cast

Rose into power and cast his dwelling down

Destructive utterly consume, cast down

And mortals shall their idols cast away

The whole East and the rich West were cast down,

With Memphis, Memphis cast headlong to earth

The woolly sheep, and cast his oaths aside;

And cast down temples on much-nourishing earth.

For victory, shall cast down hostile chiefs

Down from his head will be the scepter cast

Then the chief captain went down to the house of Abraham, and sat down with him at the table, and Isaac served them. And when the supper was ended, Abraham prayed after his custom, and the chief-captain prayed together with him, and each lay down to sleep upon his couch. And Isaac said to his father, Father, I too would fain sleep with you in this chamber, that I also may hear your discourse, for I love to hear the excellence of the conversation of this virtuous man. Abraham said, Nay, my son, but go to your own chamber and sleep on your own couch, lest we be troublesome to this man. Then Isaac, having received the prayer from them, and having blessed them, went to his own chamber and lay down upon his couch. But the Lord cast the thought of death into the heart of Isaac as in a dream, and about the third hour of the night Isaac awoke and rose up from his couch, and came running to the chamber where his father was sleeping together with the archangel. Isaac, therefore, on reaching the door cried out, saying, My father Abraham, arise and open to me quickly, that I may enter and hang upon your neck, and embrace you before they take you away from me. Abraham therefore arose and opened to him, and Isaac entered and hung upon his neck, and began to weep with a loud voice. Abraham therefore being moved at heart, also wept with a loud voice, and the chief-captain, seeing them weeping, wept also. Sarah being in her room, heard their weeping, and came running to them, and found them embracing and weeping. And Sarah said with weeping, My Lord Abraham, what is this that you weep? Tell me, my Lord, has this brother that has been entertained by us this day brought you tidings of Lot, your brother's son, that he is dead? Is it for this that you grieve thus? The chief-captain answered and said to her, Nay, my sister Sarah, it is not as you say, but your son Isaac, methinks, beheld a dream, and came to us weeping, and we seeing him were moved in our hearts and wept.

Then the Most High said, Call me hither Death that is called the shameless countenance and the pitiless look. And Michael the Incorporeal went and said to Death, Come hither; the Lord of creation, the immortal king, calls you. And Death, hearing this, shivered and trembled, being possessed with great terror, and coming with great fear it stood before the invisible father, shivering, groaning and trembling, awaiting the command of the Lord. Therefore the invisible God said to Death, Come hither, you bitter and fierce name of the world, hide your fierceness, cover your corruption, and cast away your bitterness from you, and put on your beauty and all your glory, and go down to Abraham my friend, and take him and bring him to me. But now also I tell you not to terrify him, but bring him with fair speech, for he is my own friend. Having heard this, Death went out from the presence of the Most High, and put on a robe of great brightness, and made his appearance like the sun, and became fair and beautiful above the sons of men, assuming the form of an archangel, having his cheeks flaming with fire, and he departed to Abraham. Now the righteous Abraham went out of his chamber, and sat under the trees of Mamre, holding his chin in his hand, and awaiting the coming of the archangel Michael. And behold, a smell of sweet odor came to him, and a flashing of light, and Abraham turned and saw Death coming towards him in great glory and beauty. And Abraham arose and went to meet him, thinking that it was the chief-captain of God, and Death beholding him saluted him, saying, Rejoice, precious Abraham, righteous soul, true friend of the Most High God, and companion of the holy angels. Abraham said to Death, Hail you of appearance and form like the sun, most glorious helper, bringer of light, wondrous man, from whence does your glory come to us, and who are you, and whence do you come? Then Death said, Most righteous Abraham, behold I tell you the truth. I am the bitter lot of death. Abraham said to him, Nay, but you are the comeliness of the world, you are the glory and beauty of angels and men, you are fairer in form than every other, and do you say, I am the bitter lot of death, and not rather, I am fairer than every good thing. Death said, I tell you the truth. What the Lord has named me, that also I tell you. Abraham said, For what are you come hither? Death said, For your holy soul am I come. Then Abraham said, I know what you mean, but I will not go with you; and Death was silent and answered him not a word.

When Sarah, being inside in her house, heard their weeping, she came out and said to Abraham, Lord, why is it that you thus weep? Abraham answered, and said to her, It is no evil. Go into your house, and do your own work, lest we be troublesome to the man. And Sarah went away, being about to prepare the supper. And the sun came near to setting, and Michael went out of the house, and was taken up into the heavens to worship before God, for at sunset all the angels worship God and Michael himself is the first of the angels. And they all worshipped him, and went each to his own place, but Michael spoke before the Lord and said, Lord, command me to be questioned before your holy glory! And the Lord said to Michael, Announce whatsoever you will! And the Archangel answered and said, Lord, you sent me to Abraham to say to him, Depart from your body, and leave this world; the Lord calls you; and I dare not, Lord, reveal myself to him, for he is your friend, and a righteous man, and one that receives strangers. But I beseech you, Lord, command the remembrance of the death of Abraham to enter into his own heart, and bid not me tell it him, for it is great abruptness to say, Leave the world, and especially to leave one's own body, for you created him from the beginning to have pity on the souls of all men. Then the Lord said to Michael, Arise and go to Abraham, and lodge with him, and whatever you see him eat, eat also, and wherever he shall sleep, sleep there also. For I will cast the thought of the death of Abraham into the heart of Isaac his son in a dream.

And Abraham said to Michael, Lord, who is this judge, and who is the other, who convicts the sins? And Michael said to Abraham, Do you see the judge? This is Abel, who first testified, and God brought him hither to judge, and he that bears witness here is the teacher of heaven and earth, and the scribe of righteousness, Enoch, for the Lord sent them hither to write down the sins and righteousnesses of each one. Abraham said, And how can Enoch bear the weight of the souls, not having seen death? Or how can he give sentence to all the souls? Michael said, If he gives sentence concerning the souls, it is not permitted; but Enoch himself does not give sentence, but it is the Lord who does so, and he has no more to do than only to write. For Enoch prayed to the Lord saying, I desire not, Lord, to give sentence on the souls, lest I be grievous to anyone; and the Lord said to Enoch, I shall command you to write down the sins of the soul that makes atonement and it shall enter into life, and if the soul make not atonement and repent, you shall find its sins written down and it shall be cast into punishment. And about the ninth hour Michael brought Abraham back to his house. But Sarah his wife, not seeing what had become of Abraham, was consumed with grief, and gave up the ghost, and after the return of Abraham he found her dead, and buried her.

Sedrach says to him: You, O Lord, created man. You knew of what sort of mind he was and of what sort of knowledge we are, and you make it a cause for chastisement: but cast him forth; for shall not I alone fill up the heavenly places? But if that is not to be so save man too, O Lord. He failed by your will, wretched man. Why do you waste words on me, Sedrach? I created Adam and his wife and the sun and said: Behold each other how bright he is, and the wife of Adam is brighter in the beauty of the moon and he was the giver of her life. Sedrach says: but of what profit are beauties if they die away into the earth? How did you say, O Lord, You shall not return evil for evil? How is it, O Lord? The word of Your divinity never lies, and why do You retaliate on man? Or do you not in so doing render evil for evil? I know that among the quadrupeds there is no other so wily and unreasonable as the mule. But we strike it with the bridle when we wish: and you have angels: send them forth to guard them, and when man inclines towards sin, to take hold of his foot and not let him go whither he would.

Then Eve says to them: Listen, all my children, and my children's children, and I shall relate to you how our enemy deceived us. It came to pass, while we were keeping paradise, that we kept each the portion allotted to him by God. And I was keeping in my lot the south and west. And the devil went into the lot of Adam where were the male wild beasts; since God parted to us the wild beasts, and had given all the males to your father, and all the females He gave to me, and each of us watched his own. And the devil spoke to the serpent, saying, Arise, come to me, and I shall tell you a thing in which you may be of service. Then the serpent came to him, and the devil says to him, I hear that you are more sagacious than all the wild beasts, and I have come to make your acquaintance; and I have found you greater than all the wild beasts, and they associate with you; notwithstanding, you do reverence to one far inferior. Why do you eat of the tares of Adam and his wife, and not of the fruit of paradise? Arise and come hither, and we shall make him be cast out of paradise through his wife, as we also were cast out through him. The serpent says to him, I am afraid lest the Lord be angry with me. The devil says to him, Be not afraid; only become my instrument, and I will speak through your mouth a word by which you shall be able to deceive him. Then straightway he hung by the walls of paradise about the hour when the angels of God went up to worship. Then Satan came in the form of an angel, and praised God as did the angels; and looking out from the wall, I saw him like an angel. And says he to me, Are you Eve? And I said to him, I am. And says he to me, What are you doing in paradise? And I said to him, God has set us to keep it, and to eat of it. The devil answered me through the mouth of the serpent, You do well, but you do not eat of every plant. And I say to him, Yes, of every plant we eat, but one only which is in the midst of paradise, about which God has commanded us not to eat of it, since you will die the death. Then says the serpent to me, As God lives, I am grieved for you, because you are like cattle. For I do not wish you to be ignorant of this; but rise, come hither, listen to me, and eat, and perceive the value of the tree, as He told us. But I said to him, I am afraid lest God be angry with me. And he says to me, Be not afraid; for as soon as you eat, your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods in knowing what is good and what is evil. And God, knowing this, that you shall be like Him, has had a grudge against you, and said, You shall not eat of it. But observe the plant, and you shall see great glory about it. And I observed the plant, and saw great glory about it. And I said to him, It is beautiful to the eyes to perceive; and I was afraid to take of the fruit. And he says to me, Come, I will give to you: follow me. And I opened to him, and he came inside into paradise, and went through it before me. And having walked a little, he turned, and says to me, I have changed my mind, and will not give you to eat. And this he said, wishing at last to entice and destroy me. And he says to me, Swear to me that you will give also to your husband. And I said to him, I know not by what oath I shall swear to you; but what I know I say to you, By the throne of the Lord, and the cherubim, and the tree of life, I will give also to my husband to eat. And when he had taken the oath from me, then he went and ascended upon it. And he put upon the fruit which he gave me to eat the poison of his wickedness, that is, of his desire; for desire is the head of all sin. And I bent down the branch to the ground, and took of the fruit, and ate. And in that very hour my eyes were opened. and I knew that I was stripped of the righteousness with which I had been clothed; and I wept, saying, What is this you have done to me, because I have been deprived of the glory with which I was clothed? And I wept too about the oath. And he came down out of the tree, and went out of sight. And I sought leaves in my portion, that I might cover my shame; and I did not find them from the plants of paradise, since, at the time that I ate, the leaves of all the plants in my portion fell, except of the fig alone. And having taken leaves off it, I made myself a girdle, and it is from those plants of which I ate. And I cried out with a loud voice, saying, Adam, Adam, where are you? Arise, come to me, and I shall show you a great mystery. And when your father came, I said to him words of wickedness, which brought us down from great glory. For as soon as he came I opened my mouth, and the devil spoke; and I began to advise him, saying, Come hither, my lord Adam, listen to me, and eat of the fruit of the tree of which God said to us not to eat of it, and you shall be as God. And your father answered and said, I am afraid lest God be angry with me. And I said to him, Be not afraid, for as soon as you shall eat you shall know good and evil. And then I quickly persuaded him, and he ate; and his eyes were opened, and he was aware, he also, of his nakedness. And he says to me, O wicked woman, why have you wrought mischief in us? You have alienated me from the glory of God. And that same hour we heard the archangel Michael sounding his trumpet, calling the angels, saying, Thus says the Lord, Come with me to paradise, and hear the word in which I judge Adam. And when we heard the archangel sounding, we said, Behold, God is coming into paradise to judge us. And we were afraid, and hid ourselves. And God came up into paradise, riding upon a chariot of cherubim, and the angels praising Him. When God came into paradise, the plants both of Adam's lot and of my lot bloomed, and all lifted themselves up; and the throne of God was made ready where the tree of life was. And God called Adam, saying, Adam, where are you hidden, thinking that I shall not find you? Shall the house be hidden from him that built it? Then your father answered and said, Not, Lord, did we hide ourselves as thinking that we should not be found by You; but I am afraid, because I am naked, and stand in awe of Your power, O Lord. God says to him, Who has shown you that you are naked, unless it be that you have forsaken my commandment which I gave you to keep it? Then Adam remembered the word which I spoke to him when I wished to deceive him, I will put you out of danger from God. And he turned and said to me, Why have you done this? And I also remembered the word of the serpent, and said, The serpent deceived me. God says to Adam, Since you have disobeyed my commandment, and obeyed your wife, cursed is the ground in your labours. For whenever you labour it, and it will not give its strength, thorns and thistles shall it raise for you; and in the sweat of your face shall you eat your bread. And you shall be in distresses of many kinds. You shall weary yourself, and rest not; you shall be afflicted by bitterness, and shall not taste of sweetness; you shall be afflicted by heat, and oppressed by cold; and you shall toil much, and not grow rich; and you shall make haste, and not attain your end; and the wild beasts, of which you were lord, shall rise up against you in rebellion, because you have not kept my commandment. And having turned to me, the Lord says to me, Since you have obeyed the serpent, and disobeyed my commandment, you shall be in distresses and unbearable pains; you shall bring forth children with great tremblings; and in one hour shall you come to bring them forth, and lose your life in consequence of your great straits and pangs. And you shall confess, and say, Lord, Lord, save me; and I shall not return to the sin of the flesh. And on this account in your own words I shall judge you, on account of the enmity which the enemy has put in you; and you shall turn again to your husband, and he shall be your lord. And after speaking thus to me, He spoke to the serpent in great wrath, saying to him, Since you have done this, and have become an ungracious instrument until you should deceive those that were remiss in heart, cursed are you of all the beasts. You shall be deprived of the food which you eat, and dust shall you eat all the days of your life; upon your breast and belly shall you go, and you shall be deprived both of your hands and feet; there shall not be granted you ear, nor wing, nor one limb of all which those have whom you have enticed by your wickedness, and have caused them to be cast out of paradise. And I shall put enmity between you and between his seed. He shall lie in wait for your head, and you for his heel, until the day of judgment. And having thus said, He commands His angels that we be cast out of paradise. And as we were being driven along, and were lamenting, your father Adam entreated the angels, saying, Allow me a little, that I may entreat God, and that He may have compassion upon me, and pity me, for I only have sinned. And they stopped driving him. And Adam cried out with weeping, saying, Pardon me, Lord, what I have done. Then says the Lord to His angels, Why have you stopped driving Adam out of paradise? It is not that the sin is mine, or that I have judged ill? Then the angels, falling to the ground, worshipped the Lord, saying, Just are You, Lord, and judgest what is right. And turning to Adam, the Lord said, I will not permit you henceforth to be in paradise. And Adam answered and said, Lord, give me of the tree of life, that I may eat before I am cast out. Then the Lord said to Adam, You shall not now take of it, for it has been assigned to the cherubim and the flaming sword, which turns to guard it on account of you, that you may not taste of it and be free from death for ever, but that you may have the war which the enemy has set in you. But when you are gone out of paradise, if you shall keep yourself from all evil, as being destined to die, I will again raise you up when the resurrection comes, and then there shall be given you of the tree of life, and you shall be free from death forever. And having thus said, the Lord commanded us to be cast out of paradise. And your father wept before the angels over against paradise. And the angels say to him, What do you wish that we should do for you, Adam? And your father answered and said to the angels, Behold, you cast me out. I beseech you, allow me to take sweet odours out of paradise, in order that, after I go out, I may offer sacrifice to God, that God may listen to me. And the angels, advancing, said to God, Jael, eternal King, order to be given to Adam sacrifices of sweet odour out of paradise. And God ordered Adam to go, that he might take perfumes of sweet odour out of paradise for his food. And the angels let him go, and he gathered both kinds — saffron and spikenard, and calamus and cinnamon, and other seeds for his food; and having taken them, he went forth out of paradise. And we came to the earth.

