appointed

THEN Thecla was taken out of the hand of Trifina, stripped naked, had a girdle put on, and thrown into the place appointed for fighting with the beasts: and the lions and the bears were let loose upon her.

At the hour appointed, therefore, all the angels, every one rejoicing, come forth before God together to meet him and worship him at the hour that is set; †and lo, suddenly at the set time there was a meeting,† and the angels came to worship in the presence of God, and the spirit came forth to meet them, and there was a voice, saying: Whence come ye, our angels, bringing burdens of news?

And the angel answered and said unto me: Follow me, and I will show thee the place of the righteous where they are taken when they are dead. And thereafter will I take thee to the bottomless pit and show thee the souls of the sinners, into what manner of place they are taken when they are dead. And I went after the angel, and he took me into heaven, and I looked upon the firmament, and saw there the powers; and there was forgetfulness which deceiveth and draweth unto itself the hearts of men, and the spirit of slander and the spirit of fornication and the spirit of wrath and the spirit of insolence, and there were the princes of wickedness. These things saw I beneath the firmament of the heaven. And again I looked and saw angels without mercy, having no pity, whose countenances were full of fury, and their teeth sticking forth out of their mouth: their eyes shone like the morning star of the east, and out of the hairs of their head and out of their mouth went forth sparks of fire. And I asked the angel, saying: Who are these, Lord? And the angel answered and said unto me: These are they which are appointed unto the souls of sinners in the hour of necessity, even of them that have not believed that they had the Lord for their helper and have not trusted in him.

And I saw there girls clad in black raiment, and four fearful angels holding in their hands red-hot chains, and they put them upon their necks (heads) and led them away into darkness. And again I wept and asked the angel: Who are these, Lord? And he said unto me: These are they which being virgins defiled their virginity, and their parents knew it not: wherefore without ceasing they pay the due penalty. And again I beheld there men and women with their hands and feet cut off and naked, in a place of ice and snow, and worms devoured them. And when I saw it I wept and asked: Who are these, Lord? and he said unto me: These are they that injured the fatherless and widows and the poor, and trusted not in the Lord: wherefore without ceasing they pay the due penalty. And I looked and saw others hanging over a channel of water, and their tongues were exceeding dry, and many fruits were set in their sight, and they were not suffered to take of them. And I asked: Who are these, Lord? And he said unto me: These are they that brake the fast before the time appointed: therefore without ceasing do they pay this penalty. And I saw other men and women hanged by their eyebrows and their hair, and a river of fire drew them, and I said: Who are these, Lord? And he said unto me: These are they that gave themselves not unto their own husbands and wives, but unto adulterers, and therefore without ceasing they pay the due penalty. And I saw other men and women covered with dust, and their appearance was as blood, and they were in a pit of pitch and brimstone and borne down in a river of fire. And I asked: Who are these, Lord? And he said unto me: These are they that committed the wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah, men with men, wherefore they pay the penalty without ceasing.

I beheld and saw the heaven shake like unto a tree that is moved by the wind: and suddenly they cast themselves down upon their faces before the throne: and I saw the four-and-twenty elders and the four beasts worshipping God: and I saw the altar and the veil and the throne, and all of them were rejoicing, and the smoke of a sweet odour rose up beside the altar of the throne of God; and I heard a. voice saying: For what cause do ye entreat me, our angels, and our ministers? And they cried out, saying: We entreat thee, beholding thy great goodness unto mankind. And thereafter I saw the Son of God coming down out of heaven, and on his head was a crown. And when they that were in torments saw him they all cried out with one voice, saying: Have mercy upon us, O exalted Son of God ( or , Son of God Most High): thou art he that hast granted refreshment unto all that are in heaven and earth; have mercy upon us likewise: for since we beheld thee we have been refreshed. And there went forth a voice from the Son of God throughout all the torments, saying: What good works have ye done that ye should ask of me refreshment? My blood was shed for you, and not even so did ye repent: for your sake I bare a crown of thorns on mine head, for you I received buffets upon my cheeks, and not even so did ye repent. I asked for water when I hanged upon the cross, and they gave me vinegar mingled with gall: with a spear did they open my right side: for my name’s sake have they slain my servants the prophets, and the righteous: and for all these things did I give you a place of repentance, and ye would not. Yet now because of Michael the archangel of my covenant and the angels that are with him, and because of Paul my dearly beloved whom I would not grieve, and because of your brethren that are in the world and do offer oblations, and because of your sons, for in them are my commandments, and yet more because of mine own goodness: on that day whereon I rose from the dead I grant unto all you that are in torment refreshment for a day and a night for ever. And all they cried out and said: We bless thee, O Son of God, for that thou hast granted us rest for a day and a night: for better unto us is the refreshment of one day than the whole time of our life wherein we were upon earth: and if we had known clearly that this place was appointed for them that sin, we should have done none other work whatsoever, neither traded nor done any wickedness. For what profit was our pride in the world? For this our pride is taken captive, which came up out of our mouth against our neighbour: and this pain and our sore anguish and tears and the worms which are under us, these are worse unto us than the torments which we †suffer†. And as they thus spake, the angels of torment and the evil angels were wroth with them and said: How long have ye wept and sighed? for ye have had no mercy. For this is the Judgement of God on him that hath not had mercy. Yet have ye received this great grace, even refreshment for the night and day of the Lord's day, because of Paul the dearly beloved of God who hath come down unto you.

And the king having seen these things from the upper part of the house, and being terror-struck, went forth from the palace, and ran and worshipped towards the east at the coffin, and fell down before the bishop, and the presbyters, and the deacons, in repentance and confession, saying: Truly I believe in the true God, Christ Jesus. I entreat, give me the seal in Christ, and I will give you my palace, in testimony of Matthew, and you shall put the coffin upon my golden bed, in the great dining-room; only, having baptized me in it, communicate to me the Eucharist of Christ. And the bishop having prayed, and ordered him to take off his clothes, and having examined him for a long time, and he having confessed and wept over what he had done, having sealed him, and anointed him with oil, put him down into the sea, in the name of Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost. And when he came up from the water he ordered him to put on himself splendid garments, and so then having given praise and thanks, communicating the holy bread and mixed cup, the bishop first gave them to the king, saying: Let this body of Christ, and this cup, His blood shed for us, be to you for the remission of sins unto life. And a voice was heard from on high: Amen, amen, amen. And when he had thus communicated in fear and joy, the apostle appeared and said: King Fulvanus, your name shall no longer be Fulvanus; but you shall be called Matthew. And you, the son of the king, shall no longer be called Fulvanus, but Matthew also; and you Ziphagia, the wife of the king, shall be called Sophia; and Erva, the wife of your son, shall be called Synesis. And these names of yours shall be written in the heavens, and there shall not fail of your loins from generation to generation. And in that same hour Matthew appointed the king a presbyter, and he was thirty-seven years old; and the king's son he appointed deacon, being seventeen years old; and the king's wife he appointed a presbyteress; and his son's wife he appointed a deaconess, and she also was seventeen years old. And then he thus blessed them, saying: The blessing and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ shall be with you to time everlasting.

And the king having seen these things from the upper part of the house, and being terror-struck, went forth from the palace, and ran and worshipped towards the east at the coffin, and fell down before the bishop, and the presbyters, and the deacons, in repentance and confession, saying: Truly I believe in the true God, Christ Jesus. I entreat, give me the seal in Christ, and I will give you my palace, in testimony of Matthew, and you shall put the coffin upon my golden bed, in the great dining-room; only, having baptized me in it, communicate to me the Eucharist of Christ. And the bishop having prayed, and ordered him to take off his clothes, and having examined him for a long time, and he having confessed and wept over what he had done, having sealed him, and anointed him with oil, put him down into the sea, in the name of Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost. And when he came up from the water he ordered him to put on himself splendid garments, and so then having given praise and thanks, communicating the holy bread and mixed cup, the bishop first gave them to the king, saying: Let this body of Christ, and this cup, His blood shed for us, be to you for the remission of sins unto life. And a voice was heard from on high: Amen, amen, amen. And when he had thus communicated in fear and joy, the apostle appeared and said: King Fulvanus, your name shall no longer be Fulvanus; but you shall be called Matthew. And you, the son of the king, shall no longer be called Fulvanus, but Matthew also; and you Ziphagia, the wife of the king, shall be called Sophia; and Erva, the wife of your son, shall be called Synesis. And these names of yours shall be written in the heavens, and there shall not fail of your loins from generation to generation. And in that same hour Matthew appointed the king a presbyter, and he was thirty-seven years old; and the king's son he appointed deacon, being seventeen years old; and the king's wife he appointed a presbyteress; and his son's wife he appointed a deaconess, and she also was seventeen years old. And then he thus blessed them, saying: The blessing and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ shall be with you to time everlasting.

And the king having seen these things from the upper part of the house, and being terror-struck, went forth from the palace, and ran and worshipped towards the east at the coffin, and fell down before the bishop, and the presbyters, and the deacons, in repentance and confession, saying: Truly I believe in the true God, Christ Jesus. I entreat, give me the seal in Christ, and I will give you my palace, in testimony of Matthew, and you shall put the coffin upon my golden bed, in the great dining-room; only, having baptized me in it, communicate to me the Eucharist of Christ. And the bishop having prayed, and ordered him to take off his clothes, and having examined him for a long time, and he having confessed and wept over what he had done, having sealed him, and anointed him with oil, put him down into the sea, in the name of Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost. And when he came up from the water he ordered him to put on himself splendid garments, and so then having given praise and thanks, communicating the holy bread and mixed cup, the bishop first gave them to the king, saying: Let this body of Christ, and this cup, His blood shed for us, be to you for the remission of sins unto life. And a voice was heard from on high: Amen, amen, amen. And when he had thus communicated in fear and joy, the apostle appeared and said: King Fulvanus, your name shall no longer be Fulvanus; but you shall be called Matthew. And you, the son of the king, shall no longer be called Fulvanus, but Matthew also; and you Ziphagia, the wife of the king, shall be called Sophia; and Erva, the wife of your son, shall be called Synesis. And these names of yours shall be written in the heavens, and there shall not fail of your loins from generation to generation. And in that same hour Matthew appointed the king a presbyter, and he was thirty-seven years old; and the king's son he appointed deacon, being seventeen years old; and the king's wife he appointed a presbyteress; and his son's wife he appointed a deaconess, and she also was seventeen years old. And then he thus blessed them, saying: The blessing and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ shall be with you to time everlasting.

And the king having seen these things from the upper part of the house, and being terror-struck, went forth from the palace, and ran and worshipped towards the east at the coffin, and fell down before the bishop, and the presbyters, and the deacons, in repentance and confession, saying: Truly I believe in the true God, Christ Jesus. I entreat, give me the seal in Christ, and I will give you my palace, in testimony of Matthew, and you shall put the coffin upon my golden bed, in the great dining-room; only, having baptized me in it, communicate to me the Eucharist of Christ. And the bishop having prayed, and ordered him to take off his clothes, and having examined him for a long time, and he having confessed and wept over what he had done, having sealed him, and anointed him with oil, put him down into the sea, in the name of Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost. And when he came up from the water he ordered him to put on himself splendid garments, and so then having given praise and thanks, communicating the holy bread and mixed cup, the bishop first gave them to the king, saying: Let this body of Christ, and this cup, His blood shed for us, be to you for the remission of sins unto life. And a voice was heard from on high: Amen, amen, amen. And when he had thus communicated in fear and joy, the apostle appeared and said: King Fulvanus, your name shall no longer be Fulvanus; but you shall be called Matthew. And you, the son of the king, shall no longer be called Fulvanus, but Matthew also; and you Ziphagia, the wife of the king, shall be called Sophia; and Erva, the wife of your son, shall be called Synesis. And these names of yours shall be written in the heavens, and there shall not fail of your loins from generation to generation. And in that same hour Matthew appointed the king a presbyter, and he was thirty-seven years old; and the king's son he appointed deacon, being seventeen years old; and the king's wife he appointed a presbyteress; and his son's wife he appointed a deaconess, and she also was seventeen years old. And then he thus blessed them, saying: The blessing and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ shall be with you to time everlasting.

Having therefore remained with them for five years, he built a church; and having appointed as bishop one of his disciples, and presbyters, and deacons, and prayed for them, he went away, going round the cities of Syria, and teaching, and healing all the sick; whence he brought many cities and countries to Christ through His teaching. Teaching, therefore, and evangelizing along with the disciples, and healing the sick, he went to Berytus, a city of Phœnicia by the sea; and there, having taught and enlightened many, he fell asleep on the twenty-first of the month of August. And the disciples having come together, buried him with great honour; and many sick were healed, and they gave glory to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen.

And when Philip had finished this announcement, he says to them, Loose Bartholomew; and having gone up, they loosed him. And after loosing him, Philip says to him: Bartholomew, my brother in the Lord, you know that the Lord has sent you with me to this city, and you have shared with me in all the dangers with our sister Mariamme; but I know that the going forth from your body has been appointed in Lycaonia, and it has been decreed to Mariamme to go forth from the body in the river Jordan. Now therefore I command you, that when I have gone forth from my body, you shall build a church in this place; and let the leopard and the kid of the goats come into the church, for a sign to those that believe; and let Nicanora provide for them until they shall go forth from the body; and when they shall have gone forth, bury them by the gate of the church. And lay your peace upon the house of Stachys, as Christ laid His peace on this city. And let all the virgins who believe stand in that house each day, watching over the sick, walking two and two; but let them have no communication with young men, that Satan may not tempt them: for he is a creeping serpent, and he caused Adam by means of Eve to slip into death. Let it not be so again in this time as in the case of Eve. But do you, O Bartholomew, look to them well: and you shall give these injunctions to Stachys, and appoint him bishop. Do not entrust the place of the bishopric to a young man, that the Gospel of Christ may not be brought to shame; and let every one that teaches have his works equal to his words. But I am going to the Lord, and take my body and prepare it for burial with Syriac sheets of paper; and do not put round me flaxen cloth, because the body of my Lord was wrapped in linen. And having prepared my body for burial in the sheets of paper, bind it tight with papyrus reeds, and bury it in the church; and pray for me forty days, in order that the Lord may forgive me the transgression wherein I transgressed, in requiting those who did evil to me. See, O Bartholomew, where my blood shall drop upon the earth, a plant shall spring up from my blood, and shall become a vine, and shall produce fruit of a bunch of grapes; and having taken the cluster, press it into the cup; and having partaken of it on the third day, send up on high the Amen, in order that the offering may be complete.

And after the three days the plant of the vine sprouted up where the blood of the holy Philip had dropped. And they did all that had been commanded them by him, offering an offering for forty days, praying without ceasing. And they built the church in that place, having appointed Stachys bishop in the church. And Nicanora and all the faithful assembled, and did not cease, all of them, glorifying God on account of the wonders that had happened among them. And all the city believed in the name of Jesus. And Bartholomew commanded Stachys to baptize those who believed into the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

And after the forty days, the Saviour, having appeared in the form of Philip, said to Bartholomew and Mariamme: My beloved brethren, do you wish to rest in the rest of God? Paradise has been opened to me, and I have entered into the glory of Jesus. Go away to the place appointed for you; for the plant that has been set apart and planted in this city shall bear excellent fruit. Having therefore saluted the brethren, and prayed for each of them, they departed from the city of Ophioryma, the Hierapolis of Asia; and Bartholomew departed into Lycaonia, and Mariamme proceeded to the Jordan; and Stachys and those with him remained, maintaining the church in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and strength for ever and ever. Amen.

And the multitude having beheld this, cried out: The God of Philip is the only God, who has punished the unbelief of the high priest, and driven away the demon from the young man, and raised him up from the dead. And the five hundred having seen the high priest swallowed up into the abyss, and the other miracles, besought Philip, and he gave them the seal in Christ. And Philip abode in Athens two years; and having founded a church, appointed a bishop and a presbyter, and so went away to Parthia, preaching Christ. To whom be glory forever. Amen.

And Paul having come to Rome, great fear fell upon the Jews. They came together therefore to him, and exhorted him, saying: Vindicate the faith in which you were born; for it is not right that you, being a Hebrew, and of the Hebrews, should call yourself teacher of Gentiles, and vindicator of the uncircumcised; and, being yourself circumcised, that you should bring to nought the faith of the circumcision. And when you see Peter, contend against his teaching, because he has destroyed all the bulwarks of our law; for he has prevented the keeping of Sabbaths and new moons, and the holidays appointed by the law. And Paul, answering, said to them: That I am a true Jew, by this you can prove; because also you have been able to keep the Sabbath, and to observe the true circumcision; for assuredly on the day of the Sabbath God rested from all His works. We have fathers, and patriarchs, and the law. What, then, does Peter preach in the kingdom of the Gentiles? But if he shall wish to bring in any new teaching, without any tumult, and envy, and trouble, send him word, that we may see, and in your presence I shall convict him. But if his teaching be true, supported by the book and testimony of the Hebrews, it becomes all of us to submit to him.

Then Joachim, throwing himself on his face, lay in prayer from the sixth hour of the day even until evening. And his lads and hired servants who were with him saw him, and not knowing why he was lying down, thought that he was dead; and they came to him, and with difficulty raised him from the ground. And when he recounted to them the vision of the angel, they were struck with great fear and wonder, and advised him to accomplish the vision of the angel without delay, and to go back with all haste to his wife. And when Joachim was turning over in his mind whether he should go back or not, it happened that he was overpowered by a deep sleep; and, behold, the angel who had already appeared to him when awake, appeared to him in his sleep, saying: I am the angel appointed by God as your guardian: go down with confidence, and return to Anna, because the deeds of mercy which you and your wife Anna have done have been told in the presence of the Most High; and to you will God give such fruit as no prophet or saint has ever had from the beginning, or ever will have. And when Joachim awoke out of his sleep, he called all his herdsmen to him, and told them his dream. And they worshipped the Lord, and said to him: See that you no further despise the words of the angel. But rise and let us go hence, and return at a quiet pace, feeding our flocks.

On the following day, then, all having assembled early, and an incense-offering having been made, the high priest went into the holy of holies, and brought forth the rods. And when he had distributed the rods, and the dove came forth out of none of them, the high priest put on the twelve bells and the sacerdotal robe; and entering into the holy of holies, he there made a burnt-offering, and poured forth a prayer. And the angel of the Lord appeared to him, saying: There is here the shortest rod, of which you have made no account: you brought it in with the rest, but did not take it out with them. When you have taken it out, and hast given it him whose it is, in it will appear the sign of which I spoke to you. Now that was Joseph's rod; and because he was an old man, he had been cast off, as it were, that he might not receive her, but neither did he himself wish to ask back his rod. And when he was humbly standing last of all, the high priest cried out to him with a loud voice, saying: Come, Joseph, and receive your rod; for we are waiting for you. And Joseph came up trembling, because the high priest had called him with a very loud voice. But as soon as he stretched forth his hand, and laid hold of his rod, immediately from the top of it came forth a dove whiter than snow, beautiful exceedingly, which, after long flying about the roofs of the temple, at length flew towards the heavens. Then all the people congratulated the old man, saying: You have been made blessed in your old age, O father Joseph, seeing that God has shown you to be fit to receive Mary. And the priests having said to him, Take her, because of all the tribe of Judah you alone hast been chosen by God; Joseph began bashfully to address them, saying: I am an old man, and have children; why do you hand over to me this infant, who is younger than my grandsons? Then Abiathar the high priest said to him: Remember, Joseph, how Dathan and Abiron and Core perished, because they despised the will of God. So will it happen to you, if you despise this which is commanded you by God. Joseph answered him: I indeed do not despise the will of God; but I shall be her guardian until I can ascertain concerning the will of God, as to which of my sons can have her as his wife. Let some virgins of her companions, with whom she may meanwhile spend her time, be given for a consolation to her. Abiathar the high priest answered and said: Five virgins indeed shall be given her for consolation, until the appointed day come in which you may receive her; for to no other can she be joined in marriage.

And the king took him and went out of the city gates and began to speak with him on the way concerning the building of the court-house, and of the foundations, how they should be laid, until they came to the place wherein he desired that the building should be; and he said: Here will I that the building should be. And the apostle said: Yea, for this place is suitable for the building. But the place was woody and there was much water there. So the king said: Begin to build. But he said: I cannot begin to build now at this season. And the king said: When canst thou begin? And he said: I will begin in the month Dius and finish in Xanthicus. But the king marvelled and said: Every building is builded in summer, and canst thou in this very winter build and make ready a palace? And the apostle said: Thus it must be, and no otherwise is it possible. And the king said: If, then, this seem good to thee, draw me a plan, how the work shall be, because I shall return hither after some long time. And the apostle took a reed and drew, measuring the place; and the doors he set toward the sunrising to look toward the light, and the windows toward the west to the breezes, and the bakehouse he appointed to be toward the south and the aqueduct for the service toward the north. And the king saw it and said to the apostle: Verily thou art a craftsman and it befitteth thee to be a servant of kings. And he left much money with him and departed from him.

And when the apostle had said this, he went into the city holding the hand of that youth, and saying unto him: These things which thou hast seen, my child, are but a few of the many which God hath, for he doth not give us good tidings concerning these things that are seen, but greater things than these doth he promise us; but so long as we are in the body we are not able to speak and show forth those which he shall give unto our souls. If we say that he giveth us light, it is this which is seen, and we have it: and if we say it of wealth, which is and appeareth in the world, we name it, and we need it not, for it hath been said: Hardly shall a rich man enter into the kingdom of heaven: and if we speak of apparel of raiment wherewith they that are luxurious in this life are clad, it is named, and it hath been said: They that wear soft raiment are in the houses of kings. And if of costly banquets, concerning these we have received a commandment to beware of them, not to be weighed down With revelling and drunkenness and cares of this life -speaking of things that are- and it hath been said: Take no thought for your life (soul), what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink, neither for your body, what ye shall put on, for the soul is more than the meat and the body than the raiment. And of rest, if we speak of this temporal rest, a judgement is appointed for this also. But we speak of the world which is above, of God and angels, of watchers and holy ones of the immortal (ambrosial) food and the drink of the true vine, of raiment that endureth and groweth not old, of things which eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have they entered into the heart of sinful men, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. Of these things do we converse and of these do we bring good tidings. Do thou therefore also believe on him that thou mayest live, and put thy trust in him, and thou shalt not die. For he is not persuaded with gifts, that thou shouldest offer them to him, neither is he in need of sacrifices, that thou shouldest sacrifice unto him. But look thou unto him, and he will not overlook thee; and turn unto him, and he will not forsake thee. For his comeliness and his beauty will make thee wholly desirous to love him: and indeed he permitteth thee not to turn thyself away.

And the devil said: I beseech thee, give me leave to depart even whither thou wilt, and dwell there and take commandment from thee, and I will not fear the ruler that hath authority over me. For like as thou art come to preach good tidings, so I also am come to destroy; and like as, if thou fulfil not the will of him that sent thee, he will bring punishment upon thy head, so I also if I do not the will of him that sent me, before the season and time appointed, shall be sent unto mine own nature; and like as thy Christ helpeth thee in that thou doest, so also my father helpeth me in that I do; and like as for thee he prepareth vessels worthy of thine inhabiting, so also for me he seeketh out vessels whereby I may accomplish his deeds; and like as he nourisheth and provideth for his subjects, so also for me he prepareth chastisements and torments, with them that become my dwellingplaces; and like as for a recompense of thy working he giveth thee eternal life, so also unto me he giveth for a reward of my works eternal destruction; and like as thou art refreshed by thy prayer and thy good works and spiritual thanksgivings, so I also am refreshed by murders and adulteries and sacrifices made with wine upon altars, and like as thou convertest men unto eternal life, so I also pervert them that obey me unto eternal destruction and torment: and thou receivest thine own and I mine.

And Mygdonia hearing this said unto the apostle: In truth, my lord, I have received the seed of thy words, and I will bear fruit like unto such seed. The apostle saith: Our souls give praise and thanks unto thee, O Lord, for they are thine: our bodies give thanks unto thee, which thou hast accounted worthy to become the dwelling-place of thy heavenly gift. And he said also to them that stood by: Blessed are the holy, whose souls have never condemned them, for they have gained them and are not divided against themselves: blessed are the spirits of the pure, and they that have received the heavenly crown whole from the world (age) which hath been appointed them: blessed are the bodies of the holy, for they have been made worthy to become temples of God, that Christ may dwell in them: blessed are ye, for ye have power to forgive sins: blessed are ye if ye lose not that which is committed unto you, but rejoicing and departing bear it away with you: blessed are ye the holy, for unto you it is given to ask and receive: blessed are ye meek for you hath God counted worthy to become heirs of the heavenly kingdom. Blessed are ye meek, for ye are they that have overcome the enemy: blessed are ye meek, for ye shall see the face of the Lord. Blessed are ye that hunger for the Lord's sake for for you is rest laid up, and your souls rejoice from henceforth. Blessed are ye that are quiet, (for ye have been counted worthy) to be set free from sin and from the exchange of clean and unclean beasts. And when the apostle had said these things in the hearing of all the multitude, Mygdonia was the more confirmed in the faith and glory and greatness of Christ.

And after these things Judas departed to be imprisoned. And Tertia with Mygdonia and Narcia also went to be imprisoned. And the apostle Thomas said unto them -the multitude of them that had believed being present: Daughters and sisters and fellow-servants which have believed in my Lord and God, ministers of my Jesus, hearken to me this day: for I do deliver my word unto you, and I shall no more speak with you in this flesh nor in this world; for I go up unto my Lord and God Jesus Christ, unto him that sold me, unto that Lord that humbled himself even unto me the little, and brought me up unto eternal greatness, that vouchsafed to me to become his servant in truth and steadfastness: unto him do I depart, knowing that the time is fulfilled, and the day appointed hath drawn near for me to go and receive my recompense from my Lord and God: for my recompenser is righteous, who knoweth me, how I ought to receive my reward; for he is not grudging nor envious, but is rich in his gifts, he is not a lover of craft (or sparing) in that he giveth, for he hath confidence in his possessions which cannot fail.

Then the holy John said unto them: Go, and redeem to you the lands which ye have sold, for ye have lost the estates of heaven. Buy yourselves silken raiment, that for a time ye may shine like the rose which showeth its fragrance and redness and suddenly fadeth away. For ye sighed at beholding your servants and groaned that ye were become poor. Flourish, therefore, that ye may fade: be rich for the time, that ye may be beggars for ever. Is not the Lord's hand able to make riches overflowing and unsurpassably glorious? but he hath appointed a conflict for souls, that they may believe that they shall have eternal riches, who for his name's sake have refused temporal wealth. Indeed, our master told us concerning a certain rich man who feasted every day and shone with gold and purple, at whose door lay a beggar, Lazarus, who desired to receive even the crumbs that fell from his table, and no man gave unto him. And it came to pass that on one day they died, both of them, and that beggar was taken into the rest which is in Abraham's bosom, but the rich man was cast into flaming fire: out of which he lifted up his eyes and saw Lazarus, and prayed him to dip his finger in water and cool his mouth for he was tormented in the flames. And Abraham answered him and said: Remember, son, that thou receivedst good things in thy life, but this Lazarus likewise evil things. Wherefore rightly is he now comforted while thou art tormented, and besides all this, a great gulf is fixed between you and us, so that neither can they come thence hither, nor hither thence. But he answered: I have five brethren: I pray that some one may go to warn them, that they come not into this flame. And Abraham said to him: They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them. To that he answered: Lord, unless one rise up again, they will not believe. Abraham said to him: If they believe not Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe, if one rise again. And these words our Lord and Master confirmed by examples of mighty works: for when they said to him: Who hath come hither from thence, that we may believe him? he answered: Bring hither the dead whom ye have. And when they had brought unto him a young man which was dead, he was waked up by him as one that sleepeth, and confirmed all his words. But wherefore should I speak of my Lord, when at this present there are those whom in his name and in your presence and sight I have raised from the dead: in whose name ye have seen palsied men healed, lepers cleansed, blind men enlightened, and many delivered from evil spirits? But the riches of these mighty works they cannot have who have desired to have earthly wealth. Finally, when ye yourselves went unto the sick and called upon the name of Jesus Christ, they were healed: ye did drive out devils and restore light to the blind. Behold, this grace is taken from you, and ye are become wretched, who were mighty and great. And where as there was such fear of you upon the devils that at your bidding they left the men whom they possessed, now ye will be in fear of the devils. For he that loveth money is the servant of Mammon: and Mammon is the name of a devil who is set over carnal gains, and is the master of them that love the world. But even the lovers of the world do not possess riches, but are possessed of them. For it is out of reason that for one belly there should be laid up so much food as would suffice a thousand, and for one body so many garments as would furnish clothing for a thousand men. In vain, therefore, is that stored up which cometh not into use, and for whom it is kept, no man knoweth, as the Holy Ghost saith by the prophet: In vain is every man troubled who heapeth up riches and knoweth not for whom he gathereth them. Naked did our birth from women bring us into this light, destitute of food and drink: naked will the earth receive us which brought us forth. We possess in common the riches of the heaven, the brightness of the sun is equal for the rich and the poor, and likewise the light of the moon and the stars, the softness of the air and the drops of rain, and the gate of the church and the fount of sanctification and the forgiveness of sins, and the sharing in the altar, and the eating of the body and drinking of the blood of Christ, and the anointing of the chrism, and the grace of the giver, and the visitation of the Lord, and the pardon of sin: in all these the dispensing of the Creator is equal, without respect of persons. Neither doth the rich man use these gifts after one manner and the poor after another. But wretched and unhappy is the man who would have something more than sufficeth him: for of this come heats of fevers rigours of cold, divers pains in all the members of the body, and he can neither be fed with food nor sated with drink, that covetousness may learn that money will not profit it, which being laid up bringeth to the keepers thereof anxiety by day and night, and suffereth them not even for an hour to be quiet and secure. For while they guard their houses against thieves, till their estate, ply the plough, pay taxes, build storehouses, strive for gain, try to baffle the attacks of the strong, and to strip the weak, exercise their wrath on whom they can, and hardly bear it from others, shrink not from playing at tables and from public shows, fear not to defile or to be defiled, suddenly do they depart out of this world, naked, bearing only their own sins with them, for which they shall suffer eternal punishment.

But as Stratocles went with the apostle unto the place appointed, Andrew perceived that he was wroth with Aegeates and was reviling him in a low voice, and said unto him: My child Stratocles, I would have thee henceforth possess thy soul unmoved, and remove from thyself this temper, and neither be inwardly disposed thus toward the things that seem hard to thee, nor be inflamed outwardly: for it becometh the servant of Jesus to be worthy of Jesus. And another thing will I say unto thee and to the brethren that walk with me: that the man that is against us, when he dareth aught against us and findeth not one to consent unto him, is smitten and beaten and wholly deadened because he hath not accomplished that which he undertook; let us therefore, little children, have him alway before our eyes, lest if we fall asleep he slaughter us (you) like an adversary.

But when Andrew heard it, he began to say: O the dullness and disobedience and simplicity of them whom I have taught! how much have I spoken, and even to this day I have not persuaded them to flee from the love of earthly things! but they are yet bound unto them and continue in them, and will not depart from them. What meaneth this affection and love and sympathy with the flesh? how long heed ye worldly and temporal things? how long understand ye not the things that be above us, and press not to overtake them? leave me henceforth to be put to death in the manner which ye behold, and let no man by any means loose me from these bonds, for so is it appointed unto me to depart out of the body and be present with the Lord, with whom also I am crucified. And this shall be accomplished.

And in the same hour they worshipped him as a God, falling down at his feet, and <brought> the sick whom they had at home, that he might heal them. But the prefect seeing that so great a multitude waited upon Peter, signified to Peter that he should withdraw himself: and Peter told the people to come unto Marcellus' house. But the mother of the lad besought Peter to set foot in her house. But Peter had appointed to be with Marcellus on the Lord's day, to see the widows even as Marcellus had promised, to minister unto them with his own hands. The lad therefore that was risen again said: I depart not from Peter. And his mother, glad and rejoicing, went unto her own house. And on the next day after the sabbath she came to Marcellus' house bringing unto Peter two thousand pieces of gold, and saying unto Peter: Divide these among the virgins of Christ which serve him. But the lad that was risen from the dead, when he saw that he had given nothing to any man, went home and opened the press and himself offered four thousand pieces of gold, saying unto Peter: Lo, I also which was raised, offer a double offering, and myself also from this day forward as a speaking sacrifice unto God.

Mary saith: Thou art the image of Adam: was not he first formed and then Eve? Look upon the sun, that according to the likeness of Adam it is bright. and upon the moon, that because of the transgression of Eve it is full of clay. For God did place Adam in the east and Eve in the west, and appointed the lights that the sun should shine on the earth unto Adam in the east in his fiery chariots, and the moon in the west should give light unto Eve with a countenance like milk. And she defiled the commandment of the Lord. Therefore was the moon stained with clay and her light is not bright. Thou therefore, since thou art the likeness of Adam, oughtest to ask him: but in me was he contained that I might recover the strength of the female.

These are the archangels who are above angels, measure all life in heaven and on earth, and the angels who appointed over seasons and years, the angels who are over rivers and sea, and who are over the fruits of the earth, and the angels who are over every grass, giving food to all, to every living thing, and the angels who write all the souls of men, and all their deeds, and their lives before the Lord's face; in their midst are six Phoenixes and six Cherubim and six six-winged ones continually with one voice singing one voice, and it is not possible to describe their singing, and they rejoice before the Lord at his footstool.

The sun that it should go according to each animal (sc. signs of the zodiac), twelve, and I appointed the succession of the months and their names and lives, their thunderings, and their hour-markings, how they should succeed.

I conceived a cunning saying to say, I created man from invisible and from visible nature, of both are his death and life and image, he knows speech like some created thing, small in greatness and again great in smallness, and I placed him on earth, a second angel, honourable, great and glorious, and I appointed him as ruler to rule on earth and to have my wisdom, and there was none like him of earth of all my existing creatures.

And I appointed him a name, from the four component parts, from east, from west, from south, from north, and I appointed for him four special stars, and I called his name Adam, and showed him the two ways, the light and the darkness, and I told him:

And I appointed him a name, from the four component parts, from east, from west, from south, from north, and I appointed for him four special stars, and I called his name Adam, and showed him the two ways, the light and the darkness, and I told him:

AND I appointed the eighth day also, that the eighth day should be the first-created after my work, and that the first seven revolve in the form of the seventh thousand, and that at the beginning of the eighth thousand there should be a time of not-counting, endless, with neither years nor months nor weeks nor days nor hours.

And the Lord appointed him ruler over all, and subjected to him all things under his hands, and made them dumb and made them dull that they be commanded of man, and be in subjection and obedience to him.

And the Lord saw all man's works, and created all his creatures, and divided time, from time he fixed the years, and from the years he appointed the months, and from the months he appointed the days, and of days he appointed seven.

And the Lord saw all man's works, and created all his creatures, and divided time, from time he fixed the years, and from the years he appointed the months, and from the months he appointed the days, and of days he appointed seven.

And the Lord saw all man's works, and created all his creatures, and divided time, from time he fixed the years, and from the years he appointed the months, and from the months he appointed the days, and of days he appointed seven.

And in those he appointed the hours, measured them out exactly, that man might reflect on time and count years, months, and hours, their alternation, beginning, and end, and that he might count his own life, from the beginning until death, and reflect on his sin and write his work bad and good; because no work is hidden before the Lord, that every man might know his works and never transgress all his commandments, and keep my handwriting from generation to generation.

Seven spirits therefore are appointed against man, and they are the leaders in the works of youth.

And I was swift on my feet like the deer, and my father Jacob appointed me for all messages, and as a deer did he give me his blessing.

And Sennacherib the king said, 'Take him, I have given him to thee.' And Haiqar took Nadan, his sister's son, and bound his hands with chains of iron, and took him to his dwelling, and put a heavy fetter on his feet, and tied it with a tight knot, and after binding him thus he cast him into a dark room, beside the retiring-place, and appointed Nebu-hal as sentinel over him to give him a loaf of bread and a little water every day.

Within three days after the publication of this decree, they must make lists of slaves for the officers appointed to carry out our will, and immediately produce the persons of the captives.

The whole of the floor is paved with stones and slopes down to the appointed places, that water may be conveyed to wash away the blood from the sacrifices, for many thousand beasts are sacrificed there on the feast days.

And since he considered the matter one of great importance, he appointed also legal officers for every district with their assistants, that the farmers and their advocates might not in the interests of business empty the granaries of the city, I mean, of the produce of husbandry.

And Nicanor summoned the lord high steward, Dorotheus, who was the special officer appointed to look after the Jews, and commanded him to make the necessary preparation for each one.

For as many cities as have special customs in the matter of drinking, eating, and reclining, have special officers appointed to look after their requirements.

Now Dorotheus who was the patron appointed to look after Jewish guests was a very conscientious man.

And he said, 'If you have a firm grasp of the thought that all men are appointed by God to share the greatest evil as well as the greatest good, since it is impossible for one who is a man to be exempt from these. But God to whom we ought always to pray, inspires us with courage to endure.'

Then he ordered that three talents of silver should be presented to each of them, and appointed one of his slaves to deliver over the money.

So he appointed Jason high-priest and made him chief ruler over the people.

For knowledge He hath appointed as its way, He hath widened it and extended it; and brought to all perfection;

And a way has been appointed for those who cross after Him and for those who adhere to the course of faith in Him and worship His name. Hallelujah.

And He answered and said unto me: 'Wherefore at that time he appointed for them a covenant and said: "Behold I have placed before you life and death," And he called heaven and earth to witness against them.

For as you have not forgotten the people who now are and those who have passed away, so I remember those who are appointed to come.

And He answered and said unto me: 'Into twelve parts is that time divided, and each one of them is reserved for that which is appointed for it.

And it shall come to pass, when that appointed day has gone by, that then shall the aspect of those who are condemned be afterwards changed, and the glory of those who are justified.

(It is He) who hath established in (their) courses the lights (of heaven) for determining seasons from year to year, And they have not turned aside from the way which He appointed them

Appointed a reward for victory;

As it hath been appointed. For to him

Shall under his appointed lot expire,

Sends forth the appointed lot to seven-hilled Rome.

the king of Assyria had thus spoken, he appointed with him 2 other men to see how

heard this he asked the two men whom he had appointed with Nabusumiskun and they said, 'So it was, as

Then shall some part of the tribes go up and come to the place appointed for them and shall entrench the place anew.

For lo! I have been appointed to be with thee and with the generation prepared (to spring) from thee; and with me Michael blesseth thee for ever.

And I worshipped the Lord God of Israel, and bade another demon come forward. And there came before me a dragon, three-headed, of fearful hue. And I questioned him: "Who art thou?" And he answered me: "I am a caltrop-like spirit, whose activity in three lines. But I blind children in women's wombs, and twirl their ears round. And I make them deaf and mute. And I have again in my third head means of slipping in. And I smite men in the limbless part of the body, and cause them to fall down, and foam, and grind their teeth. But I have my own way of being frustrated, Jerusalem being signified in writing, unto the place called 'of the head." For there is fore-appointed the angel of the great counsel, and now he will openly dwell on the cross. He doth frustrate me, and to him am I subject."

And Pentephres said to her: "Lo! Joseph, the mighty one of God, cometh to us to-day, and this man is ruler of all the land of Egypt; and King Pharaoh appointed him ruler of all our land and king, and he himself giveth corn to all this country, and saveth it from the coming famine; and this Joseph is a man that worshippeth God, and discreet and a virgin as thou art to-day, and a man mighty in wisdom and knowledge, and the spirit of God is upon him and the grace of the Lord is in him.

But Joseph said: "I go to-morrow to Pharaoh the king, for that he himself is my father and appointed me ruler over all this land, and I will speak to him concerning Asenath, and he will give her to me to wife."

Then Pharaoh's son gave the four brethren five hundred men each and appointed them their chiefs and leaders.

THE DOCTRINE OF THE DIDASCALIA OF THE FATHERS, THE HOLY AND PURE LIGHTS OF THE WORLD, THE APOSTLES. IN THE NAME OF GOD THE FATHER ALMIGHTY AND OF HIS ONLY-BEGOTTEN SON JESUS CHRIST, AND OF THE PARACLETE, THE HOLY SPIRIT, We, the Twelve Apostles, ministers of His only-begotten Son Jesus Christ, being gathered together in one place in Jerusalem, the city of the great King, and with us our good and holy brother Paul, the Apostle of all the Gentiles, and James, the brother of our Lord, who is the bishop of this city of Jerusalem, have ordained this right doctrine, and have appointed degrees of offices for the Church, according to the pattern of that which is in heaven; and we charge each one of you severally, with thanksgiving for that our Lord Jesus hath called us to His glory. The bishop is in the likeness of the shepherd of the sheep, and the presbyter in the likeness of a teacher, and the deacon as a minister, and the sub-deacon, behold, he is as the same; and the reader also, and the skilful singers... and the rest of the people as those who hearken to the word of the Gospel, and, moreover, understand the word of admonition. For thus have we ordained the law for the Church, (even) this book of admonition, which we have written, and have sent with Clement, our ministering brother, into the world, that men may walk according to the commandment of the Churches which are under heaven, and may have perfect understanding, that, when they have heard these commandments which are written therein, they may find life eternal, honour and glory from our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath bestowed on us this mystery which is from Himself. But those who keep not His law shall be cast into the fire which is not quenched, and their abode also shall be in the fire of Gehenna for ever, as it is written. (AC. i.] But apostles and presbyters and all.the people, who have believed in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and work righteousness and peace, shall find compassion and mercy from God the Father, the Ruler of the whole world, and His Son Jesus Christ, and shall come to knowledge of Him in the Holy Church of God. And those who serve Him shall be a pure and elect vineyard, and shall find life eternal by this faith, and victory by the Holy Spirit; and shall be strong by the power of Jesus Christ and the faith of Him who hath redeemed them by the sprinkling of His holy and precious blood, and hath bestowed on them the privilege that they should call on the Almighty, that He should be their Father and their God and their Friend, and that they should be fellow-heirs and joint-partakers of His Holy Son. Hearken to the holy admonition, ye who receive at the commandment of our Saviour the words of the Gospel and His glad tidings." which is full of glory. [i., 1.] O ye children of God, keep His commandments and do!’ His will; but if there be anyone that seeketh to follow after sin and that doeth all things that are not pleasing to God, he shall be numbered with those who transgress His law and His commandment. And now I say unto you, keep far from injustice and oppression, and desire not to take for yourselves the portion which is greater and (to leave) to your neighbour the less. For it is written in the law, saying, “Thou shalt not desire thy neighbour’s wife, nor his field, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything; none of the possessions of thy brother,” nor anything like thereto; it is adultery. But if there be anyone who desireth to do thus in the lust of his heart, he shall be far from God, (even) our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory with His Father and the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen. For He teacheth us and giveth us understanding and strengtheneth us by the Holy Spirit, that He may fulfil the law, in which it is written, saying, “Thou shalt not commit adultery, but I say unto you, everyone who hath looked upon a woman and lusted after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.’’? And he also who desireth to do thus shall be condemned with the adulterers. And, behold, he that thinketh in his heart, and desireth to take unjustly his (neighbour’s) ox, or his ass, or his field, and continueth so to do, shall be numbered with the adulterers. For the prophet saith, “Woe unto them that join house with house and unite field with field, and hedge with hedge, that they may take what is not theirs.” And again it is said, “ Know ye who dwell on the earth that this word was heard in the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.”’ And in another place also it is said, ‘Cursed be everyone that stealeth his neighbour’s landmark, and the people shall say, So be it.’"? Wherefore Moses saith, Desire not thy neighbour’s landmark and take not away the law which thy fathers ordained.” Because of these things come fear, and death, and trouble; and judgment from God shall find those who do thus. But such as hearken to the word of God, and keep His glorious law in faith, shall find compassion and mercy. For it is said, “What thou hatest for thyself, do not to thy neighbour.” And as thou dost not desire that any other should look upon thy wife to lead her astray in sin, so likewise do not thou look upon the wife of another with evil thoughts. And as thou dost not desire that another should take thy garment, so likewise do not thou take the garment of another. And as thou dost not desire for thyself cursing, and reproach, and beating, so likewise do not thou thus unto thy neighbour. [i., 2.] But if there be anyone who hath cursed thee, do thou bless him; for it is written in the Book of Numbers, “ Blessed be those that bless thee, and cursed be those that curse thee. And, moreover, it is written in the Gospel, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them that oppress you; and do good to them that hate you, and render not evil to them that oppress you, but bear with them patiently.’"" For the Scripture saith, “Take not vengeance on thine enemy for the evil which he hath done against thee; and for this cause the Lord will help thee, and bring judgment upon thine enemy.” For it is said in the Gospel, “Love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you, that ye may be the sons of your Father who is in heaven, for he maketh the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and unjust.” — Beloved, let us understand these commandments, that we may be sons of light. [i., 3-] Bear patiently with one another, O ye sons of God. And let the husband also bear patiently with his wife, and not be haughty or false; but let him be merciful and upright, and cherish her alone in love and humility. And let him not take pleasure in, nor desire, another woman, lest she lead him astray unto evil. But if thou committest adultery, and doest thus, thou shalt surely die, and the wrath of God shall come upon thee; and thou shalt be condemned with a bitter condemnation. But if thou thinkest evil in thy heart, and committest not adultery with her, it shall be sin unto thee. And if thou hast prepared and adorned thyself, that the wife of thy neighbour may love thee, thou hast erred and hast become a stumbling-block unto her, and made her to commit adultery. And for this cause condemnation shall come upon thee, for God saith, ‘‘Thou shalt not desire,” and ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery.” ‘? For thou hast led her astray to love thee by the beauty of thy youth, and by the charm of thy face, and for this cause thou hast become a partaker with her in the work of sin and thy curse. Wherefore it is meet that thou shouldest pray to the Lord thy God, that all this sin find thee not out. But thou oughtest in purity to please God, that thou mayest find rest and life eternal before God. For it is said, Let not the hair of thy head grow long, but cut (it) and purify thyself, that thou mayest serve God and not be separated from Him. But do not thou anoint thyself with perfumed ointment, nor clothe thyself with gorgeous apparel to lead women astray, nor vaunt thyself, nor become an occasion of sin, but seek purity and well-doing. And thou, O man of God, let not the hair of thy head grow long; plait (it) not, nor curl (it), for all this is a sign of impurity and adultery. For it is written in Deuteronomy, “And thou shalt not put on a garment which is woven with wool and flax: thou shalt make for thyself a twisted fringe for thy garment.”.. But we ought not to shave our beards, nor to change the nature of man into another fashion. And if thou doest thus, thou art a transgressor of the law and far from God, who created thee in His image and His likeness. But if thou desirest to please God, do no evil, and put far from thee all that thy God hateth i., 4.) And be not a drunkard, and walk not in the streets with the adulterers without wisdom and knowledge, but labour and live by the work of thy hands; and seek to do all that is pleasing to God; and remember the word of our Lord Jesus, and follow Him at all times. For the Scripture saith, “And who readeth his law day and night; whether in the way, or in the house or while thou sleepest, love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy mind and with all thy strength,” that thou mayest find from Him compassion and mercy.

THAT WE OUGHT NOT TO ADMONISH ANY MAN EXCEPT IT BE PROVED BY TESTIMONY THAT HE HATH SINNED. For he that thrusteth forth an innocent person, is worse than a murderer, and perceiveth not the mercy of God, for he remembereth not the love of his neighbour. And he who doeth thus shall not find salvation, for he hath slipped away, and fallen into grievous sin, because he hath not admonished, nor converted those who have committed many sins, but hath scattered the flock of God, and also fought against Him. For God is righteous, and righteous is His judgment, wherewith He judgeth all, righteous men and sinners; (He is) merciful to those who turn unto Him in righteousness and mercy and meekness, as David the beloved of God (saith).‘ [ii., 22.] The bishop, then, ought to judge upright and follow after God and do His will, for God judgeth righteously those that turn to Him. Rememberest thou not David, when he sinned and Nathan said unto him, Why hast thou done thus? And he said, I have sinned and I repent. And when he confessed his iniquity, he was saved from death. And Nathan said unto him, “Be of good cheer and doubt not; thou shalt not die."” Jonah the prophet, also, not wishing to preach to the men of Nineveh, was plunged in the sea, and a whale swallowed him up, but afterwards he came forth from the whale’s belly, and was saved from death. And Hezekiah, also—when he became proud, judgment came upon him. And Hezekiah humbled himself, and forsook his pride, and wept before God, and (God) had mercy on him. Hear, ye bishops, the profit that is in this matter; for it is written in the Fourth Book of Kings: ‘And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead. Twelve years old was Manasseh when he began to reign, (and) fifty and five years reigned he in Jerusalem, and his mother's name was Hephzibah; and he did evil in the sight of the Lord.” Moreover it is written in the Second Book of Chronicles, saying, “And he did evil in the sight of the Lord more than all the uncleanness of the nations whom the Lord rooted out from before the children of Israel. And he turned and built in the high place the altar which Hezekiah his father had destroyed, and he set up pillars for the Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them. And he built an altar in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord said, Let my name be in Jerusalem for ever. And he built altars for all the stars of heaven in'the two courts of the house of the Lord; and he himself made his own sons to pass through the fire in the land of Benomnimen," and used signs, and [made himself like an ass], and practised magic, and set up diviners and soothsayers, (and) wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord to sin against Him. And he set the graven and molten images which he made in the house of the Lord; (of which the Lord had said) to David and Solomon his son, In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, will I set my name for ever; and I will not again move the foot of Israel from the land which I gave to their fathers. Howbeit let them observe all that I have commanded them in all my law and mine ordinances and my judgments by the hand of Moses. And Manasseh made Judah to sin, and them that dwelt in Jerusalem, by doing evil above all the nations whom the Lord removed before the face of the children of Israel. And the Lord spake against Manasseh and against his people, and they hearkened not unto him. And the Lord sent against them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, and they took Manasseh in bonds, and bound him in chains, and brought him to Babylon. And when he was in affliction, he sought the face of the Lord his God, and he humbled himself greatly before the face of the God of his fathers.’’' And Manasseh the son of Hezekiah the King prayed, and said thus: “O Lord, Ruler of all the world, the God of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all their righteous race, who hast made heaven and earth with all that in them is; who didst rebuke the sea with the word of thy commandment; who didst shut up the depths, and seal them in terrible majesty, and that by thy glorious name; before the face of whose might everything trembleth and shaketh, for the greatness of thy glory is without end. Terrible is the plague of thy wrath against sinners. The mercy of thy commandment hath no number, nor measure, for thou alone are the Lord most high, merciful, slow of anger, and bountiful in com- Passion, and gentle towards the sins of the sons of men. And now, O my Lord, the God of the righteous—for it is not for a righteous man that thou hast appointed repentance, not for Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, who sinned not against thee—turn thee unto the repentance of me a sinner, for I have sinned beyond the number of the sand of the sea; and my sins are many. And I am not worthy to look up, and behold the height of heaven, because of the multitude of mine iniquities. I have toiled in chains of iron, that I might get me respite of my sins, and by this also I have had no respite, for I have provoked thee to anger, and done evil in thy sight, observing vanities and multiplying things that profited me not. And now I bow the knees of my heart, entreating thy mercy. I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned; and I confess my sin. I make supplication and entreat of thee; have compassion on me, O Lord, have compassion on me, and deliver me not over unto my sin. Reserve not evil against me for ever; and take not vengeance upon me in the depths of the earth. For thou, O Lord, art the God of those that repent; and thy goodness shall be manifest upon me, since while I was not worthy, thou didst save me in the multitude of thy compassion. I will glorify thee at all times and all the days of my life; for all the host of heaven glorify thee, and thine is the glory for ever. Amen.” And when the Lord saw that Manasseh repented of the evil of his doings which he had done in his ignorance, the Lord pardoned him and heard his prayer and accepted the voice of his petition. And forthwith a flame of fire encircled him, and the bonds of his chains of iron were loosed. Then the Lord saved Manasseh from all his affliction, “and brought him back to Jerusalem to his kingdom. And Manasseh knew that the Lord was his God,” and he served the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul, all the days of his life; and he was reckoned with the righteous. Then he thrust forth from the house of the Lord the strange gods that were made by the hands of men, and he raised high (the wall), and appointed captains of the host in every place over the walls of Judah. And all the altars which he had built on the mountain of the house of the Lord and in Jerusalem, he utterly destroyed from out the city; and he erected the altar of the Lord, and sacrificed on the altar, and offered praise. And Manasseh spake unto Judah to serve the Lord, the God of Israel. And Manasseh slept with his fathers in peace; and Amon” his son reigned in his stead. And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, as Manasseh his father had done, and provoked the Lord his God to anger.” [ii., 23.] Behold then, ye have heard, our children, how he served idols, and sacrificed to them, and in his lawlessness slew many. And the Lord God afflicted him for a while, but when he repented, He forgave his sins, and restored him to his kingdom. For God receiveth the repentance of them that turn unto Him, and restoreth them again to their former honour. For there is no sin greater than idolatry, since it is rebellion against God, yet men are saved from it by true repentance. But whosoever transgresseth and com-mitteth sin, and saith in his heart, What will God do unto me—he is a rebel against God. For he doth not first try himself, but walketh in his own way, and doeth the desire of his soul, and saith, This is good. Whoso doeth thus, and repenteth not, shall not have forgiveness. Thus, then, did Amon, the son of Manasseh. For the Holy Scripture saith, “ Amon conceived rebellion in his heart, and did evil in the sight of the Lord, as Manasseh his father had done; and he multiplied proud words, and said, My father sinned much in his youth, and when he was old, he turned and repented. I also will do in like manner and will walk in mine own way, and will follow the desire of my soul, and when I am old, I will turn therefrom, and repent before the Lord. Then Amon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and wrought exceeding much evil, as those before him had done. Then the Lord chastised him, and destroyed him from off the good land, and his servants [aid (hands) upon him, and slew him in (his) house. “And the people of the land slew those who had laid (hands) on King Amon. And he reigned two years.” [ii., 24.] Understand then, ye people, and think not to do evil as Amon did, lest ye be destroyed. In like manner, the bishop ought to feed and convert the people and admonish them, and heal them of their sickness and receive their repentance, so far as he is able. But if he be lacking in mercy, and receive not the repentance of sinners who turn to him," he is despised and dishonoured, and shall be condemned before the Lord his God. But if he receive the repentance of those that turn to him, he shall find compassion and mercy with the Lord God, who sent His only-begotten Son into the world; and He was pleased to be born of a woman, and was made man for our sakes. And He endured suffering on the Cross, and was wounded, and died. He is God the Word, the Angel of His great and terrible counsel; He took our sicknesses and bare our sufferings, and by His wounds our wounds have been healed..In like manner, let us, too, patiently endure suffering and affliction, and receive the repentance of them that have sinned. See then the mercy of the Lord towards Matthew, who was a publican—when he turned unto Him, He made him an evangelist; and towards Peter, who denied Him thrice through fear—when he repented and wept bitterly, He received his repentance, and made him the shepherd of His sheep; and towards Paul, our brother, though he was formerly a persecutor, who blasphemed against the Holy Spirit, yet when he turned unto Him, He made him an apostle. And to the woman who was a sinner, who gave alms unto many, He said, ‘Thy sin hath been forgiven thee.” And the other woman also, the adulteress whom the priests set before Him to prove Him, He saved, and said unto her, ‘‘Go thy way, from henceforth sin no more.” ” It is right for you, ye bishops, to set your trust and hope in God, our Lord and our Saviour, Jesus Christ the Saviour of your souls. Draw nigh unto Him in meekness and in mercy, aS peacemakers without strife and anger: convert the sinful, and lift up the fallen; and render not evil for evil. Moreover be ye not railers, nor passionate, nor blasphemers, nor boastful, nor accepters of persons, nor drinkers of much wine, nor drunkards, nor singers, nor dancers, nor thieves, nor murderers, nor takers of bribes. Neither seek. ye honour and riches from strange gods, but keep far from them, for ye have been called to this work, that ye should serve God.: [ii., 25.] Thus let the life of the bishop be. (Let) his raiment and his food (be) in moderation and purity, as much as is sufficient for him, that he transgress not in any other way or matter. For he that serveth is worthy of his meat, even the tithes and first fruits which men bring to the Church, as is commanded by our Lord. The bishop may give what they need to the poor, and the needy, and the widows, and the orphans, and to the destitute, and to the Strangers, and to them that have nothing. But if the bishop exercise no care for them, God will require it of him on their behalf, for (the bishop) hath authority to appoint for every man, as is meet. And ye also that are set in authority in the Church, if ye have need, take from its store, but if ye are not impoverished, it is not right that ye should take therefrom. And if ye act thus, ye shall be saved before God. But if the bishops take for themselves alone, and be insatiable in eating, and lay up store for themselves, and give not to the destitute, God will require this of them, and they shall be clothed with shame and dishonour. Wherefore it is said, “Ye have drunk the milk, and clothed you with the wool, and have slain the bulls; ye have not lifted up that which was fallen, nor helped that which was lost.” “ Will ye live alone upon the earth? Therefore hath He commanded you in the law, saying, “Love your neighbour, as yourselves.” And moreover it is said, “Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox when thou treadest out thy corn.” And seek ye not to take aught but that which is according to your service and your toil, as is right. For the threshing-floor is the Holy Church of God. And do ye also eat therein, as the Levites, who served in the tabernacle of the testimony, which is a type of the Holy Church. It is meet, then, that the priests eat the offerings with their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, from the offering that has been offered to the Lord of Hosts, first-fruits, or tithes,) or a sacrifice, or an oblation; for they have no other duty, nor any portion of land with the children of Israel, but only to serve in the tabernacle; for the offering which the people bring is the portion of the Levites. And now ye, O bishops, are the exemplars of the priests and Levites, as those of old. Ye ought to entreat and pray on behalf of the people, for ye are prepared for the service of this church, who stand before the altars of the Lord our God, and (who) offer up a pure and reasonable and bloodless sacrifice to Jesus Christ, the great High-priest. For ye are preachers, and elders, and prophets, and rulers, and kings, who have authority over all the people and over all who are under you. It beseemeth you to preach and speak and cause the people to hear the word of God, and not to hide the keys of wisdom and knowledge. And if ye hide them, ye shall meet with condemnation, which is prepared for you before God; but if ye preach and teach the people, ye shall meet with honour and recompense before God, because ye have patiently endured and borne every burden.“ Wherefore ye shall attain in every thing that which ye need, because ye have imitated Jesus Christ, who took our sicknesses, and bare our sorrows on the Cross. For He, who had no sin, was crucified for us; in like manner ye also must needs bear the sins of His people. For Isaiah the prophet saith, concerning our Saviour, “He took our sicknesses and bare our sorrows, and for our sakes He was afflicted.” And again he saith, ‘He was wounded for our sakes and for our sins, and was afflicted for our iniquities.” And in like manner should ye also save the people, even as Christ saved you. Think not that the burden is light which presbyters and ” bishops bear. As they have borne a heavy burden, so they shall receive the first-fruits, and give” thereof to the destitute.” For One will call you to account, with whom none can” dispute or contend. It is right, then, that they who serve the Holy Church should have their needs supplied, and receive the offerings as priests, and Levites, and ministers; even as it is written in the Book of Numbers concerning the priests: “And the Lord said unto Aaron, Behold, I have given unto you to keep the first-fruits which they offer unto me of all that is sanctified by the children of Israel; to thee I have given it; [even all the first-fruits of corn that are in all their land and all that they offer unto the Lord; to thee have I given it all] until thine old age, and after thee to thy children as an ordinance for ever. And this shall be yours of that which is sanctified unto the holy place, of the sacrifices, both of every oblation, and of all their sacrifices, and of their trespass-offerings, and of all their sin-offerings; whatsoever they bring unto me of all their holy things, to thee shall it be and to thy children. In the most holy place eat of it; let every male eat of it, thou and thy sons; for it is holy unto thee. And let this be yours of their first gifts, and of all that the children of Israel offer; to thee have I given it, and to thy sons and thy daughters with thee as an ordinance for ever. Let everyone that is clean in thy house eat of it. And all the first-fruits of oil, and all the first-fruits of wine and wheat, even their first-fruits, and all that they offer unto the Lord, to thee I have given it. All the first-fruits of corn that are in all their land, and all that they offer unto the Lord, to thee have I given it all. Let him that is clean in thy house eat of it. All that they dedicate among the children of Israel is thine, and everything that openeth the womb of his mother of all flesh, everything that they bring unto the Lord from man even unto beast is thine. And those that are redeemed with a ransom—the first born of men, and the first born of beasts that are unclean, ye shall redeem. And for a ransom for each one that is a month old, the price shall be fifty shekels according to the shekel of the sanctuary, (that) is twenty obols. But the first born of cows and the first born of sheep and the first born of goats, thou shalt not redeem, for they are holy; and thou shalt pour out their blood at the altar, and their fat thou shalt make a sacrifice unto the Lord for a sweet savour. And its flesh shall be for thee; even as the breast which they offer, and as the right shoulder, it shall be thine. Every offering which is holy, even all that the children of Israel separate unto the Lord, I have given it to thy sons and thy daughters with thee as an ordinance for ever; and it is a perpetual decree for ever before the Lord unto thee and unto thy seed after thee.”

THAT WE OUGHT NOT TO ADMONISH ANY MAN EXCEPT IT BE PROVED BY TESTIMONY THAT HE HATH SINNED. For he that thrusteth forth an innocent person, is worse than a murderer, and perceiveth not the mercy of God, for he remembereth not the love of his neighbour. And he who doeth thus shall not find salvation, for he hath slipped away, and fallen into grievous sin, because he hath not admonished, nor converted those who have committed many sins, but hath scattered the flock of God, and also fought against Him. For God is righteous, and righteous is His judgment, wherewith He judgeth all, righteous men and sinners; (He is) merciful to those who turn unto Him in righteousness and mercy and meekness, as David the beloved of God (saith).‘ [ii., 22.] The bishop, then, ought to judge upright and follow after God and do His will, for God judgeth righteously those that turn to Him. Rememberest thou not David, when he sinned and Nathan said unto him, Why hast thou done thus? And he said, I have sinned and I repent. And when he confessed his iniquity, he was saved from death. And Nathan said unto him, “Be of good cheer and doubt not; thou shalt not die."” Jonah the prophet, also, not wishing to preach to the men of Nineveh, was plunged in the sea, and a whale swallowed him up, but afterwards he came forth from the whale’s belly, and was saved from death. And Hezekiah, also—when he became proud, judgment came upon him. And Hezekiah humbled himself, and forsook his pride, and wept before God, and (God) had mercy on him. Hear, ye bishops, the profit that is in this matter; for it is written in the Fourth Book of Kings: ‘And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead. Twelve years old was Manasseh when he began to reign, (and) fifty and five years reigned he in Jerusalem, and his mother's name was Hephzibah; and he did evil in the sight of the Lord.” Moreover it is written in the Second Book of Chronicles, saying, “And he did evil in the sight of the Lord more than all the uncleanness of the nations whom the Lord rooted out from before the children of Israel. And he turned and built in the high place the altar which Hezekiah his father had destroyed, and he set up pillars for the Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them. And he built an altar in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord said, Let my name be in Jerusalem for ever. And he built altars for all the stars of heaven in'the two courts of the house of the Lord; and he himself made his own sons to pass through the fire in the land of Benomnimen," and used signs, and [made himself like an ass], and practised magic, and set up diviners and soothsayers, (and) wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord to sin against Him. And he set the graven and molten images which he made in the house of the Lord; (of which the Lord had said) to David and Solomon his son, In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, will I set my name for ever; and I will not again move the foot of Israel from the land which I gave to their fathers. Howbeit let them observe all that I have commanded them in all my law and mine ordinances and my judgments by the hand of Moses. And Manasseh made Judah to sin, and them that dwelt in Jerusalem, by doing evil above all the nations whom the Lord removed before the face of the children of Israel. And the Lord spake against Manasseh and against his people, and they hearkened not unto him. And the Lord sent against them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, and they took Manasseh in bonds, and bound him in chains, and brought him to Babylon. And when he was in affliction, he sought the face of the Lord his God, and he humbled himself greatly before the face of the God of his fathers.’’' And Manasseh the son of Hezekiah the King prayed, and said thus: “O Lord, Ruler of all the world, the God of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all their righteous race, who hast made heaven and earth with all that in them is; who didst rebuke the sea with the word of thy commandment; who didst shut up the depths, and seal them in terrible majesty, and that by thy glorious name; before the face of whose might everything trembleth and shaketh, for the greatness of thy glory is without end. Terrible is the plague of thy wrath against sinners. The mercy of thy commandment hath no number, nor measure, for thou alone are the Lord most high, merciful, slow of anger, and bountiful in com- Passion, and gentle towards the sins of the sons of men. And now, O my Lord, the God of the righteous—for it is not for a righteous man that thou hast appointed repentance, not for Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, who sinned not against thee—turn thee unto the repentance of me a sinner, for I have sinned beyond the number of the sand of the sea; and my sins are many. And I am not worthy to look up, and behold the height of heaven, because of the multitude of mine iniquities. I have toiled in chains of iron, that I might get me respite of my sins, and by this also I have had no respite, for I have provoked thee to anger, and done evil in thy sight, observing vanities and multiplying things that profited me not. And now I bow the knees of my heart, entreating thy mercy. I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned; and I confess my sin. I make supplication and entreat of thee; have compassion on me, O Lord, have compassion on me, and deliver me not over unto my sin. Reserve not evil against me for ever; and take not vengeance upon me in the depths of the earth. For thou, O Lord, art the God of those that repent; and thy goodness shall be manifest upon me, since while I was not worthy, thou didst save me in the multitude of thy compassion. I will glorify thee at all times and all the days of my life; for all the host of heaven glorify thee, and thine is the glory for ever. Amen.” And when the Lord saw that Manasseh repented of the evil of his doings which he had done in his ignorance, the Lord pardoned him and heard his prayer and accepted the voice of his petition. And forthwith a flame of fire encircled him, and the bonds of his chains of iron were loosed. Then the Lord saved Manasseh from all his affliction, “and brought him back to Jerusalem to his kingdom. And Manasseh knew that the Lord was his God,” and he served the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul, all the days of his life; and he was reckoned with the righteous. Then he thrust forth from the house of the Lord the strange gods that were made by the hands of men, and he raised high (the wall), and appointed captains of the host in every place over the walls of Judah. And all the altars which he had built on the mountain of the house of the Lord and in Jerusalem, he utterly destroyed from out the city; and he erected the altar of the Lord, and sacrificed on the altar, and offered praise. And Manasseh spake unto Judah to serve the Lord, the God of Israel. And Manasseh slept with his fathers in peace; and Amon” his son reigned in his stead. And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, as Manasseh his father had done, and provoked the Lord his God to anger.” [ii., 23.] Behold then, ye have heard, our children, how he served idols, and sacrificed to them, and in his lawlessness slew many. And the Lord God afflicted him for a while, but when he repented, He forgave his sins, and restored him to his kingdom. For God receiveth the repentance of them that turn unto Him, and restoreth them again to their former honour. For there is no sin greater than idolatry, since it is rebellion against God, yet men are saved from it by true repentance. But whosoever transgresseth and com-mitteth sin, and saith in his heart, What will God do unto me—he is a rebel against God. For he doth not first try himself, but walketh in his own way, and doeth the desire of his soul, and saith, This is good. Whoso doeth thus, and repenteth not, shall not have forgiveness. Thus, then, did Amon, the son of Manasseh. For the Holy Scripture saith, “ Amon conceived rebellion in his heart, and did evil in the sight of the Lord, as Manasseh his father had done; and he multiplied proud words, and said, My father sinned much in his youth, and when he was old, he turned and repented. I also will do in like manner and will walk in mine own way, and will follow the desire of my soul, and when I am old, I will turn therefrom, and repent before the Lord. Then Amon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and wrought exceeding much evil, as those before him had done. Then the Lord chastised him, and destroyed him from off the good land, and his servants [aid (hands) upon him, and slew him in (his) house. “And the people of the land slew those who had laid (hands) on King Amon. And he reigned two years.” [ii., 24.] Understand then, ye people, and think not to do evil as Amon did, lest ye be destroyed. In like manner, the bishop ought to feed and convert the people and admonish them, and heal them of their sickness and receive their repentance, so far as he is able. But if he be lacking in mercy, and receive not the repentance of sinners who turn to him," he is despised and dishonoured, and shall be condemned before the Lord his God. But if he receive the repentance of those that turn to him, he shall find compassion and mercy with the Lord God, who sent His only-begotten Son into the world; and He was pleased to be born of a woman, and was made man for our sakes. And He endured suffering on the Cross, and was wounded, and died. He is God the Word, the Angel of His great and terrible counsel; He took our sicknesses and bare our sufferings, and by His wounds our wounds have been healed..In like manner, let us, too, patiently endure suffering and affliction, and receive the repentance of them that have sinned. See then the mercy of the Lord towards Matthew, who was a publican—when he turned unto Him, He made him an evangelist; and towards Peter, who denied Him thrice through fear—when he repented and wept bitterly, He received his repentance, and made him the shepherd of His sheep; and towards Paul, our brother, though he was formerly a persecutor, who blasphemed against the Holy Spirit, yet when he turned unto Him, He made him an apostle. And to the woman who was a sinner, who gave alms unto many, He said, ‘Thy sin hath been forgiven thee.” And the other woman also, the adulteress whom the priests set before Him to prove Him, He saved, and said unto her, ‘‘Go thy way, from henceforth sin no more.” ” It is right for you, ye bishops, to set your trust and hope in God, our Lord and our Saviour, Jesus Christ the Saviour of your souls. Draw nigh unto Him in meekness and in mercy, aS peacemakers without strife and anger: convert the sinful, and lift up the fallen; and render not evil for evil. Moreover be ye not railers, nor passionate, nor blasphemers, nor boastful, nor accepters of persons, nor drinkers of much wine, nor drunkards, nor singers, nor dancers, nor thieves, nor murderers, nor takers of bribes. Neither seek. ye honour and riches from strange gods, but keep far from them, for ye have been called to this work, that ye should serve God.: [ii., 25.] Thus let the life of the bishop be. (Let) his raiment and his food (be) in moderation and purity, as much as is sufficient for him, that he transgress not in any other way or matter. For he that serveth is worthy of his meat, even the tithes and first fruits which men bring to the Church, as is commanded by our Lord. The bishop may give what they need to the poor, and the needy, and the widows, and the orphans, and to the destitute, and to the Strangers, and to them that have nothing. But if the bishop exercise no care for them, God will require it of him on their behalf, for (the bishop) hath authority to appoint for every man, as is meet. And ye also that are set in authority in the Church, if ye have need, take from its store, but if ye are not impoverished, it is not right that ye should take therefrom. And if ye act thus, ye shall be saved before God. But if the bishops take for themselves alone, and be insatiable in eating, and lay up store for themselves, and give not to the destitute, God will require this of them, and they shall be clothed with shame and dishonour. Wherefore it is said, “Ye have drunk the milk, and clothed you with the wool, and have slain the bulls; ye have not lifted up that which was fallen, nor helped that which was lost.” “ Will ye live alone upon the earth? Therefore hath He commanded you in the law, saying, “Love your neighbour, as yourselves.” And moreover it is said, “Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox when thou treadest out thy corn.” And seek ye not to take aught but that which is according to your service and your toil, as is right. For the threshing-floor is the Holy Church of God. And do ye also eat therein, as the Levites, who served in the tabernacle of the testimony, which is a type of the Holy Church. It is meet, then, that the priests eat the offerings with their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, from the offering that has been offered to the Lord of Hosts, first-fruits, or tithes,) or a sacrifice, or an oblation; for they have no other duty, nor any portion of land with the children of Israel, but only to serve in the tabernacle; for the offering which the people bring is the portion of the Levites. And now ye, O bishops, are the exemplars of the priests and Levites, as those of old. Ye ought to entreat and pray on behalf of the people, for ye are prepared for the service of this church, who stand before the altars of the Lord our God, and (who) offer up a pure and reasonable and bloodless sacrifice to Jesus Christ, the great High-priest. For ye are preachers, and elders, and prophets, and rulers, and kings, who have authority over all the people and over all who are under you. It beseemeth you to preach and speak and cause the people to hear the word of God, and not to hide the keys of wisdom and knowledge. And if ye hide them, ye shall meet with condemnation, which is prepared for you before God; but if ye preach and teach the people, ye shall meet with honour and recompense before God, because ye have patiently endured and borne every burden.“ Wherefore ye shall attain in every thing that which ye need, because ye have imitated Jesus Christ, who took our sicknesses, and bare our sorrows on the Cross. For He, who had no sin, was crucified for us; in like manner ye also must needs bear the sins of His people. For Isaiah the prophet saith, concerning our Saviour, “He took our sicknesses and bare our sorrows, and for our sakes He was afflicted.” And again he saith, ‘He was wounded for our sakes and for our sins, and was afflicted for our iniquities.” And in like manner should ye also save the people, even as Christ saved you. Think not that the burden is light which presbyters and ” bishops bear. As they have borne a heavy burden, so they shall receive the first-fruits, and give” thereof to the destitute.” For One will call you to account, with whom none can” dispute or contend. It is right, then, that they who serve the Holy Church should have their needs supplied, and receive the offerings as priests, and Levites, and ministers; even as it is written in the Book of Numbers concerning the priests: “And the Lord said unto Aaron, Behold, I have given unto you to keep the first-fruits which they offer unto me of all that is sanctified by the children of Israel; to thee I have given it; [even all the first-fruits of corn that are in all their land and all that they offer unto the Lord; to thee have I given it all] until thine old age, and after thee to thy children as an ordinance for ever. And this shall be yours of that which is sanctified unto the holy place, of the sacrifices, both of every oblation, and of all their sacrifices, and of their trespass-offerings, and of all their sin-offerings; whatsoever they bring unto me of all their holy things, to thee shall it be and to thy children. In the most holy place eat of it; let every male eat of it, thou and thy sons; for it is holy unto thee. And let this be yours of their first gifts, and of all that the children of Israel offer; to thee have I given it, and to thy sons and thy daughters with thee as an ordinance for ever. Let everyone that is clean in thy house eat of it. And all the first-fruits of oil, and all the first-fruits of wine and wheat, even their first-fruits, and all that they offer unto the Lord, to thee I have given it. All the first-fruits of corn that are in all their land, and all that they offer unto the Lord, to thee have I given it all. Let him that is clean in thy house eat of it. All that they dedicate among the children of Israel is thine, and everything that openeth the womb of his mother of all flesh, everything that they bring unto the Lord from man even unto beast is thine. And those that are redeemed with a ransom—the first born of men, and the first born of beasts that are unclean, ye shall redeem. And for a ransom for each one that is a month old, the price shall be fifty shekels according to the shekel of the sanctuary, (that) is twenty obols. But the first born of cows and the first born of sheep and the first born of goats, thou shalt not redeem, for they are holy; and thou shalt pour out their blood at the altar, and their fat thou shalt make a sacrifice unto the Lord for a sweet savour. And its flesh shall be for thee; even as the breast which they offer, and as the right shoulder, it shall be thine. Every offering which is holy, even all that the children of Israel separate unto the Lord, I have given it to thy sons and thy daughters with thee as an ordinance for ever; and it is a perpetual decree for ever before the Lord unto thee and unto thy seed after thee.”

. THAT THE PEOPLE OUGHT TO BRING OFFERINGS TO THE CHURCH ACCORDING TO THEIR ABILITY. (ii. 26.) Hear now also, ye people of the elect Church of God. For of old the Hebrews were called the people of God, a holy people; but now ye are priests, a holy people, elect (in) your generation, and your names are written in heaven for a kingdom and a priesthood, a holy people, a bride adorned for the Lord God, a glorious and faithful Church. Hear how it was appointed of old what should be given to those set in authority over the Church of God,’ (whether) vows, first-fruits of corn, or tithes for the salvation of men’s souls. The beginning of the name of Jesus is iota, by number, ten. Hear, O thou Holy Church, the congregation of people which hath been founded on iota, which was manifested in the law, and hath kept the faith, and believed in our Lord Jesus Christ, and been a guide to the knowledge of the word iota, and hath stood fast in the perfection of His glory. For in old times they brought sacrifices, and thank-offerings, and vows, and tithes, and first-fruits, which were their oblations in those days; but now let the bishops and priests offer the sacrifice of the oblation to the Lord our God and our Lord Jesus Christ, who died as a ransom for us. And He hath appointed high-priests, and presbyters, and deacons,” and readers, and singers, and doorkeepers, and deaconesses; and also widows, and virgins, and orphans. And over all these is set the bishop, for he is the teacher and instructor of all who serve God in the right faith, and for their sakes he delivereth the word. It is right that they obey him, for he is the teacher of the law for all, and besides their father, who hath begotten them by water and by the spirit. Since he is your chief and your teacher, and your stay, and your god on earth under the true God, ye ought to magnify him, and others who are like him; even as God spake by the mouth of David the prophet, saying, “I said ye are gods, and all of you children of the Most High.” '? Speak no evil word against the gods, that is, the bishops; but let the bishops have the first seat amongst you, for to them hath been given honour and glory from the Lord God, that they may feed His people in peace, as Christ the great High-priest." But let the deacon minister in purity without blame, and let him do nothing without the permission of the bishop his father. And let the deaconess do nothing without the permission of the deacon. And let no other woman go to the deacon save only with the deaconess; and in like manner let no woman go to the bishop save with the deacon. Honour then the priests, for they admonish you and teach you the way of God; and ye shall receive from them the word in the right faith. For He sent them to preach, and teach, and admonish, and baptize into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and to teach men to observe all that He had commanded them. Honour widows and orphans as the Church; and virgins also as the altar and the offering of incense. [ii., 27.] For of old none was able to offer sacrifice except he were of the sons of Levi, and the people could not approach the altar except along with the priests." And in like manner do ye also do nothing without the counsel of the bishop. He who acteth thus without the permission of the bishop his work () is idle and vain and without profit. As Saul offered a sacrifice without Samuel the prophet, and heard a voice saying, “Thy sacrifice is vain”; in like manner, if a layman do (anything) without the priest, it is vain. Uzziah the King also, when he was not a priest, and yet did the office of a priest, became a leper. And if there be anyone of the people that usurpeth the priest’s office, and doeth not the commandments of God, he shall not escape judgment, for he hath taken an honour that was not given unto him, and hath resisted the priesthood, and hath not imitated Christ, ‘‘who glorified not Himself to be made a great High-priest”; but patiently endured until He heard the voice of the Father saying, ‘‘The Lord sware, and will not repent, thou art his priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.” But if Christ glorified not Himself without the Father who is equal with Him, how then can a man by himself take the priesthood to himself, unless he that hath authority over him have given it unto him? For the sons of Korah were of the tribe of Levi, yet when they strove against Moses and Aaron, the fire consumed them, because they sought to take that which belonged not to them. Dathan and Abiram went down alive into Sheol. The rod that budded destroyed the counsel of many foolish men, and He made manifest thereby the great High-priest who was ordained by God. Therefore, brethren, ye ought to bring your sacrifices and your incense to the bishop, for he is the High-priest. Bring unto him your first-fruits and tithes (and) all your vows, that he may give to each one according to his need, even to the destitute who have nothing. Let him appoint unto them as is fitting, that none wrong his neighbour in receiving alms. The bishop ought to exercise due care concerning all the destitute, and to examine their lives and know well their condition.. at [ii., 28.] Moreover when the faithful desire to invite to a feast the destitute and the widows, as the Lord hath commanded, the deacons ought to minister. And let them, knowing well the lives (of all), invite them and set them each one in his place, as is fitting. And let them distribute unto them; and to the shepherd also let them give thereof in secret, for the honour of God, seeing that the priesthood hath been given unto him. And after distribution hath been made unto the widows, let the deacons take thereof two portions; and in like manner the presbyters also, who watch, and teach the word of admonition, and let them receive double, for they are apostles of our Lord,” they being counsellors of the bishop, and the crown of the Church, who therein judge uprightly. And let the reader receive one portion, and in like manner the singers also, and let the doorkeepers get each one according to the appointment of the Church; and to the people let them give such portions as befit them. And let them not neglect the bishop, nor delay to give unto him, but send speedily unto him along with the ministering deacons. The deacons ought to inform the bishop of every need of the people, that he may command them to do as befitteth. For of old there was no man that entered into the temple, or did anything (therein) without the Priest. Malachi the prophet saith, “For the priest’s lips keep counsel and search out the law.”! For those who serve (false) gods, and do their will, and set themselves up. as righteous, though they are impure and their works evil, and (who) have no good works, and account themselves as the saints—men indeed seeing their works mock at, and detest, and despise them— yet is there none of these that can accomplish or do anything without the counsel of the idol-priests, but they look up to them and hearken to the voice of him that commandeth them, and do all that he saith unto them; and they honour the idol-priests, and put their trust in them, and believe in their gods. Now if they believe in these that have no life, and (if they) serve unclean spirits in whom is no profit, and hope in vanity and set themselves up as righteous, how much more should we, who have received grace, and have an enlightened faith and a perfect hope wherein is no deceit, believe the message which is full of glory and without fear, that we may please the Lord our God. For know of a truth that the first fathers and the bishops are the mouth of God. [ii., 29.] For Aaron spake to Pharaoh, being a helper to Moses, and therefore he was called the prophet, and Moses was called the god of Pharaoh, as a king and high-priest. Even as God said unto him, “Behold, I have made thee to be a god unto Pharaoh, and Aaron thy brother to be unto thee a prophet.” How then do ye not believe them, for they intercede for you, and deliver the word? [ii., 30.] Serve them, for they are prophets and servants of God, the deacon like Aaron, and the bishop like Moses. And if Moses was called a god by the Lord, it is right that for you also to honour the bishops as God, and the deacon as a prophet. As Christ did nothing without the Father, in like manner let the deacon do nothing without the counsel of the bishop. Also there is nothing that the Son doeth without the Father, and as the Son is subject to His Father, in like manner let the deacon be subject to the bishop.

. THAT THE PEOPLE OUGHT TO BRING OFFERINGS TO THE CHURCH ACCORDING TO THEIR ABILITY. (ii. 26.) Hear now also, ye people of the elect Church of God. For of old the Hebrews were called the people of God, a holy people; but now ye are priests, a holy people, elect (in) your generation, and your names are written in heaven for a kingdom and a priesthood, a holy people, a bride adorned for the Lord God, a glorious and faithful Church. Hear how it was appointed of old what should be given to those set in authority over the Church of God,’ (whether) vows, first-fruits of corn, or tithes for the salvation of men’s souls. The beginning of the name of Jesus is iota, by number, ten. Hear, O thou Holy Church, the congregation of people which hath been founded on iota, which was manifested in the law, and hath kept the faith, and believed in our Lord Jesus Christ, and been a guide to the knowledge of the word iota, and hath stood fast in the perfection of His glory. For in old times they brought sacrifices, and thank-offerings, and vows, and tithes, and first-fruits, which were their oblations in those days; but now let the bishops and priests offer the sacrifice of the oblation to the Lord our God and our Lord Jesus Christ, who died as a ransom for us. And He hath appointed high-priests, and presbyters, and deacons,” and readers, and singers, and doorkeepers, and deaconesses; and also widows, and virgins, and orphans. And over all these is set the bishop, for he is the teacher and instructor of all who serve God in the right faith, and for their sakes he delivereth the word. It is right that they obey him, for he is the teacher of the law for all, and besides their father, who hath begotten them by water and by the spirit. Since he is your chief and your teacher, and your stay, and your god on earth under the true God, ye ought to magnify him, and others who are like him; even as God spake by the mouth of David the prophet, saying, “I said ye are gods, and all of you children of the Most High.” '? Speak no evil word against the gods, that is, the bishops; but let the bishops have the first seat amongst you, for to them hath been given honour and glory from the Lord God, that they may feed His people in peace, as Christ the great High-priest." But let the deacon minister in purity without blame, and let him do nothing without the permission of the bishop his father. And let the deaconess do nothing without the permission of the deacon. And let no other woman go to the deacon save only with the deaconess; and in like manner let no woman go to the bishop save with the deacon. Honour then the priests, for they admonish you and teach you the way of God; and ye shall receive from them the word in the right faith. For He sent them to preach, and teach, and admonish, and baptize into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and to teach men to observe all that He had commanded them. Honour widows and orphans as the Church; and virgins also as the altar and the offering of incense. [ii., 27.] For of old none was able to offer sacrifice except he were of the sons of Levi, and the people could not approach the altar except along with the priests." And in like manner do ye also do nothing without the counsel of the bishop. He who acteth thus without the permission of the bishop his work () is idle and vain and without profit. As Saul offered a sacrifice without Samuel the prophet, and heard a voice saying, “Thy sacrifice is vain”; in like manner, if a layman do (anything) without the priest, it is vain. Uzziah the King also, when he was not a priest, and yet did the office of a priest, became a leper. And if there be anyone of the people that usurpeth the priest’s office, and doeth not the commandments of God, he shall not escape judgment, for he hath taken an honour that was not given unto him, and hath resisted the priesthood, and hath not imitated Christ, ‘‘who glorified not Himself to be made a great High-priest”; but patiently endured until He heard the voice of the Father saying, ‘‘The Lord sware, and will not repent, thou art his priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.” But if Christ glorified not Himself without the Father who is equal with Him, how then can a man by himself take the priesthood to himself, unless he that hath authority over him have given it unto him? For the sons of Korah were of the tribe of Levi, yet when they strove against Moses and Aaron, the fire consumed them, because they sought to take that which belonged not to them. Dathan and Abiram went down alive into Sheol. The rod that budded destroyed the counsel of many foolish men, and He made manifest thereby the great High-priest who was ordained by God. Therefore, brethren, ye ought to bring your sacrifices and your incense to the bishop, for he is the High-priest. Bring unto him your first-fruits and tithes (and) all your vows, that he may give to each one according to his need, even to the destitute who have nothing. Let him appoint unto them as is fitting, that none wrong his neighbour in receiving alms. The bishop ought to exercise due care concerning all the destitute, and to examine their lives and know well their condition.. at [ii., 28.] Moreover when the faithful desire to invite to a feast the destitute and the widows, as the Lord hath commanded, the deacons ought to minister. And let them, knowing well the lives (of all), invite them and set them each one in his place, as is fitting. And let them distribute unto them; and to the shepherd also let them give thereof in secret, for the honour of God, seeing that the priesthood hath been given unto him. And after distribution hath been made unto the widows, let the deacons take thereof two portions; and in like manner the presbyters also, who watch, and teach the word of admonition, and let them receive double, for they are apostles of our Lord,” they being counsellors of the bishop, and the crown of the Church, who therein judge uprightly. And let the reader receive one portion, and in like manner the singers also, and let the doorkeepers get each one according to the appointment of the Church; and to the people let them give such portions as befit them. And let them not neglect the bishop, nor delay to give unto him, but send speedily unto him along with the ministering deacons. The deacons ought to inform the bishop of every need of the people, that he may command them to do as befitteth. For of old there was no man that entered into the temple, or did anything (therein) without the Priest. Malachi the prophet saith, “For the priest’s lips keep counsel and search out the law.”! For those who serve (false) gods, and do their will, and set themselves up. as righteous, though they are impure and their works evil, and (who) have no good works, and account themselves as the saints—men indeed seeing their works mock at, and detest, and despise them— yet is there none of these that can accomplish or do anything without the counsel of the idol-priests, but they look up to them and hearken to the voice of him that commandeth them, and do all that he saith unto them; and they honour the idol-priests, and put their trust in them, and believe in their gods. Now if they believe in these that have no life, and (if they) serve unclean spirits in whom is no profit, and hope in vanity and set themselves up as righteous, how much more should we, who have received grace, and have an enlightened faith and a perfect hope wherein is no deceit, believe the message which is full of glory and without fear, that we may please the Lord our God. For know of a truth that the first fathers and the bishops are the mouth of God. [ii., 29.] For Aaron spake to Pharaoh, being a helper to Moses, and therefore he was called the prophet, and Moses was called the god of Pharaoh, as a king and high-priest. Even as God said unto him, “Behold, I have made thee to be a god unto Pharaoh, and Aaron thy brother to be unto thee a prophet.” How then do ye not believe them, for they intercede for you, and deliver the word? [ii., 30.] Serve them, for they are prophets and servants of God, the deacon like Aaron, and the bishop like Moses. And if Moses was called a god by the Lord, it is right that for you also to honour the bishops as God, and the deacon as a prophet. As Christ did nothing without the Father, in like manner let the deacon do nothing without the counsel of the bishop. Also there is nothing that the Son doeth without the Father, and as the Son is subject to His Father, in like manner let the deacon be subject to the bishop.

THAT THE DEACON OUGHT TO DO NOTHING EXCEPT BY PERMISSION OF THE BISHOP. Even as the Son is the good pleasure of the Father, and His angel of counsel and His prophet, in like manner is the deacon the messenger and prophet of the bishop. [ii., 31.] Wherefore it is not right that he should do anything without the counsel of the bishop. And if he give in secret to one that is destitute without the knowledge of the bishop, he causeth reproach, and imputeth (unto him) neglect and sloth as touching the poor, and needy, and afflicted. And he that speaketh evil against the bishop, or doeth (him) wrong, hath sinned against God, not understanding that which is said, “Thou shalt not speak evil against the ruler of thy people.” For this law was not ordained concerning stones and trees which the Gentiles worship, but rather with respect to priests and wise men. For to these He said, “Ye are gods, and all of you sons of the Most High.” [ii., 32.] Understand then, O deacon, if thou seest a destitute man, and he be ashamed to beg, speak concerning him to the bishop, and reveal not his poverty to another, nor speak of it, lest he be ashamed and murmur. But if thou revealest his secrets, thou shalt bring sorrow on thy brother, and for his sake the Lord will be wroth with thee. “And He said unto them, Wherefore were ye not afraid to speak evil against my servant Moses? And the anger of the wrath of the Lord came (upon them). And Moses said unto those that murmured against him, And we, what are we? and this your murmuring—it is not against me that ye murmur, (but) against the Creator.” And if there be anyone that saith to a layman, Thou fool, he shall be condemned, for he hath blasphemed against the name of Christ. And if this be so, much more then shall those (be condemned) that blaspheme against the bishop. For when he stretcheth forth his hands, the Holy Spirit cometh down; and by him ye are taught the spiritual commandment, and know God, and have believed in Christ, by whom ye are saved by the oil of gladness and the holy chrism, and are made the sons of light. For when the bishop layeth his hand upon you in holy baptism, the Lord sendeth His holy Word upon you, saying, “Ye are my sons, and I to-day have begotten you.” [ii., 33-] Understand, then, O man, that by the prayer of the bishop thou art called a son of God. Now also know that which was granted unto thee; and love him that hath loved thee, and called thee to this glory and honour. Revere the bishop who is under God a father unto thee. For ye have heard the word which saith concerning those who begat you according to the flesh, “Honour thy father and thy mother, and for this thou shalt find good"; and, “he that speaketh an evil word against his father or his mother, let him die the death.” And if this be so, how then is it that ye do not magnify and honour those who have begotten you again with water and the Holy Spirit, and have fed you with spiritual milk, and nurtured you with the word of admonition, and strengthened you by the eucharist, and made you meet to receive the holy Body and the precious Blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ? These are they who have loosed you from the bond of sin, and made you partakers of the holy eucharist, and of the love of God, that ye may be partakers of the inheritance and joint-heirs with His Son. Fear them, then, and honour them in every thing, for they have been granted life from God, that they may give judgment against them that have sinned, and save them from the fire of Gehenna, and pardon them that turn from their sins. (ii., 34-] These then you ought to fear as chiefs and rulers; and obey them as kings, and receive them into your houses. Even as Samuel the prophet commanded the people concerning the king in the first Book of Kings, and Moses also commanded concerning the priests, we in like manner command you concerning the bishops, that ye give them their due, even as is appointed. For of old Moses and Elijah and Samuel commanded the people to honour kings and priests, who do service in matters of this world; and if this be so, much more is it meet that you should give their due and their maintenance to bishops and priests who watch and do service on your behalf, and are your guides unto the Kingdom of heaven. And if of old kings raised armies to fight and war, that they might guard and save men’s bodies, how much more are they (worthy of honour) who have received from God the office of the priesthood, (and) who preserve soul and body from condemnation. [For the soul is of more account than the body, and the priestly office is of more account than the kingly, for this is the office which bindeth those that deserve condemnation, and looseth those that seek for healing. Wherefore it is right that ye should honour and love the bishop as a father, and fear him as a king, and trust in him as (in) God. Bring unto him your gifts, both the fruits of your ground, and the labour of your hands, and your first-fruits, and your presents, and your vows; even the first-fruits of your wheat and wine and oil and wool. And for this shall he pronounce a blessing upon you, that your oblation may be acceptable and well-pleasing as incense, even a sweet savour before the Lord your God; and that the Lord may bless the work of your hands, and multiply the good fruits of your land. For the blessing of the Lord is upon the heads of the righteous who shew mercy. [ii., 35.] Behold now, know ye that the Lord hath freed us from the curse of the Law, and brought us back to life, when we were scattered abroad and lost as sheep without a shepherd, and as the beasts that cannot speak. He hath turned us from our sins, and cleansed us from our iniquities, and commanded us to bring our sacrifices to the priests, and to give alms to the poor who have nothing. For our Lord saith in the Gospel, “Unless ye abound more than the Scribes and Pharisees in doing righteousness ye cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven.” (This will ye do) if ye take care to give to the priests and the widows and the orphans; even as it is written, saying, ‘He hath dispersed abroad and hath given to the poor, and his righteousness remaineth for ever,” for by righteousness and uprightness and mercy sin is pardoned.”! For a pure and blessed soul pleaseth God. Do, then, righteousness thus as the Lord hath commanded; give to the priests as it befitteth, the first-fruits of thy winepress and thy threshing-floor, for they have authority to give to all the destitute, and power over every matter of the Church. Strive not, then, against the bishops in anything that they do, saying, When did he do it or, To whom hath he given or, When did he spend it or, Whither did he send it? (Nor discuss) whether he hath done good or evil, or acted justly or unjustly, for the Lord God will require it of them, who hath given them the office of the priesthood, and granted unto them the greater degree. (ii., 36.] But do thou set the fear of God before thine eyes, and remember at all times the word that saith, “Love the One Lord, thy God with all thy heart and with all thy strength,” and follow not the way which leadeth unto (false) gods, nor anything like thereto that have no life in them, nor the doctrine of devils, and other creatures ( ) which Christ has not commanded. But seek thou to read the Scriptures which are the law of the Lord thy God, and cease not to read His Scriptures at all times. And remove from thee all evil that opposeth itself, which is not commanded in the law, (even) mocking and anger. But honour thy father and thy mother who begat thee according to the flesh, and love thy neighbour as thyself, and shew mercy to the poor, and keep far from false swearing wherein is no profit. But keep not far from the Church of Christ; resort thither early at all times, and worship humbly with the lowly, who sleep not night or day, giving thanks to God for the life that He hath bestowed upon them. Live by (thy) labour, the work of thy hands, and offer unto the Lord of what thou hast according to thy power; and be a friend of the poor, and gain the Kingdom of heaven, where is no moth nor rust, neither doth the thief find it. And if thou desirest to save thyself, strive not in judgment with the bishop, nor with a layman, thy brother, nor with thy fellow wrongfully. And if thou strivest in judgment with him wrongfully, thou hast drawn on thyself transgression and sin, none constraining thee. For judgment hath been given to the priests, and not to the layman. For the Lord saith (to them) “Judge in righteousness and uprightness ’’; and, “Be of understanding and judge the great ones of the people, each one of them. But to you it is not permitted to judge any man. For it is said to those that have not the office of the priesthood, “Judge not, for your judgment shall not be acceptable.” ii., 37.) But let the bishop judge in uprightness, even as it is written, saying, “Judge the poor and the orphan, do justice to the oppressed and the needy, and save the desolate and destitute.” And moreover it is said, “Wherefore judge ye not amongst you in uprightness, ’’

THAT BISHOPS OUGHT TO BE PEACEMAKERS, MEN OF MERCY, WHO PARDON HIM THAT HATH TRESPASSED AGAINST THEM, AND RECEIVE THE REPENTANCE OF THOSE THAT TURN TO GOD; AND IF THEY DO NOT THUS THEY SHALL NOT BE CALLED BISHOPS, BUT EVIL.. a But if the bishop pray for peace upon others, shall he not much more then be peaceable himself that he be not a son of darkness, and that he may be called a son of light?‘ And if in himself there be no peace, how then can he give (peace) to others? Wherefore the beginning of all his work must needs be peace, without evil or hatred; but in love and in peace let him feed the sheep of Christ. Especially let him guard them as a faithful friend, that they may be saved together and become one flock. But let evil men, who work iniquity and (cause) hatred and trouble, be far from God. [ii., 55-] For the Lord the God of mercy desired to bring back all generations to repentance by the teaching of the Holy Spirit, and the righteous, and the prophets. For before the flood the people lived according to the teaching of Abel and the admonition of Abel, and Seth, and Enoch, who ascended to heaven; and those that were after the flood, Noah taught; and those of Sodom, Lot the lover of strangers taught. And after Lot (men were taught) by Melchizedek, and the patriarchs,” and Job the lover of God; and the Egyptians and the children of Israel by the commandments of Moses, and Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb, and Phinehas, and those (that were) after them; and after the law by the admonition of angels and prophets; and after these (came) our Lord, who became incarnate and was made man of our Lady the Holy Virgin Mary; and, after John the Baptist was cast into prison, He preached, saying, “Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” And after He had suffered on the Cross, He commanded us, even us His twelve apostles to preach along with our good brother Paul. We are they to whom He hath granted that we should be witnesses concerning His Son our Lord Jesus Christ. And moreover (there are) with us James, the brother of our Lord, and the seven deacons. We have heard from His mouth the word of life, and have believed and known that He is Jesus Christ, in whom the Lord the Father is well pleased. We declare unto you perfectly that which we have heard from Him that none that believeth in Him shall perish. To Him let us offer up praise with one voice that we may obtain life eternal. [ii., 56.) Thus our Lord hath commanded us, When we pray to the Father, saying, Thy will be done, as in heaven, so also on earth; that as the hosts of heavenly and spiritual ones glorify (Him), so every creature on earth may glorify the One God by His only-begotten Son our Lord and our God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. This, then, is His good pleasure that we should glorify Him and bless Him with one mind, and worship Him with one spirit. This is the good pleasure of Christ, that those that are saved should be many, and that not one of them should perish, nor the Church be diminished. Slay not the soul which hath been made alive through repentance, for it hath been saved from indignation and anger. But do ye in the beauty of your patience fulfil every word of the Scriptures. But if ye scatter the sheep of His flock, ye shall be enemies of God. Destroy not the lambs that Christ hath fed. Be of good understanding, then, O bishop, lest by thine occasion the sheep of Christ’s flock be scattered, whom we have gathered by the preaching of tongues from every quarter, by toil, and by weariness, and by sorrow, and by watching, and by hunger, and by thirst and labour (and) journeyings, and by persecutions, and by affliction, and by imprisonment. And behold we have done the good pleasure of God, and have filled with plants the house which is the holy congregation, the Church of God. Those that are called thereinto rejoice and are glad, glorifying and blessing God, even those that have been called by you unto life eternal. And ye also, O people, work amongst you (the works of) love and peace, that ye may walk in the Church of God with one heart. And for this ye shall obtain a good reward from God. [ii., 57-] But be thou, O bishop, holy, without blemish, and do not that which is unseemly, nor be Passionate, nor deceitful, nor of evil-disposition, but be a teacher and helper of those that perish, and a counsellor of good; and confirm the people as a man of God. And when ye are gathered together in the church, command them to walk in the good way as a wise ship-master. And command the deacons to be as the sailors, that they may make the brethren to sit down each one in his own place, as befitteth in righteousness and purity, for they are together with you in one ship. Let the length, then, of the church be towards the East; and (let there be) two porches in its sides after the likeness of a ship; and let the throne of the bishop be set in the midst. Then let the presbyters sit on his right hand and on his left: and let the deacons also stand ready to serve with their garments girt up like sailors. But let the people sit in their places in fear and trembling; and in like manner let the women sit by themselves in silence. And let the reader also stand in (his) place, and read the books of Moses, and of Joshua the son of Nun, and of the Judges, and the Kings, and the Chronicles, and the books after the captivity (and) return from Babylon, (and) Job and Solomon, and the fifteen prophets. And after they have read ” from the books two at a time, one shall rise up and sing praises in the words of David, and the people shall answer with praises. Then they shall read the Acts of the Apostles and the - Epistles of our brother Paul, our beloved fellow-labourer, which he wrote, and sent to all the churches by the help of the Holy Spirit. And after this let the presbyters or the deacons read the Gospel which we have given unto you, even I Matthew and John, and which Luke and Mark, the fellow-labourers of the renowned Paul, have proclaimed, (and) which they have appointed for you. And when the Gospel is read, let the presbyters and the deacons and all the people stand in great fear; for it is written, ‘Be silent, O Israel, and hearken.” Then let the presbyters stand one by one, and confirm the people; and afterwards the bishop that he may save them by (his) admonition. And next let the doorkeepers stand where the men come in, and set them in their places: let the deaconess in like manner make the women stand in their places. If any man be found standing in a place which is not his, let the deacons put him to shame, and then bring him back to his own place; for the deacons are like the sailors, and the church like a ship. Howbeit it is not a ship, but a flock of sheep. Now shepherds separate the sheep from the goats, and place them according to their kinds and according to their divisions; and in like manner let the people be found together in the church according to their classes. Let the young men stand by themselves; but if there be no place to contain them, let them stand with (the rest of) the people, And let the old men sit by themselves, and let the children sit in front of their fathers, these taking care of them. And let the maidens sit by themselves; but if there be no place, let them stand behind the married women. And let the virgins and the widows and the elder women stand before all the (other) women. And let those that have husbands and children sit by themselves. The deacons should arrange them one by one; and let no one pass over into his neighbour’s seat. And let him mark the conduct and behaviour of the people in church, lest they sleep or be slothful in prayer; but let him watch them, and if any be found laughing or talking foolishly, let him admonish them and cause them to be silent. We ought, then, to stand in the church in fear and trembling, and to set our thoughts to hearken to the word of the Scriptures. And when the catechumens and those that are under penance have departed let all the people rise up and look towards the East, and pray unto God, who is in every place. to bring them back to their former place, unto the garden of joy, from which the first man went forth, when he consented to the counsel of the Serpent, and transgressed the commandment of God. And after this let the presbyters rise up and offer the sacrifice to God with fear and trembling. Then let the ministers rise and command them to keep silence; and let the deacon who standeth at the right hand ” of the bishop say thus to the people, Let no man harbour in his heart revenge, or hatred, or envy against his neighbour. Then let the men salute one another with a holy kiss; and in like manner let the women salute one another. Howbeit salute not one another with guile like Judas Iscariot, who kissed our Lord and betrayed Him wickedly. And after this let the deacon pray, and make supplication for the whole world, and all that is therein, for the fruits of the ground, for the king, for the priests, for the rulers, for the chief priests, for the peace of the holy Apostolic Church. And after this let the chief priest make supplication and entreaty that peace may be upon the people. Then let him bless them, as Moses commanded the priests to bless the people, saying thus, “The Lord bless thee, and keep thee, and make his face to shine on thee, and have mercy upon thee, and give thee peace.” And after this let the bishop make supplication, and say, Save Thy people, and bless Thine heritage; feed them and lift them up for ever. Thou hast purchased and redeemed by Thy precious Blood Thy Holy Church through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath called her to be a congregation of kings and priests, a pure family, a holy people. And after that the priests have taken up the mysteries, let them take heed lest (any) enter who are not of the faithful. And then let the men stand up, and the women also, veiling their heads, (and) let them put forth their hands, and pray for pardon, (and) receive His holy Flesh and precious Blood. [ii., 58.) And if any brethren or sisters come from a distant place, let the deacon enquire into their lives, and get knowledge of their faith. And if they have the tokens of the right faith, let him permit them to enter the church; but if they are unbelievers, let him not permit them to enter. And if a presbyter come from a distant place, let the presbyters receive him; and in like manner the deacons. And if a bishop come, a stranger, let the bishop, who is like unto him, receive him, and let him sit with him, and let (the bishop) show him honour. Then let him ask him to teach and admonish the people; for it is said, “A prophet is not had in honour in his own city.” Entreat him to offer up the sacrifice. But if, by reason of fear, he refuseth, let them all the more entreat him to bestow a blessing on the people. And if there be one that cometh to thee, a stranger, or one of the men of the place, clothed in goodly apparel, full of grace, do thou, O bishop, declare unto him the word of God. And when thou hearest them teaching or reading the Scriptures, cease not the work of thy ministry. The brethren ought to receive strangers, and magnify and honour them. But if there be one (who is) haughty, and (who) honoureth not a stranger, let the deacon coming admonish him, and set him behind (the rest of) the people, that others, when they see, may fear. And if there come unto you poor men, whether young or old, let the deacon receive them with a glad heart, and set them each one in his place, as befitteth, without respect of persons, but (so) that your service be that which is well pleasing to God. And let the deaconess also do in like manner with the women, whether rich or poor. [ii., 59.] Admonish, then, O bishop, thy people, and bid them come to the church day and night, and never absent themselves from it, that the congregation therein be not diminished, for they are members of Christ. And we say this not concerning the priests alone, but concerning all the people, that each one may understand the word of the Lord. For our Lord saith, “But he that is not with me is mine adversary, and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.” Be not slothful, then, for ye are members of Christ; separate not yourselves from His Body and His Blood; nor choose the cares of this world before the commandments of God. Gather yourselves together in the church in the evening and in the morning; glorify God, and sing, and read the Psalms of David, the sixty-second, and the hundred and fortieth as well. And especially on the Christian Sabbath. which is (the day of) His holy resurrection, offer praise and thanksgiving and honour to God, who created all things by His Son Jesus Christ, whom He sent unto us; who was well pleased to suffer according to His will, and was buried in the earth, and rose again from the dead. But if ye come not to the church, what excuse, or what answer will ye make to God? For on this day, the Christian Sabbath, we ought to hear the preaching of His holy resurrection, and remember His sufferings, and make remembrance of Him, and read the Scriptures of the prophets, and the Gospel; and (celebrate) the eucharist, the sacrifice, and oblation, (our) spiritual food. [ii., Go.] But if ye watch not day and night, and do not according as we say, ye are transgressors against God, and enemies unto Him, for ye have chosen pleasure, eating and drinking, and delights, that wax old and perish, and ye have forsaken that which waxeth not old, nor perisheth. And to them that do such things God saith, “The foolish people are better than you”; as He reproached” Jerusalem, and said unto her, “Sodom is better than thou.” Behold, then, let us look at the foolish Gentiles. Every day, when they awake and rise from sleep, they betake them forthwith to those gods that profit not, and they worship them, and make supplication to them concerning their needs; and they gather themselves together, great and small, on their feast-days, and not these alone, but others also come from distant places, and worship and serve them. And the foolish Jews, though ungodly (and) unbelieving, yet work six days, and rest on the seventh day. Then they gather themselves together in the synagogues, and keep a feast to idols, and magnify them, and honour them that have no life, nor spirit, and (that) profit not at all. Howbeit they vaunt themselves, and say, We are Jews. But if these " do thus, and gather themselves together at all times, and in folly serve those in whom is no profit, how is it then that ye who have received grace from the Lord God, are slothful, and neglect the service of the church? If ye keep far from the church, ye shall lose your hope, a and abandon your salvation, and become ungodly, ye who turn aside from that which is good, and become evil. Behold the Lord said by Jeremiah the prophet, “I‘or my people have forsaken my law which I set before their face, and have not heard my-voice, but have gone and have followed the desire of their own hearts, and have followed idols, as their fathers taught them.” And moreover it is said, “Rebellious Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah,” and, ‘“ Their shepherds have led them to the mountains, and driven them away; and they wander on the hills.” What excuse do they make who are slothful to go to the church, and go out therefrom at the time of prayer? At what time shall they hear of the salvation of their souls and what answer shall they give to God? Understand, then, that the service of the faithful (which) abideth with them in truth, is this, the worship of God. Let not your work and your toil be of the cares of this transitory world, which waxeth old and perisheth, but let your thoughts be toward God. Even as our Lord saith, “Take no thought for transitory meat that waxeth old and perisheth, but for the meat that endureth unto life eternal.” And moreover He saith, ‘‘The work which pleaseth God is this that ye believe in him whom he hath sent unto you.” (ii., 61.] Take heed, then, that ye keep not far from the church of God, nor follow the steps of the ungodly and unbelievers, and the worshippers of idols, and the congregation of the Jews. And go not to a temple of devils, nor have fellowship with Christ’s murderers, nor enter into a congregation of the ungodly. Have ye not heard that which is said, “I have not sat in the assembly of vanity, nor have I gone in with evil-doers: I have hated the congregation of the wicked, and I will not sit with the deceitful and evil-doers ’’?! And again it is said, “Blessed is the man that hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, and that hath not stood in the way of sinners, and that hath not sat in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and on his law he meditated day and night.” But behold thou hast left the congregation of the faithful, and hast despised the Church of God, and hast not kept His law and His ordinance; but hast followed the way of robbers, and hast counted the unclean as clean, and hast become a companion of those that were separated from thee, and hast made thy dwelling with the heathen, and hast inclined thine ear unto the words of the theatre, which are full of all uncleanness and vanity, wherein is no profit. And thou hast refused to hearken to the words of Jeremiah the prophet, who saith, ‘‘O Lord, I have not sat on the seat of judgment with injustice, but I am afraid before thy face.” Wherefore desirest thou to hear the words of the dead heathen, who were wounded through sin, by the works of the devil, (and) slay the man who followeth them, and draw him away from the right faith, and make him to serve many gods? But do not ye thus, but keep the commandments of God, and choose for yourselves life. And above all seek after the law of the Church of the Lord, which Christ, His beloved Son, who was before the world was created, hath purchased with His Blood. For His? Church is the Daughter of the Most High, she who strengtheneth our hearts, and bringeth us near to God, that we may find a place with Him; for we are His members and His friends. Let us, then, be good and pure, without uncleanness, and perfect in the right faith and in every good work.

OF WIDOWS. [iii., 1.] (A widow) ought to be appointed at sixty years of age, in whom are good works, and (who is) elect and pure, and desireth not another husband. Younger widows are not worthy of the office. But if ye appoint a young widow, as she is not able to have continency as the elder widows, but desireth to marry again, trust her not, for she will bring a shameful report, and dishonour, and reproach on the Church, and shall be condemned before God, for she hath married a second husband, and hath not kept the command of the Scriptures. Wherefore they ought not to appoint (them) hastily, until they make enquiry as to their lives, and prove them (to see) if they have (the gift of) continence. But if they cannot have continency it is better not to appoint () them, for they keep not that which they have promised. But if there be a young widow, who hath lived for a little while with her husband, and been separated from him by death, and then hath lived alone, and observeth the duties of the widows, she who doeth thus is blessed: for she is like unto the widow who was in Sarepta of Sidon unto whom Elijah the holy prophet of God came, and she received him, and unto the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher, who lived day and night in the house of God, ready continually for prayer and supplication, though her years were sO many. Seven years she lived with her husband, and then entered into the temple, and remained fifty-seven years as a virgin, hoping for the coming of Christ, and giving thanks to the Lord, and speaking of Him to all who were hoping for the coming of the salvation of Israel. The widow who doeth thus findeth honour and favour and praise in this world, and also in the next before God in the Kingdom of heaven. [iii., 2.] And let not younger widows be appointed to the order (of widows) of the Church, for they cannot have continency while they are in the vigour of their youth; and they will marry a second husband. And as for such as these their youth is (given over) to Satan; but let them take heed for their own salvation that they marry not a second husband. And as for such as these ye must needs understand this, that a first marriage is pure before God; but those that marry a second time are transgressors of the law; yet it is not on account of their union, but (because) they have proved false against God the Creator. And those that marry a third time shall not be reckoned with the flock of the Lord Christ; and those that marry a fourth time, their wantonness is still more abundantly manifested, and they shall find shame and dishonour. For in the first creation God gave one woman to one man, and for this cause they two are one flesh. Thus we command the younger women; if their first husbands die, let them marry a second husband, if they cannot have continency, lest they fall again into the snare and devices of Satan, and into evil desires that destroy souls, and go down themselves into the eternal condemnation of Gehenna, where is no “ rest. [iii., 3.] But widows who are known for righteousness, women who have married one man, and concerning whom many bear witness that they have lived in purity, let such be reckoned with the faithful widows, and (those who) bring up their children without blame. Those that are such ye ought to help, and give them what they need, for their trust is in God. And now also stretch forth thy hand to give, and remember the poor, and give to each one according to his need, and visit the widows and the orphans and the afflicted. [iii., 4.] The bishop, then, ought to help and save and supply the need of all the destitute and troubled, and help them, and feed in his good pasture all the people, who bring their offering of alms. From what they have brought to thee, give what they have given to thee,“ to each one, as is fitting, as a good and merciful steward, for this is well-pleasing before God. Everyone that giveth to the destitute shall find a good reward; and thou, who hast toiled for God, shalt obtain a recompense. And say thus unto those to whom thou hast given, (It is) such a one who hath offered (this), and I have given (it) to you, that ye may pray for him, and entreat on his behalf. Ye ought to do good unto all men, and not say, To this man will I give, and the other I will refuse. Do thou make no distinction between any. For our.Lord saith, “Give to everyone that hath asked of thee,” that is, either thy friend, or thine enemy, or thy kinsman, or a stranger, or one that is married, or one that hath no wife, or a widow, or an orphan—even to every one that is destitute do thou good. For our Lord hath commanded in the Scriptures that we should be merciful to the poor, for He saith by the mouth of Isaiah the prophet, “Break thy bread to the hungry, and give the poor to eat, and make him to dwell in the shadow of thy house. And if thou seest one that is naked, clothe him; and shut not thine eyes (to him that is) of the seed of thy house.” And Daniel also saith, “Therefore let my counsel be pleasing unto thee, O King, and by almsgiving in righteousness thou shalt be saved, and (atone for) thy sin by shewing mercy to the poor, until God pardon thine iniquity.” And again Solomon saith, “By faith and by mercy sin shall be blotted out.” And moreover David saith, “Blessed is he that considereth the poor and needy: the Lord shall deliver him from the day of evil.” And again he saith, “He hath scattered abroad, and given to the poor: and his righteousness remaineth for ever.” And again Solomon saith once more, “He that sheweth mercy to the poor lendeth unto the Lord, and he shall be recompensed even as he hath given. For he that stoppeth his ear, lest he hear the cry of the poor, and he that covereth his eye, lest he see the oppressed, to him also shall the Lord be deaf.” [iii., 5.] Widows ought to be patient, not talkative, (women) in whom is no evil nor anger, but pure, and worshipping God in righteousness. And whensoever they see evil deeds, or hear evil words, let them be silent, as if they saw and heard not. Let the widow have no care except to pray and entreat for those that come and make offerings to the Church. And if there be anyone who seeketh after idle words of vanity, let them not answer him, but let them receive those that seek words of faith and deeds of righteousness, and a good hope before God. But let those (widows) that desire to learn that which is appointed, go to those in authority to learn and hear the word of admonition: and let them not hearken to slander, nor follow after other gods, but worship the One God who created all things. For the Lord hath likened the Kingdom of heaven to a grain of mustard seed, which is smaller than all seeds, and when a man tastes it, it burneth him. And so the word of the doctrine of the faith burneth Satan. We ought not to transgress the words of the prophets, nor reveal mysteries to unbelievers but we (ought) to be firm in faith. For our Lord hath commanded us, saying, “Cast not your pearls before swine, nor give your holy things to the dogs, lest they trample your pearls with their feet, and turn and rend you. For when the ungodly know the word of the mysteries, they despise (it), and in their folly count (it) a dishonour and a shame. [iii., 6.] But teach them rather the words of the Law, and the prophets who prophesied of the coming of Christ. For our Master Jesus Christ sent us the Twelve to teach all nations; but He commanded not women to teach, nor to speak in the Church to the people. But let them rather receive admonition and (keep) from deeds of fornication, and be obedient in fasting and prayer and in hearing the words of the Scriptures. For there abode with us Mary Magdelene, and the sisters of Lazarus, Mary and Martha and Salome, and others also with them”: (and) since He commanded not them to teach along with us neither is it right for other women to teach. For the man is the head of the woman, so it is not right that the member should be greater than the head.” Widows and virgins ought not to walk about in the streets, nor enter men’s houses, but they who do thus are not widows nor virgins, but rather become a stumbling-block to men. And if they cleave not to the Church, they become slothful and insatiate, and covetous of the goods of others, and they lead men captive, and become seducers of others, and cause souls to fall; and they that follow them are far from the Lord. But as for those that enter the Church and understand not that which is in the Scriptures, and hearken not to the word of the book of admonition, concerning them that do thus Isaiah the prophet saith, “Hearing they shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing they shall see, and shall not perceive: for the heart of this people is darkened.” [iii.,-] And to widows such as these show thou not the sacrifice of Christ. But let her that desireth to please Christ dwell in her house in quietness, and glorify Him by day and by night with a mouth that keepeth not silence, and let her pray to God with a pure heart like wise Judith who prayed to God for Israel day and night. In like manner the merciful widow will pray to God, ceasing not to resort to the church every day, for all her thoughts are ready continually for (His) service, and she turneth not to pleasure; but her eyes are pure, and her ears holy, and she stretcheth not out her hands to covetousness, and her feet run in the way of peace, and her mouth speaketh not lies, and her food is in moderation. As for her whose works are such, the Lord will hear her prayer and her supplication, for it is said, “When I call upon thee, hear me speedily.” Let such a widow be appointed, who loveth not money, in whom is no vanity, nor avarice, (who is) no lover of gain, but is elect and prudent, and abideth at home, giving praise, and singing, and reading the Scriptures, and observeth the times of the hours by day and by night, and fasteth and prayeth to God at all times, and giveth to the poor from the labour of her hands, and seeketh no gain, remembering the widow who offered the two mites in the sanctuary of the Lord; of whom Jesus Christ bare witness in the Gospel: “Verily I say unto you that this widow hath offered more than all they that offered to the treasury. For all they that offered," offered of their abundance,” but she of her want offered all that she had, even all her living.” [iii., 8.] The widows, then, ought to be pure, and to be in subjection with fear and trembling, but above all to the bishop and to the presbyters and to the deacons and to the deaconesses. And let them do nothing without the counsel of the deacons, nor go after pleasant meats or wantonness. But if they be found doing thus, let them be admonished by the deacon, and let him command them to fast. And in like manner let not the priests receive gifts from robbers and money-changers and adulterers. Receive thou nothing from those that do thus, nor offer (it) as an offering to the Lord thy God. The widows ought, then, to be ready to hearken to the words of their elders, and to do all that they command them, and to observe the word of the bishop, and to honour him as God. But if there be anyone that receiveth alms from the evil-doers and the ungodly, he shall fall into their error, and die in their iniquity. If he prayeth for them, he grieveth Christ. But let him turn them to repentance; and those that convert not the evil-doers and liars and sinners are partakers with them in the evil of their deeds.

OF WIDOWS. [iii., 1.] (A widow) ought to be appointed at sixty years of age, in whom are good works, and (who is) elect and pure, and desireth not another husband. Younger widows are not worthy of the office. But if ye appoint a young widow, as she is not able to have continency as the elder widows, but desireth to marry again, trust her not, for she will bring a shameful report, and dishonour, and reproach on the Church, and shall be condemned before God, for she hath married a second husband, and hath not kept the command of the Scriptures. Wherefore they ought not to appoint (them) hastily, until they make enquiry as to their lives, and prove them (to see) if they have (the gift of) continence. But if they cannot have continency it is better not to appoint () them, for they keep not that which they have promised. But if there be a young widow, who hath lived for a little while with her husband, and been separated from him by death, and then hath lived alone, and observeth the duties of the widows, she who doeth thus is blessed: for she is like unto the widow who was in Sarepta of Sidon unto whom Elijah the holy prophet of God came, and she received him, and unto the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher, who lived day and night in the house of God, ready continually for prayer and supplication, though her years were sO many. Seven years she lived with her husband, and then entered into the temple, and remained fifty-seven years as a virgin, hoping for the coming of Christ, and giving thanks to the Lord, and speaking of Him to all who were hoping for the coming of the salvation of Israel. The widow who doeth thus findeth honour and favour and praise in this world, and also in the next before God in the Kingdom of heaven. [iii., 2.] And let not younger widows be appointed to the order (of widows) of the Church, for they cannot have continency while they are in the vigour of their youth; and they will marry a second husband. And as for such as these their youth is (given over) to Satan; but let them take heed for their own salvation that they marry not a second husband. And as for such as these ye must needs understand this, that a first marriage is pure before God; but those that marry a second time are transgressors of the law; yet it is not on account of their union, but (because) they have proved false against God the Creator. And those that marry a third time shall not be reckoned with the flock of the Lord Christ; and those that marry a fourth time, their wantonness is still more abundantly manifested, and they shall find shame and dishonour. For in the first creation God gave one woman to one man, and for this cause they two are one flesh. Thus we command the younger women; if their first husbands die, let them marry a second husband, if they cannot have continency, lest they fall again into the snare and devices of Satan, and into evil desires that destroy souls, and go down themselves into the eternal condemnation of Gehenna, where is no “ rest. [iii., 3.] But widows who are known for righteousness, women who have married one man, and concerning whom many bear witness that they have lived in purity, let such be reckoned with the faithful widows, and (those who) bring up their children without blame. Those that are such ye ought to help, and give them what they need, for their trust is in God. And now also stretch forth thy hand to give, and remember the poor, and give to each one according to his need, and visit the widows and the orphans and the afflicted. [iii., 4.] The bishop, then, ought to help and save and supply the need of all the destitute and troubled, and help them, and feed in his good pasture all the people, who bring their offering of alms. From what they have brought to thee, give what they have given to thee,“ to each one, as is fitting, as a good and merciful steward, for this is well-pleasing before God. Everyone that giveth to the destitute shall find a good reward; and thou, who hast toiled for God, shalt obtain a recompense. And say thus unto those to whom thou hast given, (It is) such a one who hath offered (this), and I have given (it) to you, that ye may pray for him, and entreat on his behalf. Ye ought to do good unto all men, and not say, To this man will I give, and the other I will refuse. Do thou make no distinction between any. For our.Lord saith, “Give to everyone that hath asked of thee,” that is, either thy friend, or thine enemy, or thy kinsman, or a stranger, or one that is married, or one that hath no wife, or a widow, or an orphan—even to every one that is destitute do thou good. For our Lord hath commanded in the Scriptures that we should be merciful to the poor, for He saith by the mouth of Isaiah the prophet, “Break thy bread to the hungry, and give the poor to eat, and make him to dwell in the shadow of thy house. And if thou seest one that is naked, clothe him; and shut not thine eyes (to him that is) of the seed of thy house.” And Daniel also saith, “Therefore let my counsel be pleasing unto thee, O King, and by almsgiving in righteousness thou shalt be saved, and (atone for) thy sin by shewing mercy to the poor, until God pardon thine iniquity.” And again Solomon saith, “By faith and by mercy sin shall be blotted out.” And moreover David saith, “Blessed is he that considereth the poor and needy: the Lord shall deliver him from the day of evil.” And again he saith, “He hath scattered abroad, and given to the poor: and his righteousness remaineth for ever.” And again Solomon saith once more, “He that sheweth mercy to the poor lendeth unto the Lord, and he shall be recompensed even as he hath given. For he that stoppeth his ear, lest he hear the cry of the poor, and he that covereth his eye, lest he see the oppressed, to him also shall the Lord be deaf.” [iii., 5.] Widows ought to be patient, not talkative, (women) in whom is no evil nor anger, but pure, and worshipping God in righteousness. And whensoever they see evil deeds, or hear evil words, let them be silent, as if they saw and heard not. Let the widow have no care except to pray and entreat for those that come and make offerings to the Church. And if there be anyone who seeketh after idle words of vanity, let them not answer him, but let them receive those that seek words of faith and deeds of righteousness, and a good hope before God. But let those (widows) that desire to learn that which is appointed, go to those in authority to learn and hear the word of admonition: and let them not hearken to slander, nor follow after other gods, but worship the One God who created all things. For the Lord hath likened the Kingdom of heaven to a grain of mustard seed, which is smaller than all seeds, and when a man tastes it, it burneth him. And so the word of the doctrine of the faith burneth Satan. We ought not to transgress the words of the prophets, nor reveal mysteries to unbelievers but we (ought) to be firm in faith. For our Lord hath commanded us, saying, “Cast not your pearls before swine, nor give your holy things to the dogs, lest they trample your pearls with their feet, and turn and rend you. For when the ungodly know the word of the mysteries, they despise (it), and in their folly count (it) a dishonour and a shame. [iii., 6.] But teach them rather the words of the Law, and the prophets who prophesied of the coming of Christ. For our Master Jesus Christ sent us the Twelve to teach all nations; but He commanded not women to teach, nor to speak in the Church to the people. But let them rather receive admonition and (keep) from deeds of fornication, and be obedient in fasting and prayer and in hearing the words of the Scriptures. For there abode with us Mary Magdelene, and the sisters of Lazarus, Mary and Martha and Salome, and others also with them”: (and) since He commanded not them to teach along with us neither is it right for other women to teach. For the man is the head of the woman, so it is not right that the member should be greater than the head.” Widows and virgins ought not to walk about in the streets, nor enter men’s houses, but they who do thus are not widows nor virgins, but rather become a stumbling-block to men. And if they cleave not to the Church, they become slothful and insatiate, and covetous of the goods of others, and they lead men captive, and become seducers of others, and cause souls to fall; and they that follow them are far from the Lord. But as for those that enter the Church and understand not that which is in the Scriptures, and hearken not to the word of the book of admonition, concerning them that do thus Isaiah the prophet saith, “Hearing they shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing they shall see, and shall not perceive: for the heart of this people is darkened.” [iii.,-] And to widows such as these show thou not the sacrifice of Christ. But let her that desireth to please Christ dwell in her house in quietness, and glorify Him by day and by night with a mouth that keepeth not silence, and let her pray to God with a pure heart like wise Judith who prayed to God for Israel day and night. In like manner the merciful widow will pray to God, ceasing not to resort to the church every day, for all her thoughts are ready continually for (His) service, and she turneth not to pleasure; but her eyes are pure, and her ears holy, and she stretcheth not out her hands to covetousness, and her feet run in the way of peace, and her mouth speaketh not lies, and her food is in moderation. As for her whose works are such, the Lord will hear her prayer and her supplication, for it is said, “When I call upon thee, hear me speedily.” Let such a widow be appointed, who loveth not money, in whom is no vanity, nor avarice, (who is) no lover of gain, but is elect and prudent, and abideth at home, giving praise, and singing, and reading the Scriptures, and observeth the times of the hours by day and by night, and fasteth and prayeth to God at all times, and giveth to the poor from the labour of her hands, and seeketh no gain, remembering the widow who offered the two mites in the sanctuary of the Lord; of whom Jesus Christ bare witness in the Gospel: “Verily I say unto you that this widow hath offered more than all they that offered to the treasury. For all they that offered," offered of their abundance,” but she of her want offered all that she had, even all her living.” [iii., 8.] The widows, then, ought to be pure, and to be in subjection with fear and trembling, but above all to the bishop and to the presbyters and to the deacons and to the deaconesses. And let them do nothing without the counsel of the deacons, nor go after pleasant meats or wantonness. But if they be found doing thus, let them be admonished by the deacon, and let him command them to fast. And in like manner let not the priests receive gifts from robbers and money-changers and adulterers. Receive thou nothing from those that do thus, nor offer (it) as an offering to the Lord thy God. The widows ought, then, to be ready to hearken to the words of their elders, and to do all that they command them, and to observe the word of the bishop, and to honour him as God. But if there be anyone that receiveth alms from the evil-doers and the ungodly, he shall fall into their error, and die in their iniquity. If he prayeth for them, he grieveth Christ. But let him turn them to repentance; and those that convert not the evil-doers and liars and sinners are partakers with them in the evil of their deeds.

OF WIDOWS. [iii., 1.] (A widow) ought to be appointed at sixty years of age, in whom are good works, and (who is) elect and pure, and desireth not another husband. Younger widows are not worthy of the office. But if ye appoint a young widow, as she is not able to have continency as the elder widows, but desireth to marry again, trust her not, for she will bring a shameful report, and dishonour, and reproach on the Church, and shall be condemned before God, for she hath married a second husband, and hath not kept the command of the Scriptures. Wherefore they ought not to appoint (them) hastily, until they make enquiry as to their lives, and prove them (to see) if they have (the gift of) continence. But if they cannot have continency it is better not to appoint () them, for they keep not that which they have promised. But if there be a young widow, who hath lived for a little while with her husband, and been separated from him by death, and then hath lived alone, and observeth the duties of the widows, she who doeth thus is blessed: for she is like unto the widow who was in Sarepta of Sidon unto whom Elijah the holy prophet of God came, and she received him, and unto the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher, who lived day and night in the house of God, ready continually for prayer and supplication, though her years were sO many. Seven years she lived with her husband, and then entered into the temple, and remained fifty-seven years as a virgin, hoping for the coming of Christ, and giving thanks to the Lord, and speaking of Him to all who were hoping for the coming of the salvation of Israel. The widow who doeth thus findeth honour and favour and praise in this world, and also in the next before God in the Kingdom of heaven. [iii., 2.] And let not younger widows be appointed to the order (of widows) of the Church, for they cannot have continency while they are in the vigour of their youth; and they will marry a second husband. And as for such as these their youth is (given over) to Satan; but let them take heed for their own salvation that they marry not a second husband. And as for such as these ye must needs understand this, that a first marriage is pure before God; but those that marry a second time are transgressors of the law; yet it is not on account of their union, but (because) they have proved false against God the Creator. And those that marry a third time shall not be reckoned with the flock of the Lord Christ; and those that marry a fourth time, their wantonness is still more abundantly manifested, and they shall find shame and dishonour. For in the first creation God gave one woman to one man, and for this cause they two are one flesh. Thus we command the younger women; if their first husbands die, let them marry a second husband, if they cannot have continency, lest they fall again into the snare and devices of Satan, and into evil desires that destroy souls, and go down themselves into the eternal condemnation of Gehenna, where is no “ rest. [iii., 3.] But widows who are known for righteousness, women who have married one man, and concerning whom many bear witness that they have lived in purity, let such be reckoned with the faithful widows, and (those who) bring up their children without blame. Those that are such ye ought to help, and give them what they need, for their trust is in God. And now also stretch forth thy hand to give, and remember the poor, and give to each one according to his need, and visit the widows and the orphans and the afflicted. [iii., 4.] The bishop, then, ought to help and save and supply the need of all the destitute and troubled, and help them, and feed in his good pasture all the people, who bring their offering of alms. From what they have brought to thee, give what they have given to thee,“ to each one, as is fitting, as a good and merciful steward, for this is well-pleasing before God. Everyone that giveth to the destitute shall find a good reward; and thou, who hast toiled for God, shalt obtain a recompense. And say thus unto those to whom thou hast given, (It is) such a one who hath offered (this), and I have given (it) to you, that ye may pray for him, and entreat on his behalf. Ye ought to do good unto all men, and not say, To this man will I give, and the other I will refuse. Do thou make no distinction between any. For our.Lord saith, “Give to everyone that hath asked of thee,” that is, either thy friend, or thine enemy, or thy kinsman, or a stranger, or one that is married, or one that hath no wife, or a widow, or an orphan—even to every one that is destitute do thou good. For our Lord hath commanded in the Scriptures that we should be merciful to the poor, for He saith by the mouth of Isaiah the prophet, “Break thy bread to the hungry, and give the poor to eat, and make him to dwell in the shadow of thy house. And if thou seest one that is naked, clothe him; and shut not thine eyes (to him that is) of the seed of thy house.” And Daniel also saith, “Therefore let my counsel be pleasing unto thee, O King, and by almsgiving in righteousness thou shalt be saved, and (atone for) thy sin by shewing mercy to the poor, until God pardon thine iniquity.” And again Solomon saith, “By faith and by mercy sin shall be blotted out.” And moreover David saith, “Blessed is he that considereth the poor and needy: the Lord shall deliver him from the day of evil.” And again he saith, “He hath scattered abroad, and given to the poor: and his righteousness remaineth for ever.” And again Solomon saith once more, “He that sheweth mercy to the poor lendeth unto the Lord, and he shall be recompensed even as he hath given. For he that stoppeth his ear, lest he hear the cry of the poor, and he that covereth his eye, lest he see the oppressed, to him also shall the Lord be deaf.” [iii., 5.] Widows ought to be patient, not talkative, (women) in whom is no evil nor anger, but pure, and worshipping God in righteousness. And whensoever they see evil deeds, or hear evil words, let them be silent, as if they saw and heard not. Let the widow have no care except to pray and entreat for those that come and make offerings to the Church. And if there be anyone who seeketh after idle words of vanity, let them not answer him, but let them receive those that seek words of faith and deeds of righteousness, and a good hope before God. But let those (widows) that desire to learn that which is appointed, go to those in authority to learn and hear the word of admonition: and let them not hearken to slander, nor follow after other gods, but worship the One God who created all things. For the Lord hath likened the Kingdom of heaven to a grain of mustard seed, which is smaller than all seeds, and when a man tastes it, it burneth him. And so the word of the doctrine of the faith burneth Satan. We ought not to transgress the words of the prophets, nor reveal mysteries to unbelievers but we (ought) to be firm in faith. For our Lord hath commanded us, saying, “Cast not your pearls before swine, nor give your holy things to the dogs, lest they trample your pearls with their feet, and turn and rend you. For when the ungodly know the word of the mysteries, they despise (it), and in their folly count (it) a dishonour and a shame. [iii., 6.] But teach them rather the words of the Law, and the prophets who prophesied of the coming of Christ. For our Master Jesus Christ sent us the Twelve to teach all nations; but He commanded not women to teach, nor to speak in the Church to the people. But let them rather receive admonition and (keep) from deeds of fornication, and be obedient in fasting and prayer and in hearing the words of the Scriptures. For there abode with us Mary Magdelene, and the sisters of Lazarus, Mary and Martha and Salome, and others also with them”: (and) since He commanded not them to teach along with us neither is it right for other women to teach. For the man is the head of the woman, so it is not right that the member should be greater than the head.” Widows and virgins ought not to walk about in the streets, nor enter men’s houses, but they who do thus are not widows nor virgins, but rather become a stumbling-block to men. And if they cleave not to the Church, they become slothful and insatiate, and covetous of the goods of others, and they lead men captive, and become seducers of others, and cause souls to fall; and they that follow them are far from the Lord. But as for those that enter the Church and understand not that which is in the Scriptures, and hearken not to the word of the book of admonition, concerning them that do thus Isaiah the prophet saith, “Hearing they shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing they shall see, and shall not perceive: for the heart of this people is darkened.” [iii.,-] And to widows such as these show thou not the sacrifice of Christ. But let her that desireth to please Christ dwell in her house in quietness, and glorify Him by day and by night with a mouth that keepeth not silence, and let her pray to God with a pure heart like wise Judith who prayed to God for Israel day and night. In like manner the merciful widow will pray to God, ceasing not to resort to the church every day, for all her thoughts are ready continually for (His) service, and she turneth not to pleasure; but her eyes are pure, and her ears holy, and she stretcheth not out her hands to covetousness, and her feet run in the way of peace, and her mouth speaketh not lies, and her food is in moderation. As for her whose works are such, the Lord will hear her prayer and her supplication, for it is said, “When I call upon thee, hear me speedily.” Let such a widow be appointed, who loveth not money, in whom is no vanity, nor avarice, (who is) no lover of gain, but is elect and prudent, and abideth at home, giving praise, and singing, and reading the Scriptures, and observeth the times of the hours by day and by night, and fasteth and prayeth to God at all times, and giveth to the poor from the labour of her hands, and seeketh no gain, remembering the widow who offered the two mites in the sanctuary of the Lord; of whom Jesus Christ bare witness in the Gospel: “Verily I say unto you that this widow hath offered more than all they that offered to the treasury. For all they that offered," offered of their abundance,” but she of her want offered all that she had, even all her living.” [iii., 8.] The widows, then, ought to be pure, and to be in subjection with fear and trembling, but above all to the bishop and to the presbyters and to the deacons and to the deaconesses. And let them do nothing without the counsel of the deacons, nor go after pleasant meats or wantonness. But if they be found doing thus, let them be admonished by the deacon, and let him command them to fast. And in like manner let not the priests receive gifts from robbers and money-changers and adulterers. Receive thou nothing from those that do thus, nor offer (it) as an offering to the Lord thy God. The widows ought, then, to be ready to hearken to the words of their elders, and to do all that they command them, and to observe the word of the bishop, and to honour him as God. But if there be anyone that receiveth alms from the evil-doers and the ungodly, he shall fall into their error, and die in their iniquity. If he prayeth for them, he grieveth Christ. But let him turn them to repentance; and those that convert not the evil-doers and liars and sinners are partakers with them in the evil of their deeds.

OF WIDOWS. [iii., 1.] (A widow) ought to be appointed at sixty years of age, in whom are good works, and (who is) elect and pure, and desireth not another husband. Younger widows are not worthy of the office. But if ye appoint a young widow, as she is not able to have continency as the elder widows, but desireth to marry again, trust her not, for she will bring a shameful report, and dishonour, and reproach on the Church, and shall be condemned before God, for she hath married a second husband, and hath not kept the command of the Scriptures. Wherefore they ought not to appoint (them) hastily, until they make enquiry as to their lives, and prove them (to see) if they have (the gift of) continence. But if they cannot have continency it is better not to appoint () them, for they keep not that which they have promised. But if there be a young widow, who hath lived for a little while with her husband, and been separated from him by death, and then hath lived alone, and observeth the duties of the widows, she who doeth thus is blessed: for she is like unto the widow who was in Sarepta of Sidon unto whom Elijah the holy prophet of God came, and she received him, and unto the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher, who lived day and night in the house of God, ready continually for prayer and supplication, though her years were sO many. Seven years she lived with her husband, and then entered into the temple, and remained fifty-seven years as a virgin, hoping for the coming of Christ, and giving thanks to the Lord, and speaking of Him to all who were hoping for the coming of the salvation of Israel. The widow who doeth thus findeth honour and favour and praise in this world, and also in the next before God in the Kingdom of heaven. [iii., 2.] And let not younger widows be appointed to the order (of widows) of the Church, for they cannot have continency while they are in the vigour of their youth; and they will marry a second husband. And as for such as these their youth is (given over) to Satan; but let them take heed for their own salvation that they marry not a second husband. And as for such as these ye must needs understand this, that a first marriage is pure before God; but those that marry a second time are transgressors of the law; yet it is not on account of their union, but (because) they have proved false against God the Creator. And those that marry a third time shall not be reckoned with the flock of the Lord Christ; and those that marry a fourth time, their wantonness is still more abundantly manifested, and they shall find shame and dishonour. For in the first creation God gave one woman to one man, and for this cause they two are one flesh. Thus we command the younger women; if their first husbands die, let them marry a second husband, if they cannot have continency, lest they fall again into the snare and devices of Satan, and into evil desires that destroy souls, and go down themselves into the eternal condemnation of Gehenna, where is no “ rest. [iii., 3.] But widows who are known for righteousness, women who have married one man, and concerning whom many bear witness that they have lived in purity, let such be reckoned with the faithful widows, and (those who) bring up their children without blame. Those that are such ye ought to help, and give them what they need, for their trust is in God. And now also stretch forth thy hand to give, and remember the poor, and give to each one according to his need, and visit the widows and the orphans and the afflicted. [iii., 4.] The bishop, then, ought to help and save and supply the need of all the destitute and troubled, and help them, and feed in his good pasture all the people, who bring their offering of alms. From what they have brought to thee, give what they have given to thee,“ to each one, as is fitting, as a good and merciful steward, for this is well-pleasing before God. Everyone that giveth to the destitute shall find a good reward; and thou, who hast toiled for God, shalt obtain a recompense. And say thus unto those to whom thou hast given, (It is) such a one who hath offered (this), and I have given (it) to you, that ye may pray for him, and entreat on his behalf. Ye ought to do good unto all men, and not say, To this man will I give, and the other I will refuse. Do thou make no distinction between any. For our.Lord saith, “Give to everyone that hath asked of thee,” that is, either thy friend, or thine enemy, or thy kinsman, or a stranger, or one that is married, or one that hath no wife, or a widow, or an orphan—even to every one that is destitute do thou good. For our Lord hath commanded in the Scriptures that we should be merciful to the poor, for He saith by the mouth of Isaiah the prophet, “Break thy bread to the hungry, and give the poor to eat, and make him to dwell in the shadow of thy house. And if thou seest one that is naked, clothe him; and shut not thine eyes (to him that is) of the seed of thy house.” And Daniel also saith, “Therefore let my counsel be pleasing unto thee, O King, and by almsgiving in righteousness thou shalt be saved, and (atone for) thy sin by shewing mercy to the poor, until God pardon thine iniquity.” And again Solomon saith, “By faith and by mercy sin shall be blotted out.” And moreover David saith, “Blessed is he that considereth the poor and needy: the Lord shall deliver him from the day of evil.” And again he saith, “He hath scattered abroad, and given to the poor: and his righteousness remaineth for ever.” And again Solomon saith once more, “He that sheweth mercy to the poor lendeth unto the Lord, and he shall be recompensed even as he hath given. For he that stoppeth his ear, lest he hear the cry of the poor, and he that covereth his eye, lest he see the oppressed, to him also shall the Lord be deaf.” [iii., 5.] Widows ought to be patient, not talkative, (women) in whom is no evil nor anger, but pure, and worshipping God in righteousness. And whensoever they see evil deeds, or hear evil words, let them be silent, as if they saw and heard not. Let the widow have no care except to pray and entreat for those that come and make offerings to the Church. And if there be anyone who seeketh after idle words of vanity, let them not answer him, but let them receive those that seek words of faith and deeds of righteousness, and a good hope before God. But let those (widows) that desire to learn that which is appointed, go to those in authority to learn and hear the word of admonition: and let them not hearken to slander, nor follow after other gods, but worship the One God who created all things. For the Lord hath likened the Kingdom of heaven to a grain of mustard seed, which is smaller than all seeds, and when a man tastes it, it burneth him. And so the word of the doctrine of the faith burneth Satan. We ought not to transgress the words of the prophets, nor reveal mysteries to unbelievers but we (ought) to be firm in faith. For our Lord hath commanded us, saying, “Cast not your pearls before swine, nor give your holy things to the dogs, lest they trample your pearls with their feet, and turn and rend you. For when the ungodly know the word of the mysteries, they despise (it), and in their folly count (it) a dishonour and a shame. [iii., 6.] But teach them rather the words of the Law, and the prophets who prophesied of the coming of Christ. For our Master Jesus Christ sent us the Twelve to teach all nations; but He commanded not women to teach, nor to speak in the Church to the people. But let them rather receive admonition and (keep) from deeds of fornication, and be obedient in fasting and prayer and in hearing the words of the Scriptures. For there abode with us Mary Magdelene, and the sisters of Lazarus, Mary and Martha and Salome, and others also with them”: (and) since He commanded not them to teach along with us neither is it right for other women to teach. For the man is the head of the woman, so it is not right that the member should be greater than the head.” Widows and virgins ought not to walk about in the streets, nor enter men’s houses, but they who do thus are not widows nor virgins, but rather become a stumbling-block to men. And if they cleave not to the Church, they become slothful and insatiate, and covetous of the goods of others, and they lead men captive, and become seducers of others, and cause souls to fall; and they that follow them are far from the Lord. But as for those that enter the Church and understand not that which is in the Scriptures, and hearken not to the word of the book of admonition, concerning them that do thus Isaiah the prophet saith, “Hearing they shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing they shall see, and shall not perceive: for the heart of this people is darkened.” [iii.,-] And to widows such as these show thou not the sacrifice of Christ. But let her that desireth to please Christ dwell in her house in quietness, and glorify Him by day and by night with a mouth that keepeth not silence, and let her pray to God with a pure heart like wise Judith who prayed to God for Israel day and night. In like manner the merciful widow will pray to God, ceasing not to resort to the church every day, for all her thoughts are ready continually for (His) service, and she turneth not to pleasure; but her eyes are pure, and her ears holy, and she stretcheth not out her hands to covetousness, and her feet run in the way of peace, and her mouth speaketh not lies, and her food is in moderation. As for her whose works are such, the Lord will hear her prayer and her supplication, for it is said, “When I call upon thee, hear me speedily.” Let such a widow be appointed, who loveth not money, in whom is no vanity, nor avarice, (who is) no lover of gain, but is elect and prudent, and abideth at home, giving praise, and singing, and reading the Scriptures, and observeth the times of the hours by day and by night, and fasteth and prayeth to God at all times, and giveth to the poor from the labour of her hands, and seeketh no gain, remembering the widow who offered the two mites in the sanctuary of the Lord; of whom Jesus Christ bare witness in the Gospel: “Verily I say unto you that this widow hath offered more than all they that offered to the treasury. For all they that offered," offered of their abundance,” but she of her want offered all that she had, even all her living.” [iii., 8.] The widows, then, ought to be pure, and to be in subjection with fear and trembling, but above all to the bishop and to the presbyters and to the deacons and to the deaconesses. And let them do nothing without the counsel of the deacons, nor go after pleasant meats or wantonness. But if they be found doing thus, let them be admonished by the deacon, and let him command them to fast. And in like manner let not the priests receive gifts from robbers and money-changers and adulterers. Receive thou nothing from those that do thus, nor offer (it) as an offering to the Lord thy God. The widows ought, then, to be ready to hearken to the words of their elders, and to do all that they command them, and to observe the word of the bishop, and to honour him as God. But if there be anyone that receiveth alms from the evil-doers and the ungodly, he shall fall into their error, and die in their iniquity. If he prayeth for them, he grieveth Christ. But let him turn them to repentance; and those that convert not the evil-doers and liars and sinners are partakers with them in the evil of their deeds.

THAT WOMEN OUGHT NOT TO BAPTIZE, [ili., 9.] Behold we declare unto you that great is the condemnation of those that thus do these deeds. We command you not to do this, for this thing is a transgression of the law. For the head of the woman is the man, who is appointed unto the priesthood. We then ought not to transgress against the Creator, (and) leave the head and follow the member. For the woman is the member of the man, and came forth from him; and from her children are born. Because He said unto her, ‘‘He is thy lord,” as we have already said, suffer not the women to admonish or teach, or execute the office of the priesthood, which is not commanded in the law. And he that doeth thus hath transgressed against God, and is as those that are without knowledge, even those that appoint women to be priestesses to graven images of women. Such women keep far away from the institution of Christ. Wherefore women ought never to baptize anyone. If it were lawful for women to baptize, our Lord Jesus Christ would have been baptized by His mother, and would not have been baptized by John; and He would not have sent us (only) into the world to baptize, but would have sent women to baptize along with us. We too command you that they do no such thing. Even if they are very wise, and have faith, and know the Scriptures, we do not permit them to baptize or preach the Gospel.

OF WIDOWS. For Satan seeketh an occasion whereby to ensnare, as he did of old in the case of Cain. For there are some who say, We are widows, but do not do the works that befit widows, even as Cain did toward his brother that which befitted not. These then are they that have no knowledge. For it is not by being called widows that they shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven, but by a right faith and by good works. But she that taketh the name of a widow, and doeth the work of Satan, belieth the name ( ) so that she shall find eternal condemnation. Behold we hear that there are among the widows some that are evil and envious and slanderers, and that cause strife amongst the brethren. These are not of Christ, for they have not kept the word of admonition. If there be one of the sisters, and (others of them) see men give her alms, whether money, or raiment, or food, or drink, and (if) she then rejoice and find rest, they ought to say thus: [iii., 13.] Blessed be the Lord our! God, Who hath granted rest and joy to the widow, our beloved sister, O Lord send blessing and honour on him who hath given to this widow, and increase his substance in righteousness and in purity, and remember him with Thy goodness, in the greatness of Thy compassion and mercy. And to this bishop also give Thou a double honour, who hath taught and exhorted those that have given unto us: give him the crown of glory when he shall depart this life. And in like manner let this widow pray and entreat along with them for those that have shewn mercy towards her. (iii., 14.] And now also let her give to the destitute from that which she hath received; and for this cause shall her works be well-pleasing before God, as it is written, saying, ‘Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth, and let thine alms be secret.” Thus let the widow pray for them that have given unto her and bestowed alms upon her, for she is as the sanctuary, and thy Father, who seeth thee in secret, shall reward thee openly. But widows who walk not after the commandment of God are envious of him who hath given alms to their sister, (and) they ask, and say, Who is it that hath shown this mercy towards her? And then when they understand and know, they go to him that hath given alms to their sister to trouble him, and say unto him, Why hast thou given first unto her, while we are far more destitute than she? For they are foolish who say thus, thinking it is a gift from man, whereas the gift of favour is from God. But if she was manifestly in want, they ought not to go to trouble him that showeth mercy, but rather is it right that they should remain at home, and fall down on their faces, and repent and pray to God. For God sheweth mercy to them that proclaim His goodness. Our Lord saith, “When ye enter into a house, say, Peace be to this house, and if a son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it; and, if not, your peace shall return to you.” [iii., 15.] But if peace find not (a place) prepared (for her) where she may rest, she abideth not there, but returneth to him that sent her. In like manner the unrighteous curse shall not come on him that hath not sinned, but shall rather return on him that uttered it. He that hath cursed another without cause, hath cursed himself, as Solomon saith. In like manner ye also shall be requited even as ye have done unto others. For it is said, ‘“‘ He hath digged a pit, and hollowed it out, and he shall fall into the pit which he made. And his toil shall return on his own head, and his wickedness shall descend upon his own pate.” For he that diggeth a pit for his neighbour shall fall,into it, and he that feareth a curse, let him not curse another; and what he hateth for himself let him not do to his neighbour. Wherefore, O bishop, do thou as a master admonish those women that despise widows, and bear patiently with the angry, and visit the sick, and rejoice with the elect who bless and curse not, and command them to do not that which is evil, but to make peace. Whether it be a bishop, or a presbyter, or a deacon, or whosoever it be of those set in authority, let there not proceed from his mouth cursing, lest he inherit a curse instead of a blessing. The bishop ought to admonish and teach and command the people that no word of cursing proceed from their mouths. But let him show care for priests, and deacons, and virgins, and widows, and the people. [iii., 16.] Wherefore, O bishop, prove the deacons who do service with thee, and help them in doing good, that they may be ready to minister unto the people, and let a deaconess also be appointed to minister unto the women, an elect and pure woman who is blameless. For a deacon ought not to minister unto the women, lest there arise an evil report from those that believe not. Therefore let there be a deaconess as a minister to the women, and let her anoint them with oil, and clothe them after baptism. And do thou, O bishop, anoint the foreheads of them that are baptized, men and women, with holy oil according to the ordinance of holy baptism. And after this, O bishops and presbyters, they do good and (make) peace. pray for them that are under you, and baptize them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. And then let the deacon take the men, and let the deaconess also take the women, that the seal which they receive, which no man may (break), may be holy and pure. And after they have been baptized, let the bishop anoint them with the oil of balsam, for they have been baptized into the death of Christ. [ili., 17.] The oil of balsam is the strength of faith, for when a man cometh forth from the water, he is in the likeness of Christ whom the Father raised from the dead. This is He who is over all; our Lord Jesus Christ is the only-begotten Son the Lord of life, and the Paraclete is the Spirit of truth who was sent by the Father to teach all things. (iii., 18.) But let them that are baptized be far from transgression and be pure from sin, and let them be friends of God and enemies of the devil, and fellow-heirs of Christ and adversaries of Satan and his devices. And they shall be pure without stain, and shall be called the sons of Christ. Moreover let them pray and entreat the Father that they may be one congregation together with the faithful, and say thus, Our Father which art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come. And thy will be done, as in heaven so also on earth. Give us to-day our daily bread. Forgive us our trespasses and our iniquities, as we also forgive him that hath trespassed against us. And bring us not into temptation, but save us and deliver us from all evil. For thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. [ili., 19.) The deacons then must needs be pure and good, without blame, as the bishop; and serve continually in the Holy Church, and minister unto God with a good ministry, and fulfil their office in wisdom with one -heart and one spirit, and understand the reward of their service, and not be puffed up in ministering to the destitute. Even as our Lord Jesus Christ came, not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life ransom for many. And moreover He refused not to give His life in place of His friends. And if the Lord of glory and the Lord of heaven and earth endured all this patiently for our sakes, how then are ye puffed up in ministering to the poor and needy? Ye ought in everything to be imitators of our Lord Jesus Christ, who endured to become a servant, and accepted poverty and want, and humbled Himself, and bore the sufferings of the Cross for our sakes. In like manner do ye also do service to the poor your brethren, and be imitators of Christ. But he among you that desireth to be chief, let him be your servant. So our Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled in word and in deed all that was written, and became the servant of many. He took a towel, and poured water into a bason, and first washed the feet of His disciples and (then) wiped them with the towel wherewith His loins were girded. He did thus that we might love one another, and taught us to love our neighbours as ourselves.‘? And if our Lord and Saviour humbled Himself, and did thus, how then are ye puffed up and slothful to do good to the destitute and afflicted? Do service, then, in perfect love without murmuring, or accepting of persons. Howbeit do not this for outward appearance, but for God’s sake, that ye may receive the reward of your toil from Him at the last day. The deacons ought to seek to satisfy the desires of the poor, before they ask them. Moreover let them do service unto the bishop, and be of one mind (with him), and account him as father and teacher and monitor. [iii., 20.) And behold we command that a bishop be ordained by three bishops, and if not, by two. But by one bishop it is not possible to give ordination: for by the testimony of three or two (witnesses) let every word be established. Presbyters and deacons and others set in authority in the Church shall be ordained by one bishop. To presbyters and to deacons it is not given to ordain a layman; but let the presbyter teach, and baptize, and bless the people, and burn incense, and offer up the sacrifice. And as for the deacon there is nothing that he may do except minister to the bishop and the presbyters; and let him fulfil aright his ministry. -

THAT THE BISHOP OUGHT TO SHOW UNDERSTANDING IN RECEIVING OFFERINGS FROM THOSE (ONLY) THAT ARE WORTHY. [iv., 6.) THe bishop ought to show understanding and make a difference about receiving offerings in cases when it befitteth not. Beware, then, of the seller of strong drink, for far removed is his salvation from sin. Wherefore it is said, “ Woe unto them that mingle water with wine.”” Let us keep far from drunkenness and fornication, for the Lord God saith, “ Bring ye not an offering of the reward of fornication.” Beware of the extortioners and of them that lend their money on interest, and of the defiled in spirit. Those that make sacrifice thus are not well pleasing unto God. The bishop must needs keep far from those that oppress widows and orphans, and from those that fill the prison with the innocent who have done no wrong, and from those that lay a grievous burden of service on their servants, and torment them with hunger and thirst. The sacrifice of such men is unclean, receive it not from them, for everyone that doeth evil and speaketh iniquity is rejected of God. Let us keep far from robbers and publicans, and from them that make idols, and (from) seducers, and such as use false balances, and from wicked soldiers who plunder the houses of the poor and needy, and seize their goods unjustly. Beware, then of murderers and liers in wait by the way, and of the ungodly, and of those that pervert good works, and of unclean persons," and of drunkards, and of blasphemy, and above all of those that exact interest, for such are the enemies of God. For it is written, saying, “Better is a little with righteousness than the great riches of sinners.” And again it is written, saying, “Thou hast hated, O Lord, all workers of iniquity, and thou shalt destroy all them that speak lies.” But he that vexeth him that feedeth the widow and the orphan shall be condemned before God. For that which Adonias did is written in the book of Kings, how he transgressed against God, and ate bread and drank water in the place wherein the Lord commanded him that he should not eat, because of the transgression of Jeroboam the son of Nebat; and for this cause was he slain. For that which (a man) obtaineth by his toil for the sustenance of the widow, be it much or little, is acceptable before God, because it was not (gotten) by iniquity. For it is written, saying,’’ “Better is a little with righteousness than the great riches of sinners.” But if a widow eat and be filled at the hands of the ungodly, and pray for them, God shall not hear her prayer, for God trieth the heart and reins. For God saith concerning the ungodly and unbelievers, “Though Moses and Samuel stand and pray before me, I will not hear their prayer, nor pardon their sin.”, And (He spake) not concerning these alone, but of others also that have sinned, and refused to turn unto repentance. And when they pray He will not hear their prayer for them that do such things; but they provoke God to anger, and remember not the evil of their doings. [iv., 7.] Keep far, then, from all such deeds, for all they that do thus are transgressors of the Jaw. For Elisha did not receive the offering of Hazael who reigned over Syria, and Ahijah did not receive the offering of Jeroboam. But if the prophets of God did not receive offerings from the ungodly, in like manner it is right that bishops should fear to do so. And Simon the Sorcerer also brought presents to us, even to us, Peter and John, and planned to receive the honour which is above every honour. But we received not the presents from him, but bound him with eternal bonds. But he desired to snatch an honour that was not given unto him by God. Keep far, then, from the polluted offerings which they bring into the house of God. And again it is said, ‘Depart from iniquity in fear and trembling.”.; [iv., 8.] But if ye say, If we receive not offerings from the ungodly, what shall we give to the widows and orphans, and to the destitute who have no sustenance —if ye do thus it shall become sin unto you. For God hath appointed for you, as of old for the Levites, that they should receive offerings of the people. But if all this which hath been appointed for the Church is not sufficient for you, ye ought to endure patiently, and remain in hunger and in thirst, rather than receive offerings from the enemies of God, and become a laughing-stock and a mockery. And concerning these the prophet saith, ‘But let not my head be anointed with the oil of sinners.”! Take heed to receive offerings from such as do good; but from the ungodly receive them not. But if thou be destitute, tell the faithful brethren that love God, that they may give (thee) what thou needest. And from that which thou receivest from them, give unto the widows and orphans in righteousness. [iv., 9.] Solomon said to the people, “Give to the Lord of thy labour in righteousness, that he may fill thy barns with wheat and that thy wine-press “may gush forth.” And from the toil of the faithful clothe the naked, and entertain them from the offerings which (men) bring unto you, and do service unto them according to the ordinance of the saints, and redeem the captives, and visit the prisoners, and deliver those that (are appointed) unto death, that ye may find life before God. [iv., 10.] Behold, then, we command you that ye follow not the way of the ungodly and unbelievers, nor accept their offerings, nor take their money, for they are prepared as fuel for fire, and that ye be not partakers with them, for the offering of sinners is unclean in the sight of God. This have we spoken to you, brethren, for the profit of your souls.

THAT THE BISHOP OUGHT TO SHOW UNDERSTANDING IN RECEIVING OFFERINGS FROM THOSE (ONLY) THAT ARE WORTHY. [iv., 6.) THe bishop ought to show understanding and make a difference about receiving offerings in cases when it befitteth not. Beware, then, of the seller of strong drink, for far removed is his salvation from sin. Wherefore it is said, “ Woe unto them that mingle water with wine.”” Let us keep far from drunkenness and fornication, for the Lord God saith, “ Bring ye not an offering of the reward of fornication.” Beware of the extortioners and of them that lend their money on interest, and of the defiled in spirit. Those that make sacrifice thus are not well pleasing unto God. The bishop must needs keep far from those that oppress widows and orphans, and from those that fill the prison with the innocent who have done no wrong, and from those that lay a grievous burden of service on their servants, and torment them with hunger and thirst. The sacrifice of such men is unclean, receive it not from them, for everyone that doeth evil and speaketh iniquity is rejected of God. Let us keep far from robbers and publicans, and from them that make idols, and (from) seducers, and such as use false balances, and from wicked soldiers who plunder the houses of the poor and needy, and seize their goods unjustly. Beware, then of murderers and liers in wait by the way, and of the ungodly, and of those that pervert good works, and of unclean persons," and of drunkards, and of blasphemy, and above all of those that exact interest, for such are the enemies of God. For it is written, saying, “Better is a little with righteousness than the great riches of sinners.” And again it is written, saying, “Thou hast hated, O Lord, all workers of iniquity, and thou shalt destroy all them that speak lies.” But he that vexeth him that feedeth the widow and the orphan shall be condemned before God. For that which Adonias did is written in the book of Kings, how he transgressed against God, and ate bread and drank water in the place wherein the Lord commanded him that he should not eat, because of the transgression of Jeroboam the son of Nebat; and for this cause was he slain. For that which (a man) obtaineth by his toil for the sustenance of the widow, be it much or little, is acceptable before God, because it was not (gotten) by iniquity. For it is written, saying,’’ “Better is a little with righteousness than the great riches of sinners.” But if a widow eat and be filled at the hands of the ungodly, and pray for them, God shall not hear her prayer, for God trieth the heart and reins. For God saith concerning the ungodly and unbelievers, “Though Moses and Samuel stand and pray before me, I will not hear their prayer, nor pardon their sin.”, And (He spake) not concerning these alone, but of others also that have sinned, and refused to turn unto repentance. And when they pray He will not hear their prayer for them that do such things; but they provoke God to anger, and remember not the evil of their doings. [iv., 7.] Keep far, then, from all such deeds, for all they that do thus are transgressors of the Jaw. For Elisha did not receive the offering of Hazael who reigned over Syria, and Ahijah did not receive the offering of Jeroboam. But if the prophets of God did not receive offerings from the ungodly, in like manner it is right that bishops should fear to do so. And Simon the Sorcerer also brought presents to us, even to us, Peter and John, and planned to receive the honour which is above every honour. But we received not the presents from him, but bound him with eternal bonds. But he desired to snatch an honour that was not given unto him by God. Keep far, then, from the polluted offerings which they bring into the house of God. And again it is said, ‘Depart from iniquity in fear and trembling.”.; [iv., 8.] But if ye say, If we receive not offerings from the ungodly, what shall we give to the widows and orphans, and to the destitute who have no sustenance —if ye do thus it shall become sin unto you. For God hath appointed for you, as of old for the Levites, that they should receive offerings of the people. But if all this which hath been appointed for the Church is not sufficient for you, ye ought to endure patiently, and remain in hunger and in thirst, rather than receive offerings from the enemies of God, and become a laughing-stock and a mockery. And concerning these the prophet saith, ‘But let not my head be anointed with the oil of sinners.”! Take heed to receive offerings from such as do good; but from the ungodly receive them not. But if thou be destitute, tell the faithful brethren that love God, that they may give (thee) what thou needest. And from that which thou receivest from them, give unto the widows and orphans in righteousness. [iv., 9.] Solomon said to the people, “Give to the Lord of thy labour in righteousness, that he may fill thy barns with wheat and that thy wine-press “may gush forth.” And from the toil of the faithful clothe the naked, and entertain them from the offerings which (men) bring unto you, and do service unto them according to the ordinance of the saints, and redeem the captives, and visit the prisoners, and deliver those that (are appointed) unto death, that ye may find life before God. [iv., 10.] Behold, then, we command you that ye follow not the way of the ungodly and unbelievers, nor accept their offerings, nor take their money, for they are prepared as fuel for fire, and that ye be not partakers with them, for the offering of sinners is unclean in the sight of God. This have we spoken to you, brethren, for the profit of your souls.

THAT THE BISHOP OUGHT TO SHOW UNDERSTANDING IN RECEIVING OFFERINGS FROM THOSE (ONLY) THAT ARE WORTHY. [iv., 6.) THe bishop ought to show understanding and make a difference about receiving offerings in cases when it befitteth not. Beware, then, of the seller of strong drink, for far removed is his salvation from sin. Wherefore it is said, “ Woe unto them that mingle water with wine.”” Let us keep far from drunkenness and fornication, for the Lord God saith, “ Bring ye not an offering of the reward of fornication.” Beware of the extortioners and of them that lend their money on interest, and of the defiled in spirit. Those that make sacrifice thus are not well pleasing unto God. The bishop must needs keep far from those that oppress widows and orphans, and from those that fill the prison with the innocent who have done no wrong, and from those that lay a grievous burden of service on their servants, and torment them with hunger and thirst. The sacrifice of such men is unclean, receive it not from them, for everyone that doeth evil and speaketh iniquity is rejected of God. Let us keep far from robbers and publicans, and from them that make idols, and (from) seducers, and such as use false balances, and from wicked soldiers who plunder the houses of the poor and needy, and seize their goods unjustly. Beware, then of murderers and liers in wait by the way, and of the ungodly, and of those that pervert good works, and of unclean persons," and of drunkards, and of blasphemy, and above all of those that exact interest, for such are the enemies of God. For it is written, saying, “Better is a little with righteousness than the great riches of sinners.” And again it is written, saying, “Thou hast hated, O Lord, all workers of iniquity, and thou shalt destroy all them that speak lies.” But he that vexeth him that feedeth the widow and the orphan shall be condemned before God. For that which Adonias did is written in the book of Kings, how he transgressed against God, and ate bread and drank water in the place wherein the Lord commanded him that he should not eat, because of the transgression of Jeroboam the son of Nebat; and for this cause was he slain. For that which (a man) obtaineth by his toil for the sustenance of the widow, be it much or little, is acceptable before God, because it was not (gotten) by iniquity. For it is written, saying,’’ “Better is a little with righteousness than the great riches of sinners.” But if a widow eat and be filled at the hands of the ungodly, and pray for them, God shall not hear her prayer, for God trieth the heart and reins. For God saith concerning the ungodly and unbelievers, “Though Moses and Samuel stand and pray before me, I will not hear their prayer, nor pardon their sin.”, And (He spake) not concerning these alone, but of others also that have sinned, and refused to turn unto repentance. And when they pray He will not hear their prayer for them that do such things; but they provoke God to anger, and remember not the evil of their doings. [iv., 7.] Keep far, then, from all such deeds, for all they that do thus are transgressors of the Jaw. For Elisha did not receive the offering of Hazael who reigned over Syria, and Ahijah did not receive the offering of Jeroboam. But if the prophets of God did not receive offerings from the ungodly, in like manner it is right that bishops should fear to do so. And Simon the Sorcerer also brought presents to us, even to us, Peter and John, and planned to receive the honour which is above every honour. But we received not the presents from him, but bound him with eternal bonds. But he desired to snatch an honour that was not given unto him by God. Keep far, then, from the polluted offerings which they bring into the house of God. And again it is said, ‘Depart from iniquity in fear and trembling.”.; [iv., 8.] But if ye say, If we receive not offerings from the ungodly, what shall we give to the widows and orphans, and to the destitute who have no sustenance —if ye do thus it shall become sin unto you. For God hath appointed for you, as of old for the Levites, that they should receive offerings of the people. But if all this which hath been appointed for the Church is not sufficient for you, ye ought to endure patiently, and remain in hunger and in thirst, rather than receive offerings from the enemies of God, and become a laughing-stock and a mockery. And concerning these the prophet saith, ‘But let not my head be anointed with the oil of sinners.”! Take heed to receive offerings from such as do good; but from the ungodly receive them not. But if thou be destitute, tell the faithful brethren that love God, that they may give (thee) what thou needest. And from that which thou receivest from them, give unto the widows and orphans in righteousness. [iv., 9.] Solomon said to the people, “Give to the Lord of thy labour in righteousness, that he may fill thy barns with wheat and that thy wine-press “may gush forth.” And from the toil of the faithful clothe the naked, and entertain them from the offerings which (men) bring unto you, and do service unto them according to the ordinance of the saints, and redeem the captives, and visit the prisoners, and deliver those that (are appointed) unto death, that ye may find life before God. [iv., 10.] Behold, then, we command you that ye follow not the way of the ungodly and unbelievers, nor accept their offerings, nor take their money, for they are prepared as fuel for fire, and that ye be not partakers with them, for the offering of sinners is unclean in the sight of God. This have we spoken to you, brethren, for the profit of your souls.

OF THE RIGHT FAITH AND THE HOLY TRINITY WHICH THE APOSTLES PREACHED TO US IN TRUTH. [vi., 11.] But we, (being) children of God and sons of peace, preach this holy word to those who are obedient in uprightness. We believe in One God, the Maker of the whole creation, the Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, whose existence is without cause (), even as we said before, but He is existent at all times without beginning or end. and in Him is light unquenchable, and to Him none can approach. He is not two, nor three, nor is He capable of increase, but He is One alone who abideth for ever. Yet He is not a hidden (Being) who cannot be known, but we have known surely by the Law and the prophets that He is Almighty and the Ruler of the whole creation. He is the One God, the Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who was begotten before the world was created, the only-begotten Son, who is equal with Him, the maker of all hosts and powers and dominions; who was pleased to become man in the latter days, and took flesh of the holy Virgin Mary, without seed of man, and grew up” amongst men, without sin, or trespass, nor was there guile in His mouth; and afterwards He suffered and died without sin in the flesh, and rose from the dead on the third day, and ascended into heaven to the Father, who had sent Him, and sat down on the right hand of power; and He sent to us the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, who proceedeth from the Father, and hath saved the world; who is co-existent with the Father and the Son. We say then that every creature of God is good and there is nothing (to be) rejected, but that the spirit, the life of the flesh, is pure and holy in all things. We say that marriage is pure, and the begetting of children not unclean, for God made Adam and Eve that man might be multiplied. We understand then that there is in our body a soul which doth not die, nor perish with the body; but we abhor every deed of apostates from the faith, and all divisions, and transgression of the law, for unto us such are unclean. Again, we believe in the. resurrection of the dead, both of the righteous and sinful in the day of judgment, when every man shall be requited according to his works. Moreover, we believe that Christ was in nothing subjected to loss by His incarnation, but that He is God the Word, who became man in truth, and reconciled the race of man with God, and (that He is) the High-priest of the Father. We do not practise circumcision then like the Jews; we know that He hath come who fulfilled the Law and the prophets, for whose coming all the nations hoped, Jesus Christ who sprang from Judah and from the root of Jesse, and whose government is on His shoulder. [vi., 12.] For in those days ungodliness grew strong, and led many astray, whereby the Church was disturbed. Then we gathered together in Jerusalem, we the twelve apostles, and appointed Matthias in the place of Judas Iscariot, even as it is written, “And his office let another take "; and we were assembled together with James our Lord’s brother, the bishop of Jerusalem, and we took counsel with the presbyters to speak to the people words of admonition. For there were some who set forth from Judaea, and went to Antioch to teach the brethren who were in that place, saying, Unless ye be circumcised according to the law of Moses, and walk according to his ordinance, ye shall not be saved; and there arose enmity and strife. Then the brethren who were in Antioch knew that we were gathered together and had enquired concerning this matter, and they sent unto us faithful men, who had knowledge of the holy Scriptures, to search out this thing. And they came to us in Jerusalem to declare unto us all that had happened in Antioch; and there were some who said unto them, Ye must needs be circumcised, and do what is in the ordinances of the Law. But I Peter rose up and said unto the people, Brethren, ye know that God chose the Gentiles who took heed unto the preaching of the Gospel, and believed, to whom God who knoweth the hearts bare witness. And to Cornelius the centurion an angel of the Lord appeared, and bade him send to me that he might hear from my mouth the word of life. And he sent to me to the city of Joppa, and brought me to Caesarea. And before I came unto him, I stood on a lofty place and prayed; and behold I saw the heaven opened, and a great sheet descend to the earth, held by its corners; and‘in it were creeping things and beasts and birds of the heaven. And heard a voice which said, Arise, Peter, kill and eat; and I said, Never hath there entered into my mouth anything defiled, which was not clean. And again a voice came which said, What God hath cleansed, count thou not unclean, and the whole (sheet) was drawn up again into heaven. And while I thought thus, What thing is this that hath appeared unto me the Holy Spirit said unto me, Behold (certain) men are seeking thee; arise and go with them without doubting, for I have sent (them) to thee. These were they whom the centurion had sent. Then I thought in my heart, and believed what the Scripture saith, Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved"; and again it is said, “Let all the ends of the earth remember and turn unto the Lord, and let all the lands of the nations worship before him; for the kingdom is the Lord’s, and he shall judge the nations.”" Moreover, I remembered that which is written concerning the calling of the Gentiles, and [went with them, and entered into the man’s house, and preached the word. And forthwith the Holy Spirit descended upon him and upon all who were with him, even as He had descended upon us; and there was no distinction between us in faith, and in the purification of our hearts. And I perceived that God respecteth not persons, but that all nations that fear God and do righteousness are well-pleasing before Him. Then the faithful rose up and said, How long tempt ye God, and lay on the shoulders of the Gentiles a heavy burden which they cannot bear? But we believe that we shall be saved by grace even as (they). The Lord hath loosed us from the bond of sin, and lightened (and removed) from off us the heavy burden. And when I had said this, all the people kept silence. Then James the brother of our Lord answered and said unto them, Hearken unto what I say unto you: behold Simeon hath before declared how God chose the Gentiles for His inheritance as it is written, “I will come and build the house of David which is in ruins, and I will raise up those that have fallen, that all the Gentiles on whom my name is named may turn to the Lord, saith the Lord.” Wherefore I say unto you, Lay no burden on the Gentiles who have turned to God, but command them to abstain from all (that is) unclean, and not to eat that which dieth of itself, or which hath been sacrificed to (false) gods, and (to abstain from) fornication, (and from) what is not commanded in the law, and is not written in the book of the fathers, Enosh, Enoch and Noah and Melchizedek and Job and others such as they. Then the apostles, and James, the bishop of Jerusalem, and the presbyters of the Church agreed, and chose from amongst us men whom they should send with Barnabas and Paul the tent-maker, both Judas who was called Barsabbas, and Silas, who were chosen from the brethren. Then we wrote and sent (a letter) to the brethren in the churches of Antioch and Syria, saying, Peace be unto you. Because we have heard (that there arc) some who have troubled your souls with words, to whom we gave no (such) commandment, now also we having agreed together have chosen men to send unto you with our brethren Barnabas and Paul, men who have surrendered their lives for Jesus Christ’s sake. And we have sent Judas and Silas that they may inform you (of these things). For the Holy Spirit agreed with us that we should lay no burden (upon you) nor add any other (charge) save this only, that men should abstain from anything sacrificed to (false) gods, and from that which dieth of itself, and from blood, and from fornication; and that what they hate for themselves they should not do to their neighbours. Take heed to these things and peace be to you. (vi., 13.] This letter we sent, (but) we laboured in Jerusalem for many days, desiring to do what was good for us and you (? ). And after a few days we visited the brethren and confirmed them with the word of admonition, and commanded them to keep far from those who blasphemed against the name of the Lord and against Moses. For these are ravening (wolves), and make themselves like unto sheep, and strive against the Lord and Moses and the prophets, (being) false Christs and false prophets and lying apostles who destroy the nations, and bow down themselves to the earth, and think all (manner of) evil, and spoil the holy vineyard. And by reason of these the love of many shall wax cold; but he who patiently endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. And concerning these our Lord commanded us, saying, “ Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves, and from their fruit ye shall know them.” [vi., 14.] And because of this we all have assembled in one place—we are the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, Peter and Andrew; James and John, the sons of Zebedee; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Cananean; Thaddaeus and Matthias who was numbered with us and appointed in place of Judas Iscariot; and James the brother of our Lord Jesus Christ, the bishop of Jerusalem and Paul the chosen (vessel) and teacher of the Gentiles—and being gathered together in one place we have sent unto you this holy message.” Ye also, faithful brethren, have believed in Christ, by whom were all things: and now also we say unto you that there is One God Almighty, and there is no other god besides Him; (and) we teach you to worship Him, and adore Him, and to serve Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, and to read the Holy Scriptures of the Law and the prophets. Honour your parents, and abstain from all that contendeth against the law; and believe in the resurrection and the day of judgment; and wait in hope for that time. when He shall render to every man according to his works. For the whole creation is from God, and not from Satan; but all evil is from Satan. And in lawful marriage there is no defilement nor loss, but rather it is from God, for in the beginning He created (them) male and female; and for this cause it is said “Let a man leave his father and his mother, and cleave unto his wife, and let them two be one flesh.”! And after a man is married, let him not put away his wife, but for fornication only, for “she is thy spirit and thy flesh, for I created them and not another.” Again, it is said, “What God hath joined together let not man separate.” For he that separateth himself from his wife, dividing the one flesh, hath transgressed the commandment of God. le also that hath married one that is divorced hath defiled his flesh; and he that hath cleaved to an adulteress hath quite transgressed the law. Cut off the adulteress from thy flesh, for she is not thine. Defile ye not then your flesh, for circumcision of the heart in a pure spirit is sufficient for the faithful. ([vi., 15.] Make no repetition of baptism: the first baptism which you have received sufficeth for you, for ye were buried into the death of Christ; (a baptism) which hath not been given to the ungodly and unbelieving, but to holy priests who have bestowed it upon you into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the. Holy Spirit. Receive not baptism at the hands of apostates from the faith. For there is one baptism, and one God, the Father, and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit: one is the death of Jesus in the flesh; and in like manner let your baptism which ye have received into His death be one. And he that believeth not, and doeth not thus, his portion shall be with the ungodly in their evil doctrine. To those who do thus, God saith, “ Because ye have rejected my doctrine, also will reject you and forsake you, and not make you priests unto me. - And those who are baptized by them are not cleansed, but are unclean, and have no remission of sin. So are they who receive a second baptism, and make the work of Christ a mockery, and despise holy things, and blaspheme against the Holy Spirit, and count unclean His precious blood, and set at naught His sufferings and His testimony. But those who believe not, and are not baptized into the right faith, are transgressors of the law and condemned, for they reproach Him, and give Him not thanks. Our Lord saith, “He that is not born again of water and the Holy Spirit cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven,” but he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be condemned.” And he who saith, Afterwards I will be baptized, and maketh light of baptism, the same shall be condemned and be far from God. Delay not to turn to the Lord for man knoweth not that which shall come upon him. And baptize your children, while they are babes, and feed them with spiritual food, and bring them up with admonition and wisdom, for it is said, “ Suffer the little children (and) forbid them not to come unto me.” [vi., 16.) Behold we have written all this unto you, beloved brethren, that ye may understand wisdom and knowledge, and not receive idle words which the ungodly put forth in our name. Say not, then, We have apostles who will pray for us, but rather see whether their deeds are right. For there are some that do many mighty works, which are full of the poison of death, in the name of Christ, like Simon the Sorcerer and Cleobius, and those with them in every place, who lead men astray. [Ye also are they that have loved Christ (and) we are His servants.] And others also of the ancients have written apocryphal books of Moses, and Enoch, and Adam, and Seth, and Isaiah, and David, and Elijah, and the three patriarchs, who strove against those that were transgressors of the law. Moreover (certain) have written books that are vain; who account themselves elect and pure, and say, Our Scriptures are sure, though they are unclean. From those who do thus keep far away, lest ye be condemned with those that have written to lead astray the faithful—who are blameless, the disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ. [vi., 17-] We said, then, concerning bishops and presbyters that they should live with one wife before ordination, but that after ordination it is net right that they should marry. And again we give commandment concerning the servants who are obedient to the Church, sub-deacons, and readers, and doorkeepers that they should live with one wife, and (in one) marriage. But after they have received baptism and ordination, let them not commit sin, lest they fall into condemnation. Behold we give commandment that they marry not a harlot, nor a servant, nor a woman that is divorced, nor a widow, even as it is written in the law. Moreover let the deaconess be a pure virgin, or a faithful widow who hath been married to one man. (Such) women ought to be appointed. (vi., 18.] Those women also who turn from sin, receive. This is the will of God in Jesus Christ. And as touching the catechumens when they understand the teaching, baptize them into the name to the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; and command the faithful to separate themselves from those that serve not God, (and not to have fellowship with them) in anything, whether counsel or word or prayer. And put them forth from the Church of God, for they are strangers, and evil, and corrupt, who destroy the sheep of Christ's flock; concerning whom the wise Solomon saith, Woe to the unbelieving who account themselves wise, and their latter end (cometh) unto the condemnation of Sheol." These are they that teach false doctrine, and blaspheme against the Holy Spirit, from whom hath been taken the portion of the inheritance which they received from Him, and who have forgiveness neither in this world, nor in that which is to come. For they have transgressed more grievously than the Jews and the heathen, who have blasphemed against God (who is) the Creator of all things and is above all; and they have risen up against His Son, and denied the Holy Spirit, and made void the holy Scriptures, and made blasphemy their portion,“ and spoiled the Church of Christ. These are the foxes that spoil the vineyard. From such we bid you keep far away. For he that followeth a wise man shall be wise like unto him; but he that followeth a fool shall be a fool like unto him. Ye ought not to dwell with robbers, nor be partakers with adulterers. Hear what the holy David saith, “I have hated, O Lord, them that hate thee, and have been troubled because of thine enemies. I have hated them with a perfect hatred and they are become mine enemies. or God cursed Jehoshaphat because of the love and help of King Ahab; and to King [Uzziah] he said by [Joel] the prophet, “Thou hast been a help to a sinner; wilt thou then save him whom the Lord hath hated?’ “ Wherefore there came on him speedily the anger of the Lord; because his heart was not right with Him, his works were diminished in “ Ps,. the earth. Keep, then, far from them, and receive not their salutation. Concerning them saith the prophet, “The wicked have no rejoicing before God.” These are ravening wolves and dogs that have no mercy And when the day hath drawn nigh and the hour is come, they will be evil, even as our Lord saith in the Gospel, “In the latter days faith and love shall grow less, and sin shall be multiplied, and there shall come false Christs and false prophets, and they shall do signs in heaven and seduce many of the elect. Behold then let us pray to God to save us from their error by Jesus Christ, and to deliver us from the ungodly people, that we may confirm the Church and save many, and heal them by much admonition, and by the word of grace. But those who received not our preaching could not be healed, and have gone forth from the flock, lest they should corrupt other undefiled sheep in whom was no blemish. Thus, then, we have ordained in all lands, and have set forth for you this right doctrine of the Didascalia in truth and in purity as a memorial for those who believed in our Lord Jesus Christ; and we have sent (it) with Clement the beloved and the elect Barnabas, and our beloved son Timothy and the blessed Mark, and with these Titus and Luke, and Jason and Lucius, and Sosipater. [vi., 19.] We beseech you therefore: imitate these and hear their words, and shun your former manner of life, for the former things have passed away; and become new yourselves, for ye have known our Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things; and (who) hath given unto us a pure law (for) the salvation of our souls, wherein He put His own perfect name, which is without division or defect, or change, unspotted and converting souls, When the Hebrews forgot this, He gave them a memorial by Malachi the prophet, who saith, “ Remember the law of Moses the man of God who enjoined on you these commandments of righteousness and holiness.” But our Lord Jesus Christ did not abolish the ordinances of the Law, nor diminish (them), but rather said, “ One word shall not pass from the Law, till all this be fulfilled.” Again, He saith, “I have not come to abolish the Law and the prophets, but to fulfil them.” or Moses the legislator, prophet and king, and Elijah the prophet, who appeared with our Lord when He was transfigured before them, bare testimony concerning His passion and His death and His incarnation as friends, and men of His household, and not as strangers. [vi., 20.] The Lord gave the ordinance, the ten words which are in the Law and the holy prophets, and they heard His voice continuously, before they made for themselves the calf which the Egyptians called Apis. For the ordinance is righteous, and therefore was it called the law; and He judgeth in uprightness. Simon and those with him hate this ordinance, and praise themselves, but they shall go down to Gehenna. But the law is good and holy, for He saith, “If thou wilt make for me an altar, build it for me in the land,” and He saith not, “Build for me,” except (it be) thy pleasure, for God needeth not sacrifices and offerings from us. But Abel, and Noah, and Abraham, the friends of God, offered up sacrifices of incense unto Him according to their pleasure. And in like manner the Hebrews did thus according to their pleasure. And it was not He who commanded them, but they themselves did His good pleasure, and He received their sacrifices which they offered up unto Him with a pure heart. Wherefore He saith, ‘I desire not your incense, nor do I need aught, for the world is mine and all that is therein.” In days of old the people forgat God, and made for themselves a calf as a god instead of the true God. And when they came out of Egypt it is said, “Is this thy god, O Israel, that brought thee forth from the land of Egypt?” They worshipped a calf in (their) ungodliness, and forsook God who had sent Moses, and brought them out of sore affliction. And behold God wrought signs by the hand of Moses his servant, and with the rod which destroyed the Egyptians with the ten plagues, and wherewith he smote the Red Sea, and made them pass through it on dry ground as it were a course for horses; but he overwhelmed his enemies therein; and he made sweet the fountain of bitter water; and he clave the rock and made water to pour forth for them; he overshadowed them by day with a cloud, and by night with a pillar of fire; and he enlightened them and led them—but they knew not whither they were going; he brought down from heaven manna for them to eat and (sent them) flesh as the dust; and he gave them the law in the desert, and made them ready to hear His voice. They forsook him who had done all this, and said to Aaron, “Make us gods who shall go with us.” And (Aaron) made a calf for them, and they bowed down before it. And God knew that they felt no gratitude for all that, He had done for them, so they were bound with bonds that could not be loosed, and were cast into a net, whence was no escape. (And God said unto them), “When ye make an altar, offer up thereon sacrifices at all times.” For He saith, Thou didst forget God who saved thee, and gavest no. thanks to my name. Offer then your offerings that there ye may remember to give thanks to my name. And substitute not an unclean beast for a clean, for if ye do thus, I will bring upon you sore punishment as (on) an evil and slothful and foolish servant, and ye shall [not] be bound with the bonds of the commandment. Take heed then and fall not into the error of (having) many gods, lest there come upon you the word which saith “Where is thy God, O Israel?”' And remember what is written, saying, “Hear, O Israel, the Lord thy God is One.” And abide ye in this ordinance, and know that there is no other god besides Him in heaven or in earth; love Him with all thy heart, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and fear Him alone, and set not in thy heart the name of strange gods, nor make mention of them with thy mouth, for because of the guile of their hearts God bound them. [vi., 21.] But as for you, since ye have known the One God with a pure heart, and a good understanding, and have heard the voice of the Saviour, blessed are your eyes, for they have seen, and your ears for they have heard. Behold ye are loosed from the bonds and are freed from the servitude. Moreover He saith, “I will not call you my servants, for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth unto him; but ye are my friends. Behold I have taught you all that I have heard from my Father.” But as for those who desire not to see nor to hear, their heart hath been hardened, and they are far from Him. (vi., 22.) But blessed are ye from whom God hath taken away His curse. For Christ the Son of God came, (and) established and fulfilled the law; and He removed the heavy burden that was therein, (and) saved us, and freed us from the service of sin, and had mercy on us, and gave us life eternal. And again He saith, “He that will come after me, let him await my second coming.” But He received not the sacrifices and offerings which the nations offered, for oftentimes they offered unto Him; and they thought that it was by multiplying sacrifices that they would be saved, without repentance, from the scourge of God’s anger. Moreover it is said, “ Wherefore bring ye to me incense from Saba, and cinnamon from a far country? I have no pleasure in your sacrifices, and will not receive your incense.” And again Isaiah saith, Wherefore offer ye to me your sacrifices; I am sated with the sacrifices of rams and oxen and with the fat of sheep. I desire not the blood of oxen and goats. If ye bring (them), will ye not show me who hath required this at your hands? Ye shall not again tread the courts of my house. And if ye bring fine flour, it is in vain; your incense, and your feasts, and your sabbaths, and your great day I desire not; your fasts also and your prayers I desire not; my soul hath hated (them) and ye are an abomination unto me.” Moreover the prophet saith, “Remove from me the sound of thine anger.” Again Samuel the prophet said to Saul, when he desired to sacrifice, ‘‘To hearken is better than to sacrifice and knowledge than the fat of sheep, for the Lord desireth not that thou shouldst sacrifice to him, but rather that thou shouldst hearken to his word.” And David also saith, “I will take no oxen from thy house, nor rams from thy flock, for all the beasts of the field are mine; the cattle of the field also, and the oxen; and I know all the birds of the heaven; and the beauty of field also is with me. If I be hungry I will not ask of thee, for the whole world is mine, with the fulness thereof. I will not eat the flesh of oxen, nor drink the blood of goats. Sacrifice to God the sacrifice of praise and send up thy prayer to the Most High.” Moreover it is written in the Scripture that He desireth not the incense of those that have sinned against Him, for unclean before Him is the sacrifice of the ungodly who offer contrary to the law: everyone who eateth of it is unclean. But He desireth above all a meek heart and a humble spirit which are better than sacrifice. Behold, then, He came to bring to an end the sacrifices of blood which they offered. [vi., 23-] For He said in the Law, “The Lord thy God is One”; again He said in the Gospel, ‘This is life eternal that they should know the One true God." Moreover He said, ‘Love thy neighbour as thyself”; (and) repeated (it in the Gospel) and said, “I have given you a commandment that ye love one another, as I have loved you.” For thus He said (in the law) Thou shalt not kill, but He hath commanded us never to hate anyone. He who said Thou shalt not commit adultery nor desire thy neighbour’s wife, behold He hath commanded (us not even to look upon a woman to lust after her). He said (then), Thou shalt not steal, but He hath commanded us to abstain from every evil deed, and to love our enemies. For He who said, Ye shall not render evil to him that doeth you injury, hath commanded us to be at peace with all men; for mercy is better than those who desire vengeance unrighteously (?). He said (then), “Honour your parents; but He hath commanded us to humble ourselves unto all men. He put an end to circumcision, and He Himself fulfilled circumcision: and He fulfilled the hope for which the whole world was hoping. He who said, “Perform unto the Lord thine oath,” hath commanded us not to swear by anything. Instead of sacrifices of blood He hath given us a rational bloodless offering; and instead of sacrifices in one place, He hath commanded us that our offering should be made in all the earth from the rising of the sun even to its setting.”... Moses saith in the law, Read thou the words which I have commanded thee while thou workest, or while thou sittest, or while thou standest, or while thou walkest in the way.” ” And David also saith, “ But the law of the Lord is his delight, and in his law he will meditate day and night.” And everywhere He hath commanded that they should do that which (is written) in the law, and not transgress the ordinance. And again it is said, “Blessed are they that are pure in their way, and that walk in his ways, and seek him with all their heart.” Moreover it is said in the Gospel, “ Blessed are ye, if ye do this.” (vi., 24.] For on account of this is the law manifest in righteousness, and illumineth all the world, (even) those who believe in our Lord, and have forsaken the worship of idols, and kept far from wickedness and received all that is good. And the Jews also, who have rejected the covenants, whose hearts were blinded, and (who) followed the way of those who said, ‘We have no king but Caesar,” and said again, “If we let this man alone, the Romans will come, (and) will take away our nation and our land,” prophesied against Him and said, ‘It is better for us to put one man to death, than that the nation perish.” (Yet) all nations have believed in Him, and the Romans have taken away their authority and all their ordinances; and therefore are they accursed because they have not been able to do His commandment. Moreover it is said, “Cursed is he that doeth not all the commandments which are written in the book of the law.” [vi., 25.] But we follow the way of Christ, that we may receive a blessing: and let us receive the law, and the prophets, and the holy Gospel; and turn aside from those that worship many gods, and let us keep far from the murderers of Christ, and from them that slew the prophets. These are the unbelieving Jews. And let us be humble and firm in faith in Christ the King who hath authority over all things, and is the teacher of the law, and the guardian of the ordinances. ([vi., 26.] Keep far, then, bishops and priests and people, from (those that cause) division (even) from those that account unclean the Law and the prophets, being the enemies of God Almighty; and who believe not in Christ the Son of God, and separate (?) His birth in the flesh, and blaspheme against His sufferings in the flesh, and revile His cross, and mock at His death, and believe not in His resurrection, and make void His generation from the Father before the whole creation, [and say (that in Him) are flesh and soul and not the Godhead]. And there are others who say that Jesus Christ is above the whole creation, and glorify Him and say that He alone is the Father; and again they say that He is the Son and the Paraclete. Are not these then more impious than all? And there are others who say that the resurrection of the dead (is of) souls without bodies. To these He saith, Depart into fire eternal. Keep far (from such men), beloved brethren, lest ye be condemned together with them. [vi., 27.] [And those that watch the stars, and worship the host of heaven, and observe days and hours —as for such, will He accept their prayers, and be pleased with their offerings and will they read the holy Scriptures? These then are void () of the Holy Spirit, which abideth in the heart of the faithful. Solomon saith concerning the saints, “Let them be prepared, if they sleep, to watch; if they sleep and awake, to be wise in truth and love.”] For the Holy Spirit is not far from faithful Christian people from the day of their birth, until they die. Let a woman after her child-bearing remain in her separation seven days. But if she think in her heart, and say, How shall the Holy Spirit abide upon me, while am unclean and if (her) faith grow weak, and she be without good works, the Holy Spirit will not abide upon her. For this matter is not a transgression of the law, but marriage, and the customary separation of women, and nocturnal pollutions hinder not the Holy Spirit. But with the ungodly and unbelieving who have transgressed the law and the ordinances, the Holy Spirit will not abide. And those that have not the Holy Spirit are the habitation of unclean (spirits): but upon those that have believed and (that) hope in His second coming the Holy Spirit abideth. [For the Paraclete hateth lies and every (evil) work; and the devil hateth works of righteousness and goodness. And whosoever is baptized in faith is separated from the spirit of Satan, and is the habitation of the Holy Spirit: and he that doeth His will is filled with wisdom and knowledge, and the unclean spirit cannot come nigh to him. The unclean spirit loveth such as are ungrateful, slothful, and sinners and sorcerers, for the devil by his want of gratitude fell from his throne, and was deprived of the glory of God. And he himself chose to be Satan rather than to be an archangel. Wherefore women ought to beware of every evil and vain thing, and be mindful of God, who created all things, and to follow His law, (and) not work the pleasure of the flesh, except only in lawful wedlock. Beware then of the counsel of evil men, and of union with them. [vi., 28.] Wherefore separate yourselves, beloved brethren, from all the heathen who practise evil, and keep far from them; and count not as an abomination the flesh of men’s dead bodies. We believe that the dead shall live and rise again. And in like manner lawful marriage is not an abomination, for the union of man and woman is righteous (before God) who created man and woman, and blessed them, and said unto them, “Increase and multiply, and fill the earth.” Behold we understand that from God are all these things; without Him was not anything. Howbeit the men of Sodom sinned; they perverted nature and wrought abomination; and in like manner (sin) those who practise bestiality, which is unclean and is a transgression of the law. They that do such things shall not escape from punishment, for they defile pure marriage, and do what is unseemly and what is not commanded in the law; (but as) it is said, ‘They are joined one to another, man with man. But they work their own shame, and their iniquity shall return on their own heads.” For the Scripture saith, “If any man lieth with a man as with a woman; they have wrought uncleanness, let both of them die the death ”’; and, ‘He that lieth with a beast, let him die the death ’’; and, ‘He that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, let him die the death,” for it is a shame to Israel. ‘The hire of a harlot, and the price of a dog they shall not offer in the house of the Lord.” This is what is forbidden in the law, but marriage is pure. And God blessed the union of man and woman. And Solomon also saith, ‘The union of man and man is abominable before the Lord.” David saith, “Let thy wife be as a pleasant vine in the chamber of thy house, and thy children also as young olive plants at thy table. Lo, thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.” For a man that is a lover of God ought not to be subject to lust. [vi., 29.] And let the women also be obedient to their own husbands in love and fear, even as the blessed Sarah was obedient to her husband Abraham, and said to him, My lord. She did not name his name, but said of him, My lord is old. And in like manner, ye men, love your wives, for they are your members and sharers with you in the begetting of children. It is said, “ Love the wife of thy youth, as the hart loveth the fountains of waters; for she is thine and is with thee at all times, and is a member of thine.” For it is said, “Take heed to yourselves and forsake not your wives.” And as touching the lawful union of man and wife, when they rise from sleep let them not give heed to ceremonial washings, but rather take thought for prayer and supplication to God. But if a man lie with the wife of his neighbour, or defile himself with a harlot, and, when he riseth, wash himself in the sea, and in all the waters of the rivers, he shall not be able to cleanse himself; but his portion shall be rather in eternal condemnation. [vi., 30.] Take no heed then of laws relating to the flesh, for lawful marriage is not unclean; nor seek after the way of the Jews, nor use at all times (such ceremonial) washings, nor practise their customary purifications.

OF THE RIGHT FAITH AND THE HOLY TRINITY WHICH THE APOSTLES PREACHED TO US IN TRUTH. [vi., 11.] But we, (being) children of God and sons of peace, preach this holy word to those who are obedient in uprightness. We believe in One God, the Maker of the whole creation, the Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, whose existence is without cause (), even as we said before, but He is existent at all times without beginning or end. and in Him is light unquenchable, and to Him none can approach. He is not two, nor three, nor is He capable of increase, but He is One alone who abideth for ever. Yet He is not a hidden (Being) who cannot be known, but we have known surely by the Law and the prophets that He is Almighty and the Ruler of the whole creation. He is the One God, the Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who was begotten before the world was created, the only-begotten Son, who is equal with Him, the maker of all hosts and powers and dominions; who was pleased to become man in the latter days, and took flesh of the holy Virgin Mary, without seed of man, and grew up” amongst men, without sin, or trespass, nor was there guile in His mouth; and afterwards He suffered and died without sin in the flesh, and rose from the dead on the third day, and ascended into heaven to the Father, who had sent Him, and sat down on the right hand of power; and He sent to us the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, who proceedeth from the Father, and hath saved the world; who is co-existent with the Father and the Son. We say then that every creature of God is good and there is nothing (to be) rejected, but that the spirit, the life of the flesh, is pure and holy in all things. We say that marriage is pure, and the begetting of children not unclean, for God made Adam and Eve that man might be multiplied. We understand then that there is in our body a soul which doth not die, nor perish with the body; but we abhor every deed of apostates from the faith, and all divisions, and transgression of the law, for unto us such are unclean. Again, we believe in the. resurrection of the dead, both of the righteous and sinful in the day of judgment, when every man shall be requited according to his works. Moreover, we believe that Christ was in nothing subjected to loss by His incarnation, but that He is God the Word, who became man in truth, and reconciled the race of man with God, and (that He is) the High-priest of the Father. We do not practise circumcision then like the Jews; we know that He hath come who fulfilled the Law and the prophets, for whose coming all the nations hoped, Jesus Christ who sprang from Judah and from the root of Jesse, and whose government is on His shoulder. [vi., 12.] For in those days ungodliness grew strong, and led many astray, whereby the Church was disturbed. Then we gathered together in Jerusalem, we the twelve apostles, and appointed Matthias in the place of Judas Iscariot, even as it is written, “And his office let another take "; and we were assembled together with James our Lord’s brother, the bishop of Jerusalem, and we took counsel with the presbyters to speak to the people words of admonition. For there were some who set forth from Judaea, and went to Antioch to teach the brethren who were in that place, saying, Unless ye be circumcised according to the law of Moses, and walk according to his ordinance, ye shall not be saved; and there arose enmity and strife. Then the brethren who were in Antioch knew that we were gathered together and had enquired concerning this matter, and they sent unto us faithful men, who had knowledge of the holy Scriptures, to search out this thing. And they came to us in Jerusalem to declare unto us all that had happened in Antioch; and there were some who said unto them, Ye must needs be circumcised, and do what is in the ordinances of the Law. But I Peter rose up and said unto the people, Brethren, ye know that God chose the Gentiles who took heed unto the preaching of the Gospel, and believed, to whom God who knoweth the hearts bare witness. And to Cornelius the centurion an angel of the Lord appeared, and bade him send to me that he might hear from my mouth the word of life. And he sent to me to the city of Joppa, and brought me to Caesarea. And before I came unto him, I stood on a lofty place and prayed; and behold I saw the heaven opened, and a great sheet descend to the earth, held by its corners; and‘in it were creeping things and beasts and birds of the heaven. And heard a voice which said, Arise, Peter, kill and eat; and I said, Never hath there entered into my mouth anything defiled, which was not clean. And again a voice came which said, What God hath cleansed, count thou not unclean, and the whole (sheet) was drawn up again into heaven. And while I thought thus, What thing is this that hath appeared unto me the Holy Spirit said unto me, Behold (certain) men are seeking thee; arise and go with them without doubting, for I have sent (them) to thee. These were they whom the centurion had sent. Then I thought in my heart, and believed what the Scripture saith, Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved"; and again it is said, “Let all the ends of the earth remember and turn unto the Lord, and let all the lands of the nations worship before him; for the kingdom is the Lord’s, and he shall judge the nations.”" Moreover, I remembered that which is written concerning the calling of the Gentiles, and [went with them, and entered into the man’s house, and preached the word. And forthwith the Holy Spirit descended upon him and upon all who were with him, even as He had descended upon us; and there was no distinction between us in faith, and in the purification of our hearts. And I perceived that God respecteth not persons, but that all nations that fear God and do righteousness are well-pleasing before Him. Then the faithful rose up and said, How long tempt ye God, and lay on the shoulders of the Gentiles a heavy burden which they cannot bear? But we believe that we shall be saved by grace even as (they). The Lord hath loosed us from the bond of sin, and lightened (and removed) from off us the heavy burden. And when I had said this, all the people kept silence. Then James the brother of our Lord answered and said unto them, Hearken unto what I say unto you: behold Simeon hath before declared how God chose the Gentiles for His inheritance as it is written, “I will come and build the house of David which is in ruins, and I will raise up those that have fallen, that all the Gentiles on whom my name is named may turn to the Lord, saith the Lord.” Wherefore I say unto you, Lay no burden on the Gentiles who have turned to God, but command them to abstain from all (that is) unclean, and not to eat that which dieth of itself, or which hath been sacrificed to (false) gods, and (to abstain from) fornication, (and from) what is not commanded in the law, and is not written in the book of the fathers, Enosh, Enoch and Noah and Melchizedek and Job and others such as they. Then the apostles, and James, the bishop of Jerusalem, and the presbyters of the Church agreed, and chose from amongst us men whom they should send with Barnabas and Paul the tent-maker, both Judas who was called Barsabbas, and Silas, who were chosen from the brethren. Then we wrote and sent (a letter) to the brethren in the churches of Antioch and Syria, saying, Peace be unto you. Because we have heard (that there arc) some who have troubled your souls with words, to whom we gave no (such) commandment, now also we having agreed together have chosen men to send unto you with our brethren Barnabas and Paul, men who have surrendered their lives for Jesus Christ’s sake. And we have sent Judas and Silas that they may inform you (of these things). For the Holy Spirit agreed with us that we should lay no burden (upon you) nor add any other (charge) save this only, that men should abstain from anything sacrificed to (false) gods, and from that which dieth of itself, and from blood, and from fornication; and that what they hate for themselves they should not do to their neighbours. Take heed to these things and peace be to you. (vi., 13.] This letter we sent, (but) we laboured in Jerusalem for many days, desiring to do what was good for us and you (? ). And after a few days we visited the brethren and confirmed them with the word of admonition, and commanded them to keep far from those who blasphemed against the name of the Lord and against Moses. For these are ravening (wolves), and make themselves like unto sheep, and strive against the Lord and Moses and the prophets, (being) false Christs and false prophets and lying apostles who destroy the nations, and bow down themselves to the earth, and think all (manner of) evil, and spoil the holy vineyard. And by reason of these the love of many shall wax cold; but he who patiently endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. And concerning these our Lord commanded us, saying, “ Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves, and from their fruit ye shall know them.” [vi., 14.] And because of this we all have assembled in one place—we are the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, Peter and Andrew; James and John, the sons of Zebedee; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Cananean; Thaddaeus and Matthias who was numbered with us and appointed in place of Judas Iscariot; and James the brother of our Lord Jesus Christ, the bishop of Jerusalem and Paul the chosen (vessel) and teacher of the Gentiles—and being gathered together in one place we have sent unto you this holy message.” Ye also, faithful brethren, have believed in Christ, by whom were all things: and now also we say unto you that there is One God Almighty, and there is no other god besides Him; (and) we teach you to worship Him, and adore Him, and to serve Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, and to read the Holy Scriptures of the Law and the prophets. Honour your parents, and abstain from all that contendeth against the law; and believe in the resurrection and the day of judgment; and wait in hope for that time. when He shall render to every man according to his works. For the whole creation is from God, and not from Satan; but all evil is from Satan. And in lawful marriage there is no defilement nor loss, but rather it is from God, for in the beginning He created (them) male and female; and for this cause it is said “Let a man leave his father and his mother, and cleave unto his wife, and let them two be one flesh.”! And after a man is married, let him not put away his wife, but for fornication only, for “she is thy spirit and thy flesh, for I created them and not another.” Again, it is said, “What God hath joined together let not man separate.” For he that separateth himself from his wife, dividing the one flesh, hath transgressed the commandment of God. le also that hath married one that is divorced hath defiled his flesh; and he that hath cleaved to an adulteress hath quite transgressed the law. Cut off the adulteress from thy flesh, for she is not thine. Defile ye not then your flesh, for circumcision of the heart in a pure spirit is sufficient for the faithful. ([vi., 15.] Make no repetition of baptism: the first baptism which you have received sufficeth for you, for ye were buried into the death of Christ; (a baptism) which hath not been given to the ungodly and unbelieving, but to holy priests who have bestowed it upon you into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the. Holy Spirit. Receive not baptism at the hands of apostates from the faith. For there is one baptism, and one God, the Father, and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit: one is the death of Jesus in the flesh; and in like manner let your baptism which ye have received into His death be one. And he that believeth not, and doeth not thus, his portion shall be with the ungodly in their evil doctrine. To those who do thus, God saith, “ Because ye have rejected my doctrine, also will reject you and forsake you, and not make you priests unto me. - And those who are baptized by them are not cleansed, but are unclean, and have no remission of sin. So are they who receive a second baptism, and make the work of Christ a mockery, and despise holy things, and blaspheme against the Holy Spirit, and count unclean His precious blood, and set at naught His sufferings and His testimony. But those who believe not, and are not baptized into the right faith, are transgressors of the law and condemned, for they reproach Him, and give Him not thanks. Our Lord saith, “He that is not born again of water and the Holy Spirit cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven,” but he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be condemned.” And he who saith, Afterwards I will be baptized, and maketh light of baptism, the same shall be condemned and be far from God. Delay not to turn to the Lord for man knoweth not that which shall come upon him. And baptize your children, while they are babes, and feed them with spiritual food, and bring them up with admonition and wisdom, for it is said, “ Suffer the little children (and) forbid them not to come unto me.” [vi., 16.) Behold we have written all this unto you, beloved brethren, that ye may understand wisdom and knowledge, and not receive idle words which the ungodly put forth in our name. Say not, then, We have apostles who will pray for us, but rather see whether their deeds are right. For there are some that do many mighty works, which are full of the poison of death, in the name of Christ, like Simon the Sorcerer and Cleobius, and those with them in every place, who lead men astray. [Ye also are they that have loved Christ (and) we are His servants.] And others also of the ancients have written apocryphal books of Moses, and Enoch, and Adam, and Seth, and Isaiah, and David, and Elijah, and the three patriarchs, who strove against those that were transgressors of the law. Moreover (certain) have written books that are vain; who account themselves elect and pure, and say, Our Scriptures are sure, though they are unclean. From those who do thus keep far away, lest ye be condemned with those that have written to lead astray the faithful—who are blameless, the disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ. [vi., 17-] We said, then, concerning bishops and presbyters that they should live with one wife before ordination, but that after ordination it is net right that they should marry. And again we give commandment concerning the servants who are obedient to the Church, sub-deacons, and readers, and doorkeepers that they should live with one wife, and (in one) marriage. But after they have received baptism and ordination, let them not commit sin, lest they fall into condemnation. Behold we give commandment that they marry not a harlot, nor a servant, nor a woman that is divorced, nor a widow, even as it is written in the law. Moreover let the deaconess be a pure virgin, or a faithful widow who hath been married to one man. (Such) women ought to be appointed. (vi., 18.] Those women also who turn from sin, receive. This is the will of God in Jesus Christ. And as touching the catechumens when they understand the teaching, baptize them into the name to the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; and command the faithful to separate themselves from those that serve not God, (and not to have fellowship with them) in anything, whether counsel or word or prayer. And put them forth from the Church of God, for they are strangers, and evil, and corrupt, who destroy the sheep of Christ's flock; concerning whom the wise Solomon saith, Woe to the unbelieving who account themselves wise, and their latter end (cometh) unto the condemnation of Sheol." These are they that teach false doctrine, and blaspheme against the Holy Spirit, from whom hath been taken the portion of the inheritance which they received from Him, and who have forgiveness neither in this world, nor in that which is to come. For they have transgressed more grievously than the Jews and the heathen, who have blasphemed against God (who is) the Creator of all things and is above all; and they have risen up against His Son, and denied the Holy Spirit, and made void the holy Scriptures, and made blasphemy their portion,“ and spoiled the Church of Christ. These are the foxes that spoil the vineyard. From such we bid you keep far away. For he that followeth a wise man shall be wise like unto him; but he that followeth a fool shall be a fool like unto him. Ye ought not to dwell with robbers, nor be partakers with adulterers. Hear what the holy David saith, “I have hated, O Lord, them that hate thee, and have been troubled because of thine enemies. I have hated them with a perfect hatred and they are become mine enemies. or God cursed Jehoshaphat because of the love and help of King Ahab; and to King [Uzziah] he said by [Joel] the prophet, “Thou hast been a help to a sinner; wilt thou then save him whom the Lord hath hated?’ “ Wherefore there came on him speedily the anger of the Lord; because his heart was not right with Him, his works were diminished in “ Ps,. the earth. Keep, then, far from them, and receive not their salutation. Concerning them saith the prophet, “The wicked have no rejoicing before God.” These are ravening wolves and dogs that have no mercy And when the day hath drawn nigh and the hour is come, they will be evil, even as our Lord saith in the Gospel, “In the latter days faith and love shall grow less, and sin shall be multiplied, and there shall come false Christs and false prophets, and they shall do signs in heaven and seduce many of the elect. Behold then let us pray to God to save us from their error by Jesus Christ, and to deliver us from the ungodly people, that we may confirm the Church and save many, and heal them by much admonition, and by the word of grace. But those who received not our preaching could not be healed, and have gone forth from the flock, lest they should corrupt other undefiled sheep in whom was no blemish. Thus, then, we have ordained in all lands, and have set forth for you this right doctrine of the Didascalia in truth and in purity as a memorial for those who believed in our Lord Jesus Christ; and we have sent (it) with Clement the beloved and the elect Barnabas, and our beloved son Timothy and the blessed Mark, and with these Titus and Luke, and Jason and Lucius, and Sosipater. [vi., 19.] We beseech you therefore: imitate these and hear their words, and shun your former manner of life, for the former things have passed away; and become new yourselves, for ye have known our Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things; and (who) hath given unto us a pure law (for) the salvation of our souls, wherein He put His own perfect name, which is without division or defect, or change, unspotted and converting souls, When the Hebrews forgot this, He gave them a memorial by Malachi the prophet, who saith, “ Remember the law of Moses the man of God who enjoined on you these commandments of righteousness and holiness.” But our Lord Jesus Christ did not abolish the ordinances of the Law, nor diminish (them), but rather said, “ One word shall not pass from the Law, till all this be fulfilled.” Again, He saith, “I have not come to abolish the Law and the prophets, but to fulfil them.” or Moses the legislator, prophet and king, and Elijah the prophet, who appeared with our Lord when He was transfigured before them, bare testimony concerning His passion and His death and His incarnation as friends, and men of His household, and not as strangers. [vi., 20.] The Lord gave the ordinance, the ten words which are in the Law and the holy prophets, and they heard His voice continuously, before they made for themselves the calf which the Egyptians called Apis. For the ordinance is righteous, and therefore was it called the law; and He judgeth in uprightness. Simon and those with him hate this ordinance, and praise themselves, but they shall go down to Gehenna. But the law is good and holy, for He saith, “If thou wilt make for me an altar, build it for me in the land,” and He saith not, “Build for me,” except (it be) thy pleasure, for God needeth not sacrifices and offerings from us. But Abel, and Noah, and Abraham, the friends of God, offered up sacrifices of incense unto Him according to their pleasure. And in like manner the Hebrews did thus according to their pleasure. And it was not He who commanded them, but they themselves did His good pleasure, and He received their sacrifices which they offered up unto Him with a pure heart. Wherefore He saith, ‘I desire not your incense, nor do I need aught, for the world is mine and all that is therein.” In days of old the people forgat God, and made for themselves a calf as a god instead of the true God. And when they came out of Egypt it is said, “Is this thy god, O Israel, that brought thee forth from the land of Egypt?” They worshipped a calf in (their) ungodliness, and forsook God who had sent Moses, and brought them out of sore affliction. And behold God wrought signs by the hand of Moses his servant, and with the rod which destroyed the Egyptians with the ten plagues, and wherewith he smote the Red Sea, and made them pass through it on dry ground as it were a course for horses; but he overwhelmed his enemies therein; and he made sweet the fountain of bitter water; and he clave the rock and made water to pour forth for them; he overshadowed them by day with a cloud, and by night with a pillar of fire; and he enlightened them and led them—but they knew not whither they were going; he brought down from heaven manna for them to eat and (sent them) flesh as the dust; and he gave them the law in the desert, and made them ready to hear His voice. They forsook him who had done all this, and said to Aaron, “Make us gods who shall go with us.” And (Aaron) made a calf for them, and they bowed down before it. And God knew that they felt no gratitude for all that, He had done for them, so they were bound with bonds that could not be loosed, and were cast into a net, whence was no escape. (And God said unto them), “When ye make an altar, offer up thereon sacrifices at all times.” For He saith, Thou didst forget God who saved thee, and gavest no. thanks to my name. Offer then your offerings that there ye may remember to give thanks to my name. And substitute not an unclean beast for a clean, for if ye do thus, I will bring upon you sore punishment as (on) an evil and slothful and foolish servant, and ye shall [not] be bound with the bonds of the commandment. Take heed then and fall not into the error of (having) many gods, lest there come upon you the word which saith “Where is thy God, O Israel?”' And remember what is written, saying, “Hear, O Israel, the Lord thy God is One.” And abide ye in this ordinance, and know that there is no other god besides Him in heaven or in earth; love Him with all thy heart, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and fear Him alone, and set not in thy heart the name of strange gods, nor make mention of them with thy mouth, for because of the guile of their hearts God bound them. [vi., 21.] But as for you, since ye have known the One God with a pure heart, and a good understanding, and have heard the voice of the Saviour, blessed are your eyes, for they have seen, and your ears for they have heard. Behold ye are loosed from the bonds and are freed from the servitude. Moreover He saith, “I will not call you my servants, for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth unto him; but ye are my friends. Behold I have taught you all that I have heard from my Father.” But as for those who desire not to see nor to hear, their heart hath been hardened, and they are far from Him. (vi., 22.) But blessed are ye from whom God hath taken away His curse. For Christ the Son of God came, (and) established and fulfilled the law; and He removed the heavy burden that was therein, (and) saved us, and freed us from the service of sin, and had mercy on us, and gave us life eternal. And again He saith, “He that will come after me, let him await my second coming.” But He received not the sacrifices and offerings which the nations offered, for oftentimes they offered unto Him; and they thought that it was by multiplying sacrifices that they would be saved, without repentance, from the scourge of God’s anger. Moreover it is said, “ Wherefore bring ye to me incense from Saba, and cinnamon from a far country? I have no pleasure in your sacrifices, and will not receive your incense.” And again Isaiah saith, Wherefore offer ye to me your sacrifices; I am sated with the sacrifices of rams and oxen and with the fat of sheep. I desire not the blood of oxen and goats. If ye bring (them), will ye not show me who hath required this at your hands? Ye shall not again tread the courts of my house. And if ye bring fine flour, it is in vain; your incense, and your feasts, and your sabbaths, and your great day I desire not; your fasts also and your prayers I desire not; my soul hath hated (them) and ye are an abomination unto me.” Moreover the prophet saith, “Remove from me the sound of thine anger.” Again Samuel the prophet said to Saul, when he desired to sacrifice, ‘‘To hearken is better than to sacrifice and knowledge than the fat of sheep, for the Lord desireth not that thou shouldst sacrifice to him, but rather that thou shouldst hearken to his word.” And David also saith, “I will take no oxen from thy house, nor rams from thy flock, for all the beasts of the field are mine; the cattle of the field also, and the oxen; and I know all the birds of the heaven; and the beauty of field also is with me. If I be hungry I will not ask of thee, for the whole world is mine, with the fulness thereof. I will not eat the flesh of oxen, nor drink the blood of goats. Sacrifice to God the sacrifice of praise and send up thy prayer to the Most High.” Moreover it is written in the Scripture that He desireth not the incense of those that have sinned against Him, for unclean before Him is the sacrifice of the ungodly who offer contrary to the law: everyone who eateth of it is unclean. But He desireth above all a meek heart and a humble spirit which are better than sacrifice. Behold, then, He came to bring to an end the sacrifices of blood which they offered. [vi., 23-] For He said in the Law, “The Lord thy God is One”; again He said in the Gospel, ‘This is life eternal that they should know the One true God." Moreover He said, ‘Love thy neighbour as thyself”; (and) repeated (it in the Gospel) and said, “I have given you a commandment that ye love one another, as I have loved you.” For thus He said (in the law) Thou shalt not kill, but He hath commanded us never to hate anyone. He who said Thou shalt not commit adultery nor desire thy neighbour’s wife, behold He hath commanded (us not even to look upon a woman to lust after her). He said (then), Thou shalt not steal, but He hath commanded us to abstain from every evil deed, and to love our enemies. For He who said, Ye shall not render evil to him that doeth you injury, hath commanded us to be at peace with all men; for mercy is better than those who desire vengeance unrighteously (?). He said (then), “Honour your parents; but He hath commanded us to humble ourselves unto all men. He put an end to circumcision, and He Himself fulfilled circumcision: and He fulfilled the hope for which the whole world was hoping. He who said, “Perform unto the Lord thine oath,” hath commanded us not to swear by anything. Instead of sacrifices of blood He hath given us a rational bloodless offering; and instead of sacrifices in one place, He hath commanded us that our offering should be made in all the earth from the rising of the sun even to its setting.”... Moses saith in the law, Read thou the words which I have commanded thee while thou workest, or while thou sittest, or while thou standest, or while thou walkest in the way.” ” And David also saith, “ But the law of the Lord is his delight, and in his law he will meditate day and night.” And everywhere He hath commanded that they should do that which (is written) in the law, and not transgress the ordinance. And again it is said, “Blessed are they that are pure in their way, and that walk in his ways, and seek him with all their heart.” Moreover it is said in the Gospel, “ Blessed are ye, if ye do this.” (vi., 24.] For on account of this is the law manifest in righteousness, and illumineth all the world, (even) those who believe in our Lord, and have forsaken the worship of idols, and kept far from wickedness and received all that is good. And the Jews also, who have rejected the covenants, whose hearts were blinded, and (who) followed the way of those who said, ‘We have no king but Caesar,” and said again, “If we let this man alone, the Romans will come, (and) will take away our nation and our land,” prophesied against Him and said, ‘It is better for us to put one man to death, than that the nation perish.” (Yet) all nations have believed in Him, and the Romans have taken away their authority and all their ordinances; and therefore are they accursed because they have not been able to do His commandment. Moreover it is said, “Cursed is he that doeth not all the commandments which are written in the book of the law.” [vi., 25.] But we follow the way of Christ, that we may receive a blessing: and let us receive the law, and the prophets, and the holy Gospel; and turn aside from those that worship many gods, and let us keep far from the murderers of Christ, and from them that slew the prophets. These are the unbelieving Jews. And let us be humble and firm in faith in Christ the King who hath authority over all things, and is the teacher of the law, and the guardian of the ordinances. ([vi., 26.] Keep far, then, bishops and priests and people, from (those that cause) division (even) from those that account unclean the Law and the prophets, being the enemies of God Almighty; and who believe not in Christ the Son of God, and separate (?) His birth in the flesh, and blaspheme against His sufferings in the flesh, and revile His cross, and mock at His death, and believe not in His resurrection, and make void His generation from the Father before the whole creation, [and say (that in Him) are flesh and soul and not the Godhead]. And there are others who say that Jesus Christ is above the whole creation, and glorify Him and say that He alone is the Father; and again they say that He is the Son and the Paraclete. Are not these then more impious than all? And there are others who say that the resurrection of the dead (is of) souls without bodies. To these He saith, Depart into fire eternal. Keep far (from such men), beloved brethren, lest ye be condemned together with them. [vi., 27.] [And those that watch the stars, and worship the host of heaven, and observe days and hours —as for such, will He accept their prayers, and be pleased with their offerings and will they read the holy Scriptures? These then are void () of the Holy Spirit, which abideth in the heart of the faithful. Solomon saith concerning the saints, “Let them be prepared, if they sleep, to watch; if they sleep and awake, to be wise in truth and love.”] For the Holy Spirit is not far from faithful Christian people from the day of their birth, until they die. Let a woman after her child-bearing remain in her separation seven days. But if she think in her heart, and say, How shall the Holy Spirit abide upon me, while am unclean and if (her) faith grow weak, and she be without good works, the Holy Spirit will not abide upon her. For this matter is not a transgression of the law, but marriage, and the customary separation of women, and nocturnal pollutions hinder not the Holy Spirit. But with the ungodly and unbelieving who have transgressed the law and the ordinances, the Holy Spirit will not abide. And those that have not the Holy Spirit are the habitation of unclean (spirits): but upon those that have believed and (that) hope in His second coming the Holy Spirit abideth. [For the Paraclete hateth lies and every (evil) work; and the devil hateth works of righteousness and goodness. And whosoever is baptized in faith is separated from the spirit of Satan, and is the habitation of the Holy Spirit: and he that doeth His will is filled with wisdom and knowledge, and the unclean spirit cannot come nigh to him. The unclean spirit loveth such as are ungrateful, slothful, and sinners and sorcerers, for the devil by his want of gratitude fell from his throne, and was deprived of the glory of God. And he himself chose to be Satan rather than to be an archangel. Wherefore women ought to beware of every evil and vain thing, and be mindful of God, who created all things, and to follow His law, (and) not work the pleasure of the flesh, except only in lawful wedlock. Beware then of the counsel of evil men, and of union with them. [vi., 28.] Wherefore separate yourselves, beloved brethren, from all the heathen who practise evil, and keep far from them; and count not as an abomination the flesh of men’s dead bodies. We believe that the dead shall live and rise again. And in like manner lawful marriage is not an abomination, for the union of man and woman is righteous (before God) who created man and woman, and blessed them, and said unto them, “Increase and multiply, and fill the earth.” Behold we understand that from God are all these things; without Him was not anything. Howbeit the men of Sodom sinned; they perverted nature and wrought abomination; and in like manner (sin) those who practise bestiality, which is unclean and is a transgression of the law. They that do such things shall not escape from punishment, for they defile pure marriage, and do what is unseemly and what is not commanded in the law; (but as) it is said, ‘They are joined one to another, man with man. But they work their own shame, and their iniquity shall return on their own heads.” For the Scripture saith, “If any man lieth with a man as with a woman; they have wrought uncleanness, let both of them die the death ”’; and, ‘He that lieth with a beast, let him die the death ’’; and, ‘He that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, let him die the death,” for it is a shame to Israel. ‘The hire of a harlot, and the price of a dog they shall not offer in the house of the Lord.” This is what is forbidden in the law, but marriage is pure. And God blessed the union of man and woman. And Solomon also saith, ‘The union of man and man is abominable before the Lord.” David saith, “Let thy wife be as a pleasant vine in the chamber of thy house, and thy children also as young olive plants at thy table. Lo, thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.” For a man that is a lover of God ought not to be subject to lust. [vi., 29.] And let the women also be obedient to their own husbands in love and fear, even as the blessed Sarah was obedient to her husband Abraham, and said to him, My lord. She did not name his name, but said of him, My lord is old. And in like manner, ye men, love your wives, for they are your members and sharers with you in the begetting of children. It is said, “ Love the wife of thy youth, as the hart loveth the fountains of waters; for she is thine and is with thee at all times, and is a member of thine.” For it is said, “Take heed to yourselves and forsake not your wives.” And as touching the lawful union of man and wife, when they rise from sleep let them not give heed to ceremonial washings, but rather take thought for prayer and supplication to God. But if a man lie with the wife of his neighbour, or defile himself with a harlot, and, when he riseth, wash himself in the sea, and in all the waters of the rivers, he shall not be able to cleanse himself; but his portion shall be rather in eternal condemnation. [vi., 30.] Take no heed then of laws relating to the flesh, for lawful marriage is not unclean; nor seek after the way of the Jews, nor use at all times (such ceremonial) washings, nor practise their customary purifications.

OF THE RIGHT FAITH AND THE HOLY TRINITY WHICH THE APOSTLES PREACHED TO US IN TRUTH. [vi., 11.] But we, (being) children of God and sons of peace, preach this holy word to those who are obedient in uprightness. We believe in One God, the Maker of the whole creation, the Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, whose existence is without cause (), even as we said before, but He is existent at all times without beginning or end. and in Him is light unquenchable, and to Him none can approach. He is not two, nor three, nor is He capable of increase, but He is One alone who abideth for ever. Yet He is not a hidden (Being) who cannot be known, but we have known surely by the Law and the prophets that He is Almighty and the Ruler of the whole creation. He is the One God, the Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who was begotten before the world was created, the only-begotten Son, who is equal with Him, the maker of all hosts and powers and dominions; who was pleased to become man in the latter days, and took flesh of the holy Virgin Mary, without seed of man, and grew up” amongst men, without sin, or trespass, nor was there guile in His mouth; and afterwards He suffered and died without sin in the flesh, and rose from the dead on the third day, and ascended into heaven to the Father, who had sent Him, and sat down on the right hand of power; and He sent to us the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, who proceedeth from the Father, and hath saved the world; who is co-existent with the Father and the Son. We say then that every creature of God is good and there is nothing (to be) rejected, but that the spirit, the life of the flesh, is pure and holy in all things. We say that marriage is pure, and the begetting of children not unclean, for God made Adam and Eve that man might be multiplied. We understand then that there is in our body a soul which doth not die, nor perish with the body; but we abhor every deed of apostates from the faith, and all divisions, and transgression of the law, for unto us such are unclean. Again, we believe in the. resurrection of the dead, both of the righteous and sinful in the day of judgment, when every man shall be requited according to his works. Moreover, we believe that Christ was in nothing subjected to loss by His incarnation, but that He is God the Word, who became man in truth, and reconciled the race of man with God, and (that He is) the High-priest of the Father. We do not practise circumcision then like the Jews; we know that He hath come who fulfilled the Law and the prophets, for whose coming all the nations hoped, Jesus Christ who sprang from Judah and from the root of Jesse, and whose government is on His shoulder. [vi., 12.] For in those days ungodliness grew strong, and led many astray, whereby the Church was disturbed. Then we gathered together in Jerusalem, we the twelve apostles, and appointed Matthias in the place of Judas Iscariot, even as it is written, “And his office let another take "; and we were assembled together with James our Lord’s brother, the bishop of Jerusalem, and we took counsel with the presbyters to speak to the people words of admonition. For there were some who set forth from Judaea, and went to Antioch to teach the brethren who were in that place, saying, Unless ye be circumcised according to the law of Moses, and walk according to his ordinance, ye shall not be saved; and there arose enmity and strife. Then the brethren who were in Antioch knew that we were gathered together and had enquired concerning this matter, and they sent unto us faithful men, who had knowledge of the holy Scriptures, to search out this thing. And they came to us in Jerusalem to declare unto us all that had happened in Antioch; and there were some who said unto them, Ye must needs be circumcised, and do what is in the ordinances of the Law. But I Peter rose up and said unto the people, Brethren, ye know that God chose the Gentiles who took heed unto the preaching of the Gospel, and believed, to whom God who knoweth the hearts bare witness. And to Cornelius the centurion an angel of the Lord appeared, and bade him send to me that he might hear from my mouth the word of life. And he sent to me to the city of Joppa, and brought me to Caesarea. And before I came unto him, I stood on a lofty place and prayed; and behold I saw the heaven opened, and a great sheet descend to the earth, held by its corners; and‘in it were creeping things and beasts and birds of the heaven. And heard a voice which said, Arise, Peter, kill and eat; and I said, Never hath there entered into my mouth anything defiled, which was not clean. And again a voice came which said, What God hath cleansed, count thou not unclean, and the whole (sheet) was drawn up again into heaven. And while I thought thus, What thing is this that hath appeared unto me the Holy Spirit said unto me, Behold (certain) men are seeking thee; arise and go with them without doubting, for I have sent (them) to thee. These were they whom the centurion had sent. Then I thought in my heart, and believed what the Scripture saith, Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved"; and again it is said, “Let all the ends of the earth remember and turn unto the Lord, and let all the lands of the nations worship before him; for the kingdom is the Lord’s, and he shall judge the nations.”" Moreover, I remembered that which is written concerning the calling of the Gentiles, and [went with them, and entered into the man’s house, and preached the word. And forthwith the Holy Spirit descended upon him and upon all who were with him, even as He had descended upon us; and there was no distinction between us in faith, and in the purification of our hearts. And I perceived that God respecteth not persons, but that all nations that fear God and do righteousness are well-pleasing before Him. Then the faithful rose up and said, How long tempt ye God, and lay on the shoulders of the Gentiles a heavy burden which they cannot bear? But we believe that we shall be saved by grace even as (they). The Lord hath loosed us from the bond of sin, and lightened (and removed) from off us the heavy burden. And when I had said this, all the people kept silence. Then James the brother of our Lord answered and said unto them, Hearken unto what I say unto you: behold Simeon hath before declared how God chose the Gentiles for His inheritance as it is written, “I will come and build the house of David which is in ruins, and I will raise up those that have fallen, that all the Gentiles on whom my name is named may turn to the Lord, saith the Lord.” Wherefore I say unto you, Lay no burden on the Gentiles who have turned to God, but command them to abstain from all (that is) unclean, and not to eat that which dieth of itself, or which hath been sacrificed to (false) gods, and (to abstain from) fornication, (and from) what is not commanded in the law, and is not written in the book of the fathers, Enosh, Enoch and Noah and Melchizedek and Job and others such as they. Then the apostles, and James, the bishop of Jerusalem, and the presbyters of the Church agreed, and chose from amongst us men whom they should send with Barnabas and Paul the tent-maker, both Judas who was called Barsabbas, and Silas, who were chosen from the brethren. Then we wrote and sent (a letter) to the brethren in the churches of Antioch and Syria, saying, Peace be unto you. Because we have heard (that there arc) some who have troubled your souls with words, to whom we gave no (such) commandment, now also we having agreed together have chosen men to send unto you with our brethren Barnabas and Paul, men who have surrendered their lives for Jesus Christ’s sake. And we have sent Judas and Silas that they may inform you (of these things). For the Holy Spirit agreed with us that we should lay no burden (upon you) nor add any other (charge) save this only, that men should abstain from anything sacrificed to (false) gods, and from that which dieth of itself, and from blood, and from fornication; and that what they hate for themselves they should not do to their neighbours. Take heed to these things and peace be to you. (vi., 13.] This letter we sent, (but) we laboured in Jerusalem for many days, desiring to do what was good for us and you (? ). And after a few days we visited the brethren and confirmed them with the word of admonition, and commanded them to keep far from those who blasphemed against the name of the Lord and against Moses. For these are ravening (wolves), and make themselves like unto sheep, and strive against the Lord and Moses and the prophets, (being) false Christs and false prophets and lying apostles who destroy the nations, and bow down themselves to the earth, and think all (manner of) evil, and spoil the holy vineyard. And by reason of these the love of many shall wax cold; but he who patiently endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. And concerning these our Lord commanded us, saying, “ Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves, and from their fruit ye shall know them.” [vi., 14.] And because of this we all have assembled in one place—we are the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, Peter and Andrew; James and John, the sons of Zebedee; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Cananean; Thaddaeus and Matthias who was numbered with us and appointed in place of Judas Iscariot; and James the brother of our Lord Jesus Christ, the bishop of Jerusalem and Paul the chosen (vessel) and teacher of the Gentiles—and being gathered together in one place we have sent unto you this holy message.” Ye also, faithful brethren, have believed in Christ, by whom were all things: and now also we say unto you that there is One God Almighty, and there is no other god besides Him; (and) we teach you to worship Him, and adore Him, and to serve Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, and to read the Holy Scriptures of the Law and the prophets. Honour your parents, and abstain from all that contendeth against the law; and believe in the resurrection and the day of judgment; and wait in hope for that time. when He shall render to every man according to his works. For the whole creation is from God, and not from Satan; but all evil is from Satan. And in lawful marriage there is no defilement nor loss, but rather it is from God, for in the beginning He created (them) male and female; and for this cause it is said “Let a man leave his father and his mother, and cleave unto his wife, and let them two be one flesh.”! And after a man is married, let him not put away his wife, but for fornication only, for “she is thy spirit and thy flesh, for I created them and not another.” Again, it is said, “What God hath joined together let not man separate.” For he that separateth himself from his wife, dividing the one flesh, hath transgressed the commandment of God. le also that hath married one that is divorced hath defiled his flesh; and he that hath cleaved to an adulteress hath quite transgressed the law. Cut off the adulteress from thy flesh, for she is not thine. Defile ye not then your flesh, for circumcision of the heart in a pure spirit is sufficient for the faithful. ([vi., 15.] Make no repetition of baptism: the first baptism which you have received sufficeth for you, for ye were buried into the death of Christ; (a baptism) which hath not been given to the ungodly and unbelieving, but to holy priests who have bestowed it upon you into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the. Holy Spirit. Receive not baptism at the hands of apostates from the faith. For there is one baptism, and one God, the Father, and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit: one is the death of Jesus in the flesh; and in like manner let your baptism which ye have received into His death be one. And he that believeth not, and doeth not thus, his portion shall be with the ungodly in their evil doctrine. To those who do thus, God saith, “ Because ye have rejected my doctrine, also will reject you and forsake you, and not make you priests unto me. - And those who are baptized by them are not cleansed, but are unclean, and have no remission of sin. So are they who receive a second baptism, and make the work of Christ a mockery, and despise holy things, and blaspheme against the Holy Spirit, and count unclean His precious blood, and set at naught His sufferings and His testimony. But those who believe not, and are not baptized into the right faith, are transgressors of the law and condemned, for they reproach Him, and give Him not thanks. Our Lord saith, “He that is not born again of water and the Holy Spirit cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven,” but he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be condemned.” And he who saith, Afterwards I will be baptized, and maketh light of baptism, the same shall be condemned and be far from God. Delay not to turn to the Lord for man knoweth not that which shall come upon him. And baptize your children, while they are babes, and feed them with spiritual food, and bring them up with admonition and wisdom, for it is said, “ Suffer the little children (and) forbid them not to come unto me.” [vi., 16.) Behold we have written all this unto you, beloved brethren, that ye may understand wisdom and knowledge, and not receive idle words which the ungodly put forth in our name. Say not, then, We have apostles who will pray for us, but rather see whether their deeds are right. For there are some that do many mighty works, which are full of the poison of death, in the name of Christ, like Simon the Sorcerer and Cleobius, and those with them in every place, who lead men astray. [Ye also are they that have loved Christ (and) we are His servants.] And others also of the ancients have written apocryphal books of Moses, and Enoch, and Adam, and Seth, and Isaiah, and David, and Elijah, and the three patriarchs, who strove against those that were transgressors of the law. Moreover (certain) have written books that are vain; who account themselves elect and pure, and say, Our Scriptures are sure, though they are unclean. From those who do thus keep far away, lest ye be condemned with those that have written to lead astray the faithful—who are blameless, the disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ. [vi., 17-] We said, then, concerning bishops and presbyters that they should live with one wife before ordination, but that after ordination it is net right that they should marry. And again we give commandment concerning the servants who are obedient to the Church, sub-deacons, and readers, and doorkeepers that they should live with one wife, and (in one) marriage. But after they have received baptism and ordination, let them not commit sin, lest they fall into condemnation. Behold we give commandment that they marry not a harlot, nor a servant, nor a woman that is divorced, nor a widow, even as it is written in the law. Moreover let the deaconess be a pure virgin, or a faithful widow who hath been married to one man. (Such) women ought to be appointed. (vi., 18.] Those women also who turn from sin, receive. This is the will of God in Jesus Christ. And as touching the catechumens when they understand the teaching, baptize them into the name to the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; and command the faithful to separate themselves from those that serve not God, (and not to have fellowship with them) in anything, whether counsel or word or prayer. And put them forth from the Church of God, for they are strangers, and evil, and corrupt, who destroy the sheep of Christ's flock; concerning whom the wise Solomon saith, Woe to the unbelieving who account themselves wise, and their latter end (cometh) unto the condemnation of Sheol." These are they that teach false doctrine, and blaspheme against the Holy Spirit, from whom hath been taken the portion of the inheritance which they received from Him, and who have forgiveness neither in this world, nor in that which is to come. For they have transgressed more grievously than the Jews and the heathen, who have blasphemed against God (who is) the Creator of all things and is above all; and they have risen up against His Son, and denied the Holy Spirit, and made void the holy Scriptures, and made blasphemy their portion,“ and spoiled the Church of Christ. These are the foxes that spoil the vineyard. From such we bid you keep far away. For he that followeth a wise man shall be wise like unto him; but he that followeth a fool shall be a fool like unto him. Ye ought not to dwell with robbers, nor be partakers with adulterers. Hear what the holy David saith, “I have hated, O Lord, them that hate thee, and have been troubled because of thine enemies. I have hated them with a perfect hatred and they are become mine enemies. or God cursed Jehoshaphat because of the love and help of King Ahab; and to King [Uzziah] he said by [Joel] the prophet, “Thou hast been a help to a sinner; wilt thou then save him whom the Lord hath hated?’ “ Wherefore there came on him speedily the anger of the Lord; because his heart was not right with Him, his works were diminished in “ Ps,. the earth. Keep, then, far from them, and receive not their salutation. Concerning them saith the prophet, “The wicked have no rejoicing before God.” These are ravening wolves and dogs that have no mercy And when the day hath drawn nigh and the hour is come, they will be evil, even as our Lord saith in the Gospel, “In the latter days faith and love shall grow less, and sin shall be multiplied, and there shall come false Christs and false prophets, and they shall do signs in heaven and seduce many of the elect. Behold then let us pray to God to save us from their error by Jesus Christ, and to deliver us from the ungodly people, that we may confirm the Church and save many, and heal them by much admonition, and by the word of grace. But those who received not our preaching could not be healed, and have gone forth from the flock, lest they should corrupt other undefiled sheep in whom was no blemish. Thus, then, we have ordained in all lands, and have set forth for you this right doctrine of the Didascalia in truth and in purity as a memorial for those who believed in our Lord Jesus Christ; and we have sent (it) with Clement the beloved and the elect Barnabas, and our beloved son Timothy and the blessed Mark, and with these Titus and Luke, and Jason and Lucius, and Sosipater. [vi., 19.] We beseech you therefore: imitate these and hear their words, and shun your former manner of life, for the former things have passed away; and become new yourselves, for ye have known our Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things; and (who) hath given unto us a pure law (for) the salvation of our souls, wherein He put His own perfect name, which is without division or defect, or change, unspotted and converting souls, When the Hebrews forgot this, He gave them a memorial by Malachi the prophet, who saith, “ Remember the law of Moses the man of God who enjoined on you these commandments of righteousness and holiness.” But our Lord Jesus Christ did not abolish the ordinances of the Law, nor diminish (them), but rather said, “ One word shall not pass from the Law, till all this be fulfilled.” Again, He saith, “I have not come to abolish the Law and the prophets, but to fulfil them.” or Moses the legislator, prophet and king, and Elijah the prophet, who appeared with our Lord when He was transfigured before them, bare testimony concerning His passion and His death and His incarnation as friends, and men of His household, and not as strangers. [vi., 20.] The Lord gave the ordinance, the ten words which are in the Law and the holy prophets, and they heard His voice continuously, before they made for themselves the calf which the Egyptians called Apis. For the ordinance is righteous, and therefore was it called the law; and He judgeth in uprightness. Simon and those with him hate this ordinance, and praise themselves, but they shall go down to Gehenna. But the law is good and holy, for He saith, “If thou wilt make for me an altar, build it for me in the land,” and He saith not, “Build for me,” except (it be) thy pleasure, for God needeth not sacrifices and offerings from us. But Abel, and Noah, and Abraham, the friends of God, offered up sacrifices of incense unto Him according to their pleasure. And in like manner the Hebrews did thus according to their pleasure. And it was not He who commanded them, but they themselves did His good pleasure, and He received their sacrifices which they offered up unto Him with a pure heart. Wherefore He saith, ‘I desire not your incense, nor do I need aught, for the world is mine and all that is therein.” In days of old the people forgat God, and made for themselves a calf as a god instead of the true God. And when they came out of Egypt it is said, “Is this thy god, O Israel, that brought thee forth from the land of Egypt?” They worshipped a calf in (their) ungodliness, and forsook God who had sent Moses, and brought them out of sore affliction. And behold God wrought signs by the hand of Moses his servant, and with the rod which destroyed the Egyptians with the ten plagues, and wherewith he smote the Red Sea, and made them pass through it on dry ground as it were a course for horses; but he overwhelmed his enemies therein; and he made sweet the fountain of bitter water; and he clave the rock and made water to pour forth for them; he overshadowed them by day with a cloud, and by night with a pillar of fire; and he enlightened them and led them—but they knew not whither they were going; he brought down from heaven manna for them to eat and (sent them) flesh as the dust; and he gave them the law in the desert, and made them ready to hear His voice. They forsook him who had done all this, and said to Aaron, “Make us gods who shall go with us.” And (Aaron) made a calf for them, and they bowed down before it. And God knew that they felt no gratitude for all that, He had done for them, so they were bound with bonds that could not be loosed, and were cast into a net, whence was no escape. (And God said unto them), “When ye make an altar, offer up thereon sacrifices at all times.” For He saith, Thou didst forget God who saved thee, and gavest no. thanks to my name. Offer then your offerings that there ye may remember to give thanks to my name. And substitute not an unclean beast for a clean, for if ye do thus, I will bring upon you sore punishment as (on) an evil and slothful and foolish servant, and ye shall [not] be bound with the bonds of the commandment. Take heed then and fall not into the error of (having) many gods, lest there come upon you the word which saith “Where is thy God, O Israel?”' And remember what is written, saying, “Hear, O Israel, the Lord thy God is One.” And abide ye in this ordinance, and know that there is no other god besides Him in heaven or in earth; love Him with all thy heart, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and fear Him alone, and set not in thy heart the name of strange gods, nor make mention of them with thy mouth, for because of the guile of their hearts God bound them. [vi., 21.] But as for you, since ye have known the One God with a pure heart, and a good understanding, and have heard the voice of the Saviour, blessed are your eyes, for they have seen, and your ears for they have heard. Behold ye are loosed from the bonds and are freed from the servitude. Moreover He saith, “I will not call you my servants, for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth unto him; but ye are my friends. Behold I have taught you all that I have heard from my Father.” But as for those who desire not to see nor to hear, their heart hath been hardened, and they are far from Him. (vi., 22.) But blessed are ye from whom God hath taken away His curse. For Christ the Son of God came, (and) established and fulfilled the law; and He removed the heavy burden that was therein, (and) saved us, and freed us from the service of sin, and had mercy on us, and gave us life eternal. And again He saith, “He that will come after me, let him await my second coming.” But He received not the sacrifices and offerings which the nations offered, for oftentimes they offered unto Him; and they thought that it was by multiplying sacrifices that they would be saved, without repentance, from the scourge of God’s anger. Moreover it is said, “ Wherefore bring ye to me incense from Saba, and cinnamon from a far country? I have no pleasure in your sacrifices, and will not receive your incense.” And again Isaiah saith, Wherefore offer ye to me your sacrifices; I am sated with the sacrifices of rams and oxen and with the fat of sheep. I desire not the blood of oxen and goats. If ye bring (them), will ye not show me who hath required this at your hands? Ye shall not again tread the courts of my house. And if ye bring fine flour, it is in vain; your incense, and your feasts, and your sabbaths, and your great day I desire not; your fasts also and your prayers I desire not; my soul hath hated (them) and ye are an abomination unto me.” Moreover the prophet saith, “Remove from me the sound of thine anger.” Again Samuel the prophet said to Saul, when he desired to sacrifice, ‘‘To hearken is better than to sacrifice and knowledge than the fat of sheep, for the Lord desireth not that thou shouldst sacrifice to him, but rather that thou shouldst hearken to his word.” And David also saith, “I will take no oxen from thy house, nor rams from thy flock, for all the beasts of the field are mine; the cattle of the field also, and the oxen; and I know all the birds of the heaven; and the beauty of field also is with me. If I be hungry I will not ask of thee, for the whole world is mine, with the fulness thereof. I will not eat the flesh of oxen, nor drink the blood of goats. Sacrifice to God the sacrifice of praise and send up thy prayer to the Most High.” Moreover it is written in the Scripture that He desireth not the incense of those that have sinned against Him, for unclean before Him is the sacrifice of the ungodly who offer contrary to the law: everyone who eateth of it is unclean. But He desireth above all a meek heart and a humble spirit which are better than sacrifice. Behold, then, He came to bring to an end the sacrifices of blood which they offered. [vi., 23-] For He said in the Law, “The Lord thy God is One”; again He said in the Gospel, ‘This is life eternal that they should know the One true God." Moreover He said, ‘Love thy neighbour as thyself”; (and) repeated (it in the Gospel) and said, “I have given you a commandment that ye love one another, as I have loved you.” For thus He said (in the law) Thou shalt not kill, but He hath commanded us never to hate anyone. He who said Thou shalt not commit adultery nor desire thy neighbour’s wife, behold He hath commanded (us not even to look upon a woman to lust after her). He said (then), Thou shalt not steal, but He hath commanded us to abstain from every evil deed, and to love our enemies. For He who said, Ye shall not render evil to him that doeth you injury, hath commanded us to be at peace with all men; for mercy is better than those who desire vengeance unrighteously (?). He said (then), “Honour your parents; but He hath commanded us to humble ourselves unto all men. He put an end to circumcision, and He Himself fulfilled circumcision: and He fulfilled the hope for which the whole world was hoping. He who said, “Perform unto the Lord thine oath,” hath commanded us not to swear by anything. Instead of sacrifices of blood He hath given us a rational bloodless offering; and instead of sacrifices in one place, He hath commanded us that our offering should be made in all the earth from the rising of the sun even to its setting.”... Moses saith in the law, Read thou the words which I have commanded thee while thou workest, or while thou sittest, or while thou standest, or while thou walkest in the way.” ” And David also saith, “ But the law of the Lord is his delight, and in his law he will meditate day and night.” And everywhere He hath commanded that they should do that which (is written) in the law, and not transgress the ordinance. And again it is said, “Blessed are they that are pure in their way, and that walk in his ways, and seek him with all their heart.” Moreover it is said in the Gospel, “ Blessed are ye, if ye do this.” (vi., 24.] For on account of this is the law manifest in righteousness, and illumineth all the world, (even) those who believe in our Lord, and have forsaken the worship of idols, and kept far from wickedness and received all that is good. And the Jews also, who have rejected the covenants, whose hearts were blinded, and (who) followed the way of those who said, ‘We have no king but Caesar,” and said again, “If we let this man alone, the Romans will come, (and) will take away our nation and our land,” prophesied against Him and said, ‘It is better for us to put one man to death, than that the nation perish.” (Yet) all nations have believed in Him, and the Romans have taken away their authority and all their ordinances; and therefore are they accursed because they have not been able to do His commandment. Moreover it is said, “Cursed is he that doeth not all the commandments which are written in the book of the law.” [vi., 25.] But we follow the way of Christ, that we may receive a blessing: and let us receive the law, and the prophets, and the holy Gospel; and turn aside from those that worship many gods, and let us keep far from the murderers of Christ, and from them that slew the prophets. These are the unbelieving Jews. And let us be humble and firm in faith in Christ the King who hath authority over all things, and is the teacher of the law, and the guardian of the ordinances. ([vi., 26.] Keep far, then, bishops and priests and people, from (those that cause) division (even) from those that account unclean the Law and the prophets, being the enemies of God Almighty; and who believe not in Christ the Son of God, and separate (?) His birth in the flesh, and blaspheme against His sufferings in the flesh, and revile His cross, and mock at His death, and believe not in His resurrection, and make void His generation from the Father before the whole creation, [and say (that in Him) are flesh and soul and not the Godhead]. And there are others who say that Jesus Christ is above the whole creation, and glorify Him and say that He alone is the Father; and again they say that He is the Son and the Paraclete. Are not these then more impious than all? And there are others who say that the resurrection of the dead (is of) souls without bodies. To these He saith, Depart into fire eternal. Keep far (from such men), beloved brethren, lest ye be condemned together with them. [vi., 27.] [And those that watch the stars, and worship the host of heaven, and observe days and hours —as for such, will He accept their prayers, and be pleased with their offerings and will they read the holy Scriptures? These then are void () of the Holy Spirit, which abideth in the heart of the faithful. Solomon saith concerning the saints, “Let them be prepared, if they sleep, to watch; if they sleep and awake, to be wise in truth and love.”] For the Holy Spirit is not far from faithful Christian people from the day of their birth, until they die. Let a woman after her child-bearing remain in her separation seven days. But if she think in her heart, and say, How shall the Holy Spirit abide upon me, while am unclean and if (her) faith grow weak, and she be without good works, the Holy Spirit will not abide upon her. For this matter is not a transgression of the law, but marriage, and the customary separation of women, and nocturnal pollutions hinder not the Holy Spirit. But with the ungodly and unbelieving who have transgressed the law and the ordinances, the Holy Spirit will not abide. And those that have not the Holy Spirit are the habitation of unclean (spirits): but upon those that have believed and (that) hope in His second coming the Holy Spirit abideth. [For the Paraclete hateth lies and every (evil) work; and the devil hateth works of righteousness and goodness. And whosoever is baptized in faith is separated from the spirit of Satan, and is the habitation of the Holy Spirit: and he that doeth His will is filled with wisdom and knowledge, and the unclean spirit cannot come nigh to him. The unclean spirit loveth such as are ungrateful, slothful, and sinners and sorcerers, for the devil by his want of gratitude fell from his throne, and was deprived of the glory of God. And he himself chose to be Satan rather than to be an archangel. Wherefore women ought to beware of every evil and vain thing, and be mindful of God, who created all things, and to follow His law, (and) not work the pleasure of the flesh, except only in lawful wedlock. Beware then of the counsel of evil men, and of union with them. [vi., 28.] Wherefore separate yourselves, beloved brethren, from all the heathen who practise evil, and keep far from them; and count not as an abomination the flesh of men’s dead bodies. We believe that the dead shall live and rise again. And in like manner lawful marriage is not an abomination, for the union of man and woman is righteous (before God) who created man and woman, and blessed them, and said unto them, “Increase and multiply, and fill the earth.” Behold we understand that from God are all these things; without Him was not anything. Howbeit the men of Sodom sinned; they perverted nature and wrought abomination; and in like manner (sin) those who practise bestiality, which is unclean and is a transgression of the law. They that do such things shall not escape from punishment, for they defile pure marriage, and do what is unseemly and what is not commanded in the law; (but as) it is said, ‘They are joined one to another, man with man. But they work their own shame, and their iniquity shall return on their own heads.” For the Scripture saith, “If any man lieth with a man as with a woman; they have wrought uncleanness, let both of them die the death ”’; and, ‘He that lieth with a beast, let him die the death ’’; and, ‘He that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, let him die the death,” for it is a shame to Israel. ‘The hire of a harlot, and the price of a dog they shall not offer in the house of the Lord.” This is what is forbidden in the law, but marriage is pure. And God blessed the union of man and woman. And Solomon also saith, ‘The union of man and man is abominable before the Lord.” David saith, “Let thy wife be as a pleasant vine in the chamber of thy house, and thy children also as young olive plants at thy table. Lo, thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.” For a man that is a lover of God ought not to be subject to lust. [vi., 29.] And let the women also be obedient to their own husbands in love and fear, even as the blessed Sarah was obedient to her husband Abraham, and said to him, My lord. She did not name his name, but said of him, My lord is old. And in like manner, ye men, love your wives, for they are your members and sharers with you in the begetting of children. It is said, “ Love the wife of thy youth, as the hart loveth the fountains of waters; for she is thine and is with thee at all times, and is a member of thine.” For it is said, “Take heed to yourselves and forsake not your wives.” And as touching the lawful union of man and wife, when they rise from sleep let them not give heed to ceremonial washings, but rather take thought for prayer and supplication to God. But if a man lie with the wife of his neighbour, or defile himself with a harlot, and, when he riseth, wash himself in the sea, and in all the waters of the rivers, he shall not be able to cleanse himself; but his portion shall be rather in eternal condemnation. [vi., 30.] Take no heed then of laws relating to the flesh, for lawful marriage is not unclean; nor seek after the way of the Jews, nor use at all times (such ceremonial) washings, nor practise their customary purifications.

OF THE CHRISM. [vii., 27.] Thou shalt give thanks thus: We give thanks to Thee, Creator of all things, for the savour of this chrism, and for this oil of immortality, which Thou hast revealed to us by Jesus Christ Thy Son. For Thine is the glory, and the kingdom, and the power for ever and ever. Amen. [vii., 28.] And whosoever cometh to you, and giveth thanks thus, receive him as a disciple of Christ; and if there be anyone that teacheth contrary to the law which was given unto you by the Lord, receive him not, and let him not have fellowship with you in thanksgiving. Prove everyone that cometh unto you, and examine diligently his deeds, (and) appoint as is fitting for ye have knowledge of those on the right hand and on the left. And judge between those who rule justly and (those who) rule unjustly; and to your neighbour that judgeth justly do good according to his doings; to him also that judgeth unjustly render according to his doing; and pray not with him, lest ye be defiled together with him. And every prophet and teacher that cometh unto you and teacheth truly is worthy of his meat, as a good workman who serveth his lord. [vii., 29.] To the priests also give the first-fruits that they may bless your labours; and give all the tithes to the widows, and to the orphans, and to travellers,” and to strangers. [vii., 30] And on the Sabbath day, which is (the day of) the resurrection of our Lord, gather ye together in one place, and give thanks to God for all the good things that He hath done for you in Christ, that your sacrifice may be perfect and acceptable before God, for it is said concerning the Church that they shall assemble therein, and offer up incense and sacrifice, (for) ‘I, saith the Lord, am a great King upholding all the world, and my name is terrible in all the world, and (among) the Gentiles.” [vii., 31.] Appoint for yourselves bishops, presbyters, and deacons, meek men and humble, who are chosen from the people, pure and tried in every good work; who desire not money, but rather teach the word of the Lord and the doctrine, and discern in uprightness the commandments of Christ... as father and lord in love without anger and impatience, with a humble heart and in meekness. Observe all this that ye have been commanded of the Lord for the life of your souls. Let your loins be girt, and your lamps burning, and be ye ready as men who wait for their Lord when he cometh, whether at the first hour of the night, or at midnight, or at cock-crowing, or at break of day. The Lord will come at a time that thou expectest not. Blessed are those servants whom their Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing. Behold, He will gird Himself, and go about, and serve them. Pray then and work, lest death come upon you suddenly. [vii., 32-] And when the glory of the Son of Man shall appear in heaven, and the archangel shall blow the trumpet, and the dead shall be raised, and our Lord shall come with His Saints in the clouds of heaven, and all the angels of His power with Him, then shall He sit on the throne of His Kingdom, and destroy the devil, the deceiver, and shall render to every man according to his works; and then shall the sinners go into eternal condemnation, but the righteous into life eternal, and (these) shall rejoice in the Kingdom of heaven through our Lord Jesus Christ. [vii., 33-] Be ye, then, ready that ye may receive His good things. Let us pray and make supplication unto Him, and say, O, our Saviour; Who art before the world (was), God of gods, the Almighty, One God, the Creator of every creature, the Lord of our holy fathers, who were without blame before Thee, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Who art) merciful, and ready to forgive sins, faithful and kind, plenteous in compassion and mercy, from whom nothing is hidden, (but) all is open before Thee: in Thee the souls of the righteous trust, and in Thee the saints hope; (Thou art) the Father of them that are blameless, and hearest the prayer of the pure in heart, and hearkenest to the supplication of them that are silent. Make Thy favour, O Lord, to dwell on every creature, for Thou knowest that which the heart thinketh before the thought (cometh); and in all the ends of the world they offer up to Thee sacrifice and incense with prayer and thanksgiving; Who hast appointed days that men may do righteousness, and the gate of whose mercy is open to everyone that seeketh Thee, and hast appointed laws and ordinances, and caused us to understand that the riches of this world are transitory and that the ornament of beauty abideth not for ever, and that the might of the strong decayeth speedily. For our father Abraham was the first to walk in the way of righteousness, and Thou gavest him honour and riches, and in faith he accomplished his life; and Thou saidst unto him, “I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand of the sea”; and Thou gavest Isaac unto him; Thou didst bless him and say unto him, “I will be with thy seed after thee.” For we have known Christ in our father Jacob, whom Thou didst send to the land of Egypt, and didst say unto him, “ Behold I will be with thee, and will surely multiply thy seed exceedingly.”' And in like manner Thou didst say unto Moses, Thy holy and faithful servant at the bush, “I am from before the world (was), and my name shall be for ever”; and Thy memorial also is for generations of generations; Who didst bless the seed of Abraham that they might be blessed for ever.; [vii., 34.] Thou didst create man that he might be a rational (creature), and Thou didst say in Thy wisdom, ‘Let us make man in our image and in our likeness ”; and Thou didst set Adam to be ruler over all, and didst give him life eternal. And when he transgressed Thy commandment, Thou didst put him forth from the garden, and didst bring death on him. Then Thou didst send Thy only-begotten Son and didst raise him from his fall, and didst restore him to the garden of delight. [vii., 35-] Thou, O Lord, alone are great, and powerful, and terrible, merciful and kind, the Almighty who doest wonders, and withdrawest not ‘Thy compassion from any of Thy works or creatures, good and a lover of men, and dealing gently with sinners, and bringing them back in the multitude of Thy mercy, and though we are not worthy to look up unto Thee, nor raise our eyes to heaven, Thou in the greatness of Thy power regardest our humility. The heavens are supported by Thy commandment, and by Thy word the earth is established, for Thou, O Lord, art mighty, and the righteousness of Thy judgment hath filled the earth which Thou hast created.

OF THE CHRISM. [vii., 27.] Thou shalt give thanks thus: We give thanks to Thee, Creator of all things, for the savour of this chrism, and for this oil of immortality, which Thou hast revealed to us by Jesus Christ Thy Son. For Thine is the glory, and the kingdom, and the power for ever and ever. Amen. [vii., 28.] And whosoever cometh to you, and giveth thanks thus, receive him as a disciple of Christ; and if there be anyone that teacheth contrary to the law which was given unto you by the Lord, receive him not, and let him not have fellowship with you in thanksgiving. Prove everyone that cometh unto you, and examine diligently his deeds, (and) appoint as is fitting for ye have knowledge of those on the right hand and on the left. And judge between those who rule justly and (those who) rule unjustly; and to your neighbour that judgeth justly do good according to his doings; to him also that judgeth unjustly render according to his doing; and pray not with him, lest ye be defiled together with him. And every prophet and teacher that cometh unto you and teacheth truly is worthy of his meat, as a good workman who serveth his lord. [vii., 29.] To the priests also give the first-fruits that they may bless your labours; and give all the tithes to the widows, and to the orphans, and to travellers,” and to strangers. [vii., 30] And on the Sabbath day, which is (the day of) the resurrection of our Lord, gather ye together in one place, and give thanks to God for all the good things that He hath done for you in Christ, that your sacrifice may be perfect and acceptable before God, for it is said concerning the Church that they shall assemble therein, and offer up incense and sacrifice, (for) ‘I, saith the Lord, am a great King upholding all the world, and my name is terrible in all the world, and (among) the Gentiles.” [vii., 31.] Appoint for yourselves bishops, presbyters, and deacons, meek men and humble, who are chosen from the people, pure and tried in every good work; who desire not money, but rather teach the word of the Lord and the doctrine, and discern in uprightness the commandments of Christ... as father and lord in love without anger and impatience, with a humble heart and in meekness. Observe all this that ye have been commanded of the Lord for the life of your souls. Let your loins be girt, and your lamps burning, and be ye ready as men who wait for their Lord when he cometh, whether at the first hour of the night, or at midnight, or at cock-crowing, or at break of day. The Lord will come at a time that thou expectest not. Blessed are those servants whom their Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing. Behold, He will gird Himself, and go about, and serve them. Pray then and work, lest death come upon you suddenly. [vii., 32-] And when the glory of the Son of Man shall appear in heaven, and the archangel shall blow the trumpet, and the dead shall be raised, and our Lord shall come with His Saints in the clouds of heaven, and all the angels of His power with Him, then shall He sit on the throne of His Kingdom, and destroy the devil, the deceiver, and shall render to every man according to his works; and then shall the sinners go into eternal condemnation, but the righteous into life eternal, and (these) shall rejoice in the Kingdom of heaven through our Lord Jesus Christ. [vii., 33-] Be ye, then, ready that ye may receive His good things. Let us pray and make supplication unto Him, and say, O, our Saviour; Who art before the world (was), God of gods, the Almighty, One God, the Creator of every creature, the Lord of our holy fathers, who were without blame before Thee, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Who art) merciful, and ready to forgive sins, faithful and kind, plenteous in compassion and mercy, from whom nothing is hidden, (but) all is open before Thee: in Thee the souls of the righteous trust, and in Thee the saints hope; (Thou art) the Father of them that are blameless, and hearest the prayer of the pure in heart, and hearkenest to the supplication of them that are silent. Make Thy favour, O Lord, to dwell on every creature, for Thou knowest that which the heart thinketh before the thought (cometh); and in all the ends of the world they offer up to Thee sacrifice and incense with prayer and thanksgiving; Who hast appointed days that men may do righteousness, and the gate of whose mercy is open to everyone that seeketh Thee, and hast appointed laws and ordinances, and caused us to understand that the riches of this world are transitory and that the ornament of beauty abideth not for ever, and that the might of the strong decayeth speedily. For our father Abraham was the first to walk in the way of righteousness, and Thou gavest him honour and riches, and in faith he accomplished his life; and Thou saidst unto him, “I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand of the sea”; and Thou gavest Isaac unto him; Thou didst bless him and say unto him, “I will be with thy seed after thee.” For we have known Christ in our father Jacob, whom Thou didst send to the land of Egypt, and didst say unto him, “ Behold I will be with thee, and will surely multiply thy seed exceedingly.”' And in like manner Thou didst say unto Moses, Thy holy and faithful servant at the bush, “I am from before the world (was), and my name shall be for ever”; and Thy memorial also is for generations of generations; Who didst bless the seed of Abraham that they might be blessed for ever.; [vii., 34.] Thou didst create man that he might be a rational (creature), and Thou didst say in Thy wisdom, ‘Let us make man in our image and in our likeness ”; and Thou didst set Adam to be ruler over all, and didst give him life eternal. And when he transgressed Thy commandment, Thou didst put him forth from the garden, and didst bring death on him. Then Thou didst send Thy only-begotten Son and didst raise him from his fall, and didst restore him to the garden of delight. [vii., 35-] Thou, O Lord, alone are great, and powerful, and terrible, merciful and kind, the Almighty who doest wonders, and withdrawest not ‘Thy compassion from any of Thy works or creatures, good and a lover of men, and dealing gently with sinners, and bringing them back in the multitude of Thy mercy, and though we are not worthy to look up unto Thee, nor raise our eyes to heaven, Thou in the greatness of Thy power regardest our humility. The heavens are supported by Thy commandment, and by Thy word the earth is established, for Thou, O Lord, art mighty, and the righteousness of Thy judgment hath filled the earth which Thou hast created.

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.

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.

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: [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 fiesh, 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, the Son of God, the Lord, 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, O 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 isme! 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, O 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 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.

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.

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: O 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; O 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, O 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, O 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 for ever and ever. The people: Amen.

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.

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 alway kind, loving innocency, not possessing anything in this world, but alway 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; Jet 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 every one 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 thé 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. or 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.

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.

Similarly let a subdeacon 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, O 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.

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 alway 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 every one, in order that the rest [of the women] who desire, may emulate them.