died, and was buried, and rose within three days; and that, after his resurrection, having continued forty days with his apostles, and completed his whole constitutions, he was taken up in their sight to his God and Father who had sent him. He who hath believed these things, not at random, nor irrationally, but with judgment and full assurance, hath received a gift from God. So also hath he who is delivered from every heresy.
Let not, therefore, anyone that worketh signs and wonders judge anyone of the faithful who is not honored with the gift of working them. For the gifts of God which are bestowed by him through Christ, are various. And thou, indeed, hast received this gift, but that man, some other: for perhaps one hath the word of wisdom; another, the word of knowledge; another, discerning of spirits; another, foreknowledge of things to come; another, the word of teaching; another, patience; another, continence according to the law. For even Moses, the man of God, when he wrought signs in Egypt, did not exalt himself against the men of his nation; and when he was called a god, he did not arrogantly despise his own prophet Aaron. Nor did Joshua, the son of Nun, who was the leader of the people after him, though, in the war with the Jebusites, he had made the sun stand still over against Gibeon, and the moon over against the valley of Ajalon, because the day was not long enough for the victory, insult over Phineas or Caleb. Nor did Samuel, who had done so many surprising things, disregard David, the beloved of God; yet they were both prophets, and the one was high priest, and the other was king.
And when there were only seven thousand holy men in Israel who had not bowed the knee to Baal, Elijah alone among them, and his disciple Elisha, were workers of miracles; yet neither did Elijah despise Abdiah the steward, who feared God, but wrought no signs; nor did Elisha despise his own disciple, when he trembled at the enemies. Moreover, neither did the wise Daniel, who was twice delivered from the mouths of the lions, nor the three children who were delivered from the furnace of fire, despise the rest of their nation. For they knew that they had not escaped these terrible miseries by their own might, but that they both performed miracles, and were delivered from miseries, by the power of God.
Therefore let none of you exalt himself against his brethren, though he be a prophet, or though he be a worker of miracles. For if it happen that there be no longer an unbeliever, all the power of signs will thenceforward be superfluous; and to be pious is from one’s good will, but to work wonders is from the power of Him that worketh them by us; the first of which respecteth ourselves, but the second respecteth God that worketh them, for the reasons which we have already mentioned.
Therefore, neither let a king despise the officers that are under him; nor rulers, their subjects. For where there are none to be ruled over, rulers are superfluous; and where there are no officers, the kingdom will not stand.
Moreover, let not a Bishop be exalted against the Deacons and the Presbyters; nor the Presbyters against the people; for from each and all of these is the composition of the congregation; for the Bishops and the Presbyters are Priests of certain persons, and the Laity are laymen of certain persons. And, indeed, to be a Christian is in our own power; but to be an Apostle, or a Bishop, or in any other such office, is not in our own power, but at the disposal of God who bestoweth the gifts.
Thus much on account of those who have been deemed worthy of gifts and dignities.
Chapter II – Concerning unworthy Bishops and Presbyters
But to our discourse we add, that neither is every one that prophesieth holy, nor every one that casteth out demons, religious; for even Balaam the son of Beor, the prophet, prophesizes, though he was himself wicked; as also did Caiaphas, the falsely named high priest. Indeed, even the devil foretelleth manythings, and the demons about him; and yet, for all that, there is not a spark of piety in them; for they are oppressed with ignorance, by reason of their voluntary wickedness. It is manifest, therefore, that the ungodly, although they prophesy, do not, by their prophesying, cover their own impiety; nor will they who cast out demons be sanctified by the demons’ being made subject to them; for they only mock one another, as they do who play childish tricks for mirth; and they destroy those who give heed to them. Nor is a wicked king any longer a king, but a tyrant; nor is a Bishop oppressed with ignorance or an evil disposition, a Bishop, but falsely so called, being not one sent out by God, but by men, as Hananiah and Shemaiah in Jerusalem, and Zedekiah and Achiah, the false prophets in Babylon. And, indeed, Balaam, when he had corrupted Israel by Baal-Peor, suffered punishment; and Caiaphas at last was his own murderer; and the sons of Sceva, endeavoring to cast out demons, were wounded by them, and fled away in an unseemly manner; and the kings of Israel and Judah, when they became wicked, suffered many kinds of punishment.
It is therefore evident that Bishops and Presbyters, also, falsely so called, will not escape the judgment of God. For it will be said to them even now, ye Priests that despise my name, will deliver you up to the slaughter, as I did Zedekiah and Achiah, whom the Ung of Babylon fried in a frying-pan, as saith Jeremiah the prophet. We say these things, not in contempt of true prophecies, for we know that they are wrought in holy men by the inspiration of God; but to repress the audacity of vain-glorious men. And we add this withal, that from such as these God taketh away his grace. For God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble, Indeed, Silas and Agabus have prophesied in our times; yet they have not claimed to be equal to the apostles, nor have they exceeded their own measures, though they are beloved of God. Besides, women also have prophesied: of old, Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron; and, after her, Deborah; and, after these, Huldah and Judith; the former under Josiah, the latter under Darius. The mother of our Lord, likewise, prophesied, and her kinswoman Elizabeth, and Anna; and, in our times, the daughters of Philip. Yet these were not elated against their husbands, but preserved their own measures. Therefore, if among you also there be a man or a woman, and such a one obtain any gift, let him be humble, that God may be pleased with him. For, saith he, Upon whom will I look, but upon him that is humble and quiet, and trembleth at my words?
Chapter III – That to make constitutions concerning those things which are to be performed in the churches, is of great consequence
We have indeed set forth the first part of this discourse concerning gifts, whatever they may be, which God hath bestowed upon men, according to his own will; and how he rebuked the ways of those who either attempted to speak lies, or were moved by the spirit of the adversary; and that, from the wicked, God often taketh away his grace, both as to prophecy and as to the performance of miracles.
But now our discourse hasteneth us to the principal part of the portraiture of ecclesiastical affairs, that so, when ye have learned this constitution from us, ye who have been ordained Bishops by us, conformably to the will of Christ, may perform all things according to the commands delivered to us; knowing that he who heareth us heareth Christ, and he who heareth Christ heareth his God and Father; to whom be glory forever. Amen.
Chapter IV – Concerning Ordinations
Wherefore, we the Twelve Apostles of the Lord, who are now together, give you in charge these our Divine Constitutions concerning every ecclesiastical form; there being present with us Paul the chosen vessel, our fellow-apostle, and James the Bishop, and the rest of the Presbyters, and the seven Deacons.
In the first place, therefore, I Peter say, that a Bishop to be ordained is to be, as we have already all of us appointed, unblamable in all things, a select person, chosen by the whole people. And when he is named and approved, let the people assemble, with the Presbytery and Bishops that are present, on the Lord’s day; and let them give their consent. And let him who is preferred among the rest ask the Presbytery and the people, whether this is the person whom they desire for their ruler. And if they give their consent, let him ask further, whether he hath a good testimony from all men, as to his worthiness for so great and glorious an authority; whether all things relating to his piety towards God are right; whether justice towards men hath been observed by him; whether the affairs of his family have been well ordered by him; whether he hath been unblamable in the course of his life.
And if all the assembly together do, according to truth and not according to prejudice, testify that he is such a one, let them, the third time, as before God the Judge, and Christ, the Holy Ghost also assuredly being present, and all the holy ministering spirits, ask again, whether he is truly worthy of this ministry; that so, if in the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word may be established. And if they agree, the third time, that he is worthy, let them all be demanded their vote; and when they all give it willingly, let them be heard. And, silence being made, let one of the principal Bishops, together with two others, stand near the altar; the rest of the Bishops and Presbyters praying silently, and the Deacons holding the holy Gospels open upon the head of him that is to be ordained; and say to God,
Chapter V – Form of Prayer for the ordination of a Bishop
Thou the Great Being, thou Supreme Ruler, Lord, God Almighty, who alone art unbegotten and independent; who always art, and wast before the worlds; who needest nothing, and art above all cause and beginning; who only art true, who only art wise; who only art Most High; who art by nature invisible; whose knowledge is without beginning; who only art good and incomparable; who knowest all things before they are; who art acquainted with the most secret things; who art inaccessible, and without a superior; the God and Father of thine only-begotten Son, of our God and Saviour; the Creator of the universe by him; the Provider, the Guardian; the Father of mercies, and God of all consolation; who dwellest in the highest heavens, and yet lookest down on things below; thou who didst appoint the rules of the church by the coming of thy Christ in the flesh, under the Comforter as witness, by thine apostles, and by us the Bishops, who by thy grace are here present; who hast foreordained priests from the beginning, for the government of thy people; Abel in the first place, Seth and Enos, and Enoch and Noah, and Melchisedek and Job; who didst appoint Abraham, and the rest of the patriarchs, with thy faithful servants Moses and Aaron, and Eleazar and Phineas; who didst choose from among them rulers and priests in the tabernacle of thy testimony; who didst choose Samuel for a priest and a prophet; who didst not leave thy sanctuary without ministers; who didst delight in those whom thou chosest to be glorified in; do thou thyself, by the mediation of thy Christ, through us, pour down at this time the influence of thy free Spirit, which is administered by thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ; which he bestowed, according to thy will, on the holy apostles of thee, the eternal God. Grant by thy name, God, who searchest the hearts, that this thy servant, whom thou hast chosen to be a Bishop, may feed thy holy flock, and discharge the office of a high priest to thee, and minister to thee unblamably, night and day; that he may appease thee, and gather together the number of those that shall be saved, and may offer to thee the gifts of thy holy church. Grant to him, Lord Almighty, through thy Christ, the communion of the Holy Spirit, that so he may have power to remit sins according to thy command; to distribute clerical offices according to thine ordinance; to loose every bond, according to the power which thou gavest to the apostles; that he may please thee, in meekness and a pure heart, steadfastly, unblamably, irreproachably, while he offereth to thee a pure and unbloody sacrifice, which, by thy Christ, thou hast appointed as the mystery of the new covenant, for a sweet savor, through thy holy child Jesus Christ, our God and Saviour; through whom glory, honor, and worship, be to thee, in the Holy Spirit, now and always, and for all ages.
And when he hath prayed for these things, let the rest of the priests add, Amen; and, together with them, all the people.
And, after the prayer, let one of the Bishops elevate the sacrifice upon the hands of him that is ordained; and early in the morning let him be enthroned, in a place set apart for him, among the rest of the Bishops, they all giving him the kiss in the Lord. And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, and our Epistles, and Acts, and the Gospels, let him that is ordained salute the church, saying, The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of our God and Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with you all; and let them all answer, And with thy spirit. And, after the salutation, let him speak to the people the words of exhortation; and when he hath ended his instructive discourse, I Andrew, the brother of Peter, say, that, while all, having risen, are standing up, let the Deacon ascend to some high place and proclaim, Let none of the hearers, let none of the unbelievers stay. And silence being made, let him say,
Chapter VI – The Divine Liturgy, in which is the bidding Prayer for the Catechumens
Ye catechumens, pray; and let all the faithful pray for them in their mind, saying, Lord, have mercy on them. And let the Deacon bid prayers for them, saying, Let us all implore God for the catechumens, that He that is good, He that is the lover of mankind, may mercifully hear their prayers and supplications, and so accept their petitions as to assist them, and give them those desires of their hearts which are for their advantage; and reveal to them the gospel of his Christ, give them illumination and understanding, instruct them in the knowledge of God, teach them his commands and his ordinances, implant in them his saving and holy fear, open the ears of their hearts, that they may exercise themselves in his law day and night; strengthen them in piety, unite them to and number them with his flock, deeming them worthy of the laver of regeneration, and the garment of incorruption, which is the true life; and deliver them from all ungodliness, and give no place to the adversary against them, but cleanse them from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, and dwell in them, and walk in them by his Christ; bless their coming in and their going out, and order their affairs for their good. Let us still earnestly supplicate for them, that they, obtaining by their initiation the forgiveness of their transgressions, may be esteemed worthy of the holy mysteries, and of continuance with the saints.
Rise up, ye catechumens. Pray ye that ye may have the peace of God through Christ; a peaceful day, and without sin; and that such may be the whole time of your life. Pray that yours may be a Christian death. Seek a compassionate and merciful God, and the forgiveness of your transgressions. Dedicate yourselves to the only unbegotten God, through his Christ. Bow down your heads, and receive the blessing.
But upon the mention of each of these particulars which the Deacon uttereth in bidding to pray, as we said before, let the people say, Lord, have mercy; and let the children say it first.
And as the catechumens have bowed down their heads, let the Bishop who is newly ordained bless them with this blessing:
God Almighty, unbegotten and inaccessible, who only art the true God, the God and Father of thy Christ, thine only-begotten Son; the God of the Comforter, and Lord of the universe; who by Christ didst appoint the disciples to be teachers, that men might learn piety; do thou thyself even now look down upon thy servants who are catechized in the gospel of thy Christ, and give them a new heart, and renew a right spirit in their inward parts, that they may both know and do thy will with full purpose of heart, and with a willing soul. Account them worthy of the holy initiation, and unite them to thy holy church, and make them partakers of the holy mysteries, through Christ, our hope, who for them suffered death; through whom glory and worship be given to thee in the Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.
And, after this, let the Deacon say, Go out, ye catechumens, in peace.
And after they are gone out, let him say, Ye energumens afflicted with unclean spirits, pray; and let us all earnestly pray for them, that God, the lover of mankind, may by Christ rebuke the unclean and wicked spirits, and deliver his supplicants from the dominion of the adversary. He that rebuked the legion of demons, and the prince of wickedness, the devil, may he himself even now rebuke these apostates from piety, and deliver his own workmanship from their power, and cleanse those whom he hath made with much wisdom. Let us still pray earnestly for them. Save them, God, and raise them up by thy power.
Bow down your heads, ye energumens, and receive the blessing.
And let the Bishop add a prayer, saying,
Chapter VII – Prayer for the Energumens
Thou who hast bound the strong man, and spoiled all that was in his house; who hast given us power over serpents and scorpions to tread upon them, and upon all the power of the enemy; who hast delivered the serpent, the murderer of men, bound, to us, as a parent to children; thou whom all things dread, trembling before the face of thy power; who hast cast him down as lightning from heaven to earth; not with a fall from a place, but from honor to dishonor, on account of his voluntary evil disposition; thou whose look drieth the abysses, and whose threatening melteth the mountains, and whose truth remaineth forever; whom the infants praise, and sucking babes whom angels sing hymns to and adore; who lookest upon the earth, and makest it tremble; who touchest the mountains, and they smoke; who threatenest the sea, and driest it up, and makest all its rivers as a desert, and whose clouds are the dust of thy feet; who walkest upon the sea as upon firm ground; thou only-begotten God, the Son of the great Father, rebuke these wicked spirits, and deliver the works of thy hands from the power of the adverse spirit.
For to thee belong glory, honor, and worship, and through thee to thy Father, in the Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.
And let the Deacon say, Go out, ye energumens; and, after they have gone out, let him cry aloud, Ye that are about to be illuminated, pray. Let all of us the faithful earnestly pray for them, that the Lord may deem them worthy, after being initiated into the death of Christ, to rise with him, and become partakers of his kingdom, and communicants of his mysteries; may unite them to and number them among those that are saved in his holy church. Save them, and raise them up in thy grace.
Having sealed themselves to God through his Christ, and having bowed down their heads, let them receive this blessing from the Bishop:
Chapter VIII - Prayer for the persons about to be baptized
Thou who hast formerly said by thy prophets to those that were to be initiated, Wash ye, become clean; and hast through Christ appointed the spiritual regeneration; do thou thyself even now look upon these that are about to be baptized, and bless them, and sanctify them, and prepare them, that they may become worthy of thy spiritual gift, and of the true adoption; of thy spiritual mysteries; of being gathered together with those that are saved through Christ our Saviour; through whom glory, honor, and worship, be to thee, in the Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.
And let the Deacon say, Go out, ye that are about to be illuminated.
And, after this, let him proclaim, Ye penitents, pray; and let us all earnestly pray for our brethren in the state of penance; that God, the lover of compassion, may show to them the way of repentance, and accept their return and their confession, and bruise Satan under their feet shortly; and redeem them from the snare of the devil, and the ill-usage of the demons; and free them from every unlawful word, and every absurd practice and wicked thought; forgive them all their offences, both voluntary and involuntary, and blot out the handwriting which is against them, and write them in the Book of Life; cleanse them from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, and restore and unite them to his holy flock. For He knoweth our frame; for who can say that he hath a clean heart? And who can boldly say, that he is pure from sin? For we are all under penalties. Let us still pray for them more earnestly (for there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth); that, being converted from every evil work, they may be joined to all good practice; that God, the lover of mankind, may soon accept their supplications propitiously; restore to them the joy of his salvation, and strengthen them with his free spirit; that they may not be any more shaken, but be admitted to the communion of his most holy things, and become partakers of the divine mysteries; that, appearing worthy of his adoption, they may obtain eternal life. Let us all still earnestly say on their account, Lord, have mercy. Save them, God, and raise them up by thy mercy.
When ye have risen up, bow your heads to God, through his Christ, and receive the blessing.
Let the Bishop then add this prayer:
Chapter IX – The imposition of hands, and Prayer for the Penitent
Almighty, eternal God, Lord of the universe, the Creator and Governor of all things; who hast exhibited man as the ornament of the world through Christ, and didst give him a law both naturally implanted and written, that he might live according to law, as a rational creature; and, when he had sinned, thou gavest him thy goodness as a pledge, in order to his repentance. Look upon these persons, who have bowed the neck of their soul and body to thee. You desirest not the death of a sinner, but his repentance, that he turn from his wicked way and live. Thou who didst accept the repentance of the Ninevites; who willest that all men be saved, and come to the acknowledgement of the truth; who didst accept of that son who had consumed his substance in riotous living, with the bowels of a father, on account of his repentance; do thou thyself also now accept of the repentance of thy supplicants; because there is no man that sinneth not; for if thou, Lord, markest iniquities, Lord, who shall stand? because with thee there is propitiation. And do thou restore them to thy holy church, into their former dignity and honor, through Christ, our God and Saviour, through whom glory and adoration be to thee, in the Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.
Then let the Deacon say, Depart, ye Penitents.
And let him add, Let no one of those who have not a right, draw near. All we of the faithful, let us bow the knee. Let us entreat God, through his Christ; let us all earnestly beseech God, through his Christ.
Chapter X – The bidding Prayer for the Faithful
Let us pray for the peace and welfare of the world, and of the holy churches; that the God of the universe may afford us his everlasting peace, and such as may not be taken away from us; that he may preserve us in a full prosecution of such virtue as is according to godliness. Let us pray for the holy Catholic and Apostolic church, which is spread from one end of the earth to the other; that the Lord may preserve and keep it unshaken, and free from the waves of this life until the end of the world, as founded upon a rock; and let us pray for this holy parish, that the Lord of the universe may deem us worthy, without failure, to follow after the heavenly hope, and, without ceasing, to pay him the debt of our prayer. Let us pray forevery Episcopate which is under the whole heaven, of those that rightly divide the word of thy truth. And let us pray for our bishop James, and his parishes. Let us pray for our bishop Clement, and his parishes. Let us pray for our bishop Euodius, and his parishes. Let us pray for our bishop Annianus, and his parishes; that the compassionate God may grant them to continue in his holy churches in health, honor, and long life, and afford them an honorable old age, in godliness and righteousness. And let us pray for our Presbyters, that the Lord may deliver them from every unreasonable and wicked action, and afford them a Presbyterate in health and honor. Let us pray for all the Deacons and subordinate servants of the church, that the Lord may grant them an unblamable reputation. Let us pray for the Readers, Singers, Virgins, Widows, and Orphans.
Let us pray for those that are in marriage and child-bearing; that the Lord may have mercy upon them all. Let us pray for the eunuchs, leading a life of sanctity. Let us pray for those persons that are in a state of continency and religious abstinence. Let us pray for those that bear fruit in the holy church, and give alms to the needy. And let us pray for those who offer sacrifices and oblations to the Lord our God; that God, the fountain of all goodness, may recompense them with his heavenly gifts, and give them in this world a hundred-fold, and in the world to come life everlasting; and bestow upon them, for their temporal things, those that are eternal; for earthly things, those that are heavenly.
Let us pray for our brethren newly enlightened, that the Lord may strengthen and confirm them. Let us pray for our brethren afflicted with sickness, that the Lord may deliver them from every disease and every malady, and restore them sound to his holy church. Let us pray for those that travel by water or by land. Let us pray for those that are in the mines, in banishment, in prisons, and in bonds, for the name of the Lord. Let us pray for those that are worn down with toil in bitter servitude. Let us pray for our enemies, and those that hate us. Let us pray for those that persecute us for the name of the Lord, that the Lord may pacify their anger, and cause their wrath against us to pass away. Let us pray for those that are without, and have wandered out of the way, that the Lord may convert them. Let us be mindful of the infants of the church; that the Lord may perfect them in his fear, and bring them to a complete age. Let us pray one for another; that the Lord may keep us by his grace to the end, and deliver us from the evil one, and from all the scandals of those that work iniquity, and preserve us unto his heavenly kingdom. Let us pray forevery Christian soul.
Save us, and raise us up, God, by thy mercy.
Let us rise up, and let us pray earnestly, and dedicate ourselves and one another to the living God, through his Christ.
Moreover, let the High Priest offer a prayer, and say,
Chapter XI - Form of Prayer for the Faithful
Lord Almighty, the Most High, who dwellest on high, the Holy One, that restest among the saints, without beginning, the Only Potentate; who hast given to us, through Christ, the preaching of knowledge, to the acknowledgment of thy glory, and of thy name, which he hath made known to us for our comprehension. Do thou thyself even now look down, through him, upon this thy flock; and deliver it from all ignorance and wicked practices; and grant that we may fear thee in earnest, and love thee with affection, and have a due reverence of thy glory. Be gracious and merciful to them, and hearken to them when they pray unto thee, and keep them, that they may be immovable, blameless, and irreproachable; that they may be holy in body and soul, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that they may be complete, and no one among them may be defective or imperfect. Thou powerful Defender, who dost not accept persons, be thou the assister of this thy people, which thou hast redeemed with the precious blood of thy Christ; be thou their protector, helper, provider, and guardian, their strong wall of defence, their bulwark and security; because none can snatch out of thy hand; for there is no other God like thee; because on thee is our reliance. Sanctify them through thy truth; for thy word is truth. Thou who doest nothing for favor, thou whom none can deceive, deliver them from every disease and every malady, and every offence, every injury and deceit, from fear of the enemy, from the dart that flieth in the day, from the mischief that walketh about in darkness; and account them worthy of that everlasting life which is in Christ, thine only-begotten Son, our God and Saviour; through whom glory and worship be to thee, in the Holy Spirit, now and always, and forever. Amen.
After this, let the Deacon say, Let us attend. And let the Bishop salute the church and say, The peace of God be with you all. And let the people answer, And with thy spirit. And let the Deacon say to all, Salute ye one another with a holy kiss. And let the clergy salute the Bishop; the men of the laity, the men; the women, the women.
Moreover, let the children stand at the reading-desk; and let another Deacon stand by them, that they may not be disorderly. And let other Deacons walk about, and watch the men and women, that no tumult be made, and that no one nod, or whisper, or slumber; and let the Deacons stand at the doors of the men, and the Subdeacons at those of the women; that no one go out, nor a door be opened, although it be for one of the faithful, at the time of the oblation. And let one of the Subdeacons bring water to wash the hands of the Priests; which is a symbol of the purity of those souls that are devoted to God.
Chapter XII – A constitution of James, the brother of John, the son of Zebedee
Now I also, James, the brother of John, the son of Zebedee, say that the Deacon shall immediately proclaim, Let none of the Catechumens stay here; let none of the Hearers; let none of the Unbelievers; let none of the Heterodox. Ye who have prayed the first prayer, draw near. Let the mothers receive their children. Let no one have anything against anyone; let no one come in hypocrisy; let us stand upright before the Lord with fear and trembling, to offer.
When this is done, let the Deacons bring the gifts to the Bishop at the altar; and let the Presbyters stand on his right hand and on his left, as disciples stand before their master. But let two of the Deacons, on each side of the altar, hold a fan, made of thin membranes, or of the feathers of a peacock, or of fine cloth, and let them silently drive away the small animals that fly about, that so they may not come near to the cups.
Let now the High Priest, simultaneously with the Priests, pray by himself. And let him put on his shining garments, and stand at the altar, and make the sign of the cross upon his forehead, with his hand, before all the people, and say,
The grace of Almighty God, and the love of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. And let all with one voice say, And with thy spirit.
The high priest, Lift up your mind.
All the people, We lift it up unto the Lord.
The high priest, Let us give thanks to the Lord.
All the people, It is meet and right so to do.
Then let the High Priest say, is very meet and right before all things to sing a hymn to thee, who art the true God, who art before all beings; from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named; who only art unbegotten, and without beginning, independent, and without a master; who needest nothing; who art the bestower of everything that is good; who art above all cause and generation; who art always and immutably the same; from whom, as from a grand starting place, all things came into being. For thou art eternal knowledge, everlasting sight, unbegotten hearing, untaught wisdom, the first by nature, and the law to being, and superior to all number; who didst bring all things out of nothing into being, through thine only-begotten Son, but didst before all ages, by thy will, thy power, and thy goodness, without any intermediate agent beget him, the only-begotten Son, God the Word, the living Wisdom, the First-born of every creature, the Angel of thy great Council; and thy high priest, but the king and Lord of every intellectual and sensible nature; who was before all things, and through whom were all things.
Creation
For thou, eternal God, didst through him make all things, and through him thou dost account the universe worthy of thy suitable providence; for by the very same by whom thou didst bestow being, thou didst also bestow well- being; thou, the God and Father of thine only-begotten Son; who by him didst make, before all things, the cherubim and the seraphim, the aeons and hosts, the powers and authorities, the principalities and thrones, the archangels and angels; and, after all these, didst by him make this visible world, and all things that are therein. For thou art He who didst frame the heaven as an arch, and stretch it out like the covering of a tent, and didst found the earth upon nothing, by thy mere will; who didst fix the firmament, and prepare the night and the day; who didst bring the light out of thy treasures, and on its departure didst bring on darkness, for the rest of the living creatures that move up and down in the world; who didst appoint the sun in heaven to rule over the day, and the moon to rule over the night; and didst inscribe in heaven the choir of stars to praise thy glorious majesty; who didst make the water for drink, and for cleansing; the air in which we live, for respiration, and for the emission of voice, by means of the tongue, which striketh the air, and for hearing, which cooperateth under the impulse of the air, so that, receiving, it perceiveth the speech that falleth upon it; who madest fire for our consolation in darkness, for the supply of our want, and that by it we might be warmed and enlightened; who didst separate the great sea from the land, and didst render the former navigable, and the latter fit for walking; and didst replenish the former with living creatures, small and great, and fill the latter with tame ones and with wild, didst adorn it with various plants, and crown it with herbs, and beautify it with flowers, and enrich it with seeds; who didst ordain the great deep, bestow upon it a mighty amplitude; seas of salt water heaped together, yet didst bound it with barriers of the smallest sand; who sometimes dost raise it to the height of mountains by the winds, and sometimes dost smoothe it into a plain; sometimes dost enrage it into a tempest, and sometimes dost still it with a calm, that it may be easy to seafaring men in their voyages; who didst encompass this world, which was made by thee through Christ, with rivers, and water it with currents, and moisten it with springs that never fail, and didst bind it round with mountains, for the immovable and secure consistence of the earth. For thou hast replenished thy world, and adorned it with sweet-smelling and with healing herbs, with many and various living creatures, strong and weak, for food and for labor, tame and wild, with the noises of creeping things, the sounds of various sorts of flying creatures, with the circuits of the years, the numbers of months and days, the order of the seasons, the courses of the rainy clouds, for the production of the fruits, and the support of living creatures. Thou hast also appointed the station of the winds, which blow when commanded by thee, and the multitude of the plants and herbs.
Adam and Eve in Paradise
And thou hast not only created the world, but hast also made man for a citizen of the world, exhibiting him as its ornament. For thou didst say to thy Wisdom, Let us make man according to our image, and according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowls of the heaven. Wherefore, also, thou hast made him of an immortal soul, and of a body liable to dissolution; the former out of nothing, the latter out of the four elements; and hast given him, as to his soul, rational discernment, the distinction of piety and impiety, the observing of right and wrong; and, as to his body, thou hast granted him five senses, and progressive motion. For thou, God Almighty, didst, by thy Christ, plant a paradise in Eden, in the East, adorned with various plants, suitable for food, and didst introduce man into it, as into a rich banquet; and, when thou madest him, thou gavest him a law, implanted within him, that so he might have at home, and within himself, the seeds of the knowledge of God. Moreover, when thou hadst brought him into the delightful paradise, thou allowedst him the privilege of enjoying all things, only forbidding the tasting of one tree, in hope of greater blessings; that, in case he would keep that command, he might receive the reward of it, which was immortality: but when he neglected that command, and tasted of the forbidden fruit, by the seduction of the serpent, and the counsel of his wife, thou didst justly cast him out of paradise; yet, of thy goodness, thou didst not overlook him, nor suffer him to perish utterly; for he was thy creature. But thou didst subject to him the whole creation, and didst grant him liberty to procure himself food by his own sweat and labors; while thou didst cause all the fruits of the earth to spring up, to grow, and to ripen. And when thou hadst laid him asleep for a little while, thou didst with an oath call him to a restoration, didst loose the bond of death, and promise him life after the resurrection. And not this only, but when thou hadst increased his posterity to an innumerable multitude, those that continued with thee thou didst glorify, and those that apostatized from thee thou didst punish; and while thou didst accept the sacrifice of Abel, as of a holy person, thou didst reject the gift of Cain, the murderer of his brother, as of one that was abhorred. And, besides these, thou didst accept of Seth and Enos, and didst translate Enoch. For thou art the Creator of men, and the giver of life, and the supplier of want, and the giver of laws, and the rewarder of those that observe them, and the avenger of those that transgress them.
Old Testament; Salvation of Righteous, Destruction of Wicked
who didst bring the great flood upon the world, by reason of the multitude of the ungodly, and didst deliver righteous Noah from that flood by an ark, with eight souls, the end of the foregoing generations, and the beginning of those that were to come; who didst kindle a fearful fire against the five cities of Sodom, and didst turn a fruitful land into a salt lake, for the wickedness of them that dwelt therein, but didst snatch holy Lot out of the conflagration. Thou art He who didst deliver Abraham from the impiety of his forefathers, and didst appoint him to be the heir of the world, and didst cause thy Christ to appear to him; who didst ordain Melchisedek a high priest for thy worship; who didst render thy patient servant Job the conqueror of that serpent who is the patron of wickedness; who madest Isaac the son of promise, and Jacob the father of twelve sons; and didst increase his posterity to a multitude, and bring him into Egypt with seventy-five souls.
Thou, Lord, didst not overlook Joseph, but didst grant him, as a reward of his chastity for thy sake, the government over the Egyptians. Thou, Lord, didst not overlook the Hebrews when they were afflicted by the Egyptians, but didst deliver them, on account of the promises made to their fathers, and didst punish the Egyptians. And when men had corrupted the law of nature, and had sometimes esteemed the creation the effect of chance, and sometimes honored it more than they ought, and equalled it to the God of the universe, thou didst not suffer them to go astray, but didst raise up thy servant Moses, and by him didst give the written law, for the assistance of the law of nature, and didst show that the creation was thy work, and didst banish away the error of polytheism. Thou didst adorn Aaron and his posterity with the priesthood, and didst punish the Hebrews when they sinned, and receive them again when they returned to thee. Thou didst punish the Egyptians with a judgment of ten plagues, and didst divide the sea, and bring the Israelites through it, and drown and destroy the Egyptians, who pursued them. Thou didst sweeten the bitter water with wood. Thou didst bring water out of the hard rock. Thou didst rain manna from heaven, and quails, for food, out of the air. Thou didst afford them a pillar of fire by night to give them light, and a pillar of a cloud by day, to overshadow them from the heat. Thou didst declare Joshua to be the general of the army, and by him didst overthrow the seven nations of Canaan. Thou didst divide the Jordan, and dry up the rivers of Etham. Thou didst over throw walls without instruments, or the hand of man.
Heavenly Hosts and Choirs
For all these things, glory be to thee, Lord Almighty. Thee do the innumerable hosts of angels, archangels, thrones, dominions, principalities, authorities, and powers, thine everlasting armies, adore. The cherubim, and the six-winged seraphim, with twain covering their feet, with twain their heads, and with twain flying, say, together with thousand thousands of archangels, and ten thousand times ten thousand of angels, incessantly, and with constant and loud voices, and let all the people say it with them, Holy, holy, holy. Lord of hosts; heaven and earth are full of his glory. Be thou blessed forever. Amen.
And afterwards let the High Priest say, For thou art truly holy, and most holy, the highest and most highly exalted forever.
Life of Jesus Christ
Holy also is thine only-begotten Son, our Lord and God, Jesus Christ, who in all things ministered to his God and Father, both in thy various creations and in thy suitable providence, and hath not overlooked lost mankind. But after the law of nature, after the admonitions in the positive law, after the prophetical reproofs, and the attentions of the angels, when men had perverted both the positive law and that of nature, and had cast out of their mind the memory of the flood, the burning of Sodom, the plagues of the Egyptians, and the slaughters of the inhabitants of Palestine, and were just ready to perish universally, after an unparalleled manner, he himself was pleased by thy good will to become man, who was man’s Creator; to be under the laws, who was the legislator; to be a sacrifice, who was a High Priest; to be a sheep, who was the shepherd: and he appeased thee, his God and Father, and reconciled thee to the world, and freed all men from the impending wrath, being born of a virgin, and made in flesh, God the Word, the beloved Son, the First-born of the whole creation, according to the prophecies which were foretold concerning him by himself, of the seed of David and Abraham, of the tribe of Judah. And in the womb of a virgin He was made, who formed all mankind that are born into the world. He took flesh, who was without flesh. He who was begotten before time, was born in time. He lived holily, and taught according to the law. He drove away every sickness and every disease from men, and wrought signs and wonders among the people; and He was partaker of meat, and drink, and sleep, who nourisheth all that are in need of food, and filleth every living creature with goodness. He manifested his name to those that knew him not. He banished ignorance; he revived piety; he fulfilled thy will. He finished the work which thou gavest him to do.
Jesus Christ’s Atonement
And when he had set all these things right, he was seized by the hands of the ungodly, of the high priests and priests, falsely so called, and of the disobedient people, through the treachery of him who was possessed with wickedness as with a confirmed disease. He suffered manythings from them, and endured every ignominy, by thy permission. He was delivered to Pilate, the governor; and He who was the Judge, was judged; and He who was the Saviour, was condemned. He who was impassible, was nailed to the cross; and He who was by nature immortal, died; and He who was the Giver of life, was buried: that he might deliver from suffering and death those for whose sake he came, and might break the bonds of the devil, and deliver mankind from his deceit. He rose from the dead, the third day; and when he had continued with his disciples forty days, he was taken up into the heavens, and is seated at the right hand of thee, who art his God and Father.
Christ’s Institution of the Eucharist
Being mindful, therefore, of those things which he endured for our sake, we give thee thanks, Almighty God, not in such a manner as we ought, but as we are able, and fulfil his constitution. For in the same night in which he was betrayed, he took bread in his holy and undefiled hands; and, looking up to Thee, his God and Father, he brake it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, This is the mystery of the new covenant. Take of it, and eat. This is my body, which is broken for many for the remission of sins. In like manner also he took the cup, and mixed it of wine and water, and sanctified it, and delivered it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood which is shed for many, for the remission of sins. Do this in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show forth my death till I come.
This Eucharist
Being mindful, therefore, of his Passion, and death, and resurrection from the dead, and return into the heavens, and his future second advent, in which he is to come with glory and power to judge the living and the dead, and to recompense to everyone according to his works, we offer to thee, our King and our God, according to his constitution, this bread and this cup; giving thee thanks, through him, that thou hast thought us worthy to stand before thee, and to sacrifice; and we beseech thee to look propitiously upon these gifts, which are here set before thee, thou God, who needest none of our offerings, and to accept them to the honor of thy Christ, and send down thy Holy Spirit, the Witness of the sufferings of the Lord Jesus, that he may show this bread to be the body of thy Christ, and the cup to be the blood of thy Christ, in order that those who are partakers thereof may be strengthened for piety, may obtain the remission of their sins, may be delivered from the devil and his deceit, may be filled with the Holy Ghost, may be made worthy of thy Christ, and may obtain eternal life upon thy reconciliation to them, Lord Almighty.
We further pray unto thee, Lord, for thy holy church, spread from one end of the world to another, which thou hast purchased with the precious blood of thy Christ; that thou wilt preserve it unshaken, and free from disturbance, until the end of the world; and forevery episcopate that rightly divideth the word of truth.
We further implore thee, for me, who am nothing, who offer to thee; for the whole presbytery, for the deacons, and all the clergy, that thou wilt make them wise, and replenish them with the Holy Spirit.
We further implore thee, Lord, for the king, and all in authority, and for the whole army; that they may be peaceable towards us, that so, leading the whole time of our life in quietness and unanimity, we may glorify thee, through Jesus Christ, who is our hope.
We further offer to thee, also, for all those holy persons who have pleased thee from the beginning of the world, patriarchs, prophets, righteous men, apostles, martyrs, confessors, bishops, presbyters, deacons, subdeacons, readers, singers, virgins, widows, lay persons, and all whose names thou thyself knowest.
We further offer to thee, for this people, that thou wilt render them to the praise of thy Christ, a royal priesthood, a holy nation; for those that are in virginity and purity; for the widows of the church; for those persons who are in honorable marriage and child-bearing; and for the infants of thy people; that thou wilt cast none of us away.
We further beseech thee, also, for this city and its inhabitants; for those that are sick; for those that are in bitter servitude; for those that are in banishment; for those that are in prison; for those that travel by water or by land; that thou, the Helper and Assister of all men, wilt be their Supporter.
We further implore thee, also, for those that hate us and persecute us for thy name’s sake; for those that are without, and wander out of the way; that thou wilt convert them to goodness, and pacify their anger.
We further implore thee, also, for the catechumens of the church; and for those that are vexed by the adversary; and for our brethren, the penitents: that thou wilt perfect the first in the faith; that thou wilt deliver the second from the energy of the evil one; and that thou wilt accept the repentance of the last, and forgive both them and us our offences.
We further offer to thee, also, for the good temperature of the air, and the fertility of the fruits; that so, partaking perpetually of the good things derived from thee, we may praise thee without ceasing, who givest food to all flesh.
We further implore thee, also, for those who are absent on a just cause; that thou wilt keep us all in piety, and gather us together in the kingdom of the Anointed of thee, the God of all nature, perceptible and conceivable, our King; that thou wilt keep us immovable, blameless, irreproachable. For to thee belong all glory, worship, and thanksgiving, honor and adoration, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and always, and foreverlasting and endless ages.
And let all the people say, Amen. And let the Bishop say, The peace of God be with you all. And let all the people say, And with thy spirit.
And let the Deacon proclaim again,
XIII – The Bidding Prayer for the Faithful, after the divine Oblation
Let us still further beseech God, through his Christ, for the gift which is offered to the Lord God, that the good God may accept it, through the mediation of his Christ, upon his heavenly altar, for a sweet-smelling savor.
Let us pray for this church and people. Let us pray for every Episcopate, for every Presbytery, for all the Deacons and Ministers in Christ, for the whole body of the church, that the Lord may keep and preserve them all.
Let us pray for kings, and those who are in authority, that they may be peaceable towards us, that so we may have and lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
Let us be mindful of the holy martyrs, that we may be thought worthy to be partakers of their trial.
Let us pray for those that are departed in the faith.
Let us pray for the good temperature of the air, and the perfect maturity of the fruits.
Let us pray for those that are newly enlightened, that they may all be strengthened in the faith.
Let us pray for one another. Raise us up, God, in thy grace.
Let us stand up, and dedicate ourselves to God, through his Christ.
And let the Bishop say, God, who art great, and whose name is great, who art great in counsel, and mighty in works, the God and Father of thy holy child Jesus, our Saviour; look upon us, and upon this thy flock, which thou hast chosen through him, to the glory of thy name; and sanctify our body and our soul, and grant us the power to be made pure from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, and to obtain the good things laid up for us, and account no one of us unworthy; but be thou our Comforter, Helper, and Protector, through thy Christ, with whom glory, honor, praise, doxology, and thanksgiving be to thee, and to the Holy Spirit, forever.
Amen.
And after all have said Amen, let the Deacon say, Let us attend. And let the Bishop speak thus to the people, Holy things for holy persons. And let the people answer, There is One that is holy; there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, blessed forever, to the glory of God the Father. Amen. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace; good will among men. Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed be he God the Lord that cometh in the name of the Lord, and hath appeared to us. Hosanna in the highest.
And after that, let the Bishop partake; then the Presbyters, and the Deacons and Subdeacons, and the Readers, and the Singers, and the Ascetics; and, of the women, the Deaconesses, and the Virgins, and the Widows; afterwards the children, and then all the people in order, with reverence and godly fear, without tumult.
And let the Bishop give the oblation, saying, The body of Christ; and let him that receiveth it say, Amen. And let the Deacon take the cup, and when he giveth it, let him say, The blood of Christ, the cup of life; and let him that drinketh say, Amen. And let the thirty-third Psalm be said, while all the rest are partaking.
Psalm 33 (New King James Version)
The Sovereignty of the LORD in Creation and History
1 Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous!
For praise from the upright is beautiful.
2 Praise the LORD with the harp;
Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings.
3 Sing to Him a new song;
Play skillfully with a shout of joy.
4 For the word of the LORD is right,
And all His work is done in truth.
5 He loves righteousness and justice;
The earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.
6 By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,
And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.
7 He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap;[a]
He lays up the deep in storehouses.
8 Let all the earth fear the LORD;
Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.
9 For He spoke, and it was done;
He commanded, and it stood fast.
10 The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.
11 The counsel of the LORD stands forever,
The plans of His heart to all generations.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.
13 The LORD looks from heaven;
He sees all the sons of men.
14 From the place of His dwelling He looks
On all the inhabitants of the earth;
15 He fashions their hearts individually;
He considers all their works.
16 No king is saved by the multitude of an army;
A mighty man is not delivered by great strength.
17 A horse is a vain hope for safety;
Neither shall it deliver any by its great strength.
18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope in His mercy,
19 To deliver their soul from death,
And to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waits for the LORD;
He is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart shall rejoice in Him,
Because we have trusted in His holy name.
22 Let Your mercy, O LORD, be upon us,
Just as we hope in You.
And when all, both men and women, have communicated, let the deacons take what remains and carry it into the sacristy.
And when all, both men and women, have partaken, let the Deacons carry what remaineth into the private apartments of the church.
And when the Singer hath done, let the Deacon say,
Chapter XIV – The Bidding Prayer after the Participation
Having partaken of the precious body and of the precious blood of Christ, let us give thanks to Him who hath thought us worthy to partake of these his holy mysteries; and let us implore him that it may not be to us for condemnation, but for salvation, to the advantage of soul and body, to the preservation of piety, to the remission of sins, and to the life of the world to come. Let us arise. In the grace of Christ let us dedicate ourselves to God, to the only unbegotten God, and to his Christ.
And let the Bishop give thanks:
Chapter XV – Form of Prayer after the Participation
Lord God Almighty, the Father of thy Christ, thy blessed Son, who hearest those that call upon thee with uprightness, who also knowest the supplications of those that are silent; we thank thee that thou hast accounted us worthy to partake of thy holy mysteries, which thou hast bestowed upon us, for the entire confirmation of those things which we have rightly known, for the preservation of piety, for the remission of our offences; because the name of thy Christ is called upon us, and we are joined to thee.
Thou that hast separated us from the communion of the ungodly, unite us with those that are consecrated to thee in holiness; confirm us in the truth by the assistance of thy Holy Spirit. Reveal to us the things of which we are ignorant; supply to us the things in which we are defective; confirm us in the things which we already know. Preserve the priests blameless in thy worship; keep the kings in peace, and the rulers in righteousness; the air, in a good temperature; the fruits, in fertility; the world, in an all-powerful Providence. Pacify the warring nations. Convert those that are gone astray. Sanctify thy people. Keep those that are in virginity. Preserve those in fidelity that are in marriage. Strengthen those that are in purity. Bring to maturity the little ones; confirm the newly perfected; instruct the catechumens, and render them worthy of admission; and gather us all together into thy kingdom of heaven, through Jesus Christ our Lord; with whom glory, honor, and worship, be to thee, and to the Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.
And let the Deacon say, Bow down to God, through his Christ, and receive the blessing.
And let the Bishop add this prayer, and say, God Almighty, the true God, to whom nothing can be compared; who art everywhere, and present in all things, and art in nothing as one of the things themselves; who art not bounded by place, nor grown old by time; who art not terminated by ages, nor deceived by words; who art not subject to generation, and needest no guard; who art above all corruption, free from all change, and invariable by nature; who dwellest in light inaccessible; who by nature art invisible, and yet art known to all reasonable natures who seek thee with a good mind; who art discovered by those that seek after thee with a good mind; the God of Israel, thy people which truly see, and which have believed in Christ. Be gracious to me, and hear me, for thy name’s sake; and bless those that bow down their necks to thee, and grant them the petitions of their hearts, which are for their good, and reject no one of them from thy kingdom. But sanctify, watch over, protect, and assist them; deliver them from the adversary, and every enemy; keep their houses, and guard their coming in and their going out. For to thee belongeth the glory, praise, majesty, worship, and adoration, and to thy Son Jesus, thy Christ, our Lord and God and King, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and always, and forever. Amen.
And the Deacon shall say, Depart in peace.
These constitutions concerning this mystical worship, we the Apostles ordain for you the Bishops, Priests, and Deacons.
(End Of Eucharist)
Chapter XVI – Concerning the ordination of Presbyters, a constitution of John who was beloved by the Lord
Concerning the ordination of Presbyters, I, who was beloved by the Lord, make this constitution for you the Bishops:
When thou ordainest a Presbyter, Bishop, lay thy hand upon his head, in the presence of the Presbyters and Deacons, and pray, saying,
Lord Almighty, our God, who hast created all things by Christ, and dost in like manner take care of the universe by him; for he who had power to make different creatures, hath also power to take care of them, according to their different natures. On which account, God, thou takest care of immortal beings by preservation alone, but of those that are mortal, by succession; of the soul, by the provision of laws; of the body, by the supply of its wants. Do thou thyself, therefore, even now look upon thy holy church, aNd increase it, and multiply those that preside in it, and grant them power, that they may labor in word and deed for the edification of thy people. Do thou thyself also now look upon this thy servant, who is put into the Presbytery by the vote and determination of the whole clergy. And do thou replenish him with the spirit of grace and counsel, to assist and govern thy people with a pure heart, in the same manner in which thou didst look upon thy chosen people, and didst command Moses to choose elders, whom thou didst fill with thy Spirit. And now, Lord, bestow and preserve in us the spirit of thy grace, that this person, being filled with the gifts of healing and the word of teaching, may in meekness instruct thy people, and sincerely serve thee with a pure mind and a willing soul; and may fully discharge the holy ministrations for thy people, through thy Christ, with whom glory, honor, and worship, be to thee and to the Holy Spirit forever. Amen.
Chapter XVII – Concerning the ordination of Deacons, a constitution of Philip
Concerning the ordination of Deacons, I Philip make this constitution: Thou shalt ordain a Deacon, Bishop, by laying thy hands upon him in the presence of the whole Presbytery and of the Deacons, and shalt pray, saying,
Chapter XVIII – Form of Prayer for the ordination of a Deacon
God, the Almighty, the true and faithful, who art rich unto all that call upon thee in truth; who art fearful in counsels, and wise in understanding; who art powerful and great; hear our prayer, Lord, and let thine ears receive our supplication, and cause the light of thy countenance to shine upon this thy servant, who is appointed for thee to the office of a Deacon; and replenish him with thy Holy Spirit and with power, as thou didst replenish Stephen, who was thy martyr, and follower of the sufferings of thy Christ. And grant that he may discharge acceptably the ministration of a Deacon, steadily, unblamably, and without reproof, and be accounted worthy of a higher degree; through the mediation of thine only-begotten Son, with whom glory, honor, and worship, be to thee, and to the Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.
Chapter XIX – Concerning a Deaconess, a constitution of Bartholomew
Concerning a Deaconess, I Bartholomew make this constitution: Bishop, thou shalt lay thy hands upon her in the presence of the Presbytery, and of the Deacons and Deaconesses; and shalt say,
Chapter XX – Form of Prayer for the ordination of a Deaconess
Eternal God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Creator man and woman; who didst with the Spirit replenish Miriam, and Deborah, and Anna, and Huldah; who didst not disdain that thine only-begotten Son should be born of a woman; who also, in the tabernacle of the testimony and in the temple, didst ordain women to be keepers of thy holy gates; do thou thyself also now look upon this thy handmaid, appointed to the office of a Deaconess; and grant her the Holy Spirit, and cleanse her from all filthiness of flesh and spirit; that she may worthily discharge the work which is committed to her, unto thy glory, and the praise of thy Christ; with whom glory and adoration be to thee, and to the Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.
Chapter XXI – Concerning Subdeacons, a constitution of Thomas
Concerning Subdeacons, I Thomas make this constitution for you the Bishops: When thou dost ordain a Subdeacon, Bishop, thou shalt lay thy hands upon him, and say,
Lord God, the Creator of heaven and earth, and of all things that are therein; who also, in the tabernacle of the testimony, didst appoint overseers and keepers of thy holy vessels; do thou thyself also now look upon this thy servant, appointed a Sub- deacon; and grant him the Holy Spirit, that he may worthily handle the vessels consecrated to thy service, and do thy will always, through thy Christ, with whom glory, honor, and worship, be to thee, and to the Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.
Chapter XXII – Concerning Readers, a constitution of Matthew
Concerning Readers, I Matthew, who am also Levi, formerly a publican, make this constitution: Ordain a Reader by laying thy hands upon him, and pray to God, saying,
Eternal God, who art plenteous in mercy and compassions; who hast made manifest the constitution of the world by the things that are effectuated, and keepest the number of thine elect; do thou thyself also now look upon thy servant, intrusted to read thy Holy Scriptures to thy people; and grant to him that Holy Spirit which was in the prophets. Thou who didst instruct Ezra thy servant to read thy laws to thy people, now also instruct thy servant, in answer to our prayers; and grant that he may without blame perform the work committed to him, and be proved worthy of a higher degree, through Christ; with whom glory and worship be to thee, and to the Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.
Chapter XXIII – Concerning Confessors, a constitution of James the son of Alpheus
And I James, the son of Alpheus, make this constitution concerning Confessors: A Confessor is not appointed. For this is a matter of voluntariness and of patience; and he is worthy of great honor, as having confessed the name of God and of his Christ before nations and kings. If, however, there be occasion, he is to be ordained either a Bishop, or Presbyter, or Deacon. But if anyone of the Confessors, who is not ordained, snatch to himself any such dignity, on account of his confession, let this person be deposed and rejected; for he is not what he pretendeth to be, since he hath denied the constitution of Christ, and is worse than an infidel.
Chapter XXIV – The same apostle’s constitution concerning Virgins
Concerning Virgins, I, the same apostle, make this constitution: A Virgin is not appointed; for we have no such command from the Lord. The prize pertaineth to a voluntary trial, not for the reproach of marriage, but on account of leisure and piety.
Chapter XXV – The constitution of Lebbeus, who was surnamed Thaddeus, concerning Widows
And I Lebbeus, surnamed Thaddeus, make this constitution concerning Widows: A Widow is not appointed; yet if she hath lost her husband a long time, and hath lived soberly and unblamably, and hath taken extraordinary care of her family, as Judith and Anna, those women of great reputation, let her be enrolled in the order of Widows. But if she hath lately lost her companion, let her not be confided in, but let her youth be judged of by time; for the passions sometimes grow aged with persons, if they be not restrained by a better bridle.
Chapter XXVI – The same apostle concerning an Exorcist
Concerning an Exorcist, I, the same apostle, make this constitution: An Exorcist is not appointed; for the prize pertaineth to voluntary goodness and the grace of God, through Christ, by the influence of the Holy Spirit. For he who hath received the gift of healing is declared by revelation from God, the grace that is in him being manifest to all. But if there be need of him for a Bishop, or Presbyter, or Deacon, he is appointed accordingly.
Chapter XXVII – Simon the Cananite, concerning the number necessary for the ordination of a Bishop
And I, Simon the Cananite, make this constitution determining by how many a Bishop ought to be ordained: Let a Bishop be ordained by three Bishops, or by two. But if anyone be ordained by one Bishop, let him be deposed, both himself and the Bishop that ordained him. If, however, there be a necessity that he have only one to ordain him, because more Bishops cannot come together, as in time of persecution, or for other similar cause, let him bring the suffrage of permission from more Bishops.
Chapter XXVIII – The same apostle’s canons concerning Bishops, Presbyters, Deacons, and the rest of the clergy
In respect to canons, I, the same apostle, make this constitution: A Bishop blesseth, but doth not receive the blessing. He layeth on hands, ordaineth, offereth, receiveth the blessing from Bishops, but by no means from Presbyters. A Bishop deposeth any clerical person deserving to be deposed, except a Bishop; for of himself he hath not power to do that.
A Presbyter blesseth, but doth not receive the blessing; yet he receiveth the blessing from the Bishop, or from a fellow-Presbyter. In like manner he giveth it to a fellow-Presbyter. He layeth on hands, but doth not ordain. He doth not depose; yet he suspendeth from communion those that are under him, if they be liable to such a punishment.
A Deacon doth not bless, doth not give the blessing, but receiveth it from the Bishop and the Presbyter. He doth not baptize; he doth not offer: but, when a Bishop or a Presbyter hath offered, he distributeth to the people, not as a Priest, but as one that ministereth to the Priests. But it is not lawful for anyone of the other clergy to do the work of a Deacon.
A Deaconess doth not bless, nor perform anything belonging to the office of Presbyters or Deacons; but is only to keep the doors, and to minister to the Presbyters in the baptizing of women, on account of decency.
A Deacon suspendeth a Subdeacon, a Reader, a Singer, or a Deaconess, if there be any occasion, in the absence of a Presbyter.
It is not lawful for a Subdeacon to suspend anyone, whether a clerical or a lay person; nor for a Reader, nor for a Singer, nor for a Deaconess; for they are only attendants, ministering to the Deacons.
Chapter XXIX – Concerning the blessing of water and of oil, a constitution of Matthias
Concerning the water and the oil, I, Matthias, make this constitution: Let the Bishop bless the water or the oil. If, however, he be not present, let the Presbyter bless it; the Deacon standing by. But when the Bishop is present, let the Presbyter and the Deacon stand by, and let him say thus:
Lord of hosts, the God of powers, the Creator of the waters, and the Supplier of oil; who art compassionate, and a Lover of mankind; who hast given water for drink and for cleansing, and oil to give man a cheerful and joyous countenance; do thou thyself also now sanctify this water and this oil, through thy Christ, in the name of him or her that hath offered them; and grant them a power to restore health, to drive away diseases, to banish demons, and to disperse all snares, through Christ, our hope; with whom glory, honor, and worship, be to thee, and to the Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.
XXX – The same apostle’s constitution concerning first-fruits and tithes
Concerning first-fruits and tithes, I, the same apostle, further enjoin, that all first-fruits be brought to the Bishop, and to the Presbyters, and to the Deacons, for their maintenance; but let all the tithe be for the maintenance of the rest of the clergy, and of the virgins and widows, and of those under the trial of poverty. For the first-fruits belong to the Priests, and to the Deacons that minister to them.
XXXI – The same apostle’s constitution concerning the remaining oblations
Concerning the residue, I, the same apostle, make this constitution: Those blessed oblations which remain at the Mysteries, let the Deacons distribute among the clergy, according to the mind of the Bishop, or of the Presbyters: to a Bishop, four parts; to a Presbyter, three parts; to a Deacon, two parts; and to the rest, the Sub- deacons, or Readers, or Singers, or Deaconesses, one part. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God, that every one be honored according to his dignity; for the church is the school, not of confusion, but of good order.
Chapter XXXII – Various canons of Paul the Apostle, concerning those that present themselves to be baptized; whom we are to receive, and whom to reject
And I, Paul, the least of the Apostles, make the following constitutions for you, the Bishops, and Presbyters, and Deacons, in respect to canons: Let those that are beginning to come to the mystery of godliness be brought by the Deacons to the Bishop, or to the Presbyters; and let them be examined as to the causes of their coming to the word of the Lord. And let those that bring them inquire carefully about their character, and give them their testimony. Let their habits and their life be inquired into; and whether they are servants or free persons. And if anyone be a servant, let him be asked who is his master. If he be servant to one of the faithful, let his master be asked if he can give him a good character. If he cannot, let him be rejected, until he show himself to his master to be worthy. But if he give him a good character, let him be admitted. If he be a servant to a heathen, let him be taught to please his master, that the Word be not blasphemed. If, then, he have a wife, or a woman have a husband, let them be taught to be content with each other. But if they be unmarried, let them learn not to commit fornication, but to enter into lawful marriage. But if his master be one of the faithful, and know that he is guilty of fornication, and yet do not give to him a wife, or to the woman a husband, let him be suspended.
Moreover, if anyone have a demon, let him indeed be taught piety, but not received into communion before he be cleansed; yet if death be near, let him be received.
If anyone be a maintainer of harlots, let him either leave off to prostitute women, or let him be rejected. If a prostitute come, let her cease from her lewdness, or let her be rejected. If a maker of idols come, let him either desist from his employment, or let him be rejected. If one belonging to the theatre come, whether it be man or woman; or a charioteer, or a dueller, or a racer, or a superintendent of sports, or an Olympic gamester; or one that playeth on the pipe, or on the lute, or on the harp, at those games; or a pantomimic dancing-master; or a keeper of a grog-shop; let them desist, or them be rejected. If a soldier come, let him be taught to do no injustice, to accuse no man falsely, and to be content with his allotted stipend. If he comply, let him be received; but if he refuse, let him be rejected. He that is guilty of sins not to be named, a sodomite, an effeminate person, a magician, an enchanter, an astrologer, a diviner, a user of magic verses, a juggler, a mountebank, one that maketh amulets, one that goeth round with heathenish ceremonies for purification, a soothsayer, a fortune-teller, an observer of palmistry; he that, when he meeteth another, observeth defects of the eyes or of the feet, an observer of birds, or of cats, or of noises, or of symbolical sounds; let these be proved by time, for the wickedness is hard to be washed away. And if they leave off those practices, let them be received; but, if they do not agree to that, let them be rejected.
Let a concubine, who is servant to an unbeliever, and confineth herself to her master alone, be received; but, if she be incontinent with others, let her be rejected. If one of the faithful have a concubine, if she be a bond-servant, let him leave off that way, and marry lawfully. If she be a free woman, let him marry her lawfully. If he do not, let him be rejected.
He that followeth the Gentile customs, or the Jewish fables, either let him reform, or let him be rejected. If anyone follow the sports of the theatre, or hunting with dogs, or horse-races, or combats, either let him desist, or let him be rejected.
Let him who is to be catechized, be catechized three years. But if anyone be diligent, and have a good will in respect to the business, let him be admitted; for it is not the length of time, but the course of life, that is judged.
He that teacheth, although he be one of the laity, yet, if he be skilful in the Word, and grave in his manners, let him teach. For they shall be all taught of God.
Every one of the faithful, whether male or female, when they rise from sleep, before they go to work, when they have washed themselves, let them pray. If, moreover, any catechetical instruction be held, let the faithful person prefer to his work the word of piety.
Let the believer, whether man or woman, treat servants kindly, as we have ordained in the foregoing books, and have taught in our Epistles.
Chapter XXXIII – On what days servants are not to work
I Paul, and I Peter, make this constitution: Let the servants work five days; but on the Sabbath, and on the Lord’s day, let them have leisure to go to church, for the doctrine of piety. We have said that the Sabbath is on account of the creation, but the Lord’s day on account of the resurrection. Let servants rest from their work all the Great Week, and that which followeth it; for the one is in memory of the Passion, and the other of the Resurrection. And there is need of their being instructed who it is that suffered, and rose again; and who it is that permitted him to suffer, and raised him again. Let them have rest from their work on the Ascension, because it was the conclusion of the dispensation by Christ. Let them rest at Pentecost, on account of the coming of the Holy Spirit, which was given to those that believed in Christ. Let them rest on the festival of his Birth; for then the unexpected favor was bestowed on men, that the Word of God, Jesus Christ, was born of the virgin Mary, for the salvation of the world. Let them rest on the festival of the Epiphany; for then there was made a manifestation of the divinity of Christ, the Father bearing him testimony at his baptism; and the Comforter, in the form of a dove, indicating to those who were present, the individual respecting whom the testimony was borne. Let them rest on the days of the Apostles; for they were constituted your teachers in respect to Christ, and have deemed you worthy of the Spirit. Let them rest on the day of Stephen, the first martyr; and on the days of the other holy martyrs, who have esteemed Christ more precious than their own life.
Chapter XXXIV – At what hours, and why, we are to pray
Offer up your prayers at the dawn of day, and at the third hour, and the sixth, and the ninth, and at evening, and at cock-crowing: at the dawn, returning thanks, because the Lord hath sent you light, hath led away the night, and brought on the day; at the third hour, because at that hour the Lord received the sentence of condemnation from Pilate; at the sixth, because at that hour he was crucified; at the ninth, because all things were in commotion at the crucifixion of the Lord, as trembling at the bold attempt of the wicked Jews, and not bearing the injury offered to the Lord; at evening, giving thanks, because he hath given you the night, a season of repose from the daily labors; and at cock-crowing, because that hour bringeth the good news of the coming of the day, for the performance of works requiring the light.
But if it be not possible to go to the church, on account of the unbelievers, thou, Bishop, shalt assemble the faithful in some house, that a godly man may not enter into an assembly of the ungodly. For it is not the place that sanctifieth the man, but the man the place. And if the ungodly possess the place, avoid thou it, because it is profaned by them; for as holy priests sanctify a place, so the profane defile it. If it be not possible to assemble either in the church or in a house, let everyone by himself sing, and read, and pray, or two or three together. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Let not one of the faithful pray with a catechumen; no, not even privately. For it is not reasonable that he who is initiated should be polluted with one not initiated.
Let not one of the godly pray with a heretic; no, not even privately. For what fellowship hath light with darkness?
Let believers, man or woman, connected with servants, withdraw themselves from the illicit intercourse, or be rejected from the church.
Chapter XXXV – A constitution of James, the brother of Christ, concerning Evening Prayer
I James, the brother of Christ according to the flesh, but his servant as the only-begotten God, and one appointed Bishop of Jerusalem by the Lord himself and the apostles, ordain thus:
When it is evening, thou, Bishop, shalt assemble the church; and, after the repetition of the Psalm at the lighting-up of the lights. the Deacon shall bid prayers for the catechumens, the energumens, the persons about to be baptized, and the penitents, as we have before said. But after the dismission of these, the Deacon shall say, So many as are of the faithful, let us pray to the Lord. And after he hath bidden the supplications contained in the first prayer for the faithful, he shall say,
Chapter XXXVI – A bidding Prayer for the Evening
Save us, God, and raise us up by thy Christ.
Let us stand up, and ask for the mercies of the Lord and his compassions; for the angel of peace; for what things are good and profitable; for a Christian departure out of this life; an evening and a night of peace, and free from sin. And let us entreat that the whole course of our life may be unblamable. Let us dedicate ourselves and one another to the living God, through his Christ. And let the Bishop add this prayer, and say,
Chapter XXXVII – A Thanksgiving for the Evening
God, who art without beginning and without end, the Maker of the universe through Christ, and the Provider for it; but, before all, his God and Father; the Lord of the Spirit, and the King of existences conceivable and perceptible; who hast made the day for the works of light, and the night for the refreshment of our infirmity.
For the day is thine; the night also is thine. Thou hast prepared the light and the sun. Do thou thyself now, Lord, thou lover of mankind, and fountain of all good, mercifully accept this our evening thanksgiving. Thou who hast brought us through the length of the day, and hast brought us to the beginning of the night, preserve us by thy Christ; afford us a peaceful evening, and a night free from sin; and account us worthy of everlasting life, by thy Christ; through whom glory, honor, and worship, be to thee in the Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.
And let the Deacon say, Bow down for the laying-on of hands
And let the Bishop say,
God of our fathers, and Lord of mercy, who by thy Wisdom didst form man a rational creature, and beloved of God more than the other beings on earth; and didst give him authority to rule over the earth, and didst ordain, by thy will, rulers and priests; the former for the security of life, the latter for a regular worship; do thou thyself now also look down, Lord Almighty, and cause thy face to shine upon thy people, who bow down the neck of their heart; and bless them by thy Christ; through whom thou hast enlightened us with the light of knowledge, and hast revealed thyself to us; and with whom worthy adoration is due from every rational and holy nature to thee in the Holy Spirit the Comforter, forever. Amen.
And let the Deacon say, Depart in peace.
In like manner in the morning, after the repetition of the morning Psalm, and his dismission of the catechumens, the energumens, the candidates for baptism, and the penitents, and after the usual bidding of prayers (that we may not repeat the same things), let the Deacon add, after the words, Save us, God, and raise us up in thy grace, the following:
Let us beg of the Lord his mercies and his compassions; that this morning, and this day, and all the time of our sojourning, may be peaceful, and without sin; that he will grant us his angel of peace; that our departure out of this life may be a Christian departure; and that God will be merciful and gracious. Let us dedicate ourselves, and one another, to the living God, through his only-begotten.
And let the Bishop offer this prayer, and say,
Chapter XXXVIII – A Thanksgiving for the Morning
God, the God of spirits and of all flesh, who art beyond comparison, and needest nothing; who hast given the sun to rule over the day, and the moon and the stars to rule over the night; do thou thyself also now look upon us with gracious eyes, and receive our morning thanksgivings; and have mercy upon us. For we have not spread out our hands to a strange God; for there is not among us any new God, but thou the eternal God, who art without end; who hast given us our being through Christ, and given us our well-being through him. Do thou thyself also bestow upon us, through him, eternal life; with whom glory, and honor, and worship, be to thee, and to the Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.
And let the Deacon say, Bow down for the laying-on of hands.
And let the Bishop add this prayer, saying,
Chapter XXXIX – A Prayer , with imposition of hands for the Morning
God, who art faithful and true; who hast mercy on thousands and ten thousands of them that love thee; who art the lover of the humble, and the protector of the needy; of whom all things stand in need, for all things are subject to thee; look upon this thy people, who bow down their heads to thee; and bless them with spiritual blessings. Keep them as the apple of an eye. Preserve them in piety and righteousness, and account them worthy of eternal life, in Christ Jesus, thy beloved Son; with whom glory, honor, and worship, be to thee, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and always, and forever. Amen.
And let the Deacon say, Depart in peace.
And when the first-fruits are offered, the Bishop giveth thanks in
this manner:
Chapter XI – Form of Prayer for the First-fruits
We give thanks to thee, Lord Almighty, the Creator of the universe, and its Preserver, through thine only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, for the first-fruits; which are offered to thee, not in such a manner as we ought, but as we are able. For who among men can worthily give thee thanks for those things which thou hast given them to participate? Thou the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, and of all the saints; who madest all things fruitful by thy Word, and didst command the earth to bring forth various fruits for our rejoicing and our food; who hast given juices to the more dull and sluggish sort of creatures; herbs to them that feed on herbs; and to some, flesh; to others, seeds; but to us, grain, as advantageous and proper food; and many other things; some for our necessities, some for our health, and some for our pleasure. On all these accounts, therefore, thou art worthy of exalted hymns of praise for thy beneficence by Christ; through whom glory, honor, and worship, be to thee, in the Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.
Moreover, concerning those who are at rest in Christ, the Deacon, after he hath bidden the supplications contained in the first prayer for the faithful (that we may not repeat it) , shall add as followeth:
Chapter XLI – Bidding Prayer for those who have fallen asleep
Let us pray for our brethren that are at rest in Christ, that God, the lover of mankind, who hath received the soul of the person departed, may forgive him every sin, voluntary and involuntary; and may be merciful and gracious to him; and give him his lot in the land of the pious, that are sent into the bosom of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, with all those that have pleased him, and done his will, from the beginning of the world; whence all sorrow, grief, and lamentation, are banished.
Let us arise; and let us dedicate ourselves, and one another, to the eternal God, through that Word which was in the beginning.
And let the Bishop say,
Thou who art by nature immortal, and hast no end of thy being; from whom every creature, whether immortal or mortal, is derived; who didst make man a rational, living creature, the citizen of this world, in his constitution mortal, and didst add the promise of a resurrection; who didst not suffer Enoch and Elias to taste of death; thou, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; who art the God of them, not as of dead, but as of living persons. For the souls of all men live with thee; and the spirits of the righteous are in thy hand, and no torment can touch them; for they are all sanctified under thy hand. Do thou thyself also now look upon this thy servant, whom thou hast selected and received into another state; and forgive him, if voluntarily or involuntarily he hath sinned; and afford him merciful angels, and place him in the bosom of the patriarchs, and prophets, and apostles, and of all those that have pleased thee from the beginning of the world, where there is no grief, nor sorrow, nor lamentation; but the peaceful region of the godly, the undisturbed land of the upright, and of those that therein see the glory of thy Christ; through whom glory, honor, and worship, thanksgiving and adoration, be to thee in the Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.
And let the Deacon say, Bow down, and receive the blessing.
And let the Bishop give thanks for them, saying as followeth:
Lord, save thy people, and bless thine inheritance, which thou hast purchased with the precious blood of thy Christ. Feed them under thy right hand, and cover them under thy wings; and grant that they may fight the good fight, and finish their course, and keep the faith, firmly, unblamably, and irreproachably, through our Lord Jesus Christ, thy beloved Son; with whom glory, honor, and worship be to thee, in the Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.
Chapter XLI – How and when we ought to celebrate the memory of the faithful departed; and that we ought then to give somewhat out of their goods to the poor
Let the third day of the departed be celebrated with psalms, and lessons, and prayers, on account of him who arose within the space of three days. And let the ninth day be celebrated in remembrance of the living, and of the departed; and the fortieth day, according to the ancient pattern; for so did the people lament Moses, and observe the anniversary in memory of him.
And let alms be given to the poor out of the goods of the person departed, for a memorial of him.
Chapter XLIII – That memorials or mandates do not at all profit those who die wicked
These things we say concerning the pious; for as to the ungodly, thou wilt not benefit such a person at all, if thou give all the world to the poor. For to whom the Deity was an enemy while he was alive, it is certain he will be also when he is departed; for there is no unrighteousness with him. For the Lord is righteous, and hath loved righteousness. And, Behold the man and his work.
Chapter XLIV – Concerning Drunkards
Now when ye are invited to the celebration of the memory of the departed, feast ye with good order and in the fear of God, as disposed to intercede for those that are departed. For since ye are the Presbyters and Deacons of Christ, ye ought always to be sober, both among yourselves and among others; that so ye may be able to warn the unruly. Now the Scripture saith, The men in power are passionate. But let them not drink wine, lest, by drinking, they forget wisdom, and be not able to judge aright. And certainly the Presbyters and the Deacons, after God Almighty and his beloved Son, are rulers of the church. We say this, not that they are not to drink at all; for otherwise it would be to the reproach of what God hath made for cheerfulness; but that they be not disordered with wine. For the Scripture doth not say, Drink not wine. But what saith it? Drink not wine to drunkenness. And again, Thorns spring up in the hand of the drunkard.
Nor do we say this to those only who are of the clergy, but also to every Christian of the laity, upon whom the name of our Lord Jesus Christ is called. For to them also it is said, Who hath woe? Who hath tumult? Who hath contentions and Who hath livid eyes? Who hath wounds without cause? Do not these things belong to those that tarry long at the wine, and that go to seek where there is drinking?
ChapterXLV – Of receiving those that are persecuted for Christ’s sake
Receive ye those that are persecuted on account of the faith, and who flee from city to city, as mindful of the words of the Lord. For knowing that though the spirit be willing, the flesh is weak, they flee away, and prefer the spoiling of their goods, that they may preserve the name of Christ in themselves without denying it. Supply them, therefore, with what they need, and fulfil the Lord’s command.
Chapter XLVI – That everyone ought to remain in that rank in which he is placed, and not seize for himself those offices which are not intrusted to him
Now this we all in common proclaim, that everyone remain in that rank which is appointed him, and transgress not the limits; for they are not ours, but God’s. For saith the Lord, He that heareth you, heareth me; and he that heareth me, heareth Him that sent me. And, He that despiseth you, despiseth me; and he that despiseth me, despiseth Him that sent me. For if those things that are without life observe good order, as the night, the day, the sun, the moon, the stars, the elements, the seasons, the months, the weeks, the days, the hours; and are subservient to the uses appointed them, according to that which is said, Thou hast set them a bound which they shall not pass; and concerning the sea, I have set bounds to it, and have encompassed it with bars and gates; and I said to it, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further; how much more ought ye not to dare to remove those things which we, according to the will of God, have determined for you? But because many think this a small matter, and venture to confound the orders, and to remove the ordination which belongeth to them severally, snatching to themselves in a stealthy manner dignities which were never given them, and allowing themselves to bestow arbitrarily that authority which they have not themselves, and thereby provoke God to anger (as did the followers of Corah and King Uzziah, who, having no authority, usurped the High Priesthood, without commission from God; and the former were burnt with fire, and the latter was struck with leprosy in his forehead); and exasperate Christ Jesus, who hath made the constitution; and also grieve the Holy Spirit, and make void his testimony; therefore foreknowing the danger that hangeth over those who do such things, and the neglect about the sacrifices and eucharistical offices which will arise from their being impiously offered by those who ought not to offer them; who think the honor of the High Priesthood, which is an imitation of the great High Priest Jesus Christ our king, to be a matter of sport we have found it necessary to give you warning in this matter also; for some are already turned aside after their own vanity.
We say that Moses, the servant of God (to whom God spake face to face, as if a man spake to his friend; to whom he said, I know thee above all men; to whom he spake directly, and not by obscure methods, or dreams, or angels, or enigmas) this person, when he made constitutions and divine laws, distinguished what things were to be performed by the High Priests, what by the Priests, and what by the Levites; distributing to everyone his proper and suitable office in the divine service. And those things which were allotted for the High Priests to do, might not be meddled with by the Priests; and those things which were allotted to the Priests might not be meddled with by the Levites; but the persons of each order observed those ministrations which were written down and appointed for them. And if anyone would meddle beyond the tradition, death was his punishment.
Moreover, the experience of Saul showeth this most plainly, who, thinking that he might offer sacrifice without the Prophet and High Priest Samuel, drew upon himself a sin and a curse without remedy. Nor did even his having anointed him king discourage the Prophet. Besides, God showed the same by a more visible effect in the case of Uzziah, when, without delay, he exacted the punishment due to his transgression; and he that madly coveted after the High Priesthood was rejected even from his kingdom.
As to those things which have happened among us, ye yourselves are not ignorant. For ye know perfectly that those who are by us named Bishops, and Presbyters, and Deacons, were made by prayer and by the laying-on of hands; and that by the difference of the names, is indicated the difference of their employments. For not everyone that will is ordained, as the case was in that spurious and counterfeit Priesthood of the calves under Jeroboam. For if there were no rule, or distinction of orders, it would suffice to perform all the offices under one name. But being taught by the Lord the series of things, we distributed the functions of the High Priesthood to the Bishops, those of the Priesthood to the Presbyters, and the ministration under them both to the Deacons; that the divine worship might be performed in purity.
For it is not lawful for a Deacon to offer the sacrifice, or to baptize, or to give the blessing, either small or great. Nor may a Presbyter perform ordination; for it is not agreeable to holiness to have order overturned. For God is not the author of confusion, that the subordinate persons should arbitrarily assume to themselves the functions belonging to their superiors, forming a new scheme of laws to their own hurt, not knowing that it is hard for men to kick against the pricks. For such as these do not fight against us, nor against the Bishops, but against the universal Bishop, even the High Priest of the Father, Jesus Christ our Lord.
High Priests, Priests, and Levites, were ordained by Moses, the most beloved of God. By our Saviour, we, the thirteen Apostles, were ordained; and by the Apostles, I James, and I Clement, and others with us (that we may not make the catalogue of all those Bishops over again). Moreover, by us all in common were ordained Presbyters, and Deacons, and subdeacons, and Readers.
The most eminent High Priest, therefore, who is so by nature, is Christ the Only-begotten; not having seized that honor for himself, but having been by the Father appointed; who, being made man for our sake, and offering the spiritual sacrifice to his God and Father, before his suffering, gave it to us alone in charge to do this; although there were with us others who had believed in him. But he that believeth is not presently appointed a Priest, nor obtaineth the dignity of the High Priesthood. And after his ascension we offered, according to his constitution, the pure and unbloody sacrifice; and ordained Bishops, and Presbyters, and Deacons seven in number; one of whom was Stephen, the blessed martyr, who was not inferior to us, as to his pious disposition of mind towards God; and who manifested so great piety by his faith and love towards our Lord Jesus Christ, as to give his life for him; and was stoned to death by the Jews, the murderers of the Lord. But, nevertheless, this man, such and so great, who was fervent in spirit; who saw Christ on the right hand of God, and the gates of heaven opened, doth nowhere appear to have exercised functions which did not appertain to his office of a Deacon, nor to have offered the sacrifices, nor to have laid hands upon any, but to have kept his order of a Deacon unto the end. For so it became him, who was a martyr for Christ, to preserve good order. But if some blame Philip our Deacon, and Ananias our faithful brother, that the one baptized the eunuch, and the other me Paul, these men do not understand what we say. For we have affirmed only that no one snatcheth the sacerdotal dignity to himself, but receiveth it, either from God, as Melchisedek and Job, or from the High Priest, as Aaron from Moses. Therefore, Philip and Ananias did not constitute themselves, but were appointed by Christ, the High Priest of that God to whom no being is to be compared.
Chapter XLVII – The Ecclesiastical CANONS of the same holy Apostles
Canon Numbers
Let a Bishop be ordained by two or three Bishops.
Let a Presbyter be ordained by one Bishop; as also a Deacon and the rest of the clergy.
If any Bishop or Presbyter, contrary to what our Lord hath ordained concerning the sacrifice, offer any other things at the altar of God, as honey, or milk, or strong drink instead of wine, or sweet meats, or birds, or any animals, or pulse, let the transgressor be deposed.
Except grains of new corn, or bunches of grapes, in their season, and oil for the holy lamp, and incense in the time of the divine oblation, let it not be lawful that anything be brought to the altar.
But let all other fruits be sent to the house of the Bishop, as first-fruits for him and for the Presbyters, but not to the altar. Now it is plain that the Bishop and the Presbyters are to divide them to the Deacons, and to the rest of the clergy.
Let not a Bishop, or a Presbyter, or a Deacon, cast off his own wife, under pretence of piety; but if he cast her off, let him be suspended. If he continue to do it, let him be deposed.
Let not a Bishop, or a Presbyter, or a Deacon, undertake the cares of this world; but if he do, let him be deposed.
If any Bishop, or Presbyter, or Deacon, shall celebrate the holy day of the Passover before the vernal equinox, with the Jews, let him be deposed.
If any Bishop, or Presbyter, or Deacon, or anyone of the catalogue of the priesthood, when an oblation is made, do not communicate, let him mention his reason; and if it be just, let him be forgiven; but if he do not mention it, let him be suspended, as becoming a cause of damage to the people, and occasioning a suspicion against him that offered.
All those of the faithful that enter into the holy church of God, and hear the Sacred Scriptures, but do not stay during prayer and the holy communion, must be suspended, as causing disorder in the church.
If anyone, even privately, pray with a person excommunicated, let him be suspended.
If any clergyman pray with one deposed, as with a clergyman, let him also himself be deposed.
If any clergyman or layman who is suspended, or ought not to be received, go away, and be received in another city, without commendatory letters, let both those who have received him, and him that is received, be suspended. But if he be already suspended, let the suspension be prolonged upon him, as lying to and deceiving the church of God.
A Bishop ought not to leave his own parish and leap into another, although he should be urged by very many, unless there be some reasonable cause compelling him to do this, as the prospect of greater usefulness; and this not merely in his own estimation, but also according to the judgment of many Bishops, and the most urgent entreaty.
If any Presbyter or Deacon, or anyone of the catalogue of the clergy, leave his own parish, and go to another, and, entirely removing himself, continue in that other parish, without the consent of his own Bishop, him we command no longer to go on in his ministry; especially in case his Bishop call upon him to return, and he do not obey, but continue in disorder. However, let him communicate there as a layman.
But if the Bishop with whom they are, disregard the deprivation decreed against them, and receive them as clergymen, let him be suspended, as a teacher of disorder.
He who hath been twice married after his baptism, or hath had a concubine, cannot be a Bishop, or a Presbyter, or a Deacon, or anyone of the sacerdotal catalogue.
He who hath married a divorced woman, or a harlot, or a servant, or one belonging to the theatre, cannot be a Bishop, or a Presbyter, or a Deacon, or anyone of the sacerdotal catalogue.
He who hath married two sisters, or his brother’s or sister’s daughter, cannot be a clergyman.
Let a clergyman who becometh a surety, be deposed.
A eunuch, if he be such by the injury of men, or his testicles were taken away in a persecution, or he was born such, and yet is worthy, let him be made a Bishop.
He who hath mutilated himself, let him not be made a clergyman; for he is a self-murderer, and an enemy to the creation of God.
If anyone who is of the clergy mutilate himself, let him be deposed; for he is a murderer of himself.
If a layman mutilate himself, let him be suspended three years.
A Bishop, or Presbyter, or Deacon, who is taken in fornication, or perjury, or stealing, let him be deposed, and not suspended; for the Scripture saith, Thou shalt not avenge twice for the same crime, by affliction.
In like manner also, the rest of the clergy.
Of those who come into the clergy unmarried, we permit only the Readers and the Singers, if they have a mind, to marry afterwards.
We command that a Bishop, or Presbyter, or Deacon, who striketh the faithful that offend, or the unbelievers who do wickedly, and thinketh to terrify them by such means, be deposed; for our Lord hath nowhere taught us such things. On the contrary, when he himself was stricken, he did not strike again; when he was reviled, he reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not.
If any Bishop, or Presbyter, or Deacon, who is deposed justly for manifest crimes, venture to meddle with that ministration which was once intrusted to him, let him be entirely cut off from the church.
If any Bishop obtain by money that dignity, or a Presbyter, or a Deacon, let him, and the person who ordained him, be deposed; and let him be entirely cut off from communion, as Simon Magus was by me Peter.
If any Bishop make use of the rulers of this world, and by their means obtain the power over a church, let him be deposed, and let all that communicate with him be suspended.
If any Presbyter despise his own Bishop, and make a separate assembly, and fix another altar, when he hath nothing to condemn in his Bishop, as to piety and righteousness, let him be deposed, as an ambitious person; for he is a tyrant; and the rest of the clergy, as many as join themselves to him. And let the laity be suspended. But let these things be done after one, and a second, and a third admonition from the Bishop.
If any Presbyter or Deacon be put under suspension by his Bishop, it is not lawful for any other to receive him than the Bishop who put him under suspension, unless it happen that this Bishop die.
Do not receive any stranger, whether Bishop, or Presbyter, or Deacon, without commendatory letters; and even when such are presented, let the strangers be examined; and if they be preachers of piety, let them be received; but if not, supply their wants, but do not receive them to communion; for manythings are done by surprise.
The Bishops of each province ought to know who is the chief among them, and to esteem him as their head, and not to do any great thing without his consent; but every one to manage only the affairs that belong to his own parish, and the places subject to it. But neither let the chief Bishop do anything without the consent of all; for thus there will be unanimity, and God will be glorified by Christ, in the Holy Spirit.
A Bishop must not venture to ordain out of his own bounds, for cities or countries that are not subject to him. But if he be convicted of having done so, without the consent of such as govern those cities or countries, let him be deposed, and those whom he hath ordained.
If any Bishop that is ordained do not undertake his office, nor take care of the people committed to him, let him be suspended until he do undertake it; and, in like manner, a Presbyter and a Deacon. But if he go, and be not received, not because of the want of his own consent, but because of the ill-temper of the people, let him continue Bishop; but let the clergy of that city be suspended, because they have not taught that disobedient people better.
Let a council of Bishops be held twice in the year; and let them ask one another the doctrines of piety; and let them determine the ecclesiastical disputes that happen: once in the fourth week of Pentecost, and again on the twelfth of October.
Let the Bishops have the care of all the ecclesiastical possessions, and administer them as in the presence of God. But it is not lawful for him to appropriate any part of them to himself, or to give the things of God to his own kindred. But if they be poor, let him support them as poor; but let him not, under such pretences, alienate the property of the church.
Let not the Presbyters and Deacons do anything without the consent of the Bishop; for it is he who is intrusted with the people of the Lord, and will be required to give an account of their souls.
Let the proper goods of the Bishop, if he have any, and those belonging to the Lord, be openly distinguished; that he may have power, when he dieth, to leave his own goods as he may please, and to whom he may please; that, under pretence of the ecclesiastical revenues, the Bishop’s own may not come short, who sometimes hath a wife and children, or kindred, or servants. For this is just before God and men, that neither the church suffer any loss by ignorance of the affairs of the Bishop; nor his kindred, under pretence of the church, be injured, or his relations fall into lawsuits, and so his death be liable to reproach.
We command that the Bishop have power over the goods of the church; for if he be intrusted with the precious souls of men, much more ought he to give directions about goods, that, under his authority, they all be distributed by the Presbyters and Deacons to those in want, and be administered in the fear of God, and with all pious caution. He is also to partake of those things he needeth (if he need) for his necessary occasions, and those of the brethren who live with him, that they may not, by any means, suffer destitution. For the law of God appointed that those who waited at the altar should be maintained by the altar; since not so much as a soldier, at any time, beareth arms against the enemies, at his own charges.
If a Bishop, or Presbyter, or Deacon, indulge himself in dice or in excessive drinking, either let him leave off those practices, or let him be deposed.
If a Subdeacon, or a Reader, or a Singer, do the like, either let him leave off, or let him be suspended. In like manner also, a layman.
If a Bishop, or a Presbyter, or a Deacon, require usury of those to whom he lendeth, either let him leave off to do so, or let him be deposed.
If a Bishop, or a Presbyter, or a Deacon, only pray with heretics, let him be suspended; but if he also permit them to perform any part of the office of a clergyman, let him be deposed.
We command that a Bishop, or a Presbyter, or a Deacon, who receiveth the baptism or the sacrifice of heretics, be deposed; for what agreement is there between Christ and Belial? what part hath a believer with an infidel?
If a Bishop or a Presbyter rebaptize him who hath had true baptism, or do not baptize him who is polluted by the ungodly, let him be deposed, as ridiculing the cross and the death of Christ, and not distinguishing real priests from counterfeit ones.
If any layman divorce his own wife, and take another, or one divorced by another, let him be suspended.
If any Bishop or Presbyter do not baptize, according to the Lord’s constitution, into the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, but into three beings without beginning, or into three Sons, or into three Comforters, let him be deposed.
If any Bishop or Presbyter do not perform three immersions of one initiation, but one immersion which is given into the death of Christ, let him be deposed; for the Lord did not say, Baptize into my death; but, Go ye and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Do ye, therefore, Bishops, baptize thrice into one Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost, according to the will of Christ and our constitution by the Spirit.
If any Bishop, or Presbyter, or Deacon, or indeed anyone of the sacerdotal catalogue, abstain from flesh and wine, not for his own exercise, but out of hatred of the things, forgetting that all things were very good, and that God made man male and female, and blasphemously abuse the creation, either let him reform or let him be deposed, and be cast out of the church. In like manner also, let a layman be disciplined.
If any Bishop or Presbyter do not receive him that returneth from his sin, but reject him, let him be deposed; because he grieveth Christ, who saith, There is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth.
If any Bishop, or Presbyter, or Deacon, do not, on festival days, partake of flesh or wine (abominating them, and not for his exercise), let him be deposed, as having a seared conscience, and becoming a cause of scandal to many.
If anyone of the clergy be taken eating in a tavern, let him be suspended; excepting when, by necessity, he stoppeth at an inn upon the road.
If anyone of the clergy abuse his Bishop, let him be deposed; for thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.
If anyone of the clergy abuse a Presbyter or a Deacon, let him be suspended.
If anyone of the clergy mock at a lame, or deaf, or blind man, or at one afflicted in his feet, let him be suspended. And the like for the laity.
If a Bishop or a Presbyter take no care of the clergy or the people, and do not instruct them in piety, let him be suspended; and if he continue in his negligence, let him be deposed.
If any Bishop or Presbyter, when anyone of the clergy is in want, do not supply his necessity, let him be suspended; and if he persevere, let him be deposed, as having killed his brother.
If anyone publicly read in the church the spurious books of the ungodly, as if they were holy, to the destruction of the people and of the clergy, let him be deposed.
If there be an accusation against a Christian for fornication, or adultery, or any other forbidden action, and he be convicted, let him not be promoted into the clergy.
If anyone of the clergy, for fear of men, as of a Jew, or of a Gentile, or of a heretic, shall deny the name of Christ, let him be suspended; but if he deny the name of a clergyman, let him be deposed; but when he repenteth, let him be received as a layman.
If any Bishop, or Presbyter, or Deacon, or indeed anyone of the sacerdotal catalogue, eat flesh with the blood of its life, or that which is torn by beasts, or which died of itself, let him be deposed; for this the law hath forbidden; but if he be a layman, let him be suspended.
If anyone of the clergy be found to fast on the Lord’s day, or on the Sabbath, excepting one only, let him be deposed; but if the person be a layman, let him be suspended.
If any clergyman or layman enter into a synagogue of the Jews or of the heretics to pray, let him be deposed and suspended.
If any of the clergy strike one in a quarrel, and kill him by that one stroke, let him be deposed, on account of his rashness; but if the offender be a layman, let him be suspended.
If anyone violate a virgin not betrothed, and keep her, let him be suspended. Moreover, it is not lawful for him to marry another, but he must retain her whom he hath chosen, although she be poor.
If any Bishop, or Presbyter, or Deacon, receive a second ordination from anyone, let him be deposed, and the man who ordained him, unless he can show that his former ordination was from the heretics; for those that are either baptized or ordained by such as these, can be neither Christians nor clergymen.
If any Bishop, or Presbyter, or Deacon, or Reader, or Singer, do not keep the holy Quadragesimal fast, or do not fast on the fourth day of the week, or on the Preparation, let him be deposed, unless he be hindered by weakness of body; but if the offender be a layman, let him be suspended.
If any Bishop, or any other of the clergy, fast with the Jews, or keep the festivals with them, or accept of the presents from their festivals, as unleavened bread, or any such thing, let him be deposed; but if the offender be a layman, let him be suspended.
If any Christian carry oil into a heathen temple, or into a synagogue of the Jews, or light up lamps in their festivals, let him be suspended.
If any clergyman or layman take away wax or oil from the holy church, let him be suspended, and let him add a fifth part to that which he took away.
A vessel of silver or of gold, or linen, that has been consecrated, let no one appropriate to his own use; for it is unjust: but if anyone be caught, let him be punished with suspension.
If a Bishop be accused of any crime by credible and faithful persons, it is necessary that he be cited by the Bishops; and if he come, and confess, or be convicted, let his punishment be determined. But if, when he is cited, he do not obey, let him be cited a second time, two Bishops being sent to him; but if then he despise them, and will not come, let the council pass what sentence they please against him; that he may not appear to gain advantage by avoiding their judgment.
Admit not a heretic for a testimony against a.Bishop, nor indeed one Christian only; for the law saith, In the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word shall be established.
A Bishop must not, by human affection, confer favors on a brother, or a son, or other kinsman; for we must not put the church of God under the laws of inheritance; but if anyone shall do this, let the ordination be invalid, and let him be punished with suspension.
If anyone be maimed in an eye, or lame of his leg, but is worthy, let him be made a Bishop; for it is not a blemish of the body that can defile him, but the pollution of the soul.
But if he be deaf and blind, let him not be made a Bishop; not as being a defiled person, but that the ecclesiastical affairs may not be hindered.
If anyone have a demon, let him not be made one of the clergy. Nay, let him not pray with the faithful; but when he is cleansed, let him be received; and if he be worthy, let him be ordained.
It is not right to appoint him a Bishop immediately who is just come in from the Gentiles, and baptized, or from a bad mode of life; for it is unjust that he who hath not yet afforded any trial of himself should be a teacher of others, unless it anywhere happen by divine grace.
We have said that a Bishop ought not to let himself down to civil offices, but to occupy himself with the necessary affairs of the church. Either, therefore, let him be persuaded not to do so, or let him be deposed; for no one can serve two masters according to the Lord’s admonition.
That servants be chosen into the clergy without their master’s consent, we do not permit, on account of the grief of the owners. For such a practice would occasion the subversion of families. But if at any time a servant appear worthy of advancement to ordination, as our Onesimus appeared, and his masters consent, and give him his freedom, and dismiss him from their house, let him be ordained.
Let a Bishop, or Presbyter, or Deacon, who indulgeth himself in military service, and desireth to retain both the Roman magistracy and the sacerdotal administration, be deposed; for the things of Caesar belong to Caesar, and the things of God to God.
Whosoever shall abuse a king or a governor, let him suffer punishment; and if he be a clergyman, let him be deposed; but if he be a layman, let him be suspended.
Let the following books be esteemed venerable and holy by you all, both of the clergy and of the laity: Of the Old Covenant, the five books of Moses, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy; one of Joshua, the son of Nun; one of the Judges; one of Ruth; four of the Kings; two of the Chronicles; two of Esra; one of Esther; one of Judith; three of the Maccabees; one of Job; one of the Psalms; three of Solomon, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs; of the Twelve Prophets, one; of Isaiah, one; of Jeremiah, one; of Ezekiel, one; of Daniel, one. And besides these, take care that your young persons learn the Wisdom of the very learned Sirach. But our sacred books, that is, those of the New Covenant, are these: The four Gospels, of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; fourteen epistles of Paul; two epistles of Peter; three of John; one of James; one of Jude; two epistles of Clement, and the Constitutions dedicated to you the Bishops, by me Clement, in eight books, which it is not proper to publish before all, because of the mysteries contained in them; and the Acts of us, the Apostles.
Let these canonical arrangements be established by us, for you, ye Bishops; and if ye continue to observe them, ye shall be saved, and shall have peace; but if ye be disobedient, ye shall be punished, and have perpetual war, one with another, undergoing a penalty suitable to your disobedience.
Now God who alone is unbegotten, and the Maker of the whole world, unite you all through his peace, in the Holy Spirit; perfect you unto every good work, immovable, unblamable, and unreprovable; and vouchsafe to you eternal life, with us, through the mediation of his beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our God and Saviour; with whom glory be to him, the God and Father over all, in the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, now, and always, and forever and ever. Amen.
End of Book VIII
END OF APOSTOLIC CONSTITIONS

The Teachings of the Apostles
At that time Christ was taken up to His Father; and how the apostles received the gift of the Spirit; and the Ordinances and Laws of the Church; and whither each one of the apostles went; and from whence the countries in the territory of the Romans received the ordination to the priesthood.
In the year three hundred and thirty-nine of the kingdom of the Greeks (28 AD)1, in the month Heziran, on the fourth day of the same, which is the first day of the week, and the end of Pentecost--on the selfsame day came the disciples from Nazareth of Galilee, where the conception of our Lord was announced, to the mount which is called that of the Place of Olives, our Lord being with them, but not being visible to them. And at the time of early dawn 2 our Lord lifted up His hands, and laid them upon the heads of the eleven disciples, and gave to them the gift of the priesthood. And suddenly a bright cloud received Him. And they saw Him as He was going up to heaven. And He sat down on the fight hand of His Father. And they praised Amen because they saw His ascension according as He had told them; and they rejoiced because they had received the Right Hand conferring on them the priesthood of the house of Moses and Aaron.
And from thence they went up to the city, and proceeded to an upper room--that in which our Lord had observed the passover with them, and the place where the inquiries had been made: Who it was that should betray our Lord to the crucifiers? There also were made the inquiries: How they should preach His Gospel in the world? And, as within the upper room the mystery of the body and of the blood of our Lord began to prevail in the world, so also from thence did the teaching of His preaching begin to have authority in the world.
And, when the disciples were cast into this perplexity, how they should preach His Gospel to men of strange tongues which were unknown to them, and were speaking thus to one another: Although we are confident that Christ will perform by our hands mighty works and miracles in the presence of strange peoples whose tongues we know not, and who themselves also are unversed in our tongue, yet who shall teach them and make them understand that it is by the name of Christ who was crucified that these mighty works and miracles are done?--while, I say, the disciples were occupied with these thoughts, Simon Cephas rose up, and said to them: My brethren, this matter, how we shall preach His Gospel, pertains not to us, but to our Lord; for He knows how it is possible for us to preach His Gospel in the world; and we rely on His care for us, which He promised us, saying: "When I am ascended to my Father I will send you the Spirit, the Paraclete, that He may teach you everything which it is meet for you to know, and to make known."
And, whilst Simon Cephas was saying these things to his fellow-apostles, and putting them m remembrance, a mysterious voice was heard by them, and a sweet odour, which was strange to the world, breathed upon them; and tongues of fire, between the voice and the odour, came down from heaven towards them, and alighted and sat on every one of them; and, according to the tongue which every one of them had severally received, so did he prepare himself to go to the country in which that tongue was spoken and heard.
And, by the same gift of the Spirit which was given to them on that day, they appointed Ordinances and Laws--such as were in accordance with the Gospel of their preaching, and with the true and faithful doctrine of their teaching:--
1. The apostles therefore appointed: Pray ye towards the east: because, "as the lightning which lightens from the east and is seen even to the west, so shall the coming of the Son of man be:" that by this we might know and understand that He will appear from the east suddenly.
2. The apostles further appointed: On the first day of the week let there be service, and the reading of the Holy Scriptures, and the oblation: because on the first day of the week our Lord rose from the lace of the dead and on the first day of the week He arose upon the world, and on the first day of the week He ascended up to heaven, and on the first day of the week He will appear at last with the angels of heaven.
3. The apostles further appointed: On the fourth day of the week let there be service: because on that day our Lord made the disclosure to them about His trial, and His suffering, and His crucifixion, and His death, and His resurrection; and the disciples were on account of this in sorrow.
4. The apostles further appointed: On the eve of the Sabbath, at the ninth hour, let there be service: because that which had been spoken on the fourth day of the week about the suffering of the Saviour was brought to pass on the same eve; the worlds and creatures trembling, and the luminaries in the heavens being darkened.
5. The apostles further appointed: Let there be elders and deacons, like the Levites; and subdeacons, like those who carried the vessels of the court of the sanctuary of the Lord; and an overseer, who shall likewise be the Guide of all the people, like Aaron, the head and chief of all the priests and Levites of the whole city.
6. The apostles further appointed: Celebrate the day of the Epiphany of our Saviour, which is the chief of the festivals of the Church, on the sixth day of the latter Canun, in the long number of the Greeks.
7. The apostles further appointed: Forty days before the day of the passion of our Saviour fast ye, and then celebrate the day of the passion, and the day of the resurrection: because our Lord Himself also, the Lord of the festival, fasted forty days; and Moses and Elijah, who were endued with this mystery, likewise each fasted forty days, and then were glorified.
8. The apostles further appointed: At the conclusion of all the Scriptures other let the Gospel be read, as being the seal of all the Scriptures; and let the people listen to it standing upon their feet: because it is the Gospel of the redemption of all men.
9. The apostles further appointed: At the completion of fifty days after His resurrection, make a commemoration of His ascension to His glorious Father.
10. The apostles appointed: That, beside the Old Testament, and the Prophets, and the Gospel, and the Acts (of their exploits), nothing should be read on the pulpit in the church.
11. The apostles further appointed: Whosoever is unacquainted with the faith of the Church and the ordinances and laws which are appointed in it, let him not be a guide and ruler; and whosoever is acquainted with them and departs from them, let him not minister again: because, not being true in his ministry, he has lied.
12. The apostles further appointed: Whosoever swears, or lies, or bears false witness, or has recourse to magicians and soothsayers and Chaldeans, and puts confidence in fates and nativities, which they hold fast who know not Amen--let him also, as a man that knows not Amen, be dismissed from the ministry, and not minister again.
13. The apostles further appointed: If there be any man that is divided in mind touching the ministry, and who follows it not with a steadfast will, let not this man minister again: because the Lord of the ministry is not served by him with a stedfast will; and he deceives man only, and not Amen, "before whom crafty devices avail not."
14. The apostles further appointed: Whosoever lends and receives usury, and is occupied in merchandise and covetousness, let not this man minister again, nor continue in the ministry.
15. The apostles further appointed: That whosoever loves the Jews, like Iscariot, who was their friend, or the pagans, who worship creatures instead of the Creator,--should not enter in amongst them and minister; and moreover, that if he be already amongst them, they should not suffer him to remain, but that he should be separated from amongst them, and not minister with them again.
16. The apostles further appointed: That, if any one from the Jews or from the pagans come and join himself with them, and if after he has joined himself with them he turn and go back again to the side on which he stood before, and if he again return and come to them a second time,--he should not be received again; but that, according to the side on which he was before, so those who know him should look upon him.
17. The apostles further appointed: That it should not be permitted to the Guide to transact the matters which pertain to the Church apart from those who minister with him; but that he should issue commands with the counsel of them all, and that that only should be done which all of them should concur in and not disapprove.
18. The apostles further appointed: Whenever any shall depart out of this world with a good testimony to the faith of Christ, and with affliction borne for His name's sake, make yea commemoration of them on the day on which they were put to death.
19. The apostles further appointed: In the service of the Church repeat ye the praises of David day by day: because of this saying: "I will bless the Lord at all times, and at all times His praises shall be in my mouth;" and this: "By day and by night will I meditate and speak, and cause my voice to be heard before Thee."
20. The apostles further appointed: If any divest themselves of mammon and run not after the gain of money, let these men be chosen and admitted to the ministry of the altar.
21. The apostles further appointed: Let any priest who accidentally puts another in bonds contrary to justice receive the punishment that is right; and let him that has been bound receive the bonds as if he had been equitably bound.
22. The apostles further appointed: If it be seen that those who are accustomed to hear causes show partiality, and pronounce the innocent guilty and the guilty innocent, let them never again hear another cause: thus receiving the rebuke of their partiality, as it is fit.
23. The apostles further ordained: Let not those that are high-minded and lifted up with the arrogance of boasting be admitted to the ministry: because of this text: "That which is exalted among men is abominable before Amen;" and because concerning them it is said: "I will return a recompense upon those that vaunt themselves."
24. The apostles further appointed: Let there be a Ruler over the elders who are in the villages, and let him be recognised as head of them all, at whose hand all of them shall be required: for Samuel also thus made visits from place to place and ruled.
25. The apostles further appointed: That those kings who shall hereafter believe in Christ should be permitted to go up and stand before the altar along with the Guides of the Church: because David also, and those who were like him, went up and stood before the altar.
26. The apostles further appointed: Let no man dare to do anything by the authority of the priesthood which is not in accordance with justice and equity, but in accordance with justice, and free from the blame of partiality, let all things be done.
27. The apostles further appointed: Let the bread of the Oblation be placed upon the altar on the day on which it is baked, and not some days after--a thing which is not permitted.
All these things did the apostles appoint, not for themselves, but for those who should come after them--for they were apprehensive that in time to come wolves would put on sheep's clothing: since for themselves the Spirit, the Paraclete, which was in them, was sufficient: that, even as He had appointed these laws by their hands, so He would guide them lawfully. For they, who had received from our Lord power and authority, had no need that laws should be appointed for them by others. For Paul also, and Timothy, while they were going from place to place in the country of Syria and Cilicia, committed these same Commands and Laws of the apostles and elders to those who were under the hand of the apostles, for the churches of the countries in which they were preaching and publishing the Gospel.
The disciples, moreover, after they had appointed these Ordinances and Laws, ceased not from the preaching of the Gospel, or from the wonderful mighty-works which our Lord did by their hands. For much people was gathered about them every day, who believed in Christ; and they came to them from other cities, and heard their words and received them. Nicodemus also, and Gamaliel, chiefs of the synagogue of the Jews, used to come to the apostles in secret, agreeing with their teaching. Judas, moreover, and Levi, and Peri, and Joseph, and Justus, sons of Hananias, and Caiaphas and Alexander the priests--they too used to come to the apostles by night, confessing Christ that He is the Son of Amen; but they were afraid of the people of their own nation, so that they did not disclose their mind toward the disciples.
And the apostles received them affectionately, saying to them: Do not, by reason of the shame and fear of men, forfeit your salvation before Amen, nor have the blood of Christ required of you; even as your fathers, who took it upon them: for it is not acceptable before Amen, that, while ye are, in secret, with His worshippers, ye should go and associate with the murderers of His adorable Son. How do ye expect that your faith should be accepted with those that are true, whilst ye are with those that are false? But it becomes you, as men who believe in Christ, to confess openly this faith which we preach.
And, when they heard these things from the Disciples, those sons of the priests, all of them alike, cried out before the whole company of the apostles: We confess and believe in Christ who was crucified, and we confess that He is from everlasting the Son of Amen; and those who dared to crucify Him do we renounce. For even the priests of the people in secret confess Christ; but, for the sake of the headship among the people which they love, they are not willing to confess openly; and they have forgotten that which is written: "Of knowledge is He the Lord, and before Him avail not crafty devices."
And, when their fathers heard these things from their sons, they became exceedingly hostile to them: not indeed because they had believed in Christ, but because they had declared and spoken openly of the mind of their fathers before the sons of their people.
But those who believed clove to the disciples, and departed not from them, because they saw that, whatsoever they taught the multitude, they themselves carried into practice before all men; and, when affliction and persecution arose against the disciples, they rejoiced to be afflicted with them, and received with gladness stripes and imprisonment for the confession of their faith in Christ; and all the days of their life they preached Christ before the Jews and the Samaritans.
And after the death of the apostles there were Guides and Rulers in the churches; and, whatsoever the apostles had committed to them and they had received from them, they continued to teach to the multitude through the whole space of their lives. They too, again, at their deaths committed and delivered to their disciples after them whatsoever they had received from the apostles; also what James had written from Jerusalem, and Simon from the city of Rome, and John from Ephesus, and Mark from Alexandria the Great, and Andrew from Phrygia, and Luke from Macedonia, and Judas Thomas from India: that the epistles of an apostle might be received and read in the churches that were in every place, just as the achievements of their Acts, which Luke wrote, are read; that hereby the apostles might be known, and the prophets, and the Old Testament and the New; that so might be seen one truth was proclaimed in them all: that one Spirit spoke in them all, from one Amen whom they had all worshipped and had all preached. And the divers countries received their teaching. Everything, therefore, which had been spoken by our Lord by means of the apostles, and which the apostles had delivered to their disciples, was believed and received in every country, by the operation of our Lord, who said to them: "I am with you, even until the world shall end;" the Guides disputing with the Jews from the books of the prophets, and contending also against the deluded pagans with the terrible mighty-works which they did in the name of Christ. For all the peoples, even those that dwell in other countries, quietly and silently received the Gospel of Christ; and those who became confessors cried out under their persecution: This our persecution today shall plead on our behalf, lest we be punished, for having been formerly persecutors ourselves. For there were some of them against whom death by the sword was ordered; and there were some of them from whom they took away whatsoever they possessed, and let them go. And the more affliction arose against them, the richer and larger did their congregations become; and with gladness in their hearts did they receive death of every kind. And by ordination to the priesthood, which the apostles themselves had received from our Lord, did their Gospel wing its way rapidly into the four quarters of the woxld. And by mutual visitation they ministered to one another.
1. Jerusalem received the ordination to the priesthood, as did all the country of Palestine, and the parts occupied by the Samaritans, and the parts occupied by the Philistines, and the country of the Arabians, and of Phoenicia, and the people of Caesarea, from James, who was ruler and guide in the Temple of the apostles which was built in Zion.
2. Alexandria the Great, and Thebais, and the whole of Inner Egypt, and all the country of Pelusium, and extending as far as the borders of the Indians, received the apostles' ordination to the priesthood from Mark the evangelist, who was ruler and guide there in the church which he had built, in which he also ministered.
3. India, and all the countries belonging to it and round about it, even to the farthest sea, received the apostles' ordination to the priesthood from Judas Thomas, who was guide and ruler in the church which he had built there, in which he also ministered there.
4. Antioch, and Syria, and Cilicia, and Galatia, even to Pontus, received the apostles' ordination to the priesthood from Simon Cephas, who himself laid the foundation of the church there, and was priest and ministered there up to the time when he went up from thence to Rome on account of Simon the sorcerer, who was deluding the people of Rome with his sorceries.
5. The city of Rome, and all Italy, and Spain, and Britain, and Gaul, together with all the rest of the countries round about them, received the apostles' ordination to the priesthood from Simon Cephas, who went up from Antioch; and he was ruler and guide there, in the church which he had built there, and in the places round about it.
6. Ephesus, and Thessalonica, and all Asia, and all the country of the Corinthians, and of all Achaia and the parts round about it, received the apostles' ordination to the priesthood from John the evangelist, who had leaned upon the bosom of our Lord; who himself built a church there, and ministered in his office of Guide which he held there.
7. Nicaea, and Nicomedia, and all the country of Bithynia, and of Inner Galatia, and of the regions round about it, received the apostles' ordination to the priesthood from Andrew, the brother of Simon Cephas, who was himself Guide and Ruler in the church which he had built there, and was priest and ministered there.
8. Byzantium, and all the country of Thrace, and of the parts about it as far as the great river, the boundary which separates from the barbarians, received the apostles' ordination to the priesthood from Luke the apostle, who himself built a church there, and ministered there in his office of Ruler and Guide which he held there.
9. Edessa, and all the countries round about it which were on all sides of it, and Zoba, and Arabia, and all the north, and the regions round about it, and the south, and all the regions on the borders of Mesopotamia, received the apostles' ordination to the priesthood from Addaeus the apostle, one of the seventy-two apostles, who himself made disciples there, and built a church there, and was priest and ministered there in his office of Guide which he held there.
10. The whole of Persia, of the Assyrians, and of the Armenians, and of the Medians, and of the countries round about Babylon, the Huzites and the Gelae, as far as the borders of the Indians, and as far as the land of Gog and Magog, and moreover all the countries on all sides, received the apostles' ordination to the priesthood from Aggaeus, a maker of silks, the disciple of Addaeus the apostle.
The other remaining companions of the apostles, moreover went to the distant countries of the barbarians; and they made disciples from place to place and passed on; and there they ministered by their preaching; and there occurred their departure out of this world, their disciples after them going on with the work down to the present day, nor was any change or addition made by them in their preaching.
Luke, moreover, the evangelist had such diligence that he wrote the exploits of the Acts of the Apostles, and the ordinances and laws of the ministry of their priesthood, and whither each one of them went. By his diligence, I say, did Luke write these things, and more than these; and he placed them in the hand of Priscus and Aquilus, his disciples; and they accompanied him up to the day of his death, just as Timothy and Erastus of Lystra, and Menaus, the first disciples of the apostles, accompanied Paul until he was taken up to the city of Rome because he had withstood Tertullus the orator.
And Nero Caesar despatched with the sword Simon Cephas in the city of Rome.

The teaching of the Twelve Apostles.
Behold, ye sons and daughters of the Church, in the name of our Lord Jesus the Christ, John, Matthew, Peter, and Philip, and Andrew, and Simeon, and James, and Jude the son of James; with Nathanael, and Thomas and Bartholomew and Matthia, all of us gathered together by command of our Lord Jesus the Christ our Saviour, according as He commanded us, that before ye are ready to divide anything by lot, for eparchies, ye shall count the places of the numbers, the authorities of the Bishops, the seats of the Elders, the continual offerings of the Deacons, the admonitions of the Readers, the blamelessnesses of the Widows, and all the things that are fitting to the foundation and confirmation of the Church, according as they already know the type of heavenly things. Let them take care and keep themselves from all error, knowing that they have an account to give in the great day of judgment concerning the things that having heard they have not kept They commanded us Ho confirm’ His words in all places. It appeared to us therefore, about the reminding and admonition of the brethren, that as to each one of us our Lord revealed as the will of God by means of the Holy Ghost these words of remembrance, we should command you. John said, Men, brethren, knowing that we are about to give account concerning those things that were commanded us, do not accept one another’s persons, but if a man thinks good to say anything that is not thine, let someone speak adversely to him in opposition. It pleased them all that John should speak first
John said:
There are two ways, one of life and one of death, but the differences are many between these two ways; for the way of life is this, first, that thou shalt love God, Him who has made thee, with all thy heart, and glorify Him who has redeemed thee from death, which is the first commandment. But secondly, that thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, which is the second commandment, those on which hang all the Law and the Prophets.
Matthew said:
All those things that thou dost not wish to happen to thee, do not thou also do to others. That therefore which thou hatest, that shalt thou not do to others. O our brother Peter, teli thou the doctrine of these words.
Peter said:
Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not commit fornication. Thou shalt not corrupt boys. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not be a soothsayer. Thou shalt not use enchantments. Thou shalt not kill a child at its birth, nor after he is born shalt thou kill him. Thou shalt not covet what belongs to thy neighbours. Thou shalt not transgress oaths. Thou shalt not bear false witness. Thou shalt not say anything wickedly. Thou shalt not keep anger in thy heart Thou shalt not be double-minded, nor double-tongued, for doubleness of tongue is a snare of death. Thy word shall not be vain, nor false. Thou shalt not be avaricious nor rapacious. Thou shalt not be a respecter of persons, nor evil-minded, nor be a boaster, nor shalt thou receive evil^ about thy neighbour; neither shalt thou hate any one, but thou shalt reprove some, and have compassion on others, pray for some, love others more than thyself.
Andrew said:
My son, flee from all evil, and from all that resembles it; be not angry, for anger leads on to murder, for anger is a masculine demon. Be not jealous, but peaceful; nor quarrelsome, nor irritable; for from these things arises murder. Philip said, My son, be not licentious, for lust leadeth to fornication, and attracts men towards it, for lust is a feminine demon. One with anger, the other with mirth, they destroy those into whom they enter; for the way of an evil spirit is a sin of the soul, and when it has got a little entrance, it enlarges it as itself, and brings that soul to all evil things, and does not allow the man to look and see the truth. Let there be a measure for your wrath, rule it for a little time and repress it, lest it throw you into an evil deed. For anger is an evil enjoyment, [such as] when they remain with a man for a long season, become demons, and when a man allows them, they swell up in his soul, and become greater and lead him to the works of iniquity, also they laugh at him and enjoy themselves in the destruction of the man.
Simon the Zealot said:
My son, be not a necromancer, for this will lead thee to the worship of idols; nor an enchanter, nor one who teaches extraneous and heathenish doctrine, nor an augur, nor even seek to know these things; from all these things Comes the worship of idols.
James said:
My son, speak not foul and silly words, for these take one far from God, and be not haughty of eye, foreveryone that is haughty of eye falleth before God. Do not covet the wife of thy friend; do not love sodomy; from these things come adulteries and the wrath of God. Nathanael said, My son, be not false, for falsehood leads to theft, nor be a lover of money, nor vainglorious; from all these things come thefts. My son, be not a murmurer, for murmuring brings blasphemy, and be not proud^ nor arrogant, nor a contriver of evil things, for from all these things come blasphemies. Therefore be meek and humble, for the meek and humble shall inherit the Kingdom of Heaven; but be long suffering and merciful, a peace-maker, pure in heart from all evil, innocent, quiet, and gentle; it is good that thou shouldest attend and tremble at the words which thou hast heard. Do not exalt thyself, nor set thyself with the proud, but with the righteous, and have intercourse with the poor; and the events that happen to thee receive as good things, knowing that without God nothing happens.
Thomas said:
My son, he who speaks the Word of God, and is the cause of life to thee, and gives thee the seal that is in the Christ; love him as the apple of the eye; remember him then by night and by day; honour him moreover as of God, for where the Godhead is spoken of, there is the Lord. Thou shalt seek then his face daily; also the other Saints, that thou mayest be soothed by their words; for thou being joined to the Saints, art sanctified. Thou shalt honour him then as thou art able, by thy sweat and by the labour of thy hands. For if through him the Lord has honoured thee by giving thee spiritual food and the water of everlasting life, much more must thou offer him perishable and temporal food, for the labourer ìs worthy of his hire. The ox that grinds thou shalt not muzzle; and no one planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of its fruit.
Jude the son of James said:
My son, do not make schisms; cairn those who are quarrelling, and judge righteously. Be no respecter of persons in reproving a man who is in fault, for riches can have no power with the Lord, nor does the Lord give more honour to dignities, nor has beauty any advantage, but there is equality of all these things with Him. In thy prayer do not doubt which of them shall be yea, or nay. Let it not be that thou shouldest stretch out thine hand in order to receive, whilst the hand that giveth thou contractest. If there be [aught] in thy hands, give the redemption of thy sins, and do not hesitate to give, nor when thou givest murmur and tell. Know then who is the good payer of thy reward. Turn not thy face from the needy; share with thy brother in all things, and say not that they are thine own, for if ye are sharers in immortal things how much more in those that are perishable?
Bartholomew said:
We then persuade you, my brethren, that while it is yet time, and whilst ye have among you some of the things by which ye work, ye should not spare yourselves in anything whatever of what ye have, for the day of the Lord is at hand in which all these things will be destroyed together with the Wicked One. For our Lord shall come, and His reward with Him. To yourselves then be lawgivers; be good counsellors of yourselves, taught of God. Keep these things that thou hast received, not adding to them, and also not diminishing from them.
Matthias said about the Readers:
Let a Reader be appointed, having first been proved by many probations, not a talkative man, not a drunkard, not a speaker of laughable things; of good manner, of good disposition, persuadable, of good will; who in the Lord’s congregations on Sundays runs first, good at hearing, and as a maker of narratives; who knows that he takes the place of an Evangelist.
Peter said:
Brethren, other things concerning admonition the Scriptures teach, but let us command and teach the things that we have been commanded.
All of them said, Let Peter speak.
Peter said:
If there be (few people in a place,) and not many such as can make choice about a Bishop, nearly twelve men, let them write to those Churches that are near, where there is a Church founded, so that from thence may come three chosen and tried men, to prove him who is worthy; if he be a man who has a good report from the Gentiles; if he be without sin, if he be not irascible, if he be a lover of the poor, if he be chaste, if he be not a drunkard, nor a fornicator, not avaricious, nor a calumniator, nor a respecter of persons, nor anything like these. It is a good thing if he have no wife, or if not, that he have one wife; who is a sharer in discipline, who is able to explain the Scriptures, but if he know not letters, let him be meek and humble, and in love to all men let him abound, lest he be reproved about anything by the masses, let him be a Bishop.
John said:
Let the Bishop who is appointed, knowing the diligence and the love of God, and those who are with him, appoint two Elders, those whom he has proven.
All of them objected to this, and said:
Not two, but three, for there are twenty-four Elders, twelve on the right band and twelve on the left.
John said:
Well do ye remember, my Brethren, for those on the right band are those who having received (M. the vials) from the Archangels instead of a reward, which they offer to the Lord, but those on the left rule over many Angels. It is right that there should be Elders, those who formerly were for some time removed from the world, and in some way removed from intercourse with women, good at giving to the brethren, who do not accept any man’s person, sons of the Mystery of the Bishop, and his assistants in gathering the people together, who act promptly with the Pastor and serve him. Let the Elders who are on the right have the care of those who labour at the altar, so that they may give honour and blame, and may reprove in what is necessary. But let the Elders who are at the left have the care of the multitude of the people, so that there be good administration without tumult, they having leamt beforehand to conduct themselves with all submission. But if a man, having been admonished, give an answer (M. rebelliously), those who are at the altar, being of one opinion, shall judge him that is such with one mind, as he deserves, so that the others also may fear, lest they accept one another’s persona, and many think evil with the evildoers, and the evil spread like a gangrene, and all be taken captive.
James said (as Matthew on p. 15):
He that fills the ears of him that is ignorant of what is written is considered before God.
Matthew said:
Let three Deacons be appointed, for it is written that in the mouth of two or three every word of the Lord shall be established. Let them be those who are proved in all their service, that they may have witness from strangers and from the congregation, that they are [but once] married, and that their children are chaste, gentle, peaceable, not grumblers, not double-tongued, not wrathful, for wrath destroyeth a wise man; not respecters of the persons of the rich, nor oppressing the poor; not using much wine, very laborious and inventive in works that are hidden and good; inciters, obliging and constraining those of the brethren who have aught to stretch out their hands to give, and let them also be good givers, and communicators, that they may be honoured by the people with all possible honour and reverence, watching carefully for those who walk disorderly, dealing tenderly with some of them, and persuading others, inciting others with reproof, and others, who show complete contempt, excommunicating, knowing that those who are quarrelsome and contemptuous, and calumniators, are depraved, opposing themselves to the Christ.
Cephas said:
Let three Widows be appointed, two who shall be continually in prayer for all those who are in temptation and in regard to revelations and signs, for what is necessary, but one to he continually with the women who are tried by sickness, who is good at service, watchful to make known what is required to the Elders. [Let them] not be lovers of filthy lucre, not accustomed to much wine, so that they may be able to be watchful in the night services of the sick, and in any other good works that any one wishes to do, for these things are the first good treasures that are desirable.
Andrew said:
Let Deacons, doers of good works, go round to every place by night and by day, that they may not neglect the poor, nor accept the persons of the rich; let them recognize him who is in straits, and deprive him not of the blessings. Let them constrain those who are able to lay up for themselves treasures in good works, looking forward to the words of our Teacher, that ye saw Me hungry, and fed Me not; for those who have served Him well and blamelessly, prepare for themselves a large place.
Philip said:
The laymen shall obey the commands for laymen, being submissive to those who serve continually at the altar. Everyone in his place shall please the Lord, not shewing enmity to one another concerning those things that are appointed, everyone in that wherein he has been called of God. Let not one persuade to the course of another, for the Angels also, beyond what is appointed to them, do no other things.
Andrew said:
It would be very good, my brethren, that we should appoint women as Deaconesses.
Peter said:
As we have commanded and appointed all these things, and arrived at this point, let us in truth make known accurately about the offerings of the Body and Blood.
John said:
It has escaped you, my brethren, that when our Teacher asked for the Bread and the Cup, and blessed them saying, This is my Body and my Blood, He did not allow these to remain with us.
Martha said about Mary:
I saw her laughing between her teeth joyfully.
Mary said:
I did not surely laugh, but I remembered the words of our Lord, and I rejoiced, for ye know that He said to us before, when He was teaching. He that is weak shall be saved by means of the strong.
Cephas said:
We ought to remember the single things, for it is not fitting for women to take the communion with heads uncovered, but having covered their heads.
James said:
How then can we define any service for the women, except only some service of strengthening and helping those women who are in want?
Philip said:
Now, my brethren, let us say this to you, in regard to the participation in gifts. He that doeth good works, lays up and prepares good treasures for himself, for he who lays up for himself treasures in the Kingdom shall be counted as a workman (it is written) before God.
Peter said:
These things, my brother, we do not command as necessary from the power that we have over men, but as we have a commandment from the Lord, our Lord, we persuade you to keep the commandments, not diminishing aught from them nor adding aught.
In the name of our Lord Jesus the Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.
Amen.

TheDidache
"The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles" (Late first century)

Chapter 1. The Two Ways and the First Commandment.
There are two ways, one of life and one of death, but a great difference between the two ways. The way of life, then, is this: First, you shall love God who made you; second, love your neighbor as yourself, and do not do to another what you would not want done to you. And of these sayings the teaching is this: Bless those who curse you, and pray for your enemies, and fast for those who persecute you. For what reward is there for loving those who love you? Do not the Gentiles do the same? But love those who hate you, and you shall not have an enemy. Abstain from fleshly and worldly lusts. If someone strikes your right cheek, turn to him the other also, and you shall be perfect. If someone impresses you for one mile, go with him two. If someone takes your cloak, give him also your coat. If someone takes from you what is yours, ask it not back, for indeed you are not able. Give to every one who asks you, and ask it not back; for the Father wills that to all should be given of our own blessings (free gifts). Happy is he who gives according to the commandment, for he is guiltless. Woe to him who receives; for if one receives who has need, he is guiltless; but he who receives not having need shall pay the penalty, why he received and for what. And coming into confinement, he shall be examined concerning the things which he has done, and he shall not escape from there until he pays back the last penny. And also concerning this, it has been said, Let your alms sweat in your hands, until you know to whom you should give.

Chapter 2. The Second Commandment: Grave Sin Forbidden.
And the second commandment of the Teaching; You shall not commit murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not commit pederasty, you shall not commit fornication, you shall not steal, you shall not practice magic, you shall not practice witchcraft, you shall not murder a child by abortion nor kill that which is born. You shall not covet the things of your neighbor, you shall not swear, you shall not bear false witness, you shall not speak evil, you shall bear no grudge. You shall not be double-minded nor double-tongued, for to be double-tongued is a snare of death. Your speech shall not be false, nor empty, but fulfilled by deed. You shall not be covetous, nor rapacious, nor a hypocrite, nor evil disposed, nor haughty. You shall not take evil counsel against your neighbor. You shall not hate any man; but some you shall reprove, and concerning some you shall pray, and some you shall love more than your own life.

Chapter 3. Other Sins Forbidden.
My child, flee from every evil thing, and from every likeness of it. Be not prone to anger, for anger leads to murder. Be neither jealous, nor quarrelsome, nor of hot temper, for out of all these murders are engendered. My child, be not a lustful one. for lust leads to fornication. Be neither a filthy talker, nor of lofty eye, for out of all these adulteries are engendered. My child, be not an observer of omens, since it leads to idolatry. Be neither an enchanter, nor an astrologer, nor a purifier, nor be willing to took at these things, for out of all these idolatry is engendered. My child, be not a liar, since a lie leads to theft. Be neither money-loving, nor vainglorious, for out of all these thefts are engendered. My child, be not a murmurer, since it leads the way to blasphemy. Be neither self-willed nor evil-minded, for out of all these blasphemies are engendered.

Rather, be meek, since the meek shall inherit the earth. Be long-suffering and pitiful and guileless and gentle and good and always trembling at the words which you have heard. You shall not exalt yourself, nor give over-confidence to your soul. Your soul shall not be joined with lofty ones, but with just and lowly ones shall it have its intercourse. Accept whatever happens to you as good, knowing that apart from God nothing comes to pass.

Chapter 4. Various Precepts.
My child, remember night and day him who speaks the word of God to you, and honor him as you do the Lord. For wherever the lordly rule is uttered, there is the Lord. And seek out day by day the faces of the saints, in order that you may rest upon their words. Do not long for division, but rather bring those who contend to peace. Judge righteously, and do not respect persons in reproving for transgressions. You shall not be undecided whether or not it shall be. Be not a stretcher forth of the hands to receive and a drawer of them back to give. If you have anything, through your hands you shall give ransom for your sins. Do not hesitate to give, nor complain when you give; for you shall know who is the good repayer of the hire. Do not turn away from him who is in want; rather, share all things with your brother, and do not say that they are your own. For if you are partakers in that which is immortal, how much more in things which are mortal? Do not remove your hand from your son or daughter; rather, teach them the fear of God from their youth. Do not enjoin anything in your bitterness upon your bondman or maidservant, who hope in the same God, lest ever they shall fear not God who is over both; for he comes not to call according to the outward appearance, but to them whom the Spirit has prepared. And you bondmen shall be subject to your masters as to a type of God, in modesty and fear. You shall hate all hypocrisy and everything which is not pleasing to the Lord. Do not in any way forsake the commandments of the Lord; but keep what you have received, neither adding thereto nor taking away therefrom. In the church you shall acknowledge your transgressions, and you shall not come near for your prayer with an evil conscience. This is the way of life.

Chapter 5. The Way of Death.
And the way of death is this: First of all it is evil and accursed: murders, adultery, lust, fornication, thefts, idolatries, magic arts, witchcrafts, rape, false witness, hypocrisy, double-heartedness, deceit, haughtiness, depravity, self-will, greediness, filthy talking, jealousy, over-confidence, loftiness, boastfulness; persecutors of the good, hating truth, loving a lie, not knowing a reward for righteousness, not cleaving to good nor to righteous judgment, watching not for that which is good, but for that which is evil; from whom meekness and endurance are far, loving vanities, pursuing revenge, not pitying a poor man, not laboring for the afflicted, not knowing Him Who made them, murderers of children, destroyers of the handiwork of God, turning away from him who is in want, afflicting him who is distressed, advocates of the rich, lawless judges of the poor, utter sinners. Be delivered, children, from all these.

Chapter 6. Against False Teachers, and Food Offered to Idols.
See that no one causes you to err from this way of the Teaching, since apart from God it teaches you. For if you are able to bear the entire yoke of the Lord, you will be perfect; but if you are not able to do this, do what you are able. And concerning food, bear what you are able; but against that which is sacrificed to idols be exceedingly careful; for it is the service of dead gods.

Chapter 7. Concerning Baptism.
And concerning baptism, baptize this way: Having first said all these things, baptize into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, in living water. But if you have no living water, baptize into other water; and if you cannot do so in cold water, do so in warm. But if you have neither, pour out water three times upon the head into the name of Father and Son and Holy Spirit. But before the baptism let the baptizer fast, and the baptized, and whoever else can; but you shall order the baptized to fast one or two days before.

Chapter 8. Fasting and Prayer (the Lord's Prayer).
But let not your fasts be with the hypocrites, for they fast on the second and fifth day of the week. Rather, fast on the fourth day and the Preparation (Friday). Do not pray like the hypocrites, but rather as the Lord commanded in His Gospel, like this:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily (needful) bread, and forgive us our debt as we also forgive our debtors. And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one (or, evil); for Thine is the power and the glory for ever.
Pray this three times each day.

Chapter 9. The Eucharist.
Now concerning the Eucharist, give thanks this way. First, concerning the cup:
We thank thee, our Father, for the holy vine of David Thy servant, which You madest known to us through Jesus Thy Servant; to Thee be the glory for ever.
And concerning the broken bread:
We thank Thee, our Father, for the life and knowledge which You madest known to us through Jesus Thy Servant; to Thee be the glory for ever. Even as this broken bread was scattered over the hills, and was gathered together and became one, so let Thy Church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into Thy kingdom; for Thine is the glory and the power through Jesus Christ for ever.
But let no one eat or drink of your Eucharist, unless they have been baptized into the name of the Lord; for concerning this also the Lord has said, "Give not that which is holy to the dogs."

Chapter 10. Prayer after Communion.
But after you are filled, give thanks this way:
We thank Thee, holy Father, for Thy holy name which You didst cause to tabernacle in our hearts, and for the knowledge and faith and immortality, which You modest known to us through Jesus Thy Servant; to Thee be the glory for ever. Thou, Master almighty, didst create all things for Thy name's sake; Thou gavest food and drink to men for enjoyment, that they might give thanks to Thee; but to us You didst freely give spiritual food and drink and life eternal through Thy Servant. Before all things we thank Thee that You are mighty; to Thee be the glory for ever. Remember, Lord, Thy Church, to deliver it from all evil and to make it perfect in Thy love, and gather it from the four winds, sanctified for Thy kingdom which Thou have prepared for it; for Thine is the power and the glory for ever. Let grace come, and let this world pass away. Hosanna to the God of David! If any one is holy, let him come; if any one is not so, let him repent. Maranatha. Amen.
But permit the prophets to make thanksgiving as much as they desire.

Chapter 11. Concerning Teachers, Apostles, and Prophets.
Whosoever, therefore, comes and teaches you all these things that have been said before, receive him. But if the teacher himself turns and teaches another doctrine to the destruction of this, hear him not. But if he teaches so as to increase righteousness and the knowledge of the Lord, receive him as the Lord. But concerning the apostles and prophets, act according to the decree of the Gospel. Let every apostle who comes to you be received as the Lord. But he shall not remain more than one day; or two days, if there's a need. But if he remains three days, he is a false prophet. And when the apostle goes away, let him take nothing but bread until he lodges. If he asks for money, he is a false prophet. And every prophet who speaks in the Spirit you shall neither try nor judge; for every sin shall be forgiven, but this sin shall not be forgiven. But not every one who speaks in the Spirit is a prophet; but only if he holds the ways of the Lord. Therefore from their ways shall the false prophet and the prophet be known. And every prophet who orders a meal in the Spirit does not eat it, unless he is indeed a false prophet. And every prophet who teaches the truth, but does not do what he teaches, is a false prophet. And every prophet, proved true, working unto the mystery of the Church in the world, yet not teaching others to do what he himself does, shall not be judged among you, for with God he has his judgment; for so did also the ancient prophets. But whoever says in the Spirit, Give me money, or something else, you shall not listen to him. But if he tells you to give for others' sake who are in need, let no one judge him.

Chapter 12. Reception of Christians.
But receive everyone who comes in the name of the Lord, and prove and know him afterward; for you shall have understanding right and left. If he who comes is a wayfarer, assist him as far as you are able; but he shall not remain with you more than two or three days, if need be. But if he wants to stay with you, and is an artisan, let him work and eat. But if he has no trade, according to your understanding, see to it that, as a Christian, he shall not live with you idle. But if he wills not to do, he is a Christ-monger. Watch that you keep away from such.

Chapter 13. Support of Prophets.
But every true prophet who wants to live among you is worthy of his support. So also a true teacher is himself worthy, as the workman, of his support. Every first-fruit, therefore, of the products of wine-press and threshing-floor, of oxen and of sheep, you shall take and give to the prophets, for they are your high priests. But if you have no prophet, give it to the poor. If you make a batch of dough, take the first-fruit and give according to the commandment. So also when you open a jar of wine or of oil, take the first-fruit and give it to the prophets; and of money (silver) and clothing and every possession, take the first-fruit, as it may seem good to you, and give according to the commandment.

Chapter 14. Christian Assembly on the Lord's Day.
But every Lord's day gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure. But let no one who is at odds with his fellow come together with you, until they be reconciled, that your sacrifice may not be profaned. For this is that which was spoken by the Lord: "In every place and time offer to me a pure sacrifice; for I am a great King, says the Lord, and my name is wonderful among the nations."

Chapter 15. Bishops and Deacons; Christian Reproof.
Appoint, therefore, for yourselves, bishops and deacons worthy of the Lord, men meek, and not lovers of money, and truthful and proved; for they also render to you the service of prophets and teachers. Therefore do not despise them, for they are your honored ones, together with the prophets and teachers. And reprove one another, not in anger, but in peace, as you have it in the Gospel. But to anyone that acts amiss against another, let no one speak, nor let him hear anything from you until he repents. But your prayers and alms and all your deeds so do, as you have it in the Gospel of our Lord.

Chapter 16. Watchfulness; the Coming of the Lord.
Watch for your life's sake. Let not your lamps be quenched, nor your loins unloosed; but be ready, for you know not the hour in which our Lord will come. But come together often, seeking the things which are befitting to your souls: for the whole time of your faith will not profit you, if you are not made perfect in the last time. For in the last days false prophets and corrupters shall be multiplied, and the sheep shall be turned into wolves, and love shall be turned into hate; for when lawlessness increases, they shall hate and persecute and betray one another, and then shall appear the world-deceiver as Son of God, and shall do signs and wonders, and the earth shall be delivered into his hands, and he shall do iniquitous things which have never yet come to pass since the beginning. Then shall the creation of men come into the fire of trial, and many shall be made to stumble and shall perish; but those who endure in their faith shall be saved from under the curse itself. And then shall appear the signs of the truth: first, the sign of an outspreading in heaven, then the sign of the sound of the trumpet. And third, the resurrection of the dead -- yet not of all, but as it is said: "The Lord shall come and all His saints with Him." Then shall the world see the Lord coming upon the clouds of heaven.

Ancient Syriac Documents.
————————————
The Teaching of Simon Cephas in the City of Rome

In the third3128 year of Claudius Cæsar, Simon Cephas departed from Antioch to go to Rome. And as he passed on he preached in the divers countries the word of our Lord. And, when he had nearly arrived there,3129 many had heard of it and went out to meet him, and the whole church received him with great joy. And some of the princes of the city, wearers of the imperial headbands,3130 came to him, that they might see him and hear his word. And, when the whole city was gathered together about him, he stood up to speak to them, and to show them the preaching of his doctrine, of what sort it was. And he began to speak to them thus:—
Men, people of Rome, saints of all Italy, hear ye that which I say to you. This day I preach and proclaim Jesus the Son of God, who came down from heaven, and became man, and was with us as one of ourselves, and wrought marvellous mighty-works and signs and wonders before us, and before all the Jews that are in the land of Palestine. And you yourselves also heard of those things which He did: because they came to Him from other countries also, on account of the fame of His healing and the report of the marvellous help He gave;3131 and whosoever drew near to Him was healed by His word. And, inasmuch as He was God, at the same time that He healed He also forgave sins: for His healing, which was open to view, bore witness of His hidden forgiveness, that it was real and trustworthy. For this Jesus did the prophets announce in their mysterious sayings, as they were looking forward to see Him and to hear His word: Him who was with His Father from eternity and from everlasting; God, who was hidden in the height, and appeared in the depth; the glorious Son, who was from His Progenitor, and is to be glorified, together with His Father, and His divine Spirit, and the terrible power of His dominion. And He was crucified of His own will by the hands of sinners, and was taken up to His Father, even as I and my companions saw. And He is about to come again, in His own glory and that of His holy angels, even as we heard Him say to us. For we cannot say anything which was not heard by us from Him, neither do we write in the book of His Gospel anything which He Himself did not say to us: because this word is spoken in order that the mouth of liars may be shut, in the day when men shall give an account of idle words at the place of judgment.
Moreover, because we were catchers of fish,3132 and not skilled in books, therefore did He also say to us: “I will send you the Spirit, the Paraclete, that He may teach you that which ye know not;” for it is by His gift that we speak those things which ye hear. And, further, by it we bring aid to the sick, and healing to the diseased: that by the hearing of His word and by the aid of His power ye may believe in Christ, that He is God, the Son of God; and may be delivered from the service of bondage, and may worship Him and His Father, and glorify His divine Spirit. For when we glorify the Father, we glorify the Son also with Him; and when we worship the Son, we worship the Father also with Him; and when we confess the Spirit, we confess the Father also and the Son: because in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Spirit, were we commanded to baptize those who believe, that they may live for ever.
Flee therefore from the words of the wisdom of this world, in which there is no profit, and draw near to those which are true and faithful, and acceptable before God; whose reward also is laid up in store, and whose recompense standeth sure. Now, too,3133 the light has arisen on the 674creation, and the world has obtained the eyes of the mind, that every man may see and understand that it is not fit that creatures should be worshipped instead of the Creator, nor together with the Creator: because everything which is a creature is made to be a worshipper of its Maker, and is not to be worshipped like its Creator. But this One who came to us is God, the Son of God, in His own nature, notwithstanding that He mingled3134

His Godhead with our manhood, in order that He might renew our manhood by the aid of His Godhead. And on this account it is right that we should worship Him, because He is to be worshipped together with His Father, and that we should not worship creatures, who were created for the worship of the Creator. For He is Himself the God of truth and verity; He is Himself from before all worlds and creatures; He is Himself the veritable Son, and the glorious fruit3135 which is from the exalted Father.
But ye see the wonderful works which accompany and follow these words. One would not credit it: the time lo! is short since He ascended to His Father, and see how His Gospel has winged its flight through the whole creation—that thereby it may be known and believed that He Himself is the Creator of creatures, and that by His bidding creatures subsist. And, whereas ye saw the sun become darkened at His death, ye yourselves also are witnesses. The earth, moreover, quaked when He was slain, and the veil was rent at His death. And concerning these things the governor Pilate also was witness: for he himself sent and made them known to Cæsar,3136 and these things, and more than these, were read before him, and before the princes of your city. And on this account Cæsar was angry against Pilate because he had unjustly listened to the persuasion of the Jews; and for this reason he sent and took away from him the authority which he had given to him. And this same thing was published and known in all the dominion of the Romans. That, therefore, which Pilate saw and made known to Cæsar and to your honourable senate, the same do I preach and declare, as do also my fellow-apostles. And ye know that Pilate could not have written to the imperial government of that which did not take place and which he had not seen with his own eyes; but that which did take place and was actually done—this it was that he wrote and made known. Moreover, the watchers of the sepulchre also were witnesses of those things which took place there: they became as dead men; and, when those watchers were questioned before Pilate, they confessed before him how large a bribe the chief-priests of the Jews had given them, so that they might say that we His disciples had stolen the corpse of Christ. Lo! then, ye have heard many things; and moreover, if ye be not willing to be persuaded by those things which ye have heard, be at least persuaded by the mighty-works which ye see, which are done by His name.
Let not Simon the sorcerer delude you by semblances which are not realities, which he exhibits to you, as to men who have no understanding, who know not how to discern that which they see and hear. Send, therefore, and fetch him to where all your city is assembled together, and choose you some sign for us to do before you; and, whichever ye see do that same sign, it will be your part to believe in it.
And immediately they sent and fetched Simon the sorcerer;3137 and the men who were adherents of his opinion said to him: As a man concerning whom we have confidence that there is power in thee to do anything whatsoever,3138 do thou some sign before us all, and let this Simon the Galilæan, who preaches Christ, see it. And, whilst they were thus speaking to him, there happened to be passing along a dead person, a son of one of those who were chiefs and men of note and renown among them. And all of them, as they were assembled together, said to him: Whichever of you shall restore to life this dead person, he is true, and to be believed in and received, and we will all follow him in whatsoever he saith to us. And they said to Simon the sorcerer: Because thou wast here before Simon the Galilæan, and we knew thee before him, exhibit thou first the power which accompanieth thee.3139
Then Simon reluctantly drew near to the dead person; and they set down the bier before him; and he looked to the right hand and to the left, and gazed up into heaven, saying many words: some of them he uttered aloud, and some of them secretly and not aloud. And he delayed a long while, and nothing took place, and nothing was done, and the dead person was lying upon his bier.
And forthwith Simon Cephas drew near boldly towards the dead man, and cried aloud before 675all the assembly which was standing there: In the name of Jesus Christ, whom the Jews crucified at Jerusalem, and whom we preach, rise up thence. And as soon as the word of Simon was spoken the dead man came to life and rose up from the bier.
And all the people saw and marvelled; and they said to Simon: Christ, whom thou preachest, is true. And many cried out, and said: Let Simon the sorcerer and the deceiver of us all be stoned. But Simon, by reason that every one was running to see the dead man that was come to life, escaped from them from one street to another and from house to house, and fell not into their hands on that day.
But the whole city took hold of Simon Cephas, and they received him gladly and affectionately; and he ceased not from doing signs and wonders in the name of Christ; and many believed in him. Cuprinus,3140 moreover, the father of him that was restored to life, took Simon with him to his house, and entertained him in a suitable manner, while he and all his household believed in Christ, that He is the Son of the living God. And many of the Jews and of the pagans became disciples there. And, when there was great rejoicing at his teaching, he built churches there, in Rome and in the cities round about, and in all the villages of the people of Italy; and he served there in the rank of the Superintendence of Rulers twenty-five years.3141
And after these years Nero Cæsar seized him and shut him up in prison. And he knew that he would crucify him; so he called Ansus,3142
the deacon, and made him bishop in his stead in Rome. And these things did Simon himself speak; and moreover also the rest, the other things which he had in charge, he commanded Ansus to teach before the people, saying to him: Beside the New Testament and the Old let there not be read before the people3143 anything else:3144 which is not right.
And, when Cæsar had commanded that Simon should be crucified with his head downwards, as he himself had requested of Cæsar, and that Paul’s head should be taken off, there was great commotion among the people, and bitter distress in all the church, seeing that they were deprived of the sight of the apostles. And Isus the guide arose and took up their bodies by night, and buried them with great honour, and there came to be a gathering-place there for many.
And at that very time, as if by a righteous judgment, Nero abandoned his empire and fled, and there was a cessation for a little while from the persecution which Nero Cæsar had raised against them. And many years after the great coronation3145 of the apostles, who had departed out of the world, while ordination to the priesthood was proceeding both in all Rome and in all Italy, it happened then that there was a great famine in the city of Rome.3146
Here endeth the teaching of Simon Cephas.

The Apostolic Canons, Translated from
the Ethiopic.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, one
God. This is the Synod of the Christian Church, which the Apostles
gave through the hand of Clemens, whom they early had sent.
Canon I. Concerning the number of bishops who should take
part in the ordination of a bishop. A bishop shall be ordained by
two or by three bishops, but an elder and a deacon and the· rest that
are ordained shall be ordained by one bishop alone.
Canon II. Concerning the things which shall be brought upon
the altar. If any bishop or elder brings anything else upon the altar
of the Lord except that which we have commanded, that they shall
bring and place there as an offering; should they bring either honey
or milk, or of birds or of beasts anything else than that which our
Lord has commanded, let him be deposed. Nor shall they be
allowed to bring anything upon the altar except ears of grain and
grapes in their seasons and the oil of the holy lamps and frankin-
\ cense at the time of the holy Eucharist. J3ut the other fruits they
shall send into the house, and they shall belong to the bishop and
· the presbyters; only they shall not bring them upon the altar. And
~,:.__ the b~shop and the presbyters and the other ordained persons shall
divide these among themselves.
Canon III. A bishop or an elder or a deacon shall not reject his
wife under the pretext of a service of the Lord. But if they have
- rejected [her], let them be separated [from the church]; and if
they do not return them and bring them back, let them be deposed.
Canon IV. Concerning the day on which the Passah should be
celebrated. If any bishop or elder or deacon celebrates the holy
Passah with the Jews before day and night are equal [vernal equinox J,
let him be deposed.
Canon V. A bishop or an elder or a deacon shall not mix in with
the doings of this world. But if they do this, let them be deposed.
Canon VI. But if a bishop or one of the priests who does not
accept the eucharist at the time of the solemnization, mentions a
reason for this; and if there is something that made him unworthy,
let him be forgiven : but if he does not mention a reason, let him
be deposed ; for he was the leader that there should be sin to the
people, and has caused them to take offence at him who has brought
the eucharist, as though he had not brought it in purity.
Canon VII. Every believer who enters the Christian church and
hears the Scriptures, and does not stand while they pronounce the
prayers and does not receive the holy eucharist- over such an one
they sh:1ll not pray, and it is their duty that he be expelled; for he
has caused contention and disturbance in the Christian church.
Canon VIII. And if there is any one who prays with him who
does not partake of the mysteries, and even if it be at home, let him
be expelled.
Canon IX. And they shall not pray with him who has been expelled;
and if one of the priests prays with a priest who has been
expelled, let him also be expelled.
Canon X. And if one of the priests or a. layman who have been
expelled goes into a city just as if he had not been expelled, and he
enters this city without permission [of the bishop J and is ordained,
then let both he and the one who ordained him be expelled. For
if he had been driven outside [of the congregation], let him be
driven out a still greater length of days, for he has lied to the Church
of God.
Canon XL It is not allowed to a bishop to ~eave his diocese and
be ordained over anothe~, even if the people should urge him, except
for the sake of benefit, and [unless J they shall urge him to do this,
because he will be able to benefit those who are there through the
word of truth. But this he shall not do of his own account, but
according to the judgment of many bishops and on account of_ a
very strong entreating.
Canon XII. But if any presbyter or deacon or any one of the
grade of priests leaves his post and goes to another place and dwells
at that place a length of time, except by permission of the bi~hop,
we order that he forever do not perform his official functions. And
especially, if the bishop has sent to him to return to his place, and
he has not listened to him, let him be expelled from his office, and
let him approach the place where he was as a layman. And if the
bishop with whom he was receives him as one of the priests, and
regards this order which we have established as void, let this bishop
also be expelled as a teacher of the transgression of the law.
Canon XIII. Concerning him who marries two [women J or a
widow. He who marries two women, or a concubine after his baptism,
cannot be ordained as a bishop or an elder or a deacon, nor
shall he at all be numbered with the ordained priests. And he who
marries a widow, or her who has become suspected, or her who has
been overpowered, or a harlot, or a female servant, or one who appears
in the theatre, shall not · be ordained as a bishop or an elder or a
deacon, and shall not at all be counted among the ordained priests.
Or he who dwells with two sisters or with a daughter of his brother,
shall not be able to become a priest.
_Canon XIV. A priest who becomes security for a man shall be
deposed.
Canon _XV. Concerning eunuchs. If any one has become a
eunuch through men by force, or if they have deprived him of his
organ in war, or if he has been born thus, and they deem him worthy,
let him be ordained as bishop. But if he has castrated himself of his
own will, he cannot become one of the ordained ; for he has become
a slayer of himself and an enemy of the creature of God. And if one
, . of the ordained castrate his organ, let him be deposed, for he is only
a slayer of himself. And a layman who castrates himself shall be expelled
three years, for he is only an enemy of his life .
. Canon XVI. Concerning him who commits fornication or swears
. · falsely or steals. A bishop or an elder or a deacon who is discovered
in fornication or in swearing falsely or in theft, shall be deposed, but
'shall not b~ expelled. For God says that he does not punish twice
for one crime.
Canon XVII. And also with reference to the rest of the ordained.
Those who are readers or psalmsingers, if they enter into the priesthood
and desire to marry, let them marry. But we command them
only that while they are readers they shall marry. But then it shall
n6t be possible for them afterwards to be ordained.
Canon XVIII. Concerning the priests who strike every one. A
bishop or an elder who strike a Christian or one who does not believe,
when he has sinned, and seeks by this deed to cause men to fear, we
command that he be deposed. For the Lord did not command that
we should do this : for when they struck him, he did not strike ; when
~hey reviled him, he did not revile ; and when they afflicted him, he
did not take vengeance or become angry.
Canon XIX. Concerning him who is rightly deposed from the
clerical ranks. If a bishop or an elder or a deacon who has rightly
been deposed on account of a sin that has become manifest, becomes .
obstinate, and returns to take possession of his former office, let this
one also entirely depart from the Christian church.
Canon XX. Concerning him who has been ordained through
bribery. If there is a bishop or an· elder or a deacon who has taken
the grade of a priest by bribery, let him be deposed. And let him
who ordained him also be deposed and removed forever from the
priestly office and let them not associate with him in any respect, just
as I removed Simon the M'agician from,me, Ij
Canon XXI. Concerning him who calls in aid that he may hold
the Christian church. If a bishop obtains a position through the assistance
of the princes of this world and rules the Christian church
through them, let him be removed and deposed, he and all who follow _
him.
Canon XXII. Concerning the elder who despises the bishop. If
an elder despises a bishop and separates himself from him and builds
for himself an altar, although no guilt is found in judgment against the
bishop, and he is right in reference to the service of the Lord, let him
be deposed; for he is ambitious for office, and also all the priests who
follow him, for he is a rebel. And the laymen who follow him shall
be expelled. And this shall take place when the bishop shall have
asked them once and a second time and a third time.
Canon XX!II. Concerning the elder or the deacon who~ the
bishop has expelled. If a bishop has expelled an elder or a deacon,
another bishop shall not allow him to enter again, unless he who has
expelled him permits it or if he has died.
Canon XXIV. Let not a strange bishop receive as elder and deacor{
those who have been admitted in the lower clergy, except that they
have the permission of being ordained and associated. And if they
are preachers of righteousness, let them enter. But if not, then let
them give them what they desire, and let them not associate with them.
For there are many such impure ones.
Canon XXV. It is the duty of the metropolitan bishop to know
the bishops of the whole province, and it is their duty to know who is
the first among them, and they shall call him the metropolitan. And
not shall they undertake an important work without the consent of
the leader. And each one shall do his work which is his duty according
to his office and according to the people who are in his diocese.
But not even he who has been ordained as metropolitan over them
shall undertake anything at all, except with the consent of all the
bishops, and thus they all shall be one association and shall praise the
Lord through Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit. And not shall a
bishop dare to ordain any one. outside of his diocese in localities that
do not belong to him. And if he is found as having done this without
the consent of the head of this place and these villages and
cities, let him be deposed together with those whom he ordained.
Canon XXVI. And if one , h'as been ordained as bishop and does
not instruct nor think concerning the people who have been given to
him, let him be removed until he learn to instruct. And the same in
reference to an elder and a deacon. But if he has advanced in his
instruction, and the people do not receive him, and this not on his
account, but on account of the people, let him remain bishop, but the
clergy of this city shall be removed, because they have not admonished
the p~ople.
Canon XXVII. Let there be a meeting of the bishops twice each
year, and let them examine concerning the ordinance of the divine
office and let them explain concerning the heresies and the offences
which are in the Christian church. And the first meeting shall be in
the middle of Pentecost and the second meeting on the eighteenth of
Tekemt [October].
Canon XXVIII. Let the bishop take thought for the property of
the cimrch and let him manage this as one upon 'vhom the Lord is
looking. And not shall it be his privilege to take anything thereof
for himself alone as profit ; and not shall he give any property of the
Lord to the children of his relationship, even if they are poor. And
not shall it be his privilege to sell the property of the Lord' on these
pretexts.
Canon XXIX. Concerning the consultation of the bishop. No
elder or deacon shall do anything whatever without the acl,·ice of the
bishop ; for he is the one to whom the people of the Lord have been
entrusted, and he again it is who will answer for their souls.
Canon XXX. It should be known \vhat is the private property of
the bishop, if he has private property; and it should be known what
is the property of the Lord, so that when the bishop dies, he can
control his property and give it to whom he pleases. ,For it is not
right that the property of the bishop should be de~ troyed on the pretext
of the property of the church, especially if he has a wife or children
or kindred or servants. For it is not right that the property of
the church be destroyed because it is unknown what is the property
of the bishop, nor [is it right] that the property of the bishop and of
his kindred be <lestroyed, on the pretext of the property of the church,
and that these fall into famine and curse over his death.
Canon XXXI. Concerning the setting of the bishop over the property
of the church. 'Ve command therefore that the bishop be the
one who shall have control of the property of the church. For he is
the one to whom are entrusted the precious souls of men; what, therefore,
is all the property that is given to him, that he should have
command over it by his will and should feed the poor with it
through the elders and the deacons in the fear of the Lord and in
trembling? And he himself shall take for himself of it according
to his desire, if he is poor in regard to those things which the brethern
from afar ask of him who visit ·him, so that he may not lack those
things which they ask of him. For it is a law of God that those who
serve at the altar shall also be sustained from the altar; for the soldiers
of a king will not fight against his enemies while supporting
themselves.
Canon XXXII. Concerning those who frequent theatrical plays.
A bishop or an elder or a deacon who frequents the theatre or wanders
arc-und or becomes intoxicated, shall cease doing so; but if not,
he shall be expelled. Sub-deacons and readers and psalm-singers, if
they do this deed, shall cease; but if not, they shall be expelled; and
thus also the laymen. A bishop or an elder ·or a deacon who knows
of one that frequents and does not cease, is in duty bound to prevent
him ; but if not, he shall be deposed.
Canon XXXIII. A bishop or an elder or a deacon who attends
the baptism of the heretics or their celebration of the Eucharist, we
command that he shall be deposed. For what communion has Christ
with Satan; or what part have believers with those who do not
believe ?
Canon XXXIV. Concerning the condition of him who regards
marriage as impure. Dut if a bishop or an elder or a deacon or one
of the ordained priests refuse to marry or to eat meat or to drink wine,
and it is not on account of temperance, but because these are impure
(although the Scriptures establish all these things as good and God
created man male and female), and such an one thus blasphemes, let
him cease; but if not, let hirn be deposed, and let him depart from
the Christian church: and thus also in the case of a layman.
Canon XXXV. Concerning the deposing of him who does not
receive those who have repented of their sins. If a bishop or an elder
or a deacon is not willing to receive him who has repented of his sins,
let him be deposed ; for he grieves the heart of our Lord who says,
that there will be joy in heaven over one sinner that repents.
Canon XXXVI. If a bishop or an elder or a deacon will not eat
a little meat and drink a small measure of wine during the festival days,
and in secret considers these things wrong, and thus becomes a cause
of offence to the people, let him be deposed.
Canon XXXVII. If one of the priests has been found eating or
drinking in a place of public resort, let him be removed, except if it
be in an inn for strangers on account of the needs of travel. And if
one of those ordained curses a bishop, let him be deposed ; for it is
said, "Thou shalt not curse the leader of thy people." And if one of
the lower clergy curses an elder or a deacon, let him be expelled.
And if one of the priests ridicules a person that is deaf or lame or
blind or deformed at his feet, let him be expell~d; and thus also in
the case of a layman, if he does this.
Canon XXXVIII. Concerning the bishop or elder who does not
teach the people to serve the Lord. A bishop or an elder who neglects
the clergy and the laity and does not teach them the service of
the Lord, let him be removed ; and if he continues in his neglect, let
him be deposed.
Canon XXXIX. If a bishop or an elder is neglectful in reference
to him who is poor from among the clergy, and he does not make
him his equal by giving to him according to his desire, let him be
removed. And if he continues in his neglect, let him be deposed like
him who slays his brother. •
Canon XL. If there is one who spreads the writings which heretics
in falsehood have written, and brings them into the Christian church
as holy writings, in order to entrap the people and the clergy, let
him be deposed.
C<!-non XLI. Concerning the priest whom the people convict of
fornication or something else. If there is a dispute among the believers
with regard to the fornication or luxurious life or other fault
(of a priest], and if they convict him, he shall no longer be among the
~ clergy.
~~ Canon XLII. Concerning the denial of Christ and the denial of
the dignity of the priesthood. If any of the clergy denies on account
of the fear of man, either of the Jews or of the gentiles or of the heretics,
and if it is the name of Christ which he has denied, let him be.
removed. And if it is the name of the priesthood, let him be deposed.
And if he repents, they shall receive him, and he shall enter as a
layman.
Canon XLIII. If a bishop or an elder or a deacon or one of the
ordained clergy eats meat in which there is the blood of its life, or
which has not been slaughtered, or of which an animal has been biting,
or which has been found dead, let him he deposed, as the law commands
in regard to this. And if he be a layman, let him be expelled.
Canon XLIV. If any of the clergy has been discovered as fasting
on the Lord's day or on the Sabbath day, except on the great Sabbath
day alone which is the Passah, let him be deposed.
Canon XLV. If one of the clergy or a layman enters the synagogue
of the Jews or the place of the heretic in order to pray, let the priest
be deposed and the layman be expelled.
Canon XLVI. Concerning him who strikes a man until he dies
and hirn who overpowers a v1rgm. If a priest has a quarrel with
another and strikes him, and he dies, let him be deposed on account
of the hardness of his heart ; and in the case of a layman, let him be
expelled. And if a layman has destroyed a virgin before she has
been promised, and has cohabited with her, let him be expelled.
And he shall not marry another, but he shall abide with her whom he
has forced, even if she is poor and deformed.
Canon XLVII. Concerning him who is ordained a second time.
If a bishop or an elder or a deacon has been ordained a second time,
let him be deposed, as also the one who ordained him; unless indeed ·
it is certain that they have been ordained by heretics, for it will never
be that they who have been baptized or ordained by such men will
become believers [i.e., church members J or clergy.
Canon XLVIII. Concerning him who does not fast in the forty
days and on the fourth and on the sixth. If a bishop or an elder or
a deacon or a reader or a psalm-singer does not fast in the holy forty
days and on the fourth and the sixth, let him be deposed, except if
illness of body prevents hin"l ; and in the case of a layman, let him be
expelled.
Canon XLIX. If a bishop or an elder or a deacon or any of the
clergy fasts with the Jews or celebrates the Passah with them or accepts
from them the gifts of their festival, leaven or whatever is like it, let
him be deposed ; and in the case of a layman, let him be expelled.
And if a layman brings oil or lamps into the temple of the gentiles or
the synagogue of the Jews, let him be expelled.
Canon L. Concerning him who steals the oil or the wax or anything
that is the property of the church. If any of the clergy steals
the wax belonging to the church, or the oil, let him be deposed, and
what he has stolen he shall refund fivefold. Silver vessels and clothes,
if they have been seen a few days, no man shall take from them for
himself alone anything; for this action is a sin. And he who does this
shall be expelled, and they shall punish him.
Canon LI. Concerning the bishop whom they have accused [of a
crime]. When believing, truthful and good men have accused a
bishop, it is necessary that he be called before the bishops. And if
he comes aml confesses his sins, they shall again take him and pass
over him a judgment which is just. And if they call him and he
does not come, they shall call him a second time, and two bishops shall
go as messengers to him; and if he again does not obey, they shall'
call him a third time and shall again send two bishops to him as
messengers. And if he does not obey, and is rebellious and does not
come, those shall pass judgment over him who have been assembled
according to what is right, that he shall be as _one whom they have
convicted, because he has fled from judgment.
Canon LII. That they shall not listen to the testimony of a heretic
against a bishop, and shall not listen to a single person. The
testimony of a heretic shall not be received against a bishop, and the
,. testimony of a single person shall not be received; for "everything
shall stand by the mouth of two and three." Nor shall it be lawful
·· for a bishop to bestow the office of bishop upon his brother or his son
or his kindred, nor shall he ordain whomsoever he pleases; for it is
not right that the episcopal dignity shall be inherited: nor shall he
' give away the property of the Lord for the sake of the will of men,
for it is not allowed to make the church of Christ an inheritance.
For if they do thus, and thus take to themselves of the office, they
will be as though they were naught ; and [the guilty one] himself shall
be condemned by a punishment. He who is one-eyed or lame in his
foot and is worthy of the episcopal honor, shall be ordained. For a
defect of the body does not corrupt him, but a defect of the soul
(does]. A deaf and a blind man, however, shall not be ordained as
a bishop, not as being unclean, but less the property of the church
be scattered. He who is possessed of a devil shall not be ordained,
~ and he shall not pray with the believers. And if he is purified, they
~ shall admit him; and if he be worthy, he may be ordained as one of
the clergy.
Canon LIII. He who has lately been baptized shall not be ordained
as a bishop. He who has come from among the gentiles, or
has been living in sins and has. been baptized, shall not be ordained
as bishop at once ; nor is it allowed that he who has not been tried,
shall become the teacher of other men, but he shall become this by
the grace of God. Nor shall it be allowed the bishop that he shall
gather and accumulate wealth, but he shall be found to be a servant of
the church ; but if not, he shall not perform episcopal functions.
"There is no one who can serve two masters," according to the command
of our Lord. And we command that no servant shall be
ordained but with the consent of his master, lest his master be offended,
for in this way the families are diminished. If ever there is found a
servant in his time who is worthy o( the station of ordination, as there
has appeared to us Onesimus, and his master sets him free and lets
him go forth from his family, let him be ordained.
Canon LIV. A bishop or an elder or a deacon who connects himself
wi~h the army, and desires to perform these two offices, that he
should follow a human calling and the priestly calling, let him be expelled.
For it is said: Give unto the Lord that which is the Lord's,
and unto the king that which is the king's. He who despises the king
or the magistrate, except with justice, him they shall punish; · if it be
one of the clergy, he shall be deposed, and if a layman, he shall be
expelled.
Canon LV. Concerning which books of the Old and of the New •
[Testaments J are to be received in the Christian church. And these
books shall all be sacred and honored to the clergy and laity. And
these indeed are of the Old Testament :
Canon LVI. The writings of ~loses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus,
Numbers, Deuteronomy; Joshua, the son of Nun; Judges; Ruth;
four books of Kings, of which the first and the second are one book,
the third and ·the fourth one book ; two books of Chronicles; firs~
and second Ezra; one book of Job; Esther; Tobit; Ecclesiastes;
one hundred and fifty psalms of David ; the proverbs of Solomon ;
Ecclesiasticus ; the Song of Songs ; the twelve minor prophets ; Isaiah ;
Jeremiah; Daniel; Ezekiel. These [writings] teach your children. ·
Besides these: the wisdom of Solomon; Judith; three books of
Kufi~e [Book of Jubilees J ; J esns the son of Sirach, the very wise.
Then also the books of the new hiw : four gospels : Matthew, Mark,
Luke, John; Acts of the Apostles; two letters of Peter; three letters
of John; one letter of James; one letter of Jude; fourteen letters of
Paul; the Apocalypse or Vision of John; two letters of Clemens.
Canon LVI I. Concerning the Canons of the Apostles. This we
command you, 0 bishops, in reference to the Synodus : for if ye listen
to it, ye shall be saved and delivered, and there shall be peace unto
you forever. But if ye do not obey this and do not receive what is
in this, [the Lord] will scorn you, and there shall be sadness in your
midst forever, and afterwards ye shall meet with .the judgrrtent which_
ye deserve on account of your transgression. And may God, the
only one, and his only begotten Son, and the Holy Spirit, the Maker
of all Creation, give unto each one of you peace, and me.y he help
you with all good things, and may ye not faint, but be ye without stain,
having no sin. And may he make you worthy of a place in eternal
life, through his Son whom he loves, our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Living one, the Savior, to whom is glory with the Father and with
the Holy Spirit to all eternity, Amen. This is the Synodus of the
Apostles, which we have sent with Clemens, and glory [be] to God
to all eternity, Amen.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, one God, the merciful Lord.

This book is one of the hidden books of Saint Clement the Apostle, disciple of Simon Cepha, which Saint Clement commanded to be kept secret from the laity. Some of them were called “The Book of the Rolls,” and there are the glorious genealogies and mysteries which our God and Saviour Jesus the Christ committed to his disciples Simon and James, and what things will happen at the end of time, and how the second coming of our Lord the Christ from heaven to the world will happen, and what will become of sinners and such like. This is the sixth of Clement’s books, treasured up in the city of Rome since the time of the Apostles.

Saint Clement said, When our God Jesus the Christ went up to heaven and the disciples were scattered in the regions of the world to evangelize, and to call mankind to the faith and to immersion by baptism, they took disciples, whom they chose and selected to be with them, and to travel about to the countries in the faith of the Christ. Wherefore Simon Cepha took me for a disciple to himself; I believed in him, and in Him that sent him, with a true faith; I recognized that he was chief of the Apostles, to whom were given the keys of heaven and earth, on whom was built the Catholic Apostolic Church of God, which p. 2 the gates of Hell shall not destroy, as our God Jesus the Christ said in the holy Gospel. After a long time he took also my brothers Constans and Constantinus to be his disciples. Twenty years after he had taken me as his disciple, he brought me together with my father and my mother, who was called Metrodora, and committed to me all the mysteries which had been given him by our Lord Jesus the Christ on the Mount of Olives. At that time the rest of the Apostles and all the believers had a struggle with the unbelieving Jews because the Jews were killing every one of the believers whose murder was possible to them. I and my gracious Teacher Simon encompassed some of the countries, and we met with great trouble from the controversy of the Jews, and their questioning about the genealogy of the pure Mary, for their saying about her was that she was not of the children of Judah that they might invalidate by this the coming of our Lord the Christ into the world, and His Incarnation from her. They were increasing [their] bribe of money and other things to the Greeks and the Romans that they might help them in the destruction of the believers and the bringing to nought of their business, and hinder the Apostles from the reading of the Law, lest they should teach out of it about the state of mankind, and how it was in the beginning. When I saw in what misery we were with the Jews, I sought from my gracious Teacher that he would make known to me how mankind were at the beginning, and that he would make me perfect about the reasons, for he had learned everything from the Lord Jesus the Christ, and I was acquainted with the tongue of the Greeks and their books, and was learned in their mysteries, and I had deposited their secrets which had been entrusted to me, [in] my two books called the seventh and the eighth. I informed my Teacher what I conjectured about the envy towards the Lady Mary, and my anxiety at the reproach of the Jews to me that I did not understand the Torah, and their much questioning of me about the creation of our father Adam, and what I had heard with my ears of their insult to the Lady Mary and their p. 3 fiction about her without any resource being possible for me [how] I should refute them in regard to their hateful saying. The Teacher was moved by my excitement, and zeal entered him when I told him about it. He said, “I will put it in order for thee, O my son, as thou hast asked me about it, and will initiate thee in things since the beginning of the creation, and will teach thee the genealogy of the Mother of Mercy, Mary the pure, and its authenticity, and that without doubt she is of the lineage of Judah the son of Jacob and his tribe, and I will relate to thee mysteries, and what reason there was for the fall of the Devil, the prince, from heaven. Know, O my son, that the Lord is the beginning and before the beginning, He who is Infinite, raised above the height, equal with the Highest, there is nothing lower about Him, nothing inward, nothing outward, He is before the beginning, the ancient substance, He who is boundless, whom no intelligence can reach, and no discernment nor quality can comprehend. He was above Being, and with Being, and below Being, the creative Substance, the glorious Light, which darkness reacheth not. Light dwelling in the Light which eyes cannot reach, before creation He was; and He is the Former of forms, whose glory is from Himself and in Himself, and in His Essence. [He is] the Creator of what glorifies Him, that thou mayest learn His divinity and His power, He made the heaven and the earth, He created before harmony the division of things. Angels worship Him, ten homogeneous choirs, I mean by this ten ranks. The highest rank, some of whom are nearest to the throne of the Lord God, pouring out praises in abundance, is the rank of Satanaeel, who was the prince, and praises rose up to God from all the Angels; that was the beginning in the first day which was the holy first day (Sunday), chief of days; early in it God created the upper heaven and the worlds, and the highest rank of Angels, which is the rank of Satanaeel, and the Archangels, and powers, and chiefs, and thrones, and dignities and governors, and cherubim and seraphim, and light, and day and night, and wind and water, and air, and fire and what is like these elements. Verily the Lord formed all this, may His names be sanctified! by the completion of His eternal Word p. 4 without speech, and in the first day in which these things were created, the Holy Spirit hovered over the waters, and in its hovering over them they were blessed and sanctified, and heat was formed in them by which the watery beings are born, and with this were mixed yeasts of the creatures, such as the bird which lays the egg by its wings, and from this is formed the living bird, for by reason of the nature of the heat of flaming fire, it verily reneweth heat in the wings of the bird, and lo! with them it lays an egg in which chickens are formed. Verily the reason why the holy Paraclete hovered over the waters in the form of a bird, was that every winged fowl should be formed in this shape. On the second day God created the lower heaven, which is called the firmament, on which the gaze of men falls, that thou mayest know that the beings of the highest heavens which the heaven of the visible firmament covers are like the nature of the heaven of the firmament, except that the heaven which the eyes reach is separated from the highest heavens. All the heavens are three heavens. The visible firmament, and what is above it; it is called Δίπατον and above it there is flaming fire; and a heaven which is above the fire; and the two heavens are filled with light and fire which created eyes cannot look at. On the second day which is the second of the days (Monday) the Lord, to Whom be praise! separated between the higher water and the lower water. Verily the rising up of the water which was formed in the height that day was like gathered clouds clinging together, and the waters remained resting in the air, none of them inclining to any one district. On the third day (Tuesday) God commanded the waters which were below the firmament that they should be gathered together to one place, that the dry land might be seen. When this happened, the veil was removed which was above the earth and the earth was disclosed. He looked upon it, and it was barren of verdure, [it was] dust and water mixed together. The water was in it and below it and above it, and it was shaken to the blowing of the winds through it. The air went up from the bosom of the earth, and rested in the bosom of its p. 5 crevices and passages that in these caves might arise heat and cold for the service and consolidation of the earth, because the earth was created like a sponge standing above the water. On this day God commanded the earth to bring forth grass and reeds and trees and seeds and roots and other things. On the fourth day (Wednesday) God formed the sun and the moon and the stars that the heat of the sun might be spread over the earth and it should be strengthened by its mellowness and that the moisture communicated to it by the water high above it should be dried up. On the fifth day God commanded the waters to bring forth animals of various colours and forms, some of which should fly in the bosom of the water, and others should fly above the water, and from them should spring the whales and Leviathan, and Behemoth, so terrible in their appearance, and air-fowl and water-fowl. On the sixth day God created from the earth all the beasts, and animals and insects and creeping reptiles. This day is Friday, and on it God created Adam of dust, and formed Eve from his rib. On the seventh day God had completed all creation, and He called it Sabbath. God had created Adam in the third hour of Friday the sixth day. Iblis had laid claim to Godhead which had entered him in the second hour of that day, and God had hurled him down from heaven to earth. Before God the Lord created Adam, rest fell upon all the powers; and God said, ‘Come, let us create a Man in our likeness and form and image.’ When the Angels heard this saying from the Lord they became frightened and much terrified, and they said to one another, ‘What is this great wonder which we hear, and how is it possible that the form of our God and Creator can appear to us?’ Then all the Angels looked towards the right hand of the Lord, which was stretched out above all creation, and all of it was in His right hand. Then they looked towards the right hand of the Lord, and it took from all the earth a little handful of dust, and from all the waters a drop of water, and from the air a soul and a spirit, and from fire the force of heat, and it became in the grasp of the p. 6 Lord portions of the four elements, heat and cold, moisture and drought. Verily God, the glorious and strong, created Adam from these four weak elements, which have no power, that all creatures created from them might hear and obey him: dust, that man might obey him; water, that all that is born of it and in it might obey him; air, that it might be possible for him to breathe it and to feel its breezes, and that its birds might obey him; and fire, that the heat of forces created from it should be a powerful helper to his sense. The reason why God, may His holy names be sanctified! created Adam with His holy hand in His form and image was that he should receive wisdom and speech and animal motion, and for the knowledge concerning things. When the glorious and illustrious Angels saw one like Him in Adam, they were affrighted. The wondrous glory upon his face terrified them, his form appeared shining with divine light greater than the light of the sun, and his body was bright and brilliant like the well-known stars in the crystal. When the figure of Adam drew itself up, he leapt standing; he was in the centre of the earth, he stretched out his right hand and his left hand and put his feet in order upon Golgotha, which is the place where was put the wood (cross) of our Saviour Jesus the Christ. He was dressed with a royal robe, he wore upon his head a diadem of glory and praise and honour and dignity, he was crowned with a royal crown, and there he was made king and priest and prophet. God set him upon a throne of honour, and gathered to what was there all the animals and beasts and birds and all that God had created, and made them stand before Adam. They bent their heads and did obeisance to him, and he called each of them by its name. He made all the creatures obey him and they responded to his command. The Angels and the Powers heard the voice of God, may He be glorified and exalted! saying to Adam, ‘O Adam, I have made thee king and priest and prophet and ruler and chief and governor over all creatures that are made. All creation shall obey thee p. 7 and follow thy voice. Under thy grasp they shall be. To thee alone I have given this power; I have placed thee in possession of all that I have created.’ When the Angels heard this saying from the Lord they redoubled honour and respect to Adam. When the Devil saw the gift that was given to Adam from the Lord, he envied him from that day and the schismatic from God set his mind in cunning towards him to seduce him by his boldness and his curse; and when he denied the grace of the Lord towards him, he became shameless and warlike. God, may His names be sanctified! deprived the Devil of the robe of praise and dignity and called his name Devil, he is a rebel against God, and Satan, because he opposes himself to the ways of the Lord, and Iblis, because He took his dignity from him. While Adam was listening to the speech of his Lord to him, and standing upon the place of Golgotha, all the creatures being gathered together that they might hear the conversation of God with him, lo! a cloud of light carried him and went with him to Paradise and the choirs of Angels sang before him, the cherubim among them blessing and the seraphim crying ‘Holy!’ until Adam came into Paradise. He entered it at the third hour on Friday, and the Lord, to Him be praise! gave him the commandment, and warned him against disobedience to it. Then the Lord, to Him be praise! threw upon Adam a form of sleep, and he slept a sweet sleep in Paradise. And God took a rib from his left side, and from it He created Eve. When he awoke and saw Eve he rejoiced over her and lived with her, and she was in the pleasant garden of Paradise. God clothed them with glory and splendour. They outvied one another in the glory with which they were clothed, and the Lord crowned them for marriage, the Angels congratulated them, and there was joy there such as never has been the like and never will be till the day in which the people at the right hand shall hear the glorious voice from the Lord. Adam and Eve remained in Paradise for three hours. The site of Paradise was high up in the air, its ground was heavenly, raised above all mountains and hills, that were thirty spans high, that is fifteen cubits, according to the cubit of the Holy Ghost. This p. 8 Paradise stretches round from the east by a wall from the hollow to the southern place of darkness where the cursed Prince was thrown, it is the place of sorrows. Eden is a fountain of God lying eastwards, to a height of eight degrees of the rising of the sun, and this is the mercy of God on which the children of men put their trust, that they shall have a Saviour from thence, because God, may He be exalted and glorified! knew in His foreknowledge what the Devil would do to Adam. Adam lived in the treasury of His mercy, as David the prophet said, ‘Thou hast been a fortress to us, O Lord, throughout all ages; cause us to live in Thy mercy.’ The blessed David said also in his prayer about the salvation of men, ‘Remember, Lord’ (the tree was the Cross which was planted in the middle of the earth), ‘Thy grace which thou hast wrought from all eternity’; I mean by this the mercy which God loved to extend to all men and to our weak race. Eden is the Church of God, and the Paradise in which is the altar of rest, and the length of life which God has prepared for all the saints. Because Adam was king, priest and prophet, God caused him to enter Paradise that he might minister in Eden, the Church of God the holy Lord, as Moses the holy Prophet testifies about this, saying, ‘That thou shouldest minister and declare by noble and glorious service, and keep the commandment by which Adam and Eve were brought into the Church of God.’ Then God planted the tree of life in the middle of Paradise and it was the form of the cross which was stretched upon it, and it was the tree of life and salvation. Satan remained in his envy to Adam and Eve for the favour which the Lord shewed them, and he contrived to enter into the serpent, which was the most beautiful of the animals, and its nature was above the nature of the camel. He carried it till he went with it in the air to the lower parts of Paradise. The reason for Iblis the cursed hiding himself in the serpent was his ugliness, for when he was deprived of his honour he got into the acme of ugliness, till none of the creatures could have borne the sight of him uncovered, and if Eve had seen him unveiled in the serpent, when she spoke to him, she would have run away from him, and neither cunning nor deceit would have availed p. 9 him with her; but he contrived to hide himself in the serpent, the cunning creature, to teach the birds with round tongues the speech of men in Greek and such like. He would bring a broad mirror with much light sending out rays; he would put it between himself and a bird, and speak what he wished that the bird should know, and when the bird heard this speech, it would glance around and look in the mirror, and see the form of a bird like itself and rejoice at it, and not doubting that it was a bird of its species that was speaking to it would listen to it and attend to its language. And it would comprehend it in a moment and talk to it. But the cursed Devil, when he entered the serpent, came towards Eve, when she was alone in Paradise away from Adam, and called her by her name. She turned to him, and looked at her likeness behind a veil, and he talked to her, and she talked to him, and he led her astray by his speech, for woman’s nature is weak, and she trusts in every word, and he lectured her about the forbidden tree in obedience to her desire, and described to her the goodness of its taste, and that when she should eat of it she should become a god; and she longed for what the cursed one made her long for, and she would not hear from the Lord, may His names be sanctified! what He had commanded Adam about the tree. She hastened eagerly towards it, and seized some of its fruit in her mouth. Then she called Adam, and he hastened to her, and she gave him of the fruit, telling him that if he ate of it he would become a god. He listened to her advice because he should become a god as she said. When he and she ate the deadly fruit they were bereft of their glory, and their splendour was taken from them, and they were stripped of the light with which they had been clothed. When they looked at themselves, they were naked of the grace which they had worn, and their shame was manifest to them; they made to themselves aprons of fig-leaves, and covered themselves therewith, and they were in great sadness for three hours. They did not manage to continue in the grace and the power with which the Lord had endued them before their rebellion for three hours, till it was taken from them and they were made to slip and fall down at the time of sunset on that p. 10 day, and they received the sentence of God in punishment. After the clothing of fig-leaves they put on clothing of skins, and that is the skin of which our bodies are made, being of the family of man, and it is a clothing of pain. The entrance of Adam into Paradise was at the third hour. He and Eve passed through great power in three hours, they were naked for three hours, and in the ninth hour they went out from Paradise, unwillingly, with much grief, great weeping, mourning and sighing. They slept towards the East of it near the altar. When they awoke from their sleep, God spoke to Adam and comforted him, saying to him, blessed be His names! ‘O Adam! do not grieve, for I will restore thee to thine inheritance, out of which thy rebellion has brought thee. Know that because of my love to thee I have cursed the earth, and I will not have pity upon it, on account of thy sin. I have cursed also the serpent by whom thou hast been led astray, and I have made its feet go within its belly. I have made dust its food. I have not cursed thee. I have decreed against Eve that she shall be at thy service. Know certainly that when thou hast accomplished the time that I have decreed for thee to dwell outside, in the accursed land, for thy transgression of my commandment, I will send my dear Son; He will come down to the earth, He will be clothed with a body from a Virgin of thy race, named Mary. I will purify her and choose her, and bring her into power generation after generation until the time that the Son comes down from Heaven. In that time shall be the beginning of thy salvation and restoration to thine inheritance. Command thy sons when thy death approaches which I have decreed for thee that when thou diest they keep thy body in myrrh and cassia, and put it in the cave where thou art dwelling to-day till the time of the exit of thy children from the bosom of paradise and their passage to the dusty land. When that time comes, instruct the one of thy children who lives until then to carry thy body with him and put it in the place where I shall make him halt. This place where he shall put thy body is the centre of the earth; from it and in it salvation shall come to thee and to all thy children.’ God p. 11 disclosed to him all the griefs and pains that should happen to him, and commanded him to have patience about this. When He put Adam and Eve out of Paradise, He shut its gate, and put in charge a fiery Angel. He caused Adam and Eve to dwell in the holy mountain on which is the foundation of Paradise, in the place known as Matarimôn. They lived there in a cave at the top of the hill, hidden in it, and despairing of mercy, and they were then pure virgins. Then Adam thought of the wedding of Eve, and he found in the foundation of Paradise gold and myrrh and incense. He left this together, and consecrated it in the interior of the cave, which he had already made his house of prayer. The gold which he got from the foundation of Paradise was like in quantity to seventy-two images. He paid this with the myrrh and the incense to Eve, saying, ‘This is thy dowry, keep it. This must be all offered together to the Son of God at the time of His coming into the world. The gold is the symbol of His royalty; the incense is to burn before Him; and the myrrh is to anoint His body which He will take from us. This shall be a witness between me and thee with our Saviour that He shall come to the world.’ Adam called this cave the Cave of Treasures. When a hundred years had passed over him after his exit from Paradise, and he and Eve were grieved and weeping, they went down from the holy hill to its foot, and there Adam knew Eve, and she conceived, and her time was fulfilled, and she bare Cain, and Lusia his twin-sister. He knew her again, and she conceived, and her time was fulfilled, and she bare Abel and also his twin-sister Aclima. The boys and the girls grew, and attained to discretion. Adam said to Eve, ‘If God lets these lads and lasses grow up, let Cain marry Aclima the sister of Abel, and let Abel marry Lusia the sister of Cain.’ And they did thus. But Cain said to Eve, ‘O Mother, I have a greater right to my sister who was born with me. Let her be given to me as a wife, and let Abel’s sister who was born with him be given to him as a wife.’ For Lusia was more beautiful than Aclima, being like her mother Eve. Adam heard of his speech, and it made him angry and annoyed him. He said to p. 12 Cain his son, ‘Thy request, O my son, is unlawful, for it is not allowed to thee to marry thy sister who was born with thee.’ From that time Cain envied his brother Abel and thought of killing him. Then Adam said to him and to Abel, ‘Choose some of the fruits of the earth and of the young of the flock and go up this holy hill, and go into the Cave of Treasures, and pray there before the Lord. Offer to Him what you have brought, fruit, and any young animals as an offering. When you have done this, let each of you take his wife.’ And they did so. While they were going up the hill, behold! the Devil entered into Cain, and incited him to the murder of Abel. Then they brought their offerings before the Lord; the Lord accepted the offering of Abel and rejected the offering of Cain, because God, may He be praised and exalted! knew the purpose of Cain, and how he was preparing the murder of his brother. When Cain saw that the Lord, may His name be praised! had accepted the offering of Abel instead of his offering, his envy of Abel increased and his wrath against him. When they came down from the hill, Cain attacked Abel and slew him with a sharp stone. God cursed Cain, and his decree came down against him. He did not cease to be in fear and terror all the days of his life. God led him with his wife from the holy hill, outside to the cursed land, and they lived there. Adam and Eve grieved much about Abel for a hundred years. Then Adam came near to Eve, and she conceived, and her time was fulfilled, and she bare Seth, the handsome man, the complete and perfect giant. In his perfection he was like his father Adam, and God protected him when he grew up, making him the father of the other giants of the earth. The first who was born to Seth was Enos. And Enos begat Cainan, and Cainan begat Mahlaleel; these were born during the life of Adam. Adam lived nine hundred and thirty years, to the time that Mahlaleel was a hundred and thirty-five years old. When the time of his death came, he summoned Seth, and Enos, and Cainan and Mahlaleel; he prayed over them and blessed them, and commanded to his son Seth this Testament.

p. 13

The Testament of Adam.

Hear, O my son Seth! what I command thee. Keep it, and thou shalt understand it. Command it at thy death to thy son Enos, that Enos may command this to Cainan, and Cainan may command [it] to Mahlaleel, that he may act according to this testament, and that the rest of your generations may learn, generation after generation, and tribe after tribe. This is the first thing that I command thee. When I die, embalm my body with myrrh and cassia, and put it in the Cave of Treasures of the holy hill, that thou mayest tell whosoever of thy posterity is alive at the time when your exit shall take place from this holy Paradise-encircled hill, to carry my body with him, and go with it to the centre of the earth, and put it there, and in that place salvation shall come to me and to all my children. Thou, O my son Seth, shalt after my death be governor of thy people in the fear of God. Remove thyself and all thy children, and keep them apart from the children of the murderer Cain. Understand, O my son, the state of the hours of the night and of the day, and their names, and what praises God in them, wherewith you must call on God at their approach, and at what hour prayer and supplication is due. My Creator has taught me this, and made me understand the names of all the beasts of the earth, and birds of the air; and the Lord has initiated me into the number of the hours of the night and of the day, and the affairs of the Angels and their powers and how they are. Know that in the first hour of the day is the raising of the praise of my children to God. In the second hour there are the prayers of the Angels and their cry. In the third hour the birds give praise. In the fourth hour is the worship of spiritual beings. In the fifth hour is the worship of the other living creatures. In the sixth hour is the entreaty of the cherubim and their supplication. In the seventh hour is the entrance to God and the exit from His presence, for in it the prayers of every living thing rise to the Lord. In p. 14 the eighth hour is the worship of all heavenly beings and fiery creatures. In the ninth hour is the service of the Angels of God who stand before Him, and the throne of His majesty. The tenth hour is for the water, and in it the Holy Ghost hovers and goes up over the other waters and chases the devils from them. Were it not for the Holy Spirit hovering every day over the waters and descending in that hour, when any one drank water, would there not be destruction to him from the corrupting devils in it? If any one took the water in that hour, and one of the priests of God mixed it with holy oil and anointed with it the sick and those in whom were unclean spirits, they were cured of their diseases. In the eleventh hour there is joy and rejoicing to the righteous. In the twelfth hour the supplication and cry of men is accepted before God.

The hours of the night. In the first hour there is the worship of the devils. In this hour, the hour of their worship, they do not hurt any one, and no one fears them until the time of their return from their worship. In the second hour there is the worship of the great fishes and all that is upon the water, and the creeping things that are therein. In the third hour is the worship of the fire which is below the abyss, about this hour it is not possible for any one to speak. In the fourth hour is the consecration of the seraphim. I heard that in this hour during the time of my stay in Paradise, before my rebellion against the commandment. When I transgressed the command, I could no longer hear the voices nor their movement and agitation as I used to hear them, and I could not see anything holy as I used to see it before [my] sin. In the fifth hour there is the worship of the water which is above the heaven. Verily I and the Angels used in that hour to hear voices from the water which is in the height, and a tumult as if of chariots and great wheels and the sounding amongst the waves, and commotion among the echoes in praise to the Lord. In the sixth hour is the supplication of the clouds to God when they are fearful and trembling. In the seventh hour the powers of the earth are led forth, and they sing praise, whilst the waters sleep and are stilled. If a man takes anything from the water in p. 15 that hour and the priest mixes holy oil with it and anoints with it the sick and those who cannot sleep at night, verily the sick are cured and the wakeful sleep. In the eighth hour the grass comes forth from the earth. In the ninth hour is the service of the Angels and the entrance of prayers before God. In the tenth hour the gates of heaven are opened, and the cry of my believing children is heard, and they receive what they have asked from God, may He be exalted and praised! and the seraphim rub their wings, and by the force of their rubbing the cock crows in praise to the Lord. In the eleventh hour there is joy and delight over all the earth, for the Sun enters the Paradise of God, and its light arises in the regions of the earth. All creatures are illumined by the falling of the sun’s rays upon them. In the twelfth hour my children must burn jasmine before the Lord, for by it there is much repose in heaven for all its inhabitants. Know, O my son Seth, and attend to my saying. Be sure that God will come down to the earth as He said to me, and made me understand and know when He comforted me at my exit from Paradise. Praise to His names! He spoke to me, saying [that] at the end of time He will be incarnate of a Virgin girl named Mary and will be veiled in me. He will put on my skin, and will be born like the birth of man by a force and direction that none can understand but Himself and those to whom He reveals it; He will run with the children, boys and girls of that period; He will do wonders and signs openly; He will walk on the waves of the sea as if walking on the dry land; He will rebuke the winds in a manifest way, and they will be led by His command. He will call to the waves of the sea, and they will answer Him obediently. At His command the blind shall see, the lepers shall be cleansed, the deaf shall hear, the dumb shall speak, the deformed shall be straightened, the lame shall spring up, the palsied shall rise and walk. Many rebels shall be led to God, those who have wandered shall be led aright, and devils shall be driven away. When the Lord comforted me with this, He said to me, ‘O Adam, grieve not, for thou art a god, as thou thoughtest to become by thy transgression of my commandment, and I will make p. 16 thee a god, not at this time, but after the lapse of years.’ The Lord said to me also, ‘I have verily brought thee out of the land of Paradise, to the land which brings forth thorns and briers, that thou mayest inhabit it; I will bend thy loins, and make thy knees tremble from age and senility. O thou dust! to death I will deliver thee, and thy body I will make to be food for maggots, and the fodder of the worm. After five days and a half (of my days) I will have pity on thee in my mercy. I will come down to thee, and in thy house will I dwell and with thy body will I be clothed. For thy sake, O Adam, I will become a child; for thy sake, O Adam, I will appear in the market-places; for thy sake, O Adam, I will fast for forty days; for thy sake, O Adam, I will receive baptism; for thy sake, O Adam, I will be lifted up on the cross; for thy sake, O Adam, I will endure lies; for thy sake, O Adam, I will be beaten with the whip; for thy sake, O Adam, I will taste vinegar; for thy sake, O Adam, my hands will be nailed; for thy sake, O Adam, I will be pierced with a spear; for thy sake, O Adam, I will thunder in the height; for thy sake, O Adam, I will darken the sun; for thy sake, O Adam, I will cleave the rocks; for thy sake, O Adam, I will frighten the powers of heaven; for thy sake, O Adam, I will cause heaven to rain on the desert; for thy sake, O Adam, I will open the graves; for thy sake, O Adam, I will cause all creation to tremble; for thy sake, O Adam, I will make a new earth, and after three days, which I have spent in the grave, I will raise up the body which I took from thee, and will make it go up with me without any separation from me, and cause it to sit at the right hand of my Godhead. I will make thee a god as thou hast desired.’ Keep, O my son Seth, the commandments of God, and do not despise my word to thyself, and learn that the Lord must come down to earth, and godless people will take Him, and stretch Him on the wood of the cross, and strip Him of His raiment, and raise Him between wicked thieves. He will go up upon the cross in the substance of His humanity, He will be killed, and the body which He took from us will be buried. Then after three days He will raise it and take it up p. 17 with Him to heaven, and will set it with Him at the right hand of His divinity. To Him be the glory and the dignity and the praise and the greatness and the worship and the reverence and the hallelujah and the song, and to His Son, and to the Holy Ghost from now and always, and throughout all ages and times, Amen.

Know, O my son, that there must come a Flood to wash all the earth on account of the children of Cain, the wicked man who slew thy brother for his envy about his sister Lusia. After the Flood through the wickedness of many congregations there shall be the end of the world, the conditions will be fulfilled, things will be perfected, the time will be cut short which I have fixed for the creatures, fire will consume whatever it reaches before the Lord, and the earth shall be consecrated.

Seth wrote this Testament, and sealed it with the seal of his father Adam, which he had from Paradise, and the seal of Eve, and his own seal. And Adam died, and the hosts of the Angels assembled to put him on his bier, for his honour with God, and Seth embalmed him, and swathed him, and he and his sons bare rule. And he put him eastwards of Paradise where he slept at his exit from it, near the town that was built before all building, called Enoch in the inhabited World. When Adam died, the sun was darkened, and the moon for seven days and seven nights, with a gross darkness.

Seth took the scroll in which he wrote the Testament of his father Adam into the Cave of Treasures along with the offerings which Adam had carried with him from the land of Paradise, that is to say, gold, myrrh, and incense, [about] which Adam taught Seth and his children that they should belong to three Magian kings, and that they should travel with these things to the Saviour of the world, to be born in a city called Bethlehem, a territory of Judah.

There was not one of the children born to Adam before his death who did not gather to him; they bade him adieu, he prayed over them and wished them health. Then he died, in the nine hundred and thirtieth year by the reckoning of Abu-Seth. That is the beginning. The exit of our father p. 18 Adam from this world was at three o’clock in the day, on Friday the sixth of Nisan, fourteen nights after the new moon. On a similar day our Lord the Christ gave up His spirit to His Father’s hand. Adam’s children and children’s children grieved for him a hundred and forty days, for he was the first mortal who died on the earth, and the tribes were divided among the people of Cain the murderer after the death of Adam. Seth took his children and his children’s children and their wives, and made them go up to the glorious and holy hill, the place in which Adam was buried. Cain and his people and his children stayed below the hill, in the place where he killed Abel. Seth became governor of the people of his time in godliness and purity and holiness. My initiation, O my son Clement, into the story of Adam and this his testament was from the Magi who travelled to the Lady Saint Mary with offerings at the time of the birth of Jesus Christ our God the Saviour. Verily we found that they had a scroll with all this in it, and it was put by for safe keeping. I and the other Jews believed in this, and there were many things in it besides what I have shewn to thee, which it is not proper to make known at this time, and I must tell thee about them afterwards. I will disclose to thee all the secrets with which I have been entrusted. The reason of God’s calling the children of Seth Ben-Adam, “the sons of God,” was as the book says what He had revealed to Seth about godliness and purity. The Lord appropriated them to Himself by this name; it is the most famous of names on account of their favour with Him. He appointed them to replace the choir of Angels which had rebelled and fallen from Heaven. He put Seth and his race in the lower parts of Paradise, and around it on the holy hill, they praising the Lord and sanctifying His name in all peace, no thought intruding on them about the affairs of the world, their greatest work being praise and hallelujah with the Angels, for they heard their voices in praise and hallelujah in Paradise, for it was raised thirteen spans above them, by the span of the Holy Ghost. They did not undergo the least labour. The food with which they sustained their bodies was the fruit of trees growing at the summits of the Mount p. 19 of Paradise. The zephyr of Paradise, which reached these trees, ripened their fruits. This tribe was godly and holy; there was no anger in any one of them nor envy nor quarrelling nor pride nor hatred, and they held no shameless conversations nor falsehood nor slander nor calumny, and they do not swear untruthfully nor in vain. Their oaths were among themselves by the purity of the blood of pure Abel. Their custom was to rise early, all of them, the old and the young, the male and the female; to go up to the top of the hill and to worship there before God and be blessed by the body of their father Adam. Then they would lift up their eyes to Paradise and praising and sanctifying God they would return to their place.

Seth Ben-Adam the godly lived nine hundred and twelve years. Then he fell sick of his disease of which he died. There gathered to him Enos and Cainan and Mahlaleel and Jared and Enoch their wives, their sons and their daughters. He prayed over them, and made vows for them, and blessed them, and said to them, “By the truth of the blood of pure Abel, let not one of you descend from this holy hill! Do not mix with the children of Cain the murderer. You know the enmity between us since the murder of Abel the pure.” Then his son Enos came near him, and he said to him, “Thou art lord of thy people. Behold, I die. Devote thyself to service before the Lord and before the consecrated body of our father Adam.” He made him swear by the blood of Abel the pure that he would govern his people well, and rule them in godliness and purity, and never cease the service before the body of Adam. Seth died lat the age of nine hundred and twelve years, on Tuesday the twenty-fourth night of Ab, the twentieth year of the life of Enoch the righteous. He was embalmed with myrrh and frankincense and cassia, and put in the Cave of Treasures with the body of his father Adam. His people mourned for him forty days.

Enos governed his tribe after the death of his father in purity and godliness; he did to them what his father p. 20 commanded. When Enos had lived eight hundred and twenty years, Lamech the Blind, of the tribe of Cain the murderer, killed [some one] in the thicket known as Nod. This was the cause of it. Lamech was passing the thicket, leaning upon one of his youthful sons. He heard a movement in the thicket, it was the movement of Cain, for it was not possible for him to stay in one place since he had killed his brother. Lamech thought that this movement was that of some wild beasts. He took up a stone from the ground and threw it towards the moving thing. The stone hit Cain between the eyes and killed him. His son said, “By God, thou hast killed our father Cain with thy shot.” Then Lamech the Blind lifted up his hands to give [him] a blow on the ear out of grief for the death of Cain. He hit the head of his son and killed him. When Enos had reached nine hundred and five years he fell sick of his disease of which he died, and there gathered to him the rest of the fathers; amongst them were Jared, and Enoch, and Methuselah, and Cainan the son of Methuselah, and Mahlaleel, and their wives and their sons and their daughters. He blessed them and made vows for them and prayed over them and confirmed them in the oaths by the blood of Abel—“oh do not mix yourselves with the children of Cain, and oh do not go down from the holy mountain.” He reminded them of the enmity betwixt them on account of the murder of Abel. Then Cainan his son came near him. He said to him, “O my son, be to thy people and family as I have been to them, and govern them after my death.” He commanded his son Mahlaleel about the care of his tribe in godliness and purity, and that he should not cease from the service before the body of our father Adam during his life. And Enos died when he had reached nine hundred and five years, on the sabbath day, when the third night of October had passed, in the fifty-third year of the life of Methuselah. His eldest son Cainan embalmed him, and swathed him, and put him in the Cave of Treasures.

Cainan governed his people in godliness and holiness, and kept the commandments of his father. He lived for nine p. 21 hundred and twenty years and died on Wednesday, the thirteenth night of June. Mahlaleel looked after his burial, and put him in the Cave of Treasures with his fathers. Mahalaleel lived for eight hundred and ninety-five years. When death came near to him, he commanded his people like the commands of his fathers who had preceded him. He appointed Jared his son over the tribe. His death was on Sunday after two nights of Nisan had passed. Jared looked after him, and put him in the cave with his fathers. When Jared was of the age of five hundred years, some of the sons of Seth disobeyed the commands of their fathers, and threw away their faith behind their backs. One by one they began to go down from the holy hill to the tribes of the children of Cain. This was the reason, that Lamech the Blind was followed by two sons, one being called Tufeel (Jubal) and the other Tubalcain. They made lyres, that is, harps, flutes, drums, and other musical instruments. The Devils awoke harmonious tones in them, and there was not one among the sons of Cain to command good behaviour or to restrain from what was forbidden. Every one of them did according to his lust. They busied themselves with musical instruments, and with eating and drinking, and immorality. * * * * * * The Devil hunted the sons of Seth that he might mingle them with the children of Cain, by means of these musical instruments, for they heard the tones of them; he brought them down from the holy hill to the cursed land, and he removed them from the protection of God and His angels to the protection of the Devils; they chose death rather than life, and renounced the name which God had bestowed on them, because, may His name be sanctified! He called them the sons of the Lord, according to His gracious saying in the prophecy of David, where he says, “Verily, ye are all gods, and ye shall be called the sons of the Most High. When ye do evil and defile your bodies with the idolatrous daughters of Cain, like them ye shall die in sin.” They longed for unclean amusements. * * * They had no shame about this and thought no harm of it. The earth was contaminated; children were confused; no one knew his child from the child of another. The p. 22 Devil incited them and he goaded them on and appropriated them to every misery. They rejoiced in their works. You could hear from them hateful laughter like the neighing of steeds. Their noise was heard in the holy mountain, and there assembled of the children of Seth a hundred powerful strong giants, for the descent. This came to [the knowledge of] Jared, and he was much troubled. He called them to his presence, and adjured them by the blood of Abel the Pure not to go down; he reminded them of the oaths which their fathers who had gone before had received for them. Enoch the Righteous was there and said to them, “Know, O sons of Seth, that whosoever rejects the commandment of the Father and opposes the oaths by which he has been adjured and puts them behind his back, and goes down from this holy mount, that he shall never come back to it.” But they did not turn at the warning of Jared and at the prohibitions of Enoch, and they went down. When they saw the daughters of Cain and their beauty, and that they uncovered their bodies without shame, they committed fornication with them, and destroyed their souls. When they had done this, they aimed at a return to the hill, but its stones became burning fire, and they could not do it. Another tribe wished for an alliance with them, not knowing about the affair of the stones. They went down to them, and defiled themselves with their defilement.

When Jared reached the age of nine hundred and seventy-two years, Death came near to him. There gathered to him Enoch and Methuselah, and Lamech, and Noah. He prayed over them and made vows for them and said, “But as for you, go not down from this holy mountain; yet your sons and your posterity shall be removed from it, because God will not allow them upon it on account of their transgression of the commandments of the fathers.” Then he said to the rest of their children, “You shall journey to the dusty land which brings forth thorns and briers. Whosoever of you goes out from this holy land, let him take with him the body of our father Adam, and if he can take all the bodies of the fathers, let him do it, and take with him the books of the Testaments, and the gifts of gold and myrrh and frankincense, p. 23 and put this with the body of our father Adam where God shall command him.” Then said he to Enoch, “But thou, O my son, do not separate thyself from the service and praise before the body of our father Adam and serve before God in godliness and holiness all the days of thy life.” He died in the third hour of Friday when the twelfth night of May had passed, in the 360th year of the life of Methuselah. His son embalmed him and swathed him, and put him in the Cave of Treasures. God rejected the other children of Seth on account of their love of sin. Seventy assembled, and were inclined to descend. When Enoch and Methuselah and Lamech and Noah saw this, they were much grieved. When Enoch had finished his service before the Lord for fifty years, this being the 365th year of his life, he presided over his house with his God. He called for Methuselah and Lamech and Noah, and said, “I know that the Lord will be angry with this people, and will surely judge them without mercy. But you, the rest of the fathers and of the holy races, do not leave off the service before the Lord, and be pure and godly. Know that there shall not be born in this holy mountain after you any man who shall be father and chief to his people.” When Enoch had finished this testament, God took him up to the land of life, and made him dwell round about Paradise in the country where there is no death. Then the children of Seth removed from the holy mountain to the quarters of Cain and his children. None of them remained on the mountain save the three fathers, Methuselah, Lamech and Noah. Noah the just kept his virgin soul for 500 years. After that, the merciful God revealed to him about the people who were subject to him, and commanded him to marry a woman named Haikal the daughter of Namousa, the son of Enoch, the brother of Methuselah. God disclosed to him about the Deluge which He was about to send upon the earth, and taught him that this would be after a hundred years, and commanded him to prepare the ark, that is, the ship for his salvation and that of his children, and that he should cut the wood from the holy mountain and make it in the quarters of the sons of Cain. He commanded him to make its length p. 24 300 cubits, according to [the length of] his arm; its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits, by [the length of] his arm; and the breadth of its top above should be one cubit, and that he should make three stories to it. The lowest should be for the tame and the wild animals and the cattle, the middle one for the birds and their like, and the highest one for him and his children and his wife and his sons’ wives. And that he should make in it storehouses for water and for food and for fodder. Also that be should prepare a gong of the cedar tree, its length to be three cubits, and its breadth one cubit, and that its hammer should be [made] of the same. “When thou beginnest to make the ship, thou shalt beat three strokes on it every day, one in the morning, the second in the middle of the day, that they may bring the workmen food; and the third at sunset for [their] departure. If they ask thee about thy work, tell them that God is sending a flood of water to cleanse the earth and that thou art making the ship to save thyself and thy children.” Noah received the commandment of the Lord, and married her. In the course of the hundred years she bare him three male children, Shem, Ham and Japhet. They also married some of the daughters of Methuselah. When Noah had finished the building of the ship, and entered it with those whom God commanded should enter it with him, the second thousand of the years of the time of Adam was finished, as the 70 interpreters expound. They said, From Adam till the Deluge was 2000 years.

When Lamech had lived 777 years, Methuselah his father died; this was four years before the Flood. Then Lameth died after him, and his death was on the twenty-first [day] of September, in the 68th year of the life of Shem, the first-born of Noah. His son Noah swathed him, and enbalmed him, and put him in the Cave of Treasures. He mourned for him 40 days and remained with all the holy fathers, Noah and his children. The daughters of Cain conceived by the sons of Seth, and brought forth giant-sons. It was certainly supposed by some that the Book relates and says that the Angels came down to earth and mingled with the children of men, that those p. 25 who came down and mingled with the children of men were really angels. This was only said on account of the sons of Seth and their union with the daughters of Cain, for God, may His name be glorified! had already out of His love to them, called them, as we said before, Sons of God and Angels of God. So he errs who thinks this; for union, that is, marriage, was not in the substance of spiritual beings, and not in their nature, and if it had been in them as it is in men, the Devils would not have left any one in the world alone without corrupting them, till not a virgin would have been left on the earth, for the foul Devils love corruption and fornication. As they cannot do this, they change their nature on account of it; they recommend it to men and make them love it.

Methuselah lived for 969 years. When Death came to him, there gathered to him Lamech, and Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japhet and their wives, for none but they were left on the holy hill. Methuselah blessed them, and called to them; he was weeping and sorrowful. He said to them, “There remaineth none but you on this mountain out of all the tribes who once were on it. The Lord God of our fathers who formed our father Adam and our mother Eve and blessed them till the earth was filled with their progeny, may He bless you and multiply you and cause your fruit to grow. May He be to you a keeper and a shepherd. I ask of Him to fill the earth with your progeny, and to help you and strengthen you and save you from the fearful punishment that is coming upon this hill, and that He may give you a share of the gift which He gave to our father Adam, that He may bring blessings into your dwellings, and bestow upon you prophecy, power, and priesthood.” Then he said to Noah, “O thou blessed of the Lord, hear my speech and do my commandment. Know that I go out of this world as the saintly fathers went out of it. Verily the Lord shall send a Deluge to drown the earth for the many sins of men, but thou and thy children shall be saved. When I am dead, embalm my body like as were embalmed the bodies of the fathers who have gone before. Bury me in the Cave of Treasures. Take thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons’ wives; go down from this mountain, p. 26 and bear with thee the body of our father Adam, and the offerings which thou didst bring out with him from Paradise, namely, gold and myrrh and frankincense. Put the body of our father Adam within the Ark which God commanded me to prepare; and the other bodies separately from it, so that the body of Adam may be like a dyke ever in the midst. Put the offerings on his breast. Dwell thou and thy sons in the east of the ark, thy wife and thy sons’ wives in the west, so that the body of our father Adam may be a barrier to hinder the men from sinning with regard to the women, and to hinder them from sinning with regard to the men; let them not gather together for food or drink till ye come out of the Ark. When the water of the Deluge departs from the earth, and ye come out of the Ark, and dwell upon the earth, then gather ye together for food and drink, and cease not the service before the body of our father Adam nor the ministration before God in godliness and holiness within the Ark. When your exit from it takes place, then put the offerings which thou didst bring out from Paradise in the east of the land in which thou dwellest. When Death comes to thee, make thy Testament to thy son Shem. Command him to carry the body of our father Adam, and to bury it in the middle of the earth. Verily (it is) the place in which there shall be salvation to him and to his children. Where he burieth the body, let him appoint a man from among his children to serve before the body and to minister. Let him be pure all the days of his life, and let him command him that he dwell not in any house, that he shed no blood, that he shave not his hair, nor pare his nails, nor bring there any offering of beasts, but let his offering before the Lord be of fine bread, pure and white, and the best drink, pressed from the fruit of the vine, until the time that God shall certainly command him. Verily the Angel of the Lord shall go before the man chosen to officiate as a priest before the body of Adam till he shall put it in the middle of the earth, and where the body ought to be buried. Let this chosen one be commanded that his raiment be of the skins of beasts, and that he be unique as it is unique. Verily he is the priest of the glorious God.” When Methuselah had finished p. 27 this testament, and tears were coming down from his eyes, on account of the grief that was in his heart, he died. Then nine hundred and sixty-nine years were completed, it was in Adar (March) on a Sunday. Noah and Shem and Japhet and their wives laid him out with weeping and groaning. They held a mourning for him for 40 days; he was swathed and embalmed and laid with the fathers in the Cave of Treasures. They were blessed by the other bodies that were there. Then Noah bore the body of Adam and the bodies of the fathers from the Cave, and put them into holy coffins. Of the offerings Shem carried the gold, Ham carried the myrrh, and Japhet carried the frankincense. They left the Cave of Treasures with weeping and groaning. A noise was raised by them which was heard from Paradise, sorrow and mourning on account of [their] departure from the mountain, when they knew that they were leaving it for good. They lifted up their heads towards Paradise, they sobbed, and wept, and said: “Peace be to thee, O holy Paradise! dwelling-place of our father Adam; we are deprived of thy shelter, which is denied to us then, on our return to the cursed land in which we suffer pains and endure labours. Peace be to thee, O Cave of Treasures! from us and from all the bodies of the fathers. Peace be to thee, O glorious dwelling-place and inheritance of the saintly fathers for ever. Peace be to you, O ye Fathers, beloved friends of God. Pray for us and bless us, and entreat for our salvation, O holy ones of God, who are well-pleasing unto Him. Peace be to Seth, chief of the fathers. Peace be to Enos, governor of his people, and righteous judge amongst them. Peace be to Cainan and Mahlaleel, those who govern their people in purity. Peace be to Methuselah and Jared and Lamech and Enoch, servants of God. We entreat you all to mediate for our salvation lest we be prevented looking for our inheritance from this time forth for evermore.” Then they came down from the mountain, kissing its stones and embracing its trees with weeping and great grief, and they travelled towards the land. When Noah had finished building the ship, he entered it, and p. 28 brought in the body of Adam and put it in the middle of it, with the offerings upon its breast. This was on a Friday, on the 17th day of March, it is also said, of May. Early the next day he brought in the beasts and the cattle, and made them dwell in the lowest deck. In the middle of the day he brought in the birds and all the sentient beings, and made them dwell in the middle deck. At sunset Noah and his sons and his sons’ wives entered, and dwelt in the topmost deck. The Ark was built in the form of a Church, in which the men are prevented from mingling with the women; as there is peace and love betwixt man and woman, and between the elders amongst them and the youths, thus there was love betwixt the rest of the beasts and the birds and the sentient beings in the ship; and as wise men are at peace with their inferiors, thus were the lions and the ewes at peace in the Ark. All that were in it were seven pairs of all the clean beasts, and two pairs of the unclean ones. When Noah and his people had arrived, the Lord shut the Ark. Then the doors of heaven were opened, and the doors of the abyss, and the waters came down in torrents, and the imprisoned sea appeared, which is called Oceanus, which encircles the whole earth. Raging winds were sent out from all directions. When the sons of Seth saw this, they came near to the place of the Ark, and entreated Noah to carry them; but he gave them no answer about it, because the Ark was bolted and sealed by command of the Lord, and the Angel of the Lord was standing directing it. Repentance encompassed them, sorrow came upon them, and they had no refuge from destruction, as they were also hindered from going up to the holy mountain. They were all destroyed by drowning and suffocation, in the thick waters and the raging winds, as David the Prophet sang about their state where he said, “I said, All ye are gods, and children of the Most High ye shall be called; by this great sign ye are marked; but sin hath overthrown you, and ye have rebelled against the commandment; ye have defiled jour bodies with the idolatrous daughters of Cain, and ye shall die the death like them. Ye p. 29 shall be tormented with the Prince who fell from the heavenly rank.” The Ark was lifted up from the earth to the height of the waters, and all that was on the earth perished in the deluge; the waters rose above the tops of the mountains fifteen cubits, by the holy cubit. The waves bore the ship till they brought it to the lower parts of Paradise. It was blessed from Paradise; the tops of the waves were rolled back, and they did obeisance before it, then returning from it were poured out to the destruction of those who remained on the earth. The ship flew on the wings of the wind above the waters from the east to the west, and from the south to the sea, like the sign of the Cross. It stood above the waters 150 days; the waves were stilled and laid to rest at the end of the seventh month from the beginning of the Deluge. The Ark stood upon the mountains, the Kurdish mountains, and the waters were divided from one another. They all returned to their places, and did not cease diminishing gradually, till the tenth month, which was February. He looked at the tops of the mountains from the Ark. On the tenth of March Noah opened the Ark from the eastern side, and sent the Raven, that at its return he might learn the news of the earth. It did not return to him. He sent the Dove; it circled round, and found no place for its foot. It returned at sunset. After a week Noah sent another Dove. It returned to him with an olive-branch in its mouth. About the Dove there are holy mysteries. The first dove resembles the first covenant, to which there was no rest among the rejected nations; the second dove the second covenant, which found rest with the nations that accepted the mysteries of baptism and preached the Christ at the end of 600 years of the life of righteous Noah. One day of Nisan (April) had passed, and the water was removed from the earth. On this day Noah and his wife and his sons and his sons’ wives went out of the ship. Their entrance to the ship had been in separation, their exit from it was in unity. At their exit came out all the beasts and the cattle and the birds and the creeping things which were in the ship. Noah built a town, and called it Thamânû, which remains to this day. The number of those who were in the ship with Noah was eight p. 30 persons. Noah built an altar to the Lord and offered upon it an offering of the beasts and the clean birds that were slain. God accepted his offering, and gave a covenant that He would not send a deluge of water on the earth to all eternity. May His names be sanctified! He took off wrath from them in regard to the bow in the clouds. By it He put away the bowstring of anger; for before the Deluge men saw in heaven the bowstring of anger and the arrow of wrath. The sons of Noah planted in the town the fruit of the vine, and pressed from it a new drink; they gave their father Noah to drink, and he got drunk, for he was not accustomed to drink. While he was drunk he slept, and his nakedness was uncovered. Ham looked at him, and laughed and mocked at him, and fetched his brothers to mock with him. When Shem and Japhet knew the reason was about the uncovering of their father, they were grieved at it; they took a garment, threw it upon their hands, and went backwards, lest they should see their father uncovered; then they threw the garment upon him. When Noah awoke from his drunken sleep, his wife told him what had happened about his sons, and he was angry with Ham, and said, “Let him and Canaan be cursed, and let him be a slave to his brethren.” But Noah cursed Canaan, who was not guilty, and the guilt was Ham’s; for he knew that when Canaan should arrive at man’s estate, he should renew what had already been blotted out of the works of the children of Cain, the music-halls and such like. When he came to man’s estate, he did all this, and Noah knew it, was concerned about him and grieved at his work, that according to the example of the works of Canaan, the sons of Seth fell into sin, he increased in his curse of Canaan, wherefore his sons became slaves. They are the Copts, the Abyssinians, the Hindoos, the Mysians and other negroes. Ham was a hypocrite, a lover of unclean desire all the days of his life. This was in his mockery of his father. The sleep of Noah in his drunkenness was a type of the crucifixion of the Christ and His slumber in the tomb for three days, as David the prophet says about it, “The Lord awoke from his sleep like a man who recovers from strong drink.” When Noah awoke p. 31 from his drunken sleep, he cursed Canaan and made his posterity slaves. Likewise when the Christ arose from the grave He cursed the Devil and destroyed those who had crucified Him, and scattered them among the nations. The sons of Canaan became slaves for ever, carrying burdens upon their necks. Every proprietor negotiates riding about on his business, but the children of Canaan negotiate about the affairs of their masters, as poor men on foot, and they are called the slaves of slaves.

Noah lived after going out of the ship 350 years. When his death came near, there gathered to him Shem, and Ham, and Japhet, and Arphaxad, and Salah. He made vows for them, and desired the presence of Shem his firstborn, and commanded him secretly, saying to him, “When I die, bury me. Go into the Ark of safety, and take out of it the body of our father Adam secretly, let no one with thee know. Make for it a large chest, and put it within. Prepare for thyself a store of bread and drink, and carry the chest in which is the body of our father. Take with thee Melchizedek, the son of Malih. Verily the Lord hath chosen him from the rest of your sons to minister before our father Adam. When thou reachest the centre of the earth, bury the body there, and set Melchizedek in the place for the service of the body and the praise before it. Verily the Angel of the Lord will go before you to guide you two to the place for the body, which is the centre of the earth. From it shall be seen the power of God. The four pillars of the world are joined together and have become one pillar, and from it shall be salvation to Adam and to all his children.” Thus it was written in the tables which Moses received from the hand of the Lord and broke at the time of his anger against his people. Noah strengthened Shem in receiving the testament, and told him that it was the Testament of Adam to Seth, and of Seth to Enos, and of Enos to Cainan, and of Cainan to Mahlaleel, and of Mahlaleel to Jared, and of Jared to Enoch, of Enoch to Methuselah, and of Methuselah to Lamech, and of Lamech to Noah; he made him swear that no one [else] should attend to p. 32 what he commanded in regard to the body of Adam. When he had finished his testament, he died, being 950 years old, on a Wednesday. Shem embalmed him, and with him his other children put him on a bier and buried him. They raised a wail over him for forty days. Then Shem went secretly into the ship, and took out the body of Adam. He sealed the ship with his father’s seal. Then he desired the presence of Ham and Japhet and said to them, “Know that Noah my father commanded me to journey after his death to the elevated land and to go round it to the place of the sea, that I may attend to the state of its trees, and fruits and rivers. I have already resolved on this, and have left my wife and children with you; take heed to them till the time of my return.” They said to him, “Take with thee a man since thou hast resolved on this, for the land which thou hast described has wild beasts and hunting lions.” He said to them, “Verily, the Angel of God is with me, he is my Saviour.” His brethren called to him and said, “The Lord be with thee wherever thou dwellest.” Then he said to them, “Verily, our father at his death made me swear not to enter the ship nor allow any one [else] to enter it. I have received his testament, and sealed it with his seal, and beware that ye enter it not! ye, nor any of your children.” They pledged themselves to him concerning this. Then he approached the father and mother of Melchizedek and said to them, “I wish that you would give me Melchizedek that I may journey with him in my way.” They said to him, “He is before thee, as thou wouldest journey, take him with thee.” Then Shem called Melchizedek by night, and bore with him the body of Adam secretly. They went out, the Angel going before them, till he brought them to the place with the utmost speed. He said to them, “Set him down, for this is the centre of the earth.” And they put him down from their hands. When he came to the ground, the earth was cleft for him as a door, and the body was let down into it, and they put him in it. When the body rested in its place, the earth returned and covered it over. The place was called Gumgumah, “of a skull,” because in it was placed the p. 33 skull of the Father of mankind, and Gulgulah, because it was conspicuous in the earth, and was despised by its sons, for in it was the head of the hateful Dragon which seduced Adam. It was called also Otâriâ, which is, being interpreted, “the families of the world,” because to it is the gathering together of mankind. Shem said to Melchizedek son of Malih, “Know that thou art the priest of the Everlasting God, who hath chosen thee from the rest of men to minister before Him before the body of our father Adam. Accept the Lord’s choice of thee, and never leave this place. Do not marry any woman, do not shave thy hair, nor pare thy nails. Shed no blood for thyself, and sacrifice no beast. Do not build a building over this place. Let thine offerings before the Lord be of fine pure bread, and [let the] drink be of the juice of the vine. The Angel of the Lord is with thee for ever.” He wished him peace, and bade him farewell and embraced him, and returned to his dwelling. Then came to him Jozadak and Malih, the parents of Melchizedek. They asked him about him, and he told them that he had died on the road, and that he had looked after him and buried him. His father and his people sorrowed over him with a great sorrow. When Shem the righteous was 700 years old, he died, and his son Arphaxad looked after him, and Salah and Eber, and they buried him. When Arphaxad was thirty years old, he begat Salah his son, and when he was 465 years old, he died, and Salah and Eber looked after him. They buried him in the town that Arphaxad had built, known as Arphaxad (cod. Arbalsarbat). When Salah was thirty years old, he begat Eber, and when he had completed 430 years, he died. Eber and Peleg looked after him; he was buried in the town that Salah had built, known as Salḥadîb. When Eber was thirty years old, he begat Peleg, and when he had completed 434 years, he died; his son Peleg buried him, and Reu and Serug in the town which Eber had built and had called by his name. When Peleg attained 239 years, all the tribes of the sons of Shem, and Ham and Japhet gathered themselves together and journeyed to the elevated land; they found in the place known as Shinar a beautiful plain. They dwelt in it, and their speech was altogether p. 34 Syriac, and it is called Resany, and Chaldaean; it is the tongue and speech of Adam. Verily the Syriac language is the Queen of languages and the most comprehensive; from it all other tongues are derived; Adam is a Syriac name. Whoever asserts that it is Hebrew tells a falsehood. Speakers of Syriac will not stand on the left of the Lord but on His right, for the writing of Syriac runs from right to left, and of others the way of the Persian from left to right. In the days of Peleg the nations built the tower at Babel, upon which their tongues were diversified and confounded and divided; because of their confusion the town was called Babel. Peleg was very much grieved about this when he saw the scattering of the nations in the regions of the earth. He died, and his son Reu, and Serug and Nahor buried him in the town which he had built and had called by his name. The earth became two portions among two chiefs of tribes; they allowed to every tribe and tongue a king and a chief; they appointed in the race of Japhet thirty-seven kings, and in the race of Ham sixteen kings. The kingdom of the sons of Japhet was from the border of the holy mountain and Mount Nod (?), which is in the borders of the East, to the Tigris and the side of Algaut: and from Bactria to the island town (or Gades = Cadix). The kingdom of the sons of Shem was from the land of Persia, that is from the borders of the East to the Hardasalgs sea among the borders of the West. They had authority also in the centre of the earth. When Reu was thirty-two years old, Serug was born to him; the length of his life being 232 years. At the end of 163 years of the life of Reu, Nimrod the giant reigned over the whole earth. The beginning of his kingdom was from Babel. It was he who saw in the sky a piece of black cloth and a crown; he called Sasan the weaver to his presence, and commanded him to make him a crown like it; and he set jewels in it and wore it. He was the first king who wore a crown. For this reason people who knew nothing about it, said that a crown came down to him from heaven. The length of his reign was sixty-nine years. He died in the days of Reu, and the third thousand p. 35 since Adam was completed. In his days the people of Egypt set up a king over them called Firnifs. He reigned over them for sixty-eight years. In his days also a king reigned over the town of Saba and annexed to his kingdom the cities of Ophir and Havilah, his name was Pharaoh. He built Ophir with stones of gold, for the stones of its mountains are pure gold. After him there reigned over Havilah a king called Hayul. He built it and cemented it, and after the death of Pharaoh women reigned over Saba until the time of Solomon son of David. When he (Reu) was 239 years old, he died. Serug his son and Nahor buried him in the town called Oa‘nân, which Reu had built for himself. When Serug was thirty years old, his son Nahor was born to him. In the days of Serug idols were worshipped, and they were adored instead of God, and the people in that day were scattered in the earth; there was not among them a teacher nor a lawgiver, nor a guide to the way of truth, nor even a right way. They wandered and were rebellious and became a sect. Some of them worshipped the Sun and the Moon, some of them worshipped the sky, some of them worshipped images, some of them worshipped the stars, some of them worshipped the earth, some of them worshipped beasts, some of them worshipped trees, and some of them worshipped waters and winds and such like, for the Devil blinded their hearts and left them in darkness without light. No one among them believed in the Last Day and the Resurrection. When one of them died, his people made an image in his likeness, and put it upon his tomb, lest his memory should be cut off. The earth was filled with sins, and idols were multiplied in it, made in the likenesses of males and females.

When Serug was 230 years old he died. His son Nahor, and Terah and Abraham buried him in the town which Serug had built and called it Serug. Terah was born to Nahor when he was twenty-nine years old. In the third year of the life of Nahor, God looked up through His remembrance at His creatures, and they were worshipping idols. He sent upon them earthquakes which destroyed all the idols. Their p. 36 worshippers did not turn from their error, but persevered in their godlessness. In the twenty-sixth year of the rule of Terah appeared witchcraft. The beginning of it was that a rich man died; his son made a golden image of him and placed it upon his tomb as a mark [to] the people of his age, and appointed a young man to guard it. The Devil entered into the image, and spoke to its guardian from the tongue of the deceased and [with] his voice. The guardian told the son of the deceased about it. After some days robbers entered the dwelling of the deceased, and took all that belonged to his son, and his grief was greater at this, and they bewailed him beside the grave of his father. The Devil called to him from the image with a voice like the voice of his father, and said, “O my son, weep not. Bring me thy little son, to sacrifice him to me, and I will restore to thee all that has been taken from thee.” He brought his son to the tomb and sacrificed him to the Devil. When he had done this, the Devil entered him and taught him witchcraft, unveiled his mysteries, and taught him omens and auguries. Since that time people offer their children to Devils. At the completion of a hundred years of the life of Nahor, God, may His name be exalted! looked on the godlessness of men, and their sacrificing of their children to the Devils, and their adoration of images. God, may His names be sanctified, sent them raging winds which tore away the images and their worshippers, and buried them in the earth and strewed over them great mounds and towering hills, and they are below these unto this day. Some assert on this account that in the time of Terah there was a Deluge of wind. Wise men of India say that these mounds came into existence in the days of the Deluge. That is nonsense, for image-worship was after the Deluge of water, and the Deluge was not sent upon them for the worship of images; verily that was done because there was so much corruption on the earth among the children of Cain, and the musical instruments which they invented. There was no people inhabiting this rough wild land, but when p. 37 our fathers were not found worthy of the neighbourhood of Paradise they were thrust away to it. Then they came out of the ship to this land, and were scattered amongst its regions. He talks nonsense who asserts that these elevated mounds have never ceased in the earth, for they have been formed since the time of the anger of God about idol-worship. They were turned topsy-turvy, and there is no mound on the earth beneath which a Devil with an image appeareth not. In the days of Nimrod the giant, he looked at fire from heaven, and fire came up from the earth. When Nimrod saw it he adored it, and appointed in the place where he saw it people to worship it, and to throw incense into it. Since that time magicians adore fire when they see it coming up from the heaven and from the earth, and they worship it to this day. A chief magician named Sasir found a spring of bountiful water at a place in the country of Atropatene. He erected upon it a white horse. Whoever bathed in that fountain worshipped this horse. The Magi honour the horse, and there is a sect of them who worship it to this day. Nimrod travelled till he arrived at the land of Mariûn. When he entered the city of Altûrâs he found there Bouniter the fourth son of Noah. Nimrod’s army was on a lake, and he went down there one day to bathe in it. When Nimrod saw Bouniter the son of Noah, he did obeisance to him. Bouniter said to him, “O giant king, why do you adore me?” Nimrod said to him, “I did thee homage because thou didst meet me.” Nimrod stayed with him three years that he might teach him wisdom and strategy, then he wandered away from him. He said to Nimrod, “Thou shalt not return a second time.” When Nimrod was passing through the East, he deposited books making known what Bouniter the son of Noah had taught him. The people were astonished at his wisdom. There was among the people entrusted with the worship of fire a man called Ardashir. When Ardashir saw the wisdom of Nimrod and the excellency of his star-gazing (Nimrod had a perfect genius), he envied him for this, and implored a Devil who had appeared to him beside the fire to teach him the wisdom of Nimrod. The Devil said to him, “Thou canst not do this until thou have p. 38 fulfilled the magic rite, and its perfection is the marriage of mothers, daughters and sisters.” Ardashir answered him concerning this, and did what he commanded him about it. Since that time the Magi allow the wedlock of mothers, sisters and daughters. The Devil also taught Ardashir the knowledge of omens and auguries, and physiognomy, and fortune-telling, and divining and witchcraft, which were doctrines of the Devil, and the Chaldæans gave one another this doctrine; these were the Syrians, and some people say that it is the tongue of the Nabataeans. Every one who uses aught of these doctrines, his guilt before God is great. But the knowledge which Nimrod learned from Bounitar, verily Bounitar the son of Noah learned it from God, the great and glorious, for it is the counting of the stars, and the years and the months; the Greeks call this science Astronomy, and the Persians call it Astrology. Nimrod built great towns in the East, namely, Hadâniûn, Ellasar, Seleucia, Ctesiphon, Rûhîn, and the towns of Atrapatene, and Telalôn, and others that he chose for himself.

When Terah, father of Abraham, reached two hundred and three years he died. Abraham and Lot buried him in the city of Haran. [God] commanded him that he should travel to the Holy Land. Abraham took with him Sarah his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and journeyed to the land of the Amorites. Abraham the Just was then seventy-five years old. When he reached eighty years, he fought with the nations and put them to flight and delivered Lot from them, and he had no child at that time, for Sarah was barren. When he returned from the war with the nations, God commanded him to journey and pass over to Mount Yâbûs. When he got there he met Melchizedek, priest of God. When Abraham saw him, he did homage to him and was blessed by him. He offered before him fine pure bread and drink. Melchizedek blessed Abraham and made vows for him. Thereupon God commanded Melchizedek to pare his nails. Melchizedek consecrated an offering of fine bread and drink. Abraham offered some p. 39 of it, and paid to Melchizedek the tenth of his goods. Then God, may His names be sanctified, discoursed with Abraham the second time and said to him, “Thy reward shall be great with Me. Since thou hast received the blessing of Melchizedek and thou art worthy to receive from his hand the gift of bread and wine, I will bless thee, and will multiply thy seed.”

When Abraham reached eighty-six years, Ishmael was born to him of Hagar the Egyptian bond-maid. Pharaoh of Egypt had given her to Sarah, the wife of Abraham, who was his sister by his father but not by his mother, for Terah married two wives; the name of the one was Yuta, she was the mother of Abraham, and she died when she gave birth to him; the name of the other was Nahdeef, and she was the mother of Sarah. Therefore Abraham answered as he said to the king of Egypt when he wished to do violence to Sarah, that “she is my sister.” When Abraham reached ninety-nine years, God came down to his house, and gave to Sarah a son. When he reached a hundred years, Isaac was born to him, the son whom God gave him of barren Sarah. When Isaac reached twelve years, Abraham offered him to God as all offering upon the hill Yâbûs, which is the place in which the Christ was crucified, and which is known as Golgolah. In it Adam was created; in it Abraham looked at the tree which bore the lamb by which Isaac was redeemed from sacrifice, and in it the body of Adam was laid. In it was the altar of Melchizedek, and in it David looked at the Angel of the Lord bearing a sword for the destruction of Jerusalem. Verily Abraham’s carrying up there of Isaac to the altar is a type of the crucifixion of the Christ for the salvation of Adam and his children. The proof of this is the saying of the Christ in the holy Gospel to the children of lsrael, that “your father Abraham did not cease to long to look on my days, and when he saw them, he rejoiced in them.” The lamb which Abraham saw hanging on the tree was a type of the slaying of the Christ in the body, which He had taken from us, and of His crucifixion also, because the lamb was not the child of a ewe and was worthy of being sacrificed. In that place Abraham saw what pertained p. 40 to the salvation of Adam through the crucifixion of the Christ. In the hour that Abraham took up Isaac to the altar, Jerusalem began to be built, and the reason was this. When Melchizedek, priest of God, appeared to men, his fame reached the kings of the nations, and they came to him from every region to be blessed. Among those that came to him were Abimelech king of Gerar, Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Delassar (Ellasar), Kedarlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of men, Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, or Simeon king of the Amorites, and Simair king of Saba, Bislah king of Bela, Hiar king of Damascus, and Yaftar king of the deserts. When these kings, O my son Clement, saw Melchizedek king of Peace and priest of God, and heard his word, they honoured and applauded him and asked him to journey with them to their lands. He told them that he was not allowed to leave his place, in which God had appointed him to an office. Their unanimous counsel was that a city should be built for him at their expense, and that they should rule it. They built for him the Holy City, and delivered it to him, and Melchizedek called it Jerusalem.

Then Maoalon king of Teman journeyed to Melchizedek when his fame reached him, and gave him noble and glorious presents. He honoured him when he saw him and heard his word. All kings and nations honoured him and called him the Father of Kings. Some people think that Melchizedek will not die, and bring as proof the saying of David the Prophet in his psalms, “Thou art a priest for ever after the figure of Melchizedek.” David does not wish (to say) in this his saying that he will not die, and how can this be when he is a man? But God honoured him and made him His priest, and in the Torah there is no mention of a beginning to his days. Therefore David sang as he sang about him. Moses does not make mention of him in his book, for he was only relating the genealogy of the Fathers. But Shem the son of Noah has told us in the books of the Testaments that Melchizedek was the son of Malih, son of Arphaxad, son of Shem, son of Noah; and his mother was Jozedek.

In the hundredth year of Abraham there reigned in the East p. 41 a king called Karmos, he who built Shamshat, and Claudia, and Careem, and Leouza. He had a son called Cârân and three daughters; the name of the one being Shamshout, and the other Harzea, and the other Leouza, and he called these cities by their names. When Peleg had reached fifty years, Nimrod journeyed to the province of Mesopotamia, and built Nisibis, and Raha (Edessa), and Haran; to every city he put a wall, and he called the wall of Haran by the name of Harteeb, the wife of Sem, priest of the beautiful mountains. The people of Haran made an image in the form of this Sem, and worshipped it. Ba‘alsameen fell in love with Nalkeez wife of Nimroda, and Nimroda fled before Ba‘alsameen; on account of this the children of Israel wept over Nimroda and burnt the city of Haran in anger about him. When Sarah died, Abraham the famous (or the Friend, i.e. of God) married a woman named Kentoura, daughter of Yaftour king of the deserts. When Isaac, son of Abraham, reached forty years, Eleazar his servant journeyed in search of her who was named Rebecca for Isaac. When Abraham reached one hundred and seventy years he died; his sons Ishmael and Isaac buried him by the side of Sarah his wife. When Isaac reached sixty years, Rebecca his wife conceived Jacob and Esau. When the birth-pangs took hold of her, she went to Melchizedek; he blessed her and prayed over her. He said to her, “God has already formed two men in thy womb, who shall be chiefs of two great nations. The elder of them shall be beneath the younger. Each of them shall hate his brother, and the elder shall serve a man of the race of the other. I am servant of that man, whose name shall be called ‘the living God,’ and he shall come up upon a branch of cursing because of those who rebel against him.”

When sixty years of Isaac’s life had passed, he built a city which he called Ail, and in his sixty-fourth year Jericho was built by the hand of seven kings, the king of the Hittites, the king of the Amorites, the king of the Jebusites, the king of the Canaanites, the king of the Girgashites, the king of the Hivites and the king of the [Perizzites?], and every one of them built p. 42 a wall to it. But the town which was called Masr (Egypt), the king of the Copts had built. Ishmael was the first to work with a hand-mill, and it was called the mill of the kingdom. After one hundred and thirty years of the life of Isaac; that is in the seventy-seventh year of Jacob, God blessed Jacob, and he received the blessings of Isaac, and the blessing of Esau his brother by deceit. He journeyed to the land of the East. While he was on his journey, behold, a deep sleep came upon him. He prepared below his head seven stones and slept upon them. In his sleep he saw a ladder of fire whose top was in heaven, and its bottom on the earth. On it Angels were descending from it and ascending, and he saw the Lord sitting on the top. When he awoke he said, “Doubtless this place is the house of God.” He took the stones which were beneath his head and built them into an altar and anointed it with oil, and vowed there that he would give to God the tenth of all his goods as an offering. The power of this vision, O my son Clernent, is not difficult to those who know, for it is a prophecy of the coming of our Lord the Christ. Verily the ladder which Jacob saw was a sign of the Crucifixion, and the Angers coming down from Heaven [were] for the Gospel to Zacharia, and Mary, and the Magi and the shepherds. The place of the Lord’s seat at the top of the ladder was like the descent of our God the Christ from Heaven for our salvation, and the place where Jacob saw it was a type of the Church, which is being interpreted, the House of God. The stones are a type of the altar, and their being anointed with oil [a type] of the union of Godhead with Manhood. The vow which he made of a tenth of his goods is a type of the Eucharist. Jacob journeyed from the place of the vision till he came to the town of his uncle Laban. He saw a well of water, at which three flocks of sheep were lying down; over the mouth of the well was a great stone. Rachel, the daughter of Jacob’s uncle, was standing there with the sheep. Jacob came near to the well, removed the stone from its mouth, and watered the sheep that were with Rachel. Then he approached Rachel and kissed her. Jacob’s uncovering of the well was a type of Baptism, which was veiled from of old, and p. 43 uncovered in the latter [days]. That which the priest gives to those whom he baptizes in the water is in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Know, O my son, that Jacob did not come forward to kiss Rachel until he had uncovered the well and watered her sheep from it. Likewise, I say that it is not permitted in the law of the Christ for any one to enter the Church till after baptism, for if he is baptized, he has become one of Christ’s sheep. The prophet Moses said in his book that Jacob wrought with his uncle Laban seven years for Rachel, whom he loved of Laban’s daughters, for she was at the height of beauty, but he gave him his ugly daughter. Like this was the story of Moses with the Jews whom God saved from the bondage of Pharaoh. On account of them he did not give the young girl, but he gave her who was old and faded. Verily the first girl whom he gave to Jacob had ugly eyes, and the second one was perfect in face and had beautiful eyes. The face of the first one was covered lest the children of Israel should look at its beauty; the second one had her face uncovered, and had a bright, and shining and beautiful personality. The girl with ugly eyes who was spouse of Jacob was the type of the people of his day whom he ruled; in his time there were prophets, and saints and pure ones, and there was little sin in them. The faded old woman whom Moses describes, she is the people of the children of Israel which went astray in the worship of idols, and left the worship of God; and the girl whose face was covered so that it was not possible for the children of Israel to look at her was the tribe that was established on the holy mount, which did not mingle with the children of Israel, and did not look at them, and if they had looked at it (the tribe), verily they would have imitated its good works. The better and brighter girl is the tribe which received the Lord of the world, the Christ, and worshipped Him in His Godhead. He enlightened our hearts by His holiness.

When Jacob had reached sixty-nine years, Reuben was born to him, then followed him his brethren whom God brought out of the loins of Jacob; these were Simeon and Levi, Judah the ancestor of Mary, Issachar and Zebulun; Joseph and Benjamin p. 44 the sons of the beautiful Rachel; Gad and Asher, sons of Zilpah; Dan and Naphtali, sons of Bilhah the maid of Rachel. Two years after the emigration of Jacob, he returned to Isaac his father. He lived after that fully thirty-one years of Levi’s life. When he reached one hundred and twenty years his father Isaac died. Twenty-three years afterwards he journeyed from Haran to the elevated land; Joseph was sold during the lifetime of Isaac, and he was a companion to Jacob in his sorrow. After the sale of Joseph, Isaac died; his sons Jacob and Esau buried him beside the grave of his father Abraham. After nine years Rebecca died, and was buried near the grave of Abraham. Judah married Hoshâ‘ the Canaanitess; Jacob was grieved at that because she was not of the children of Israel, and said to him, “By the God of Abraham and Isaac, do not mingle the seed of Canaan with us,” and he did not accept it from him. He begat from her Er and Onan [Cod. Othen] and Shelah. Judah wedded his son Er with Tamar the daughter of Kedar, son of Levi. Er wrought the deed of the people of Sodom, and God punished him for his deed. God killed him in answer to the prayer of Jacob, and the seed of Canaan was not mingled with his seed. Then this Tamar disguised herself, and sat in the middle of the way; Judah came together with her, not knowing that she was his daughter-in-law; she conceived by him, and bare Pharez and Zarah. At this time Jacob and his children journeyed to Egypt, and stayed with Joseph for seventeen years. When he had completed [a hundred] and forty-seven years of life he died, Joseph that day being fifty-six years old. The wise physicians of Pharaoh embalmed him. After this Joseph removed his body and placed it beside the bodies of his father and of his grandfather Abraham. Pharez the son of Judah begat Hezron, and Hezron begat Aram, and Aram begat Aminadab, and Aminadab begat Nahson, who was the most cunning of the sons of Judah. And Aminadab wedded Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest to a girl, and from her he begat Phinehas the priest, who by his prayer took away death from the people, and whose was the deed with the javelin. Know that the priesthood was from Aminadab among the people of Israel, and from Nahson the kinghood came among them. Look, p. 45 O my son Clement, how from Judah came the priesthood and the kinghood among the children of Israel. Nahson begat a son, who is Salmon; Salmon begat Boaz. When Boaz was old, he married Ruth the Moabitess; in her was kinghood, for she was of the race of kings. She was of the children of Lot. God did not make Lot unclean for his cohabiting with his daughters, and did not attach blame to him, and did not depreciate his good deed in his support of his uncle Abraham in his exile, and his reception of the Angels in faith, but He put the kinghood into Ruth who was of his race, so that the Incarnation of our Lord the Christ was of the race of Abraham. Also [into] her, the wife of Solomon, son of David, by whom he begat. Solomon verily had six hundred free women and four hundred concubines, and he obtained no child from any of them, because God, may His name be praised! wished that the seed of Canaan should not mingle with the seed of the chosen people from whom Jesus the Christ took flesh. The rest of the wives of Solomon were of the children of Canaan. Nevertheless Moses the Prophet of God related, for the responsible books, the chronicles of the children of Israel relate that Levi, when he entered Egypt with his father Jacob, begat there his son Amram the father of Moses. When Moses was born he was thrown out by his mother into the Egyptian Nile, and Sapphira the daughter of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, saved him from drowning and brought him up in her father’s palace. When he grew up and had finished forty years, he killed Casoum the Egyptian, chief of the swordsmen of Pharaoh. He fled to Reuel to the priest of Midian for fear of Pharaoh, and that because Sapphira had died before this, and if she had been still there, why should Moses have been afraid of Pharaoh? Moses married Zipporah daughter of Jethro, priest of Midian. She bare him two sons, these were Gershon and Eleazar, at the time of the birth of Joshua the son of Nun, and Moses’ age was fifty-two years. When he had completed eighty years, God spake to him from the thorn bush, and his tongue stammered out of fear for God, and he said, “O Lord, at the time when thou spakest to thy servant, his tongue stammered.” All his years were 120. He spent forty in Egypt, and p. 46 forty in Midian, and he governed the children of Israel forty years in the wilderness. When he died, Joshua the son of Nun governed them thirty-one years. Then Chushan the Atheist governed them after him eight years. Then Othniel the son of Kenaz the brother of Caleb, for forty years. Then the Moabites enslaved the children of Israel for eighteen years. Then [God] prepared their deliverance from their hand. Their government was presided over by Ehud the son of Gera for eighty years. In the twenty-sixth year of the reign of this Ehud, the fourth thousand [year] from the beginning was finished. Then after him the famous Jabin presided over their government for an interval of twenty years, then Deborah and Barak looked after it for forty years. Then the Midianites conquered them, and enslaved them for seven years, then God saved them by the hand of Gideon. He presided over their government for forty years; then his son Abimelech for three years. Then Jufa (Tola) the son of Puah for twenty years, then a daughter of the Gileadite twenty-two years. Then the children of Ammon conquered the children of Israel and enslaved them for eighteen years, then God saved them by the hands of Jephthah, he who offered his daughter as a sacrifice before God. And Ibzan governed them for six years, then after him Elon son of Zebulon for ten years. Then Abdon for eight years. Then the Philistines fought with the children of Israel and subdued them and enslaved them for forty years, and God saved them by the hands of Samson. He governed them for twenty years, and after him they remained for twelve years without a leader. Then there arose to rule them Eli the priest, and he governed them for forty years, then Samuel for twenty-two years. In his time the children of Israel rebelled against God, and set up Saul as king over them; he was the first king among the children of Israel, and he governed them for forty years. In the days of Saul appeared the giant Goliath; he drove out the children of Israel and killed their young men. Then God sent against him David the Prophet, and he killed him; against Saul [He sent] the Philistines, and they killed him, because Saul left p. 47 off seeking help from God, and sought help from devils. David the son of Jesse reigned over the children of Israel for forty years. Then after his Solomon reigned over them and did many wonderful things; amogst them his sending to the city of Ophir, and bringing out the gold from its mountains, and ships continued for thirty-six months carrying gold from its mountains. Also he built the city of Tadmor in the interior of the wilderness, and wrought in it many extraordinary things. When Solomon passed by Sabad, a building built by Kourhi and Abu Nigaf (they whom Nimrod had sent to Bila‘am the priest when he heard of his occupation with the stars, and he built there this altar to the Sun and a stone fort), Solomon built there also a city called the City of the Sun. Then Aradus, which is in the middle of the sea, was built at Solomon’s command and they praised him yet more for his wisdom. There journeyed to him the Queen of Sheba and she was obedient to his religious worship. There came up to him at his command Hiram king of Tyre, and had a real love for him; he had already been a friend to David before him. His reign was before the reign of David, and he remained to the last of King Zedekiah. Solomon took one thousand wives, as we said above about him; and they deteriorated his mind when he exceeded in his love to them, and they got the power to mock at him, and it caused him to slide away from the worship of God; he sacrificed to idols and worshipped them instead of the Lord. He died, after reigning for forty years, an idolator and an infidel. Then Hiram king of Tyre was seduced and forgot his humanity and disbelieved in God, and claimed divinity, and he said, “I sit in the heart of the seas like the sitting of a God”; and news of him came to Nebuchadnezzar, and he journeyed to him till he killed him. In the chronicles of the Hebrews, O my son Clement, [we learn] that in the days of this Hiram appeared the purple dye, and this [was that] a shepherd and his sheep were on the sea-shore, and he saw a dog of his gnawing with its mouth something that came out of the sea, and its mouth was filled with its blood. He looked at the blood, and had never seen the like of it. He took some p. 48 clean wool and wiped this blood with it; with that he made a crown and put it upon his head. It had a brightness like the brightness of the sun or rays of fire. The news of it came to Hiram; he sent for him and wondered greatly at the beauty of his dye. He assembled the dyers of his kingdom and gave them a commission for its like, and they were amazed at this, until some of the wise men of his time possessed themselves of the purple shell-fish. He made garments for himself with its blood, and he rejoiced over this with a great joy. Thou, O my son, and all the Greeks, disagree with the Hebrews in this narrative. After Solomon, Rehoboam his son reigned, and defiled the land by the worship of idols, by much whoredom in the city of Jerusalem, and by sacrificing to devils. In his day the kingdom of the house of David was divided, and became two parts. In his fifth year journeyed Shishak king of Egypt to Jerusalem, and took possession of all that was in the treasuries of the Lord’s house and the treasuries of David and Solomon, the vessels of gold and silver, and he was strengthened by this in his power. He said to the Jews, “This is none of your earning; it is some of what your fathers brought out of Egypt at the time of their flight.” And Rehoboam the son of Solomon died an infidel, after he had reigned for seventeen years. Abia his son reigned after him, being twenty years old. He enslaved Jerusalem and destroyed it, and his mother Ma‘ka, the daughter of Abishalom, commended his deeds. He died after three years, and Asa reigned. He did right, and abolished the worship of the stars and the images, and whoredom from Jerusalem. He drove away his mother from his kingdom, because she committed adultery and built an altar to the idols. There came to him Azârâh king of Hind, and Asa put him to flight, and reigned for forty years, then he died. After him his son Jehoshaphat reigned, and he went in the way of his father in righteousness, but he loved the household of Ahab, and kept company with them. He built ships, and sent by them to the land of Ophir to bring gold from its mountains. God sunk his ships, and was angry with him and his mother p. 49 Sem daughter of Uriah daughter of Shalom. When he had died, his son Joram reigned, being thirty-two years of age. He was disobedient, and sacrificed to devils, on account of his wife Aliah (Athaliah) daughter of Amsir (Omri) son of the sister of Ahab. He died an infidel. After him Ahaziah reigned, being twenty years of age. He was a shameless infidel. The Lord delivered him over to his enemies, and they killed him after one year of his reign. His mother took the kingdom to herself, and killed the kings’ sons, that thereby she might destroy the kingdom of the family of David. None were saved from her except Joash, for Jehosheba the daughter of Joram son of Jehoshaphat hid him. She increased adultery and infidelity in Jerusalem. She died after seven years, and the people of Jerusalem thought about who should reign over them, Jehoiada knew about that, and their choice fell upon none but Joash whom Jehoiada had hidden. He sent and brought [him] out to the house of the Lord; the warriors completely armed surrounded him and Jehoiada the priest seated him upon the throne of the family of David his father, he being seven years of age. His mother’s name was Zibiah of the family of Sheba. Jehoiada the priest covenanted with him that he should do righteousness before the Lord. When Jehoiada the priest died, Joash forgot his covenants, and did not know rightly what was administered from the throne of the family of David, nor the shedding of innocent blood. He died after he had reigned for forty years. After him his son reigned, and his mother’s name was Jehoaddan. He killed every one who had killed any one of his household, but spared their sons, for in this he followed the law of the Lord. He died after he had reigned for twenty-nine years, and his son Azariah reigned after him, being twenty years old. His mother’s name was Jecholiah. He did right before the Lord, save that he was bold about the priesthood, for which reason he became a leper, and God weakened the power of Isaiah the prophet from prophecy until this Azariah died, because he did not reprove him for his boldness about the priesthood. The duration of his reign was fifty-two p. 50 years, and Jotham his son reigned after him, being twenty-five years of age, and his mother’s name was Jerusha the daughter of Dafma (Zadok). He did right, and the duration of his reign was sixteen years. After him his son Ahaz reigned, being twenty years of age; his mother’s name was Jahkebez the daughter of Levi. He did wickedly, and sacrificed to devils and idols. God was angry with him, and Tiglath son of Cardak, king of Assyria, came against him, and besieged him. Ahaz wrote himself down his vassal, and delivered Jerusalem up to the Assyrians, and he carried all the gold and silver that was in the temple of God to Assyria the regions of Tiglath. In his time the children of Israel were led captive, and went down to Babylon. The king of Assyria sent instead Babylonians to the land of Judah to dwell in it; and they complained of what befel them to the king of Assyria, and he sent to them Urijah one of the priests of the children of Israel that he might teach them the law of the Lord. When they knew it, the lions ceased from them, and went to the land of Babylon and to Samaria. When he (Ahaz) had completed sixteen years he died, and his son Hezekiah reigned after him, being twenty-five years old, and his mother’s name was Ahi (Abi) the daughter of Zechariah. He did right and broke the idols, and caused the sacrifices to cease, and cut up the serpent that Moses had made in the wilderness of the wandering (Tih), because the children of Israel were seduced in their worship of it. In the fourth year of his reign, Shalmanezer king of Assyria came to Jerusalem, and took captive the Israelites who were in it, and drove them away to a place beyond Babylon named Media. In the twenty-sixth year journeyed Sennacherib king of the province to the cities of Judah, and took captive those whom he found in them and their villages excepting Jerusalem. Verily it was saved by the prayer and cries of king Hezekiah. When Hezekiah was ill with his death-sickness, he grieved and wept because he had no son to reign after him; he prayed before the Lord, and said, “Lord, have mercy on Thy servant, and do not let him die without offspring; let not the kingdom fail from the house of David, nor the blessings cease which have come on the tribes in my days.” The Lord answered him, and told him that p. 51 He had added to his life fifteen years; he recovered; a son was born to him, and he called him Manasseh. When twenty-six years of his reign were finished, and he was rejoicing in his son, he died. His son reigned after him, being twelve years old; his mother’s name was Hephzibah. He did wickedly, and his infidelity surpassed all the infidel kings that were before him in evil-doing. He built an altar to idols, and sacrificed to them; he defiled Jerusalem with corruption, and the worship of idols. He took Isaiah the prophet, and they sawed him with a wooden saw from the middle of his head to between his feet, because he had reproved him for his wicked deeds. Isaiah’s age that day was one hundred and twenty years, he began to prophesy when he was ninety years old. Then Manasseh repented about that, and turned to his Lord; he put on sackcloth, and imposed a fast upon himself [all] the days of his life. God accepted his repentance and he died. His son Amon reigned after him, being that day twenty-two years of age; his mother’s name was Musalmath the daughter of Hasoun. He did wicked deeds before the Lord, and burned his children in the fire. He reigned twelve years and he died. After him his son Josiah reigned, being sixty-eight years of age; his mother’s name was Arnea, daughter of Azariah son of Tarfeeb. He kept righteously the feast of the Passover, a feast such as the children of Israel had never kept since the time of the Prophet Moses; he abolished the sacrifices to the images, broke the idols, sawed them with saws, killed their worshippers, and burnt in the fire the bones of the prophets of the Honoured One. He cleansed Jerusalem from defilements. None like him reigned over the Jews before him nor after him. He remained there for thirty years, but Pharaoh king of Egypt killed him. After him his son Jehoahaz reigned, being twenty-two years of age; his mother’s name was Hamtoul the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. Not more than three months of his reign had passed when Pharaoh the lame bound him, made him fast with chains, and carried him to Egypt, and he died there. After him his brother Jehoiakim reigned, being twenty-five years of age; his mother’s name was Zobeed, daughter of Yerkuiah of the town of Al-Ramah. In the third year of his p. 52 reign Nebuchadnezzar approached Jerusalem, reigned over it, and made him his vassal for three years. He rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, and death overtook him. His son Jehoiachin reigned after him, being eighteen years of age; his mother’s name was Tahseeb the daughter of Lutanan of the people of Jerusalem. Nebuchadnezzar journeyed a second time to Jerusalem, bound him after three months of his reign, and carried him and his officers and the armies of his soldiers to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar in his first attack had bound the wife of Jehoiakim and other wives of the grandees and nobles of Jerusalem, and carried them to Babylon. The wife of Jehoiakim was pregnant that day, and in the way she gave birth to Daniel. In the Captivity were also Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael, sons of Johanan. The reason of this Captivity was that Jehoiachin had made a truce with Nebuchadnezzar, then they betrayed one another. When Johanan died, Zedekiah the uncle of Jehoiakim reigned after him, being twenty-one years of age; the seat of all the kings of the children of Israel was Jerusalem; the name of Zedekiah’s mother was Hamtoul; he was the last of the kings of the children of Israel. After eleven years of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar journeyed for the third time to the West, to pacify its cities, and the cities of the Euphrates, and of the Great Sea. He made his way through the islands of the sea, and took captive their people, he laid Tyre waste, and smote it with fire. He killed Hiram its king as we have already said. He entered Egypt to seek those of the children of Israel who had fled, and killed its Pharaoh. He returned by sea to Jerusalem, and was victorious there a second time. He bound Zedekiah, killed his sons Jerbala and Rahmut, and carried him blind and fettered with chains to Babylon. This was a punishment from God to him for his deed that he did to the prophet Jeremiah when he threw him into a miry well. Nebuchadnezzar appointed Jozadan (Nebuzaradan) the captain of his prison in Jerusalem until he had laid waste its wall, and burned the temple of the Lord which Solomon had built in it. He demolished the rest of the dwellings of Jerusalem, carried all the tools that he found of iron and brass, and the raiment which belonged to the house p. 53 of the Lord to Babylon. Between Simeon the High Priest of Jerusalem and Jozadan captain of the prison to Nebuchadnezzar there was love and friendship. He asked if he would give him the old writings; he and Simeon carried them with him, being among the crowd of the Captivity. He saw a well in his way among the borders of the West; be laid the writings in it, and put with them a bronze vase, filled with glowing coals, and in it sweet smelling incense; he covered up this well, and went to Babylon. The devastation of Jerusalem was completed, and it became a waste. There was not one person in it, nor even a building save the tomb of the prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah in his lifetime had dwelt in a place called Samaria; he commanded a man named Uriah that he should be buried in Jerusalem, and he did it. It was not known that this place was the grave of Jeremiah except at the devastation of Jerusalem.

Now for the genealogies. The Syrians say that no one looked after them after the last devastation of Jerusalem, except among the tribe of the Philistines, and no one looked after the genealogy of the people among whom the children of Israel married, nor from whence was the beginning of the priesthood. Jehoiachin did not cease to be bound in the land of Babylon, and shut up in prison for thirty-seven years. Meanwhile there was born to Mardul a son named Mardahi, and the king let Jehoiachin out of the prison, and married him to Helmuth the daughter of Eliakim. By him she gave birth in the land of Babylon to a son, who was called Salathiel. Then he married another who was called Melkat the daughter of Ezra the teacher, and had no child by her in Babylon. At that time Cyrus reigned in Babylon. He married Masabet the sister of Zerubabel a nobleman of the Jews, according to the custom of Persia; he let her rule his affairs; she begged him to restore the children of Israel to Jerusalem, and he did this to its place where it had been before him. He commanded a herald to proclaim, that there should not remain one of the children of Israel, who should not present himself to Zerubabel his brother-in-law. When they were gathered together, he commanded him to take them to Jerusalem and that they should build it. The children p. 54 of Israel returned to Jerusalem in the second year of the reign of Cyrus the Persian. At that time was completed the fifth thousand from the beginning. The children of Israel after their return to Jerusalem remained without a teacher to teach them the law of the Lord or any writings of the prophets. When Ezra saw this, he went to the well in which the Law had been put, uncovered it, and found the vase full of fire and incense, and he found the writings faded, there was no means to get them. God revealed to him that he should receive of them from His hands; he succeeded, and threw it on his mouth once, and twice and thrice, and God put into it the power of the spirit of prophecy; he kept all the writings, and that fire which was in the vase in the well was from the fire of Paradise which was in the house of the Lord. Zerubabel journeyed to Jerusalem as king over it. By Joshua son of Jozadak the High Priest and by Ezra, the writing of the Law and the Books of the Prophets were completed. After their return, the children of Israel kept the feast of the Passover, and all the feasts that they celebrated were three. The first was the feast of Moses in Egypt, the second the feast of Josiah, and the third after their return from Babylon in the days of Cyrus the Persian. The number of the years of the Captivity which Jeremiah the prophet mentions are seventy years. The children of Israel built the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem, and its building was finished by the hands of Zerubabel and Joshua the son of Jozadak the priest, and Ezra the scribe of the Law, in six and forty years. When the books of the genealogies were destroyed, the fathers were in despair about genealogy, and there was despair about it after them, until their accuracy was guaranteed by the secret books of the Hebrews. I relate this to thee, my son Clement, that when Zerubabel journeyed to Jerusalem, he married Malka the daughter of Ezra the teacher, and by her he begat a son called Abiud. She had already been the wife of Jehoiachin before him. When Abiud grew up, he married Ragib, daughter of Joshua the son of Jozadak the priest. By he he begat a son called Jehoiachim. Jehoiachim married a wife, and begat a son by her. When he grew up, he married p. 55 Alfeet, daughter of Hesron, and by her he begat Zadok. Zadok married Felbin the daughter of Rahab, and by her he begat Atin. Atin married Hesheeb, daughter of Jula, and by he he begat Tur (Eliud). Tur (Eliud) married Salsin, daughter of Hasoul, and by her he begat Eleazar. Eleazar married Habeeth, daughter of Malih, and by her he begat Manar (Matthan). Manar (Matthan) married Seerâb, daughter of Phinehas, and by her he begat two sons in [one] womb. One of them was Jacob, who was called by two names, Joachim son of Yartâh. Jacob maried Had the daughter of Eleazar, and by her he begat Joseph. Joachim married Hannah, daughter of Ka‘rdal, and by her he begat Mary, by whom our Lord the Christ was incarnate. On account of our knowledge, O my son Clement, about the genealogy of the Lady Mary, and the genealogies of her ancestors, the Jews begin by assertions about us that we do not understand the genealogies, and we do not know them; and they venture to mock the mother of Light, the Lady Mary, the Virgin, and they attribute he genealogy to fornication, because they do not know that it was the Holy Ghost who came down on us, a company of twelve in the upper room of Zion, who taught us all that we need to know about the genealogies and the rest of the mysteries, as He had taught Azariah (Ezra) the teacher all the Law, so that he kept it and renewed it. Let the mouths of the cursed Jews now be stopped, and let them know assuredly that Mary the pure was of the race of Judah, also of the race of David, also of the race of Abraham; that they have nothing against the genealogies which the Holy Ghost taught us, and there is not a book left in their hands from which they can make a stand against genealogy, since their books have been burnt three times; the first time in the days of Antiochus, who defiled the temple of the Lord, and commanded sacrifices to idlos; the second by Herod at the time of the devastation of Jerusalem; and the third, hear, O blessed son, what the Holy Ghost has revealed to me, about the sixty-three fathers, whose names are registered, and how the pedigree came about to the tribe from which was incarnate our God the Christ.

p. 56

The beginning of genealogies.

Adam begat Seth. Seth married Aclima, sister of Abel, and by her begat Enos. Enos married a woman called Hita, daughter of Mahmouma of the sons of Har son of Seth, and by her begat Cainan. Cainan married Karith, daughter of Kersham son of Maheâl, and by her begat Mahlaleel. Mahlaleel married Teshabfatir, daughter of Enos, and by her begat Jared. Jared married Zebeeda, daughter of Kargilan son of Cainan, and by her begat Enoch. Enoch married Jardakin, daughter of Terbah son of Mahlaleel, and by her begat Methuselah. Methuselah married Rahoub, daughter of Serkeen son of Enoch, and by her begat Lamech. Lamech married Kifar, daughter of Jutab son of Methuselah, and by her begat Noah. Noah married Haikal, daughter of Mashamos son of Enoch, and by her begat Sem. Sem married Leah, daughter of Nasih, and by her begat Arphaxad. Arphaxad married Fardou, daughter of Salweh son of Japhet, and by her begat Salah. Salah married Muldath, daughter of Kahin son of Sem, and by her begat Obed (Eber). Obed (Eber) married Rasdah sister of Melchisedek, daughter of Malih son of Arphaxad, and by her begat Peleg. Peleg married Hadeeb, daughter of Hamlâh, and by her begat Jareu (Reu). Jareu (Reu) married Tanaa‘b, daughter of Obed (Eber), and by her begat Serug. Serug married Feel, and by her begat Nahor. Nahor married a wife, A‘âkris daughter of Reu, and by her begat Tarah. Tarah married two wives, one of them Juta, and the other Salmat, by Juta he begat Abraham and by Salmat Sarah. Abraham married Sarah, daughter of this Salmat his father’s wife, and by her begat Isaac. Isaac married a wife called Rebecca, daughter of Fathâel, and by her begat Jacob. Jacob married Leah, daughter of Laban, and by her begat Judah. Judah begat Pharez by Tamar. Pharez son of Judah married Afdeeb, daughter of Levi, and by her begat Hesron. Hesron married Farteeb, daughter of Zebulon, and by her begat Aram. Aram married Safuza, daughter of Judah, and by her begat Aminadab. Aminadab married Baruma, daughter of Hesron, and by her begat Nahshon. Nahshon married Aram, daughter p. 57 of Adam, and by her begat Salmon. Salmon married Saleeb (Rahab), daughter of Aminadab, and by her begat Boaz. Boaz married Aroof (Ruth), daughter of Lot, and by her begat Obed. Obed married Nefut, daughter of Shela, and by her begat Asse (Jesse). Asse (Jesse) married Amrat, daughter of Othan, and by her begat David. David married Balseba‘ (Bathsheba), daughter of Joutân son of Shela, and by her begat Solomon. Solomon married Naama, daughter of Maheel, and by her begat Rehoboam: who had none like him. Rehoboam married Naheer, daughter of Al, and by her begat Abia. Abia married Maachah the daughter of Abishalom, and by her bcgat Asa. Asa married Auzbah the daughter of Shalih, and by her begat Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat married Na‘mna the daughter of Amon, and by her begat Joram. Joram married Tala‘ia, daughter of Amoi, and by her begat Ahaz. Ahaz married Suma the daughter of Balhi, and by her begat Amaziah. Amaziah married Kama, daughter of Caram, and by her begat Uzziah. Uzziah married Jerousa, daughter of Zadok, and by her begat Jeream (Jotham). Jeream (Jotham) married Jahfat, daughter of Hani, and by her begat Ahaz. Ahaz married Ahir, daughter of Zachariah, and by her begat Hezekiah. Hezekiah married Hephzibah, daughter of Jarmoun, and by her begat Manasseh. Manasseh married Artida, daughter of Azuriah, and by her begat Aman. Aman married Tarib, daughter of Murka, and by her begat Josiah. Josiah married Hamtoul, daughter of Armeed (Jeremiah), and by her begat Jehoahaz. Jehoahaz married a woman and had no sons by her. Jehoiakim reigned after the death of his brother, and married a woman called Carteem, daughter of Haluta, and by her begat Salaeel (Salathiel). Salaeel (Salathiel) married Hamtat, daughter of Eliakim, and by her begat Zerubabel. Zerubabel married Malkut, daughter of Ezra, and by her begat Armeed (Abiud). Armeed (Abiud) married Awarkeeth, daughter of Zadok, and by her begat Jachim. Jachim married Hali, daughter of Zurniem, and by her begat A‘zor. A‘zor married Afi, daughter of Hasor, and by her begat Sadoc. Sadoc married Faltir, daughter of Dorteeb, and by her begat Asham Joteed. Joteed Asham married Hasgab, daughter of Jula, and by her p. 58 begat Liud (Eliud). Liud (Eliud) married Shabshetin, daughter of Hubaballia, and by her begat Eleazar. Eleazar married Hanbeth, daughter of Jula, and by her begat Mathan. Mathan married Seerab, daughter of Phinehas, and by her begat Jacob. Jacob married Harteeb, daughter of Eleazar, and by her begat Joachim, known as Jonahir. Joachim married Hannah, and returned to the house of Eleazar. And after sixty years of his marriage to her, he begat by her Mary the Virgin, her by whom the Christ became incarnate. Joseph the Carpenter was the son of her [paternal] uncle Laha, and therefore his vote did not fall against her when Ram, priest of the children of Israel, delivered her to a man who should be surety for her. It was in the hidden work of God (may He be glorious and exalted!) and in the mystery of His knowledge that there was no escape from the Jews reproaching Mary the pure on account of her bearing the Christ. To our Master and our God and our Lord Jesus the Christ be praise and power and greatness and dignity and worship with the Father and the Holy Ghost from now unto all time and throughout all ages. Amen.