Then Eve says to them: Listen, all my children, and my children's children, and I shall relate to you how our enemy deceived us. It came to pass, while we were keeping paradise, that we kept each the portion allotted to him by God. And I was keeping in my lot the south and west. And the devil went into the lot of Adam where were the male wild beasts; since God parted to us the wild beasts, and had given all the males to your father, and all the females He gave to me, and each of us watched his own. And the devil spoke to the serpent, saying, Arise, come to me, and I shall tell you a thing in which you may be of service. Then the serpent came to him, and the devil says to him, I hear that you are more sagacious than all the wild beasts, and I have come to make your acquaintance; and I have found you greater than all the wild beasts, and they associate with you; notwithstanding, you do reverence to one far inferior. Why do you eat of the tares of Adam and his wife, and not of the fruit of paradise? Arise and come hither, and we shall make him be cast out of paradise through his wife, as we also were cast out through him. The serpent says to him, I am afraid lest the Lord be angry with me. The devil says to him, Be not afraid; only become my instrument, and I will speak through your mouth a word by which you shall be able to deceive him. Then straightway he hung by the walls of paradise about the hour when the angels of God went up to worship. Then Satan came in the form of an angel, and praised God as did the angels; and looking out from the wall, I saw him like an angel. And says he to me, Are you Eve? And I said to him, I am. And says he to me, What are you doing in paradise? And I said to him, God has set us to keep it, and to eat of it. The devil answered me through the mouth of the serpent, You do well, but you do not eat of every plant. And I say to him, Yes, of every plant we eat, but one only which is in the midst of paradise, about which God has commanded us not to eat of it, since you will die the death. Then says the serpent to me, As God lives, I am grieved for you, because you are like cattle. For I do not wish you to be ignorant of this; but rise, come hither, listen to me, and eat, and perceive the value of the tree, as He told us. But I said to him, I am afraid lest God be angry with me. And he says to me, Be not afraid; for as soon as you eat, your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods in knowing what is good and what is evil. And God, knowing this, that you shall be like Him, has had a grudge against you, and said, You shall not eat of it. But observe the plant, and you shall see great glory about it. And I observed the plant, and saw great glory about it. And I said to him, It is beautiful to the eyes to perceive; and I was afraid to take of the fruit. And he says to me, Come, I will give to you: follow me. And I opened to him, and he came inside into paradise, and went through it before me. And having walked a little, he turned, and says to me, I have changed my mind, and will not give you to eat. And this he said, wishing at last to entice and destroy me. And he says to me, Swear to me that you will give also to your husband. And I said to him, I know not by what oath I shall swear to you; but what I know I say to you, By the throne of the Lord, and the cherubim, and the tree of life, I will give also to my husband to eat. And when he had taken the oath from me, then he went and ascended upon it. And he put upon the fruit which he gave me to eat the poison of his wickedness, that is, of his desire; for desire is the head of all sin. And I bent down the branch to the ground, and took of the fruit, and ate. And in that very hour my eyes were opened. and I knew that I was stripped of the righteousness with which I had been clothed; and I wept, saying, What is this you have done to me, because I have been deprived of the glory with which I was clothed? And I wept too about the oath. And he came down out of the tree, and went out of sight. And I sought leaves in my portion, that I might cover my shame; and I did not find them from the plants of paradise, since, at the time that I ate, the leaves of all the plants in my portion fell, except of the fig alone. And having taken leaves off it, I made myself a girdle, and it is from those plants of which I ate. And I cried out with a loud voice, saying, Adam, Adam, where are you? Arise, come to me, and I shall show you a great mystery. And when your father came, I said to him words of wickedness, which brought us down from great glory. For as soon as he came I opened my mouth, and the devil spoke; and I began to advise him, saying, Come hither, my lord Adam, listen to me, and eat of the fruit of the tree of which God said to us not to eat of it, and you shall be as God. And your father answered and said, I am afraid lest God be angry with me. And I said to him, Be not afraid, for as soon as you shall eat you shall know good and evil. And then I quickly persuaded him, and he ate; and his eyes were opened, and he was aware, he also, of his nakedness. And he says to me, O wicked woman, why have you wrought mischief in us? You have alienated me from the glory of God. And that same hour we heard the archangel Michael sounding his trumpet, calling the angels, saying, Thus says the Lord, Come with me to paradise, and hear the word in which I judge Adam. And when we heard the archangel sounding, we said, Behold, God is coming into paradise to judge us. And we were afraid, and hid ourselves. And God came up into paradise, riding upon a chariot of cherubim, and the angels praising Him. When God came into paradise, the plants both of Adam's lot and of my lot bloomed, and all lifted themselves up; and the throne of God was made ready where the tree of life was. And God called Adam, saying, Adam, where are you hidden, thinking that I shall not find you? Shall the house be hidden from him that built it? Then your father answered and said, Not, Lord, did we hide ourselves as thinking that we should not be found by You; but I am afraid, because I am naked, and stand in awe of Your power, O Lord. God says to him, Who has shown you that you are naked, unless it be that you have forsaken my commandment which I gave you to keep it? Then Adam remembered the word which I spoke to him when I wished to deceive him, I will put you out of danger from God. And he turned and said to me, Why have you done this? And I also remembered the word of the serpent, and said, The serpent deceived me. God says to Adam, Since you have disobeyed my commandment, and obeyed your wife, cursed is the ground in your labours. For whenever you labour it, and it will not give its strength, thorns and thistles shall it raise for you; and in the sweat of your face shall you eat your bread. And you shall be in distresses of many kinds. You shall weary yourself, and rest not; you shall be afflicted by bitterness, and shall not taste of sweetness; you shall be afflicted by heat, and oppressed by cold; and you shall toil much, and not grow rich; and you shall make haste, and not attain your end; and the wild beasts, of which you were lord, shall rise up against you in rebellion, because you have not kept my commandment. And having turned to me, the Lord says to me, Since you have obeyed the serpent, and disobeyed my commandment, you shall be in distresses and unbearable pains; you shall bring forth children with great tremblings; and in one hour shall you come to bring them forth, and lose your life in consequence of your great straits and pangs. And you shall confess, and say, Lord, Lord, save me; and I shall not return to the sin of the flesh. And on this account in your own words I shall judge you, on account of the enmity which the enemy has put in you; and you shall turn again to your husband, and he shall be your lord. And after speaking thus to me, He spoke to the serpent in great wrath, saying to him, Since you have done this, and have become an ungracious instrument until you should deceive those that were remiss in heart, cursed are you of all the beasts. You shall be deprived of the food which you eat, and dust shall you eat all the days of your life; upon your breast and belly shall you go, and you shall be deprived both of your hands and feet; there shall not be granted you ear, nor wing, nor one limb of all which those have whom you have enticed by your wickedness, and have caused them to be cast out of paradise. And I shall put enmity between you and between his seed. He shall lie in wait for your head, and you for his heel, until the day of judgment. And having thus said, He commands His angels that we be cast out of paradise. And as we were being driven along, and were lamenting, your father Adam entreated the angels, saying, Allow me a little, that I may entreat God, and that He may have compassion upon me, and pity me, for I only have sinned. And they stopped driving him. And Adam cried out with weeping, saying, Pardon me, Lord, what I have done. Then says the Lord to His angels, Why have you stopped driving Adam out of paradise? It is not that the sin is mine, or that I have judged ill? Then the angels, falling to the ground, worshipped the Lord, saying, Just are You, Lord, and judgest what is right. And turning to Adam, the Lord said, I will not permit you henceforth to be in paradise. And Adam answered and said, Lord, give me of the tree of life, that I may eat before I am cast out. Then the Lord said to Adam, You shall not now take of it, for it has been assigned to the cherubim and the flaming sword, which turns to guard it on account of you, that you may not taste of it and be free from death for ever, but that you may have the war which the enemy has set in you. But when you are gone out of paradise, if you shall keep yourself from all evil, as being destined to die, I will again raise you up when the resurrection comes, and then there shall be given you of the tree of life, and you shall be free from death forever. And having thus said, the Lord commanded us to be cast out of paradise. And your father wept before the angels over against paradise. And the angels say to him, What do you wish that we should do for you, Adam? And your father answered and said to the angels, Behold, you cast me out. I beseech you, allow me to take sweet odours out of paradise, in order that, after I go out, I may offer sacrifice to God, that God may listen to me. And the angels, advancing, said to God, Jael, eternal King, order to be given to Adam sacrifices of sweet odour out of paradise. And God ordered Adam to go, that he might take perfumes of sweet odour out of paradise for his food. And the angels let him go, and he gathered both kinds — saffron and spikenard, and calamus and cinnamon, and other seeds for his food; and having taken them, he went forth out of paradise. And we came to the earth.

Then Eve says to them: Listen, all my children, and my children's children, and I shall relate to you how our enemy deceived us. It came to pass, while we were keeping paradise, that we kept each the portion allotted to him by God. And I was keeping in my lot the south and west. And the devil went into the lot of Adam where were the male wild beasts; since God parted to us the wild beasts, and had given all the males to your father, and all the females He gave to me, and each of us watched his own. And the devil spoke to the serpent, saying, Arise, come to me, and I shall tell you a thing in which you may be of service. Then the serpent came to him, and the devil says to him, I hear that you are more sagacious than all the wild beasts, and I have come to make your acquaintance; and I have found you greater than all the wild beasts, and they associate with you; notwithstanding, you do reverence to one far inferior. Why do you eat of the tares of Adam and his wife, and not of the fruit of paradise? Arise and come hither, and we shall make him be cast out of paradise through his wife, as we also were cast out through him. The serpent says to him, I am afraid lest the Lord be angry with me. The devil says to him, Be not afraid; only become my instrument, and I will speak through your mouth a word by which you shall be able to deceive him. Then straightway he hung by the walls of paradise about the hour when the angels of God went up to worship. Then Satan came in the form of an angel, and praised God as did the angels; and looking out from the wall, I saw him like an angel. And says he to me, Are you Eve? And I said to him, I am. And says he to me, What are you doing in paradise? And I said to him, God has set us to keep it, and to eat of it. The devil answered me through the mouth of the serpent, You do well, but you do not eat of every plant. And I say to him, Yes, of every plant we eat, but one only which is in the midst of paradise, about which God has commanded us not to eat of it, since you will die the death. Then says the serpent to me, As God lives, I am grieved for you, because you are like cattle. For I do not wish you to be ignorant of this; but rise, come hither, listen to me, and eat, and perceive the value of the tree, as He told us. But I said to him, I am afraid lest God be angry with me. And he says to me, Be not afraid; for as soon as you eat, your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods in knowing what is good and what is evil. And God, knowing this, that you shall be like Him, has had a grudge against you, and said, You shall not eat of it. But observe the plant, and you shall see great glory about it. And I observed the plant, and saw great glory about it. And I said to him, It is beautiful to the eyes to perceive; and I was afraid to take of the fruit. And he says to me, Come, I will give to you: follow me. And I opened to him, and he came inside into paradise, and went through it before me. And having walked a little, he turned, and says to me, I have changed my mind, and will not give you to eat. And this he said, wishing at last to entice and destroy me. And he says to me, Swear to me that you will give also to your husband. And I said to him, I know not by what oath I shall swear to you; but what I know I say to you, By the throne of the Lord, and the cherubim, and the tree of life, I will give also to my husband to eat. And when he had taken the oath from me, then he went and ascended upon it. And he put upon the fruit which he gave me to eat the poison of his wickedness, that is, of his desire; for desire is the head of all sin. And I bent down the branch to the ground, and took of the fruit, and ate. And in that very hour my eyes were opened. and I knew that I was stripped of the righteousness with which I had been clothed; and I wept, saying, What is this you have done to me, because I have been deprived of the glory with which I was clothed? And I wept too about the oath. And he came down out of the tree, and went out of sight. And I sought leaves in my portion, that I might cover my shame; and I did not find them from the plants of paradise, since, at the time that I ate, the leaves of all the plants in my portion fell, except of the fig alone. And having taken leaves off it, I made myself a girdle, and it is from those plants of which I ate. And I cried out with a loud voice, saying, Adam, Adam, where are you? Arise, come to me, and I shall show you a great mystery. And when your father came, I said to him words of wickedness, which brought us down from great glory. For as soon as he came I opened my mouth, and the devil spoke; and I began to advise him, saying, Come hither, my lord Adam, listen to me, and eat of the fruit of the tree of which God said to us not to eat of it, and you shall be as God. And your father answered and said, I am afraid lest God be angry with me. And I said to him, Be not afraid, for as soon as you shall eat you shall know good and evil. And then I quickly persuaded him, and he ate; and his eyes were opened, and he was aware, he also, of his nakedness. And he says to me, O wicked woman, why have you wrought mischief in us? You have alienated me from the glory of God. And that same hour we heard the archangel Michael sounding his trumpet, calling the angels, saying, Thus says the Lord, Come with me to paradise, and hear the word in which I judge Adam. And when we heard the archangel sounding, we said, Behold, God is coming into paradise to judge us. And we were afraid, and hid ourselves. And God came up into paradise, riding upon a chariot of cherubim, and the angels praising Him. When God came into paradise, the plants both of Adam's lot and of my lot bloomed, and all lifted themselves up; and the throne of God was made ready where the tree of life was. And God called Adam, saying, Adam, where are you hidden, thinking that I shall not find you? Shall the house be hidden from him that built it? Then your father answered and said, Not, Lord, did we hide ourselves as thinking that we should not be found by You; but I am afraid, because I am naked, and stand in awe of Your power, O Lord. God says to him, Who has shown you that you are naked, unless it be that you have forsaken my commandment which I gave you to keep it? Then Adam remembered the word which I spoke to him when I wished to deceive him, I will put you out of danger from God. And he turned and said to me, Why have you done this? And I also remembered the word of the serpent, and said, The serpent deceived me. God says to Adam, Since you have disobeyed my commandment, and obeyed your wife, cursed is the ground in your labours. For whenever you labour it, and it will not give its strength, thorns and thistles shall it raise for you; and in the sweat of your face shall you eat your bread. And you shall be in distresses of many kinds. You shall weary yourself, and rest not; you shall be afflicted by bitterness, and shall not taste of sweetness; you shall be afflicted by heat, and oppressed by cold; and you shall toil much, and not grow rich; and you shall make haste, and not attain your end; and the wild beasts, of which you were lord, shall rise up against you in rebellion, because you have not kept my commandment. And having turned to me, the Lord says to me, Since you have obeyed the serpent, and disobeyed my commandment, you shall be in distresses and unbearable pains; you shall bring forth children with great tremblings; and in one hour shall you come to bring them forth, and lose your life in consequence of your great straits and pangs. And you shall confess, and say, Lord, Lord, save me; and I shall not return to the sin of the flesh. And on this account in your own words I shall judge you, on account of the enmity which the enemy has put in you; and you shall turn again to your husband, and he shall be your lord. And after speaking thus to me, He spoke to the serpent in great wrath, saying to him, Since you have done this, and have become an ungracious instrument until you should deceive those that were remiss in heart, cursed are you of all the beasts. You shall be deprived of the food which you eat, and dust shall you eat all the days of your life; upon your breast and belly shall you go, and you shall be deprived both of your hands and feet; there shall not be granted you ear, nor wing, nor one limb of all which those have whom you have enticed by your wickedness, and have caused them to be cast out of paradise. And I shall put enmity between you and between his seed. He shall lie in wait for your head, and you for his heel, until the day of judgment. And having thus said, He commands His angels that we be cast out of paradise. And as we were being driven along, and were lamenting, your father Adam entreated the angels, saying, Allow me a little, that I may entreat God, and that He may have compassion upon me, and pity me, for I only have sinned. And they stopped driving him. And Adam cried out with weeping, saying, Pardon me, Lord, what I have done. Then says the Lord to His angels, Why have you stopped driving Adam out of paradise? It is not that the sin is mine, or that I have judged ill? Then the angels, falling to the ground, worshipped the Lord, saying, Just are You, Lord, and judgest what is right. And turning to Adam, the Lord said, I will not permit you henceforth to be in paradise. And Adam answered and said, Lord, give me of the tree of life, that I may eat before I am cast out. Then the Lord said to Adam, You shall not now take of it, for it has been assigned to the cherubim and the flaming sword, which turns to guard it on account of you, that you may not taste of it and be free from death for ever, but that you may have the war which the enemy has set in you. But when you are gone out of paradise, if you shall keep yourself from all evil, as being destined to die, I will again raise you up when the resurrection comes, and then there shall be given you of the tree of life, and you shall be free from death forever. And having thus said, the Lord commanded us to be cast out of paradise. And your father wept before the angels over against paradise. And the angels say to him, What do you wish that we should do for you, Adam? And your father answered and said to the angels, Behold, you cast me out. I beseech you, allow me to take sweet odours out of paradise, in order that, after I go out, I may offer sacrifice to God, that God may listen to me. And the angels, advancing, said to God, Jael, eternal King, order to be given to Adam sacrifices of sweet odour out of paradise. And God ordered Adam to go, that he might take perfumes of sweet odour out of paradise for his food. And the angels let him go, and he gathered both kinds — saffron and spikenard, and calamus and cinnamon, and other seeds for his food; and having taken them, he went forth out of paradise. And we came to the earth.

Then Eve says to them: Listen, all my children, and my children's children, and I shall relate to you how our enemy deceived us. It came to pass, while we were keeping paradise, that we kept each the portion allotted to him by God. And I was keeping in my lot the south and west. And the devil went into the lot of Adam where were the male wild beasts; since God parted to us the wild beasts, and had given all the males to your father, and all the females He gave to me, and each of us watched his own. And the devil spoke to the serpent, saying, Arise, come to me, and I shall tell you a thing in which you may be of service. Then the serpent came to him, and the devil says to him, I hear that you are more sagacious than all the wild beasts, and I have come to make your acquaintance; and I have found you greater than all the wild beasts, and they associate with you; notwithstanding, you do reverence to one far inferior. Why do you eat of the tares of Adam and his wife, and not of the fruit of paradise? Arise and come hither, and we shall make him be cast out of paradise through his wife, as we also were cast out through him. The serpent says to him, I am afraid lest the Lord be angry with me. The devil says to him, Be not afraid; only become my instrument, and I will speak through your mouth a word by which you shall be able to deceive him. Then straightway he hung by the walls of paradise about the hour when the angels of God went up to worship. Then Satan came in the form of an angel, and praised God as did the angels; and looking out from the wall, I saw him like an angel. And says he to me, Are you Eve? And I said to him, I am. And says he to me, What are you doing in paradise? And I said to him, God has set us to keep it, and to eat of it. The devil answered me through the mouth of the serpent, You do well, but you do not eat of every plant. And I say to him, Yes, of every plant we eat, but one only which is in the midst of paradise, about which God has commanded us not to eat of it, since you will die the death. Then says the serpent to me, As God lives, I am grieved for you, because you are like cattle. For I do not wish you to be ignorant of this; but rise, come hither, listen to me, and eat, and perceive the value of the tree, as He told us. But I said to him, I am afraid lest God be angry with me. And he says to me, Be not afraid; for as soon as you eat, your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods in knowing what is good and what is evil. And God, knowing this, that you shall be like Him, has had a grudge against you, and said, You shall not eat of it. But observe the plant, and you shall see great glory about it. And I observed the plant, and saw great glory about it. And I said to him, It is beautiful to the eyes to perceive; and I was afraid to take of the fruit. And he says to me, Come, I will give to you: follow me. And I opened to him, and he came inside into paradise, and went through it before me. And having walked a little, he turned, and says to me, I have changed my mind, and will not give you to eat. And this he said, wishing at last to entice and destroy me. And he says to me, Swear to me that you will give also to your husband. And I said to him, I know not by what oath I shall swear to you; but what I know I say to you, By the throne of the Lord, and the cherubim, and the tree of life, I will give also to my husband to eat. And when he had taken the oath from me, then he went and ascended upon it. And he put upon the fruit which he gave me to eat the poison of his wickedness, that is, of his desire; for desire is the head of all sin. And I bent down the branch to the ground, and took of the fruit, and ate. And in that very hour my eyes were opened. and I knew that I was stripped of the righteousness with which I had been clothed; and I wept, saying, What is this you have done to me, because I have been deprived of the glory with which I was clothed? And I wept too about the oath. And he came down out of the tree, and went out of sight. And I sought leaves in my portion, that I might cover my shame; and I did not find them from the plants of paradise, since, at the time that I ate, the leaves of all the plants in my portion fell, except of the fig alone. And having taken leaves off it, I made myself a girdle, and it is from those plants of which I ate. And I cried out with a loud voice, saying, Adam, Adam, where are you? Arise, come to me, and I shall show you a great mystery. And when your father came, I said to him words of wickedness, which brought us down from great glory. For as soon as he came I opened my mouth, and the devil spoke; and I began to advise him, saying, Come hither, my lord Adam, listen to me, and eat of the fruit of the tree of which God said to us not to eat of it, and you shall be as God. And your father answered and said, I am afraid lest God be angry with me. And I said to him, Be not afraid, for as soon as you shall eat you shall know good and evil. And then I quickly persuaded him, and he ate; and his eyes were opened, and he was aware, he also, of his nakedness. And he says to me, O wicked woman, why have you wrought mischief in us? You have alienated me from the glory of God. And that same hour we heard the archangel Michael sounding his trumpet, calling the angels, saying, Thus says the Lord, Come with me to paradise, and hear the word in which I judge Adam. And when we heard the archangel sounding, we said, Behold, God is coming into paradise to judge us. And we were afraid, and hid ourselves. And God came up into paradise, riding upon a chariot of cherubim, and the angels praising Him. When God came into paradise, the plants both of Adam's lot and of my lot bloomed, and all lifted themselves up; and the throne of God was made ready where the tree of life was. And God called Adam, saying, Adam, where are you hidden, thinking that I shall not find you? Shall the house be hidden from him that built it? Then your father answered and said, Not, Lord, did we hide ourselves as thinking that we should not be found by You; but I am afraid, because I am naked, and stand in awe of Your power, O Lord. God says to him, Who has shown you that you are naked, unless it be that you have forsaken my commandment which I gave you to keep it? Then Adam remembered the word which I spoke to him when I wished to deceive him, I will put you out of danger from God. And he turned and said to me, Why have you done this? And I also remembered the word of the serpent, and said, The serpent deceived me. God says to Adam, Since you have disobeyed my commandment, and obeyed your wife, cursed is the ground in your labours. For whenever you labour it, and it will not give its strength, thorns and thistles shall it raise for you; and in the sweat of your face shall you eat your bread. And you shall be in distresses of many kinds. You shall weary yourself, and rest not; you shall be afflicted by bitterness, and shall not taste of sweetness; you shall be afflicted by heat, and oppressed by cold; and you shall toil much, and not grow rich; and you shall make haste, and not attain your end; and the wild beasts, of which you were lord, shall rise up against you in rebellion, because you have not kept my commandment. And having turned to me, the Lord says to me, Since you have obeyed the serpent, and disobeyed my commandment, you shall be in distresses and unbearable pains; you shall bring forth children with great tremblings; and in one hour shall you come to bring them forth, and lose your life in consequence of your great straits and pangs. And you shall confess, and say, Lord, Lord, save me; and I shall not return to the sin of the flesh. And on this account in your own words I shall judge you, on account of the enmity which the enemy has put in you; and you shall turn again to your husband, and he shall be your lord. And after speaking thus to me, He spoke to the serpent in great wrath, saying to him, Since you have done this, and have become an ungracious instrument until you should deceive those that were remiss in heart, cursed are you of all the beasts. You shall be deprived of the food which you eat, and dust shall you eat all the days of your life; upon your breast and belly shall you go, and you shall be deprived both of your hands and feet; there shall not be granted you ear, nor wing, nor one limb of all which those have whom you have enticed by your wickedness, and have caused them to be cast out of paradise. And I shall put enmity between you and between his seed. He shall lie in wait for your head, and you for his heel, until the day of judgment. And having thus said, He commands His angels that we be cast out of paradise. And as we were being driven along, and were lamenting, your father Adam entreated the angels, saying, Allow me a little, that I may entreat God, and that He may have compassion upon me, and pity me, for I only have sinned. And they stopped driving him. And Adam cried out with weeping, saying, Pardon me, Lord, what I have done. Then says the Lord to His angels, Why have you stopped driving Adam out of paradise? It is not that the sin is mine, or that I have judged ill? Then the angels, falling to the ground, worshipped the Lord, saying, Just are You, Lord, and judgest what is right. And turning to Adam, the Lord said, I will not permit you henceforth to be in paradise. And Adam answered and said, Lord, give me of the tree of life, that I may eat before I am cast out. Then the Lord said to Adam, You shall not now take of it, for it has been assigned to the cherubim and the flaming sword, which turns to guard it on account of you, that you may not taste of it and be free from death for ever, but that you may have the war which the enemy has set in you. But when you are gone out of paradise, if you shall keep yourself from all evil, as being destined to die, I will again raise you up when the resurrection comes, and then there shall be given you of the tree of life, and you shall be free from death forever. And having thus said, the Lord commanded us to be cast out of paradise. And your father wept before the angels over against paradise. And the angels say to him, What do you wish that we should do for you, Adam? And your father answered and said to the angels, Behold, you cast me out. I beseech you, allow me to take sweet odours out of paradise, in order that, after I go out, I may offer sacrifice to God, that God may listen to me. And the angels, advancing, said to God, Jael, eternal King, order to be given to Adam sacrifices of sweet odour out of paradise. And God ordered Adam to go, that he might take perfumes of sweet odour out of paradise for his food. And the angels let him go, and he gathered both kinds — saffron and spikenard, and calamus and cinnamon, and other seeds for his food; and having taken them, he went forth out of paradise. And we came to the earth.

Then Eve says to them: Listen, all my children, and my children's children, and I shall relate to you how our enemy deceived us. It came to pass, while we were keeping paradise, that we kept each the portion allotted to him by God. And I was keeping in my lot the south and west. And the devil went into the lot of Adam where were the male wild beasts; since God parted to us the wild beasts, and had given all the males to your father, and all the females He gave to me, and each of us watched his own. And the devil spoke to the serpent, saying, Arise, come to me, and I shall tell you a thing in which you may be of service. Then the serpent came to him, and the devil says to him, I hear that you are more sagacious than all the wild beasts, and I have come to make your acquaintance; and I have found you greater than all the wild beasts, and they associate with you; notwithstanding, you do reverence to one far inferior. Why do you eat of the tares of Adam and his wife, and not of the fruit of paradise? Arise and come hither, and we shall make him be cast out of paradise through his wife, as we also were cast out through him. The serpent says to him, I am afraid lest the Lord be angry with me. The devil says to him, Be not afraid; only become my instrument, and I will speak through your mouth a word by which you shall be able to deceive him. Then straightway he hung by the walls of paradise about the hour when the angels of God went up to worship. Then Satan came in the form of an angel, and praised God as did the angels; and looking out from the wall, I saw him like an angel. And says he to me, Are you Eve? And I said to him, I am. And says he to me, What are you doing in paradise? And I said to him, God has set us to keep it, and to eat of it. The devil answered me through the mouth of the serpent, You do well, but you do not eat of every plant. And I say to him, Yes, of every plant we eat, but one only which is in the midst of paradise, about which God has commanded us not to eat of it, since you will die the death. Then says the serpent to me, As God lives, I am grieved for you, because you are like cattle. For I do not wish you to be ignorant of this; but rise, come hither, listen to me, and eat, and perceive the value of the tree, as He told us. But I said to him, I am afraid lest God be angry with me. And he says to me, Be not afraid; for as soon as you eat, your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods in knowing what is good and what is evil. And God, knowing this, that you shall be like Him, has had a grudge against you, and said, You shall not eat of it. But observe the plant, and you shall see great glory about it. And I observed the plant, and saw great glory about it. And I said to him, It is beautiful to the eyes to perceive; and I was afraid to take of the fruit. And he says to me, Come, I will give to you: follow me. And I opened to him, and he came inside into paradise, and went through it before me. And having walked a little, he turned, and says to me, I have changed my mind, and will not give you to eat. And this he said, wishing at last to entice and destroy me. And he says to me, Swear to me that you will give also to your husband. And I said to him, I know not by what oath I shall swear to you; but what I know I say to you, By the throne of the Lord, and the cherubim, and the tree of life, I will give also to my husband to eat. And when he had taken the oath from me, then he went and ascended upon it. And he put upon the fruit which he gave me to eat the poison of his wickedness, that is, of his desire; for desire is the head of all sin. And I bent down the branch to the ground, and took of the fruit, and ate. And in that very hour my eyes were opened. and I knew that I was stripped of the righteousness with which I had been clothed; and I wept, saying, What is this you have done to me, because I have been deprived of the glory with which I was clothed? And I wept too about the oath. And he came down out of the tree, and went out of sight. And I sought leaves in my portion, that I might cover my shame; and I did not find them from the plants of paradise, since, at the time that I ate, the leaves of all the plants in my portion fell, except of the fig alone. And having taken leaves off it, I made myself a girdle, and it is from those plants of which I ate. And I cried out with a loud voice, saying, Adam, Adam, where are you? Arise, come to me, and I shall show you a great mystery. And when your father came, I said to him words of wickedness, which brought us down from great glory. For as soon as he came I opened my mouth, and the devil spoke; and I began to advise him, saying, Come hither, my lord Adam, listen to me, and eat of the fruit of the tree of which God said to us not to eat of it, and you shall be as God. And your father answered and said, I am afraid lest God be angry with me. And I said to him, Be not afraid, for as soon as you shall eat you shall know good and evil. And then I quickly persuaded him, and he ate; and his eyes were opened, and he was aware, he also, of his nakedness. And he says to me, O wicked woman, why have you wrought mischief in us? You have alienated me from the glory of God. And that same hour we heard the archangel Michael sounding his trumpet, calling the angels, saying, Thus says the Lord, Come with me to paradise, and hear the word in which I judge Adam. And when we heard the archangel sounding, we said, Behold, God is coming into paradise to judge us. And we were afraid, and hid ourselves. And God came up into paradise, riding upon a chariot of cherubim, and the angels praising Him. When God came into paradise, the plants both of Adam's lot and of my lot bloomed, and all lifted themselves up; and the throne of God was made ready where the tree of life was. And God called Adam, saying, Adam, where are you hidden, thinking that I shall not find you? Shall the house be hidden from him that built it? Then your father answered and said, Not, Lord, did we hide ourselves as thinking that we should not be found by You; but I am afraid, because I am naked, and stand in awe of Your power, O Lord. God says to him, Who has shown you that you are naked, unless it be that you have forsaken my commandment which I gave you to keep it? Then Adam remembered the word which I spoke to him when I wished to deceive him, I will put you out of danger from God. And he turned and said to me, Why have you done this? And I also remembered the word of the serpent, and said, The serpent deceived me. God says to Adam, Since you have disobeyed my commandment, and obeyed your wife, cursed is the ground in your labours. For whenever you labour it, and it will not give its strength, thorns and thistles shall it raise for you; and in the sweat of your face shall you eat your bread. And you shall be in distresses of many kinds. You shall weary yourself, and rest not; you shall be afflicted by bitterness, and shall not taste of sweetness; you shall be afflicted by heat, and oppressed by cold; and you shall toil much, and not grow rich; and you shall make haste, and not attain your end; and the wild beasts, of which you were lord, shall rise up against you in rebellion, because you have not kept my commandment. And having turned to me, the Lord says to me, Since you have obeyed the serpent, and disobeyed my commandment, you shall be in distresses and unbearable pains; you shall bring forth children with great tremblings; and in one hour shall you come to bring them forth, and lose your life in consequence of your great straits and pangs. And you shall confess, and say, Lord, Lord, save me; and I shall not return to the sin of the flesh. And on this account in your own words I shall judge you, on account of the enmity which the enemy has put in you; and you shall turn again to your husband, and he shall be your lord. And after speaking thus to me, He spoke to the serpent in great wrath, saying to him, Since you have done this, and have become an ungracious instrument until you should deceive those that were remiss in heart, cursed are you of all the beasts. You shall be deprived of the food which you eat, and dust shall you eat all the days of your life; upon your breast and belly shall you go, and you shall be deprived both of your hands and feet; there shall not be granted you ear, nor wing, nor one limb of all which those have whom you have enticed by your wickedness, and have caused them to be cast out of paradise. And I shall put enmity between you and between his seed. He shall lie in wait for your head, and you for his heel, until the day of judgment. And having thus said, He commands His angels that we be cast out of paradise. And as we were being driven along, and were lamenting, your father Adam entreated the angels, saying, Allow me a little, that I may entreat God, and that He may have compassion upon me, and pity me, for I only have sinned. And they stopped driving him. And Adam cried out with weeping, saying, Pardon me, Lord, what I have done. Then says the Lord to His angels, Why have you stopped driving Adam out of paradise? It is not that the sin is mine, or that I have judged ill? Then the angels, falling to the ground, worshipped the Lord, saying, Just are You, Lord, and judgest what is right. And turning to Adam, the Lord said, I will not permit you henceforth to be in paradise. And Adam answered and said, Lord, give me of the tree of life, that I may eat before I am cast out. Then the Lord said to Adam, You shall not now take of it, for it has been assigned to the cherubim and the flaming sword, which turns to guard it on account of you, that you may not taste of it and be free from death for ever, but that you may have the war which the enemy has set in you. But when you are gone out of paradise, if you shall keep yourself from all evil, as being destined to die, I will again raise you up when the resurrection comes, and then there shall be given you of the tree of life, and you shall be free from death forever. And having thus said, the Lord commanded us to be cast out of paradise. And your father wept before the angels over against paradise. And the angels say to him, What do you wish that we should do for you, Adam? And your father answered and said to the angels, Behold, you cast me out. I beseech you, allow me to take sweet odours out of paradise, in order that, after I go out, I may offer sacrifice to God, that God may listen to me. And the angels, advancing, said to God, Jael, eternal King, order to be given to Adam sacrifices of sweet odour out of paradise. And God ordered Adam to go, that he might take perfumes of sweet odour out of paradise for his food. And the angels let him go, and he gathered both kinds — saffron and spikenard, and calamus and cinnamon, and other seeds for his food; and having taken them, he went forth out of paradise. And we came to the earth.

Then Eve says to them: Listen, all my children, and my children's children, and I shall relate to you how our enemy deceived us. It came to pass, while we were keeping paradise, that we kept each the portion allotted to him by God. And I was keeping in my lot the south and west. And the devil went into the lot of Adam where were the male wild beasts; since God parted to us the wild beasts, and had given all the males to your father, and all the females He gave to me, and each of us watched his own. And the devil spoke to the serpent, saying, Arise, come to me, and I shall tell you a thing in which you may be of service. Then the serpent came to him, and the devil says to him, I hear that you are more sagacious than all the wild beasts, and I have come to make your acquaintance; and I have found you greater than all the wild beasts, and they associate with you; notwithstanding, you do reverence to one far inferior. Why do you eat of the tares of Adam and his wife, and not of the fruit of paradise? Arise and come hither, and we shall make him be cast out of paradise through his wife, as we also were cast out through him. The serpent says to him, I am afraid lest the Lord be angry with me. The devil says to him, Be not afraid; only become my instrument, and I will speak through your mouth a word by which you shall be able to deceive him. Then straightway he hung by the walls of paradise about the hour when the angels of God went up to worship. Then Satan came in the form of an angel, and praised God as did the angels; and looking out from the wall, I saw him like an angel. And says he to me, Are you Eve? And I said to him, I am. And says he to me, What are you doing in paradise? And I said to him, God has set us to keep it, and to eat of it. The devil answered me through the mouth of the serpent, You do well, but you do not eat of every plant. And I say to him, Yes, of every plant we eat, but one only which is in the midst of paradise, about which God has commanded us not to eat of it, since you will die the death. Then says the serpent to me, As God lives, I am grieved for you, because you are like cattle. For I do not wish you to be ignorant of this; but rise, come hither, listen to me, and eat, and perceive the value of the tree, as He told us. But I said to him, I am afraid lest God be angry with me. And he says to me, Be not afraid; for as soon as you eat, your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods in knowing what is good and what is evil. And God, knowing this, that you shall be like Him, has had a grudge against you, and said, You shall not eat of it. But observe the plant, and you shall see great glory about it. And I observed the plant, and saw great glory about it. And I said to him, It is beautiful to the eyes to perceive; and I was afraid to take of the fruit. And he says to me, Come, I will give to you: follow me. And I opened to him, and he came inside into paradise, and went through it before me. And having walked a little, he turned, and says to me, I have changed my mind, and will not give you to eat. And this he said, wishing at last to entice and destroy me. And he says to me, Swear to me that you will give also to your husband. And I said to him, I know not by what oath I shall swear to you; but what I know I say to you, By the throne of the Lord, and the cherubim, and the tree of life, I will give also to my husband to eat. And when he had taken the oath from me, then he went and ascended upon it. And he put upon the fruit which he gave me to eat the poison of his wickedness, that is, of his desire; for desire is the head of all sin. And I bent down the branch to the ground, and took of the fruit, and ate. And in that very hour my eyes were opened. and I knew that I was stripped of the righteousness with which I had been clothed; and I wept, saying, What is this you have done to me, because I have been deprived of the glory with which I was clothed? And I wept too about the oath. And he came down out of the tree, and went out of sight. And I sought leaves in my portion, that I might cover my shame; and I did not find them from the plants of paradise, since, at the time that I ate, the leaves of all the plants in my portion fell, except of the fig alone. And having taken leaves off it, I made myself a girdle, and it is from those plants of which I ate. And I cried out with a loud voice, saying, Adam, Adam, where are you? Arise, come to me, and I shall show you a great mystery. And when your father came, I said to him words of wickedness, which brought us down from great glory. For as soon as he came I opened my mouth, and the devil spoke; and I began to advise him, saying, Come hither, my lord Adam, listen to me, and eat of the fruit of the tree of which God said to us not to eat of it, and you shall be as God. And your father answered and said, I am afraid lest God be angry with me. And I said to him, Be not afraid, for as soon as you shall eat you shall know good and evil. And then I quickly persuaded him, and he ate; and his eyes were opened, and he was aware, he also, of his nakedness. And he says to me, O wicked woman, why have you wrought mischief in us? You have alienated me from the glory of God. And that same hour we heard the archangel Michael sounding his trumpet, calling the angels, saying, Thus says the Lord, Come with me to paradise, and hear the word in which I judge Adam. And when we heard the archangel sounding, we said, Behold, God is coming into paradise to judge us. And we were afraid, and hid ourselves. And God came up into paradise, riding upon a chariot of cherubim, and the angels praising Him. When God came into paradise, the plants both of Adam's lot and of my lot bloomed, and all lifted themselves up; and the throne of God was made ready where the tree of life was. And God called Adam, saying, Adam, where are you hidden, thinking that I shall not find you? Shall the house be hidden from him that built it? Then your father answered and said, Not, Lord, did we hide ourselves as thinking that we should not be found by You; but I am afraid, because I am naked, and stand in awe of Your power, O Lord. God says to him, Who has shown you that you are naked, unless it be that you have forsaken my commandment which I gave you to keep it? Then Adam remembered the word which I spoke to him when I wished to deceive him, I will put you out of danger from God. And he turned and said to me, Why have you done this? And I also remembered the word of the serpent, and said, The serpent deceived me. God says to Adam, Since you have disobeyed my commandment, and obeyed your wife, cursed is the ground in your labours. For whenever you labour it, and it will not give its strength, thorns and thistles shall it raise for you; and in the sweat of your face shall you eat your bread. And you shall be in distresses of many kinds. You shall weary yourself, and rest not; you shall be afflicted by bitterness, and shall not taste of sweetness; you shall be afflicted by heat, and oppressed by cold; and you shall toil much, and not grow rich; and you shall make haste, and not attain your end; and the wild beasts, of which you were lord, shall rise up against you in rebellion, because you have not kept my commandment. And having turned to me, the Lord says to me, Since you have obeyed the serpent, and disobeyed my commandment, you shall be in distresses and unbearable pains; you shall bring forth children with great tremblings; and in one hour shall you come to bring them forth, and lose your life in consequence of your great straits and pangs. And you shall confess, and say, Lord, Lord, save me; and I shall not return to the sin of the flesh. And on this account in your own words I shall judge you, on account of the enmity which the enemy has put in you; and you shall turn again to your husband, and he shall be your lord. And after speaking thus to me, He spoke to the serpent in great wrath, saying to him, Since you have done this, and have become an ungracious instrument until you should deceive those that were remiss in heart, cursed are you of all the beasts. You shall be deprived of the food which you eat, and dust shall you eat all the days of your life; upon your breast and belly shall you go, and you shall be deprived both of your hands and feet; there shall not be granted you ear, nor wing, nor one limb of all which those have whom you have enticed by your wickedness, and have caused them to be cast out of paradise. And I shall put enmity between you and between his seed. He shall lie in wait for your head, and you for his heel, until the day of judgment. And having thus said, He commands His angels that we be cast out of paradise. And as we were being driven along, and were lamenting, your father Adam entreated the angels, saying, Allow me a little, that I may entreat God, and that He may have compassion upon me, and pity me, for I only have sinned. And they stopped driving him. And Adam cried out with weeping, saying, Pardon me, Lord, what I have done. Then says the Lord to His angels, Why have you stopped driving Adam out of paradise? It is not that the sin is mine, or that I have judged ill? Then the angels, falling to the ground, worshipped the Lord, saying, Just are You, Lord, and judgest what is right. And turning to Adam, the Lord said, I will not permit you henceforth to be in paradise. And Adam answered and said, Lord, give me of the tree of life, that I may eat before I am cast out. Then the Lord said to Adam, You shall not now take of it, for it has been assigned to the cherubim and the flaming sword, which turns to guard it on account of you, that you may not taste of it and be free from death for ever, but that you may have the war which the enemy has set in you. But when you are gone out of paradise, if you shall keep yourself from all evil, as being destined to die, I will again raise you up when the resurrection comes, and then there shall be given you of the tree of life, and you shall be free from death forever. And having thus said, the Lord commanded us to be cast out of paradise. And your father wept before the angels over against paradise. And the angels say to him, What do you wish that we should do for you, Adam? And your father answered and said to the angels, Behold, you cast me out. I beseech you, allow me to take sweet odours out of paradise, in order that, after I go out, I may offer sacrifice to God, that God may listen to me. And the angels, advancing, said to God, Jael, eternal King, order to be given to Adam sacrifices of sweet odour out of paradise. And God ordered Adam to go, that he might take perfumes of sweet odour out of paradise for his food. And the angels let him go, and he gathered both kinds — saffron and spikenard, and calamus and cinnamon, and other seeds for his food; and having taken them, he went forth out of paradise. And we came to the earth.

Then Eve says to them: Listen, all my children, and my children's children, and I shall relate to you how our enemy deceived us. It came to pass, while we were keeping paradise, that we kept each the portion allotted to him by God. And I was keeping in my lot the south and west. And the devil went into the lot of Adam where were the male wild beasts; since God parted to us the wild beasts, and had given all the males to your father, and all the females He gave to me, and each of us watched his own. And the devil spoke to the serpent, saying, Arise, come to me, and I shall tell you a thing in which you may be of service. Then the serpent came to him, and the devil says to him, I hear that you are more sagacious than all the wild beasts, and I have come to make your acquaintance; and I have found you greater than all the wild beasts, and they associate with you; notwithstanding, you do reverence to one far inferior. Why do you eat of the tares of Adam and his wife, and not of the fruit of paradise? Arise and come hither, and we shall make him be cast out of paradise through his wife, as we also were cast out through him. The serpent says to him, I am afraid lest the Lord be angry with me. The devil says to him, Be not afraid; only become my instrument, and I will speak through your mouth a word by which you shall be able to deceive him. Then straightway he hung by the walls of paradise about the hour when the angels of God went up to worship. Then Satan came in the form of an angel, and praised God as did the angels; and looking out from the wall, I saw him like an angel. And says he to me, Are you Eve? And I said to him, I am. And says he to me, What are you doing in paradise? And I said to him, God has set us to keep it, and to eat of it. The devil answered me through the mouth of the serpent, You do well, but you do not eat of every plant. And I say to him, Yes, of every plant we eat, but one only which is in the midst of paradise, about which God has commanded us not to eat of it, since you will die the death. Then says the serpent to me, As God lives, I am grieved for you, because you are like cattle. For I do not wish you to be ignorant of this; but rise, come hither, listen to me, and eat, and perceive the value of the tree, as He told us. But I said to him, I am afraid lest God be angry with me. And he says to me, Be not afraid; for as soon as you eat, your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods in knowing what is good and what is evil. And God, knowing this, that you shall be like Him, has had a grudge against you, and said, You shall not eat of it. But observe the plant, and you shall see great glory about it. And I observed the plant, and saw great glory about it. And I said to him, It is beautiful to the eyes to perceive; and I was afraid to take of the fruit. And he says to me, Come, I will give to you: follow me. And I opened to him, and he came inside into paradise, and went through it before me. And having walked a little, he turned, and says to me, I have changed my mind, and will not give you to eat. And this he said, wishing at last to entice and destroy me. And he says to me, Swear to me that you will give also to your husband. And I said to him, I know not by what oath I shall swear to you; but what I know I say to you, By the throne of the Lord, and the cherubim, and the tree of life, I will give also to my husband to eat. And when he had taken the oath from me, then he went and ascended upon it. And he put upon the fruit which he gave me to eat the poison of his wickedness, that is, of his desire; for desire is the head of all sin. And I bent down the branch to the ground, and took of the fruit, and ate. And in that very hour my eyes were opened. and I knew that I was stripped of the righteousness with which I had been clothed; and I wept, saying, What is this you have done to me, because I have been deprived of the glory with which I was clothed? And I wept too about the oath. And he came down out of the tree, and went out of sight. And I sought leaves in my portion, that I might cover my shame; and I did not find them from the plants of paradise, since, at the time that I ate, the leaves of all the plants in my portion fell, except of the fig alone. And having taken leaves off it, I made myself a girdle, and it is from those plants of which I ate. And I cried out with a loud voice, saying, Adam, Adam, where are you? Arise, come to me, and I shall show you a great mystery. And when your father came, I said to him words of wickedness, which brought us down from great glory. For as soon as he came I opened my mouth, and the devil spoke; and I began to advise him, saying, Come hither, my lord Adam, listen to me, and eat of the fruit of the tree of which God said to us not to eat of it, and you shall be as God. And your father answered and said, I am afraid lest God be angry with me. And I said to him, Be not afraid, for as soon as you shall eat you shall know good and evil. And then I quickly persuaded him, and he ate; and his eyes were opened, and he was aware, he also, of his nakedness. And he says to me, O wicked woman, why have you wrought mischief in us? You have alienated me from the glory of God. And that same hour we heard the archangel Michael sounding his trumpet, calling the angels, saying, Thus says the Lord, Come with me to paradise, and hear the word in which I judge Adam. And when we heard the archangel sounding, we said, Behold, God is coming into paradise to judge us. And we were afraid, and hid ourselves. And God came up into paradise, riding upon a chariot of cherubim, and the angels praising Him. When God came into paradise, the plants both of Adam's lot and of my lot bloomed, and all lifted themselves up; and the throne of God was made ready where the tree of life was. And God called Adam, saying, Adam, where are you hidden, thinking that I shall not find you? Shall the house be hidden from him that built it? Then your father answered and said, Not, Lord, did we hide ourselves as thinking that we should not be found by You; but I am afraid, because I am naked, and stand in awe of Your power, O Lord. God says to him, Who has shown you that you are naked, unless it be that you have forsaken my commandment which I gave you to keep it? Then Adam remembered the word which I spoke to him when I wished to deceive him, I will put you out of danger from God. And he turned and said to me, Why have you done this? And I also remembered the word of the serpent, and said, The serpent deceived me. God says to Adam, Since you have disobeyed my commandment, and obeyed your wife, cursed is the ground in your labours. For whenever you labour it, and it will not give its strength, thorns and thistles shall it raise for you; and in the sweat of your face shall you eat your bread. And you shall be in distresses of many kinds. You shall weary yourself, and rest not; you shall be afflicted by bitterness, and shall not taste of sweetness; you shall be afflicted by heat, and oppressed by cold; and you shall toil much, and not grow rich; and you shall make haste, and not attain your end; and the wild beasts, of which you were lord, shall rise up against you in rebellion, because you have not kept my commandment. And having turned to me, the Lord says to me, Since you have obeyed the serpent, and disobeyed my commandment, you shall be in distresses and unbearable pains; you shall bring forth children with great tremblings; and in one hour shall you come to bring them forth, and lose your life in consequence of your great straits and pangs. And you shall confess, and say, Lord, Lord, save me; and I shall not return to the sin of the flesh. And on this account in your own words I shall judge you, on account of the enmity which the enemy has put in you; and you shall turn again to your husband, and he shall be your lord. And after speaking thus to me, He spoke to the serpent in great wrath, saying to him, Since you have done this, and have become an ungracious instrument until you should deceive those that were remiss in heart, cursed are you of all the beasts. You shall be deprived of the food which you eat, and dust shall you eat all the days of your life; upon your breast and belly shall you go, and you shall be deprived both of your hands and feet; there shall not be granted you ear, nor wing, nor one limb of all which those have whom you have enticed by your wickedness, and have caused them to be cast out of paradise. And I shall put enmity between you and between his seed. He shall lie in wait for your head, and you for his heel, until the day of judgment. And having thus said, He commands His angels that we be cast out of paradise. And as we were being driven along, and were lamenting, your father Adam entreated the angels, saying, Allow me a little, that I may entreat God, and that He may have compassion upon me, and pity me, for I only have sinned. And they stopped driving him. And Adam cried out with weeping, saying, Pardon me, Lord, what I have done. Then says the Lord to His angels, Why have you stopped driving Adam out of paradise? It is not that the sin is mine, or that I have judged ill? Then the angels, falling to the ground, worshipped the Lord, saying, Just are You, Lord, and judgest what is right. And turning to Adam, the Lord said, I will not permit you henceforth to be in paradise. And Adam answered and said, Lord, give me of the tree of life, that I may eat before I am cast out. Then the Lord said to Adam, You shall not now take of it, for it has been assigned to the cherubim and the flaming sword, which turns to guard it on account of you, that you may not taste of it and be free from death for ever, but that you may have the war which the enemy has set in you. But when you are gone out of paradise, if you shall keep yourself from all evil, as being destined to die, I will again raise you up when the resurrection comes, and then there shall be given you of the tree of life, and you shall be free from death forever. And having thus said, the Lord commanded us to be cast out of paradise. And your father wept before the angels over against paradise. And the angels say to him, What do you wish that we should do for you, Adam? And your father answered and said to the angels, Behold, you cast me out. I beseech you, allow me to take sweet odours out of paradise, in order that, after I go out, I may offer sacrifice to God, that God may listen to me. And the angels, advancing, said to God, Jael, eternal King, order to be given to Adam sacrifices of sweet odour out of paradise. And God ordered Adam to go, that he might take perfumes of sweet odour out of paradise for his food. And the angels let him go, and he gathered both kinds — saffron and spikenard, and calamus and cinnamon, and other seeds for his food; and having taken them, he went forth out of paradise. And we came to the earth.

The body of Adam, then, was lying on the ground in paradise, and Seth was grieved exceedingly about him. And the Lord God says: Adam, why have you done this? If you had kept my commandment, those that brought you down to this place would not have rejoiced. Nevertheless I say unto you, that I will turn their joy into grief, but I will turn your grief into joy; and having turned, I will set you in your kingdom, on the throne of him that deceived you; and he shall be cast into this place, that you may sit upon him. Then shall be condemned, he and those who hear him; and they shall be much grieved, and shall weep, seeing you sitting upon his glorious throne.

It came to pass in the thirtieth year, on the twenty-second of the month, I was in my house. And I cried out and said to the Most High: Lord, give the glory, in order that I may see Your mysteries. And when it was night, there came an angel, Michael the archangel, and says to me: O Prophet Esdras, refrain from bread for seventy weeks. And I fasted as he told me. And there came Raphael the commander of the host, and gave me a storax rod. And I fasted twice sixty weeks. And I saw the mysteries of God and His angels. And I said to them: I wish to plead before God about the race of the Christians. It is good for a man not to be born rather than to come into the world. I was therefore taken up into heaven, and I saw in the first heaven a great army of angels; and they took me to the judgments. And I heard a voice saying to me: Have mercy on us, O you chosen of God, Esdras. Then began I to say: Woe to sinners when they see one who is just more than the angels, and they themselves are in the Gehenna of fire! And Esdras said: Have mercy on the works of Your hands, You who is compassionate, and of great mercy. Judge me rather than the souls of the sinners; for it is better that one soul should be punished, and that the whole world should not come to destruction. And God said: I will give rest in paradise to the righteous, and I have become merciful. And Esdras said: Lord, why do You confer benefits on the righteous? For just as one who has been hired out, and has served out his time, goes and again works as a slave when he come to his masters, so also the righteous has received his reward in the heavens. But have mercy on the sinners, for we know that You are merciful. And God said: I do not see how I can have mercy upon them. And Esdras said: They cannot endure Your wrath. And God said: This is the fate of such. And God said: I wish to have you like Paul and John, as you have given me uncorrupted the treasure that cannot be stolen, the treasure of virginity, the bulwark of men. And Esdras said: It is good for a man not to be born. It is good not to be in life. The irrational creatures are better than man, because they have no punishment; but You have taken us, and given us up to judgment. Woe to the sinners in the world to come! Because their judgment is endless, and the flame unquenchable. And while I was thus speaking to him, there came Michael and Gabriel, and all the apostles; and they said: Rejoice, O faithful man of God! And Esdras said: Arise, and come hither with me, O Lord, to judgment. And the Lord said: Behold, I give you my covenant between me and you, that you may receive it. And Esdras said: Let us plead in Your hearing. And God said: Ask Abraham your father how a son pleads with his father, and come plead with us. And Esdras said: As the Lord lives, I will not cease pleading with You in behalf of the race of the Christians. Where are Your ancient compassions, O Lord? Where is Your long-suffering? And God said: As I have made night and day, I have made the righteous and the sinner; and he should have lived like the righteous. And the prophet said: Who made Adam the first-formed? And God said: My undefiled hands. And I put him in paradise to guard the food of the tree of life; and thereafter he became disobedient, and did this in transgression. And the prophet said: Was he not protected by an angel? And was not his life guarded by the cherubim to endless ages? And how was he deceived who was guarded by angels? For You commanded all to be present, and to attend to what was said by You. But if You had not given him Eve, the serpent would not have deceived her; but whom You will You save, and whom You will You destroy. And the prophet said: Let us come, my Lord, to a second judgment. And God said: I cast fire upon Sodom and Gomorrha. And the prophet said: Lord, You deal with us according to our deserts. And God said: Your sins transcend my clemency. And the prophet said: Call to mind the Scriptures, my Father, who hast measured out Jerusalem, and set her up again. Have mercy, O Lord, upon sinners; have mercy upon Your own creatures; have pity upon Your works. Then God remembered those whom He had made, and said to the prophet: How can I have mercy upon them? Vinegar and gall did they give me to drink, and not even then did they repent. And the prophet said: Reveal Your cherubim, and let us go together to judgment; and show me the day of judgment, what like it is. And God said: You have been deceived, Esdras; for such is the day of judgment as that in which there is no rain upon the earth; for it is a merciful tribunal as compared with that day. And the prophet said: I will not cease to plead with You, unless I see the day of the consummation. And God said: Number the stars and the sand of the sea; and if you shall be able to number this, you are also able to plead with me. And the prophet said: Lord, You know that I wear human flesh; and how can I count the stars of the heaven, and the sand of the sea? And God said: My chosen prophet, no man will know that great day and the appearing that comes to judge the world. For your sake, my prophet, I have told you the day; but the hour have I not told you. And the prophet said: Lord, tell me also the years. And God said: If I see the righteousness of the world, that it has abounded, I will have patience with them; but if not, I will stretch forth my hand, and lay hold of the world by the four quarters, and bring them all together into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and I will wipe out the race of men, so that the world shall be no more. And the prophet said: And how can Your right hand be glorified? And God said: I shall be glorified by my angels. And the prophet said: Lord, if You have resolved to do this, why did You make man? Thou said to our father Abraham, Multiplying I will multiply your seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand that is by the sea-shore; and where is Your promise? And God said: First will I make an earthquake for the fall of four-footed beasts and of men; and when you see that brother gives up brother to death, and that children shall rise up against their parents, and that a woman forsakes her own husband, and when nation shall rise up against nation in war, then will you know that the end is near.

For I was concerned in my heart as to how I could bring to my father the purchase-price; and the three broken ones I cast into the water of the river Gur, which was at that place, and they sank into the depths, and there was nothing more of them.

And I said to him: "O father Terah, bless not thy god Merumath, and praise him not, but rather praise thy god Barisat because, loving thee more, he hath cast himself into the fire to cook thy food!"

And the angel bade the whales of the sea come out of the abyss. And he cast his destiny upon the ground, and that [destiny] made subject [to him] the great demon. And he commanded the great demon and bold Ornias, to cut stones at the Temple. And accordingly I Solomon glorified the God of heaven and Maker of the earth. And he bade Ornias come with his destiny, and gave him the seal, saying: "Away with thee, and bring me hither the prince of all the demons."

And I Solomon, on hearing this, ordered my servant to set off with him, and to take the finger-ring bearing the seal of God with him. And I said to him: "Whoever shall show thee the green stone, seal him with this finger-ring. And mark the spot with care, and bring me the demon hither. And the demon showed him the green stone, and he sealed it, and brought the demon to me. And I Solomon decided to confine with my seal on my right hand the two, the headless demon, likewise the hound, that was so huge; he should be bound as well. And I bade the hound keep safe the fiery spirit so that lamps as it were might by day and night cast their light through its maw on the artisans at work.

And I praised the Lord God of heaven and earth, and bade another demon come forward to me; and there came before me one in the form of a lion roaring. And he stood and answered me saying: "O king, in the form which I have, I am a spirit quite incapable of being perceived. Upon all men who lie prostrate with sickness I leap, coming stealthily along; and I render the man weak, so that his habit of body is enfeebled. But I have also another glory, O king. I cast out demons, and I have legions under my control. And I am capable of being received in my dwelling-places, along with all the demons belonging to the legions under me." But I Solomon, on hearing this, asked him: "What is thy name?" But he answered: "Lion-bearer, Rath in kind." And I said to him: "How art thou to be frustrated along with thy legions? What angel is it that frustrates thee?" And he answered: "If I tell thee my name, I bind not myself alone, but also the legions of demons under me."

And having praised God, I commanded another spirit to come before me; and there came before my face another demon, having in front the shape of a horse, but behind of a fish. And he had a mighty voice, and said to me: "O King Solomon, I am a fierce spirit of the sea, and I am greedy of gold and silver. I am such a spirit as rounds itself and comes over the expanses of the water of the sea, and I trip up the men who sail thereon. For I round myself into a wave, and transform myself, and then throw myself on ships and come right in on them. And that is my business, and my way of getting hold of money and men. For I take the men, and whirl them round with myself, and hurl the men out of the sea. For I am not covetous of men's bodies, but cast them up out of the sea so far. But since Beelzeboul, ruler of the spirits of air and of those under the earth, and lord of earthly ones, hath a joint kingship with us in respect of the deeds of each one of us, therefore I went up from the sea, to get a certain outlook in his company.

The thirty-fifth said: "I am called Phthenoth. I cast evil eye on every man. Therefore, the eye much-suffering, if it be drawn. frustrates me."

And Asenath hasted into her chamber where her robes lay and put on a fine linen robe made of crimson stuff and interwoven with gold, and girded herself with a golden girdle, and bracelets round her hands; and about her feet she put golden buskins, and round her neck she cast an ornament of great price and precious stones, which were embellished on all sides, having also the names of the gods of the Egyptians everywhere engraved on them, both on the bracelets and the stones; and she put also a tiara on her head and bound a diadem round her temples and covered her head with a mantle.

Is not this he who lay with his mistress, and his lord cast him into the prison of darkness, and Pharaoh brought him out from the prison inasmuch as he interpreted his dream, as the older women of the Egyptians also interpret?

Then she taketh her choice robe and the golden girdle and the mitre and her diadem, and she cast them through the window that looked toward the north, to the poor.

And thereupon she took all her gods that were in her chamber, the gods of gold and of silver whereof there was no number, and brake them up into fragments, and cast them through the window to poor men and beggars.

And again Asenath took her royal dinner and the fatlings and the fish and heifer's flesh, and all the sacrifices of her gods, and the vessels of the wine of libation, and cast them all through the window that looked north as food for the dogs.

For lo! the ancient and savage and cruel lion pursueth me, for that he is father of the gods of the Egyptians, and the gods of the idol-maniacs are his children, and I have come to hate them, and I made away with them, because they are a lion's children, and I cast all the gods of the Egyptians from me and did them away, and the lion, or their father the devil, in wrath against me is trying to swallow me up.

But thou, Lord, deliver me from his hands, and I shall be rescued from his mouth, lest he tear me asunder and cast me into the flame of fire, and the fire cast me into storm, and the storm prevail over me in darkness and cast me into the depth of the sea, and the great beast who is from everlasting swallow me up, and I perish for ever.

But thou, Lord, deliver me from his hands, and I shall be rescued from his mouth, lest he tear me asunder and cast me into the flame of fire, and the fire cast me into storm, and the storm prevail over me in darkness and cast me into the depth of the sea, and the great beast who is from everlasting swallow me up, and I perish for ever.

But thou, Lord, deliver me from his hands, and I shall be rescued from his mouth, lest he tear me asunder and cast me into the flame of fire, and the fire cast me into storm, and the storm prevail over me in darkness and cast me into the depth of the sea, and the great beast who is from everlasting swallow me up, and I perish for ever.

Lo! I have loosed my golden girdle and cast it from me and girded myself with rope and sackcloth.

Lo! my diadem and my mitre I have cast from mine head and I have sprinkled myself with cinders.

Then Asenath stood up and stood upon her feet, and the angel said to her: "Go without impediment into thy second chamber and lay aside the black tunic wherein thou art clad, and cast off the sackcloth from thy loins, and shake out the cinders from thine head, and wash thy face and thine hands with pure water and put on a white untouched robe and gird thy loins with the bright girdle of virginity, the double one, and come again to me, and I will speak to thee the words that are sent to thee from the Lord."

And she saith to him: "I, lord, am thine handmaid Asenath; all the idols I have cast away from me and they perished.

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 BISHOPS OUGHT TO RECEIVE IN LOVE AND MEEKNESS THE REPENTANCE OF THOSE WHO TURN. [ii., 15-] See then, my beloved brethren, the greatness of the mercy of the Lord our God, (who is) good and righteous and a lover of men, merciful and compassionate to those who turn to repentance. For He delighteth not in those that judge harshly and with deceitfulness of heart, without mercy; but (willeth) that one should convert and receive those that have sinned into the true religion, that they may be able to come to repentance. And if bishops do not teach, and act thus, God will require at their hands the sin of the people, even as Isaiah saith, “ Admonish my people, saith God: ye priests also speak unto the heart of Jerusalem.” The bishop ought to examine the people, and if there be any that have sinned, let him turn them to repentance, that they may gain for themselves a good reward. And if they teach not, and turn not the people to true godliness, they shall receive condemnation. Now let us receive with joy and love the repentance of those that turn to God; and against those that have sinned let us give judgment with compassion and mercy, as is fitting, towards the penitent. But if thou seest a man who committeth sin, and falleth into error, lift him up again from his fall; but if thou makest his way of life pleasant unto him, behold, then thou hast slain thy brother. But it is right that thou shouldest lift up again from his fall him that hath fallen, that he perish not; and that others, when they see him, may learn, and understand, and receive the word of admonition. It is not right for the bishop to be negligent as touching the sin of the people, nor, again, to disregard the desire of those who seek for repentance, lest by his slackness the flock of the Lord perish. For concerning them God spake by the mouth of Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “ Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard, and defiled my portion, and have made my portion, which I love, a desert and a waste; and it hath become a desolation and a ruin: for my sake all the land hath perished and is destroyed.” [ii., 16.] Thou also, if thou seest one that sinneth, command the deacons to expel him and put him forth, and to admonish him and teach him, that others, when they see, may fear. And when he turneth, and cometh to repentance, let them ask, and entreat for him with God, and with the bishop, that he may teach him. For the Saviour prayed for sinners to His Father, even as it is written in the Gospel, “Father forgive them, for they do what they know not.” And then let them examine him that hath sinned, whether he forsaketh his evil way, and when he confesseth his sins, and turneth to repentance, let them suffer him to enter the Church, and bid him to fast according to the greatness of the sin he hath committeth, two weeks, or three weeks, or five weeks, or seven. It is right that thou shouldst teach the sinner, and instruct him, and admonish him, without anger or favour, that he may humble himself, and pray to God, and find compassion and mercy when he standeth before Him. For it is said, “If thou, O Lord, shouldest mark sin, O Lord, who should stand before thee? For forgiveness is from thee,” and mercy is in thy hand. Thus, then, do, and make a difference. For God said unto Cain, “Thou hast sinned: be silent then,” and lift not up thy hand. But it is right for the sinner to grieve and sorrow, and despise himself. Let us understand the word which God spake to Moses concerning Miriam, “If her father had spit in her face, should she not have been ashamed seven days? Let her remove outside the camp for seven days and then let her enter in. And Miriam removed outside the camp for seven days, and the people journeyed not until Miriam was purified. And after this they journeyed.” Let us do, then, thus unto those who desire repentance for their sins. Let us appoint for them a fixed time of years, according to the greatness of their sin, wherein they shall repent: and when they repent, let us receive them, even as fathers shew mercy towards their children. [ii., 17.] But if bishops, and others in authority, have on them any defilement or stain, and on account of them the people are put to shame; and (if) they judge not uprightly for the orphan, and the poor, and the widow, but show favour in judgment, that they may get gifts and bribes, such shall be reckoned with the hypocrites. Even as it is written in the Gospel saying, “Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy neighbour’s eye, and seest not the beam that is in thine own eye? ’’? Let bishops and priests then give heed that there be not found with them deeds of this sort,- lest others be offended, when they see these evil doings. For the wicked seek occasions to destroy others and to scatter the Lord’s flock. For a little leaven leaveneth much meal. In like manner sin followeth after those that commit it, (and) thus destroyeth very many. As when a thief is found in a treasure-house and bringeth an evil name on his kinsfolk by the evil of his doings; and as when the stinking flesh of a corpse s cast into ointment, the odour of the fragrance thereof is tainted; and as when a king is evil and cruel (and) dispenseth not justice, so, too, are his Princes; and as when a scabby sheep feedeth with (other) sheep, they all become scabby, if it be not separated from them; and as, when a mad dog biteth all whom it meeteth, except it be killed, all those whom it biteth become mad together with it; in like manner if any man be a scorner, and a mocker, and contentious and a transgressor of the commandments which are in the law, let him be put forth from the Church, lest he corrupt the house of the Lord, and make (it) a den of robbers. It is not right that we should keep silent concerning sinners and wicked men, but we should admonish them, that they may forsake their doings, and put from them wicked deeds and habits. On the other hand, let us bid them fast and pray and give alms, that they may learn the fear of God. For He said unto the children of Israel, ‘Fear me, and keep my commandments.” The bishop ought to show anxious care concerning the sin of the people, and consider the life of each one of them, that he may be unto them a guide and a saviour unto works of righteousness, that they may be prepared for God, and be saved from the condemnation which shall fall on sinners at the day of judgment. But let such as are slothful hear what is said, “‘ Wherefore have ye kept silent concerning transgressors and gathered their fruits? ” (ii., 18.) ‘It is right that the bishop should feed the people in peace; those that have not sinned let him not suffer to fall: and those also that have sinned let him turn to repentance. Hear, O bishops, what the Lord saith unto you, ‘Despise not one of these little ones.” But they ought to forgive and pardon him that hath sinned. And when a sinner confesseth his sin, and crieth to the Lord from the depth of his heart, humbling himself with tears and sighs, the Holy Spirit will come and say unto him, The Lord pardon thee all thy sin. Know, then, O bishop, how much honour and glory God hath bestowed upon thee, and hath given thee authority to loose and to bind. Take heed to thyself, and guard the flock of Christ. Walk in the way of righteousness, whilst thou livest in this world, for thou shalt give account in the day of judgment. “For to whom much hath been committed, of him shall much be required.” For there is no man that liveth even one day without sin, except One, who for our sakes became man, God the Word. And for this reason hath been written the memorial of the righteous who gave good heed unto themselves. For it is said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give unto them eternal life.” “ And He answered the people and said unto them, “Behold, I judge between rams and sheep. Know, then, that ye have fed in a good pasture; and the rest of the pasture ye have trodden with your feet -.. my sheep have eaten.”‘ And again, “Now shall ye know that I am the Lord, and ye are my sheep, the sheep of my pasture: ye are my sheep and I am the Lord your God, saith the Lord.” ii., 19.) Hear, ye bishops, and hear, ye people, what God saith, Behold I judge between rams and he-goats.”! Moreover He saith, “I will give judgment against the shepherds of the sheep who have destroyed my flock by their slothfulness. And again He saith, “I will judge between bishop and bishop, between peoples and peoples, between ruler and rulers.” And my sheep are rational creatures, and are not without reason; and therefore let not the people say, We are sheep and not shepherds, what is this to us? As the sheep that followeth the good shepherd of the sheep, that he may save it from the ravening wolf that destroyeth (is preserved); in like manner the sheep that followeth the foolish and wicked shepherd of the sheep, the wolf will devour before his face. Wherefore it is right that we should keep far from evil and deceitful shepherds who spare not, nor save the flocks, but follow the good shepherds who spare and save their flocks. [ii., 20.] For the people love a good shepherd, and fear him as a father, and a lord, and as a priest, and as God’s high-priest, for he admonisheth them, and guideth them unto true godliness. For he that obeyeth him, has obeyed Christ, and heard His voice, but he that rejecteth him and heareth not his voice, hath rejected and transgressed against Christ, as he that obeyeth Christ, hath obeyed God. Moreover it is said, ‘He that heareth you, hath heard me, and he that rejecteth you, hath rejected me, and he that rejecteth me, hath rejected him that sent me.” In like manner it is right for the bishop to love the people as his children, for they are his sons; and to nurture them with admonition as a bird which broodeth over her eggs, and nurtureth her young ones until they fly. In like manner let him teach the people the word of God, and feed them with spiritual doctrine, and give what they need to all who desire to receive of him; and let him not be burdensome to them, but admonish them with words of wisdom, and put them in fear, lest they turn again unto sin. Rather let him bid them walk in the way of righteousness, and keep the faith; and let him feed the people in peace. Moreover let him raise the fallen, and strengthen the weak, and gather together the scattered, and heal the wounded in heart, and console the faint-hearted, and strengthen the lame with the word of admonition; and let him lighten the heavy burden of their sin, that they may get them a good hope. And as for them, let them learn the law of the Church, and turn to repentance. And if there be any man who is cast out through not understanding the words of the Scriptures, despise him not, nor suffer him to fall into sin, but help him, and heal him from the wound of sin, and turn him to thee, and restore him to the Christian flock. But whoso refuseth to turn again, he shall go forth from thy flock, and be made food for the birds of the heaven and the beasts of the field; and his portion shall be with them that say, Let us eat and drink: to-morrow we die; and that think not on their latter end. And if there be any man whom the bishop hath seen doing thus, he ought to say unto him, I will bear thy sin, and die in thy stead, even as Christ died for the sin of the world. Then let him toil and suffer with him, until he turn again unto repentance. For “the good shepherd giveth up his life for the sheep; but the hireling who is not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and fleeth and leaveth his sheep, and the wolf catcheth them and scattereth them. Because he is a hireling, he careth not for the sheep.” It is right that we should know that God is merciful, and desireth not the death of a sinner, but his conversion and return to repentance. And if there be anyone that sinneth through understanding not the commandments which God hath ordained for repentance, but walketh in the deceit of his heart, and remembereth not his sin, and his evil which he hath done, remembering not the words of the Holy Scriptures which have proclaimed mercy to him, such a one shall perish and be without hope. But search thou out a good shepherd, and a meek and patient teacher and monitor, and one that is merciful and a peacemaker, who goeth about and feedeth his sheep, and seeketh that which is lost, like the Lord our God. For our Father who is in heaven sent His beloved Son our Saviour the Good Shepherd, our Teacher Jesus Christ, who left the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and went to seek one sheep that was lost. And when He found it He bore on His shoulder, and brought it to the flock with joy, because He had found that which was lost. Hear this, O bishop, guide them that have gone astray, and gather together them that have been scattered, and seek them that are lost, for thou hast authority to turn (to repentance), that thou mayest bind and loose. For our Saviour said to the man with the palsy, “I have forgiven thee thy sin; thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.” For the peace which we have received is the Church of Christ, whereinto thou shouldst bring them that have repented of their sins, and are cleansed, and have done righteousness and goodness, and found the hope of life. The bishop ought to heal the sick who are diseased through deeds of sin; to visit them and to console them and to heal their wounds, for “not the whole, but the sick are they that need the physician. For the Son of man came to seek and to help that which was lost.” Since, then, thou art a physician in the Church of the Lord, impart healing to each one as it befitteth, and feed them with spiritual food, that they may be strong in the Holy Church. And feed the flock of Christ in humility and in love, and mild severity without anger, not exalting thyself in thy position of authority, for thou art the shepherd of the sheep of Christ’s flock; and thou shalt gather the lambs in thy bosom. [ii., 21.] Be, then, merciful and just, without guile, or revenge, or jealousy, or slandering, or calumny, or hatred, or partiality, or evil speaking, or haughtiness, or boasting. Despise not them that are under thee, nor hide from them the commandments of God, nor turn thyself away from their repentance, nor bring pretexts against them, nor drive them away from the Church. Be of understanding, then, in judgment, and receive not the witness of one man against any, but only the witness of three good and faithful men, to whom others bear witness that they are good and faithful, who cherish not hatred, nor revenge, nor jealousy. For there are some that speak falsely, that have two tongues, or three, who rejoice in evil-doing, haters of the brethren, who seek to scatter the flock of Christ. But if thou hearest their voice, and believest those that do thus, behold thou hast scattered thy flock without judgment, and given them over to evil and ravening wolves, that is (to) evil men. Or rather, they are not men, but evil beasts who are in the likeness of men, ungodly and unbelieving and apostates, who know not God. Such are liers in wait in the way, and like a wolf that seizeth and devoureth, they seize them that depart from the law of the Church; and when they see one that is lost, it seemeth a great thing for themselves. For their father, the devil, is a murderer. And those that go astray from the Church, and depart from the law, devils shall be their shepherds, and shall afflict them with torment and distress and sorrow of heart. And they shall follow the way of transgressors, and shall lose their reward, and shall depart farther and farther from God. And as for the bishop, if he judge not uprightly, his portion shall be with them. Thou oughtest not, then, to thrust away the sinner, nor to despise him that turneth; neither be thou lacking in mercy, that thou mayest heal the wound of sin, nor have thou fellowship with the man of blood. For concerning them the Scripture saith, ‘Their feet are swift to shed blood; shame and affliction are in their way, and they know not the way of peace; and there is no fear of God before their eyes.” The way of peace is our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath taught us, saying, “Forgive, that he may forgive you; and give, (and) men shall give unto you;” that is to say, Forgive men their trespasses, that your heavenly Father may forgive you your trespasses. Moreover He hath taught us in the Prayer, saying, “Forgive us our trespasses and our iniquity as we also forgive him that hath trespassed against us.” But if ye cannot forgive the trespasses of him that hath trespassed against you, how shall ye find forgiveness for your trespasses? And if there be anyone that hath been thrust forth being innocent, and then returning hath asked for pardon, and (the bishop) receive him not, he is a murderer of his brother, and a shedder of blood like Cain, who shed the blood of Abel his brother; and his blood cried unto God. And if any bishop thrust forth (a man) being innocent, he is, like Cain, a murderer.

THAT BISHOPS OUGHT TO RECEIVE IN LOVE AND MEEKNESS THE REPENTANCE OF THOSE WHO TURN. [ii., 15-] See then, my beloved brethren, the greatness of the mercy of the Lord our God, (who is) good and righteous and a lover of men, merciful and compassionate to those who turn to repentance. For He delighteth not in those that judge harshly and with deceitfulness of heart, without mercy; but (willeth) that one should convert and receive those that have sinned into the true religion, that they may be able to come to repentance. And if bishops do not teach, and act thus, God will require at their hands the sin of the people, even as Isaiah saith, “ Admonish my people, saith God: ye priests also speak unto the heart of Jerusalem.” The bishop ought to examine the people, and if there be any that have sinned, let him turn them to repentance, that they may gain for themselves a good reward. And if they teach not, and turn not the people to true godliness, they shall receive condemnation. Now let us receive with joy and love the repentance of those that turn to God; and against those that have sinned let us give judgment with compassion and mercy, as is fitting, towards the penitent. But if thou seest a man who committeth sin, and falleth into error, lift him up again from his fall; but if thou makest his way of life pleasant unto him, behold, then thou hast slain thy brother. But it is right that thou shouldest lift up again from his fall him that hath fallen, that he perish not; and that others, when they see him, may learn, and understand, and receive the word of admonition. It is not right for the bishop to be negligent as touching the sin of the people, nor, again, to disregard the desire of those who seek for repentance, lest by his slackness the flock of the Lord perish. For concerning them God spake by the mouth of Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “ Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard, and defiled my portion, and have made my portion, which I love, a desert and a waste; and it hath become a desolation and a ruin: for my sake all the land hath perished and is destroyed.” [ii., 16.] Thou also, if thou seest one that sinneth, command the deacons to expel him and put him forth, and to admonish him and teach him, that others, when they see, may fear. And when he turneth, and cometh to repentance, let them ask, and entreat for him with God, and with the bishop, that he may teach him. For the Saviour prayed for sinners to His Father, even as it is written in the Gospel, “Father forgive them, for they do what they know not.” And then let them examine him that hath sinned, whether he forsaketh his evil way, and when he confesseth his sins, and turneth to repentance, let them suffer him to enter the Church, and bid him to fast according to the greatness of the sin he hath committeth, two weeks, or three weeks, or five weeks, or seven. It is right that thou shouldst teach the sinner, and instruct him, and admonish him, without anger or favour, that he may humble himself, and pray to God, and find compassion and mercy when he standeth before Him. For it is said, “If thou, O Lord, shouldest mark sin, O Lord, who should stand before thee? For forgiveness is from thee,” and mercy is in thy hand. Thus, then, do, and make a difference. For God said unto Cain, “Thou hast sinned: be silent then,” and lift not up thy hand. But it is right for the sinner to grieve and sorrow, and despise himself. Let us understand the word which God spake to Moses concerning Miriam, “If her father had spit in her face, should she not have been ashamed seven days? Let her remove outside the camp for seven days and then let her enter in. And Miriam removed outside the camp for seven days, and the people journeyed not until Miriam was purified. And after this they journeyed.” Let us do, then, thus unto those who desire repentance for their sins. Let us appoint for them a fixed time of years, according to the greatness of their sin, wherein they shall repent: and when they repent, let us receive them, even as fathers shew mercy towards their children. [ii., 17.] But if bishops, and others in authority, have on them any defilement or stain, and on account of them the people are put to shame; and (if) they judge not uprightly for the orphan, and the poor, and the widow, but show favour in judgment, that they may get gifts and bribes, such shall be reckoned with the hypocrites. Even as it is written in the Gospel saying, “Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy neighbour’s eye, and seest not the beam that is in thine own eye? ’’? Let bishops and priests then give heed that there be not found with them deeds of this sort,- lest others be offended, when they see these evil doings. For the wicked seek occasions to destroy others and to scatter the Lord’s flock. For a little leaven leaveneth much meal. In like manner sin followeth after those that commit it, (and) thus destroyeth very many. As when a thief is found in a treasure-house and bringeth an evil name on his kinsfolk by the evil of his doings; and as when the stinking flesh of a corpse s cast into ointment, the odour of the fragrance thereof is tainted; and as when a king is evil and cruel (and) dispenseth not justice, so, too, are his Princes; and as when a scabby sheep feedeth with (other) sheep, they all become scabby, if it be not separated from them; and as, when a mad dog biteth all whom it meeteth, except it be killed, all those whom it biteth become mad together with it; in like manner if any man be a scorner, and a mocker, and contentious and a transgressor of the commandments which are in the law, let him be put forth from the Church, lest he corrupt the house of the Lord, and make (it) a den of robbers. It is not right that we should keep silent concerning sinners and wicked men, but we should admonish them, that they may forsake their doings, and put from them wicked deeds and habits. On the other hand, let us bid them fast and pray and give alms, that they may learn the fear of God. For He said unto the children of Israel, ‘Fear me, and keep my commandments.” The bishop ought to show anxious care concerning the sin of the people, and consider the life of each one of them, that he may be unto them a guide and a saviour unto works of righteousness, that they may be prepared for God, and be saved from the condemnation which shall fall on sinners at the day of judgment. But let such as are slothful hear what is said, “‘ Wherefore have ye kept silent concerning transgressors and gathered their fruits? ” (ii., 18.) ‘It is right that the bishop should feed the people in peace; those that have not sinned let him not suffer to fall: and those also that have sinned let him turn to repentance. Hear, O bishops, what the Lord saith unto you, ‘Despise not one of these little ones.” But they ought to forgive and pardon him that hath sinned. And when a sinner confesseth his sin, and crieth to the Lord from the depth of his heart, humbling himself with tears and sighs, the Holy Spirit will come and say unto him, The Lord pardon thee all thy sin. Know, then, O bishop, how much honour and glory God hath bestowed upon thee, and hath given thee authority to loose and to bind. Take heed to thyself, and guard the flock of Christ. Walk in the way of righteousness, whilst thou livest in this world, for thou shalt give account in the day of judgment. “For to whom much hath been committed, of him shall much be required.” For there is no man that liveth even one day without sin, except One, who for our sakes became man, God the Word. And for this reason hath been written the memorial of the righteous who gave good heed unto themselves. For it is said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give unto them eternal life.” “ And He answered the people and said unto them, “Behold, I judge between rams and sheep. Know, then, that ye have fed in a good pasture; and the rest of the pasture ye have trodden with your feet -.. my sheep have eaten.”‘ And again, “Now shall ye know that I am the Lord, and ye are my sheep, the sheep of my pasture: ye are my sheep and I am the Lord your God, saith the Lord.” ii., 19.) Hear, ye bishops, and hear, ye people, what God saith, Behold I judge between rams and he-goats.”! Moreover He saith, “I will give judgment against the shepherds of the sheep who have destroyed my flock by their slothfulness. And again He saith, “I will judge between bishop and bishop, between peoples and peoples, between ruler and rulers.” And my sheep are rational creatures, and are not without reason; and therefore let not the people say, We are sheep and not shepherds, what is this to us? As the sheep that followeth the good shepherd of the sheep, that he may save it from the ravening wolf that destroyeth (is preserved); in like manner the sheep that followeth the foolish and wicked shepherd of the sheep, the wolf will devour before his face. Wherefore it is right that we should keep far from evil and deceitful shepherds who spare not, nor save the flocks, but follow the good shepherds who spare and save their flocks. [ii., 20.] For the people love a good shepherd, and fear him as a father, and a lord, and as a priest, and as God’s high-priest, for he admonisheth them, and guideth them unto true godliness. For he that obeyeth him, has obeyed Christ, and heard His voice, but he that rejecteth him and heareth not his voice, hath rejected and transgressed against Christ, as he that obeyeth Christ, hath obeyed God. Moreover it is said, ‘He that heareth you, hath heard me, and he that rejecteth you, hath rejected me, and he that rejecteth me, hath rejected him that sent me.” In like manner it is right for the bishop to love the people as his children, for they are his sons; and to nurture them with admonition as a bird which broodeth over her eggs, and nurtureth her young ones until they fly. In like manner let him teach the people the word of God, and feed them with spiritual doctrine, and give what they need to all who desire to receive of him; and let him not be burdensome to them, but admonish them with words of wisdom, and put them in fear, lest they turn again unto sin. Rather let him bid them walk in the way of righteousness, and keep the faith; and let him feed the people in peace. Moreover let him raise the fallen, and strengthen the weak, and gather together the scattered, and heal the wounded in heart, and console the faint-hearted, and strengthen the lame with the word of admonition; and let him lighten the heavy burden of their sin, that they may get them a good hope. And as for them, let them learn the law of the Church, and turn to repentance. And if there be any man who is cast out through not understanding the words of the Scriptures, despise him not, nor suffer him to fall into sin, but help him, and heal him from the wound of sin, and turn him to thee, and restore him to the Christian flock. But whoso refuseth to turn again, he shall go forth from thy flock, and be made food for the birds of the heaven and the beasts of the field; and his portion shall be with them that say, Let us eat and drink: to-morrow we die; and that think not on their latter end. And if there be any man whom the bishop hath seen doing thus, he ought to say unto him, I will bear thy sin, and die in thy stead, even as Christ died for the sin of the world. Then let him toil and suffer with him, until he turn again unto repentance. For “the good shepherd giveth up his life for the sheep; but the hireling who is not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and fleeth and leaveth his sheep, and the wolf catcheth them and scattereth them. Because he is a hireling, he careth not for the sheep.” It is right that we should know that God is merciful, and desireth not the death of a sinner, but his conversion and return to repentance. And if there be anyone that sinneth through understanding not the commandments which God hath ordained for repentance, but walketh in the deceit of his heart, and remembereth not his sin, and his evil which he hath done, remembering not the words of the Holy Scriptures which have proclaimed mercy to him, such a one shall perish and be without hope. But search thou out a good shepherd, and a meek and patient teacher and monitor, and one that is merciful and a peacemaker, who goeth about and feedeth his sheep, and seeketh that which is lost, like the Lord our God. For our Father who is in heaven sent His beloved Son our Saviour the Good Shepherd, our Teacher Jesus Christ, who left the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and went to seek one sheep that was lost. And when He found it He bore on His shoulder, and brought it to the flock with joy, because He had found that which was lost. Hear this, O bishop, guide them that have gone astray, and gather together them that have been scattered, and seek them that are lost, for thou hast authority to turn (to repentance), that thou mayest bind and loose. For our Saviour said to the man with the palsy, “I have forgiven thee thy sin; thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.” For the peace which we have received is the Church of Christ, whereinto thou shouldst bring them that have repented of their sins, and are cleansed, and have done righteousness and goodness, and found the hope of life. The bishop ought to heal the sick who are diseased through deeds of sin; to visit them and to console them and to heal their wounds, for “not the whole, but the sick are they that need the physician. For the Son of man came to seek and to help that which was lost.” Since, then, thou art a physician in the Church of the Lord, impart healing to each one as it befitteth, and feed them with spiritual food, that they may be strong in the Holy Church. And feed the flock of Christ in humility and in love, and mild severity without anger, not exalting thyself in thy position of authority, for thou art the shepherd of the sheep of Christ’s flock; and thou shalt gather the lambs in thy bosom. [ii., 21.] Be, then, merciful and just, without guile, or revenge, or jealousy, or slandering, or calumny, or hatred, or partiality, or evil speaking, or haughtiness, or boasting. Despise not them that are under thee, nor hide from them the commandments of God, nor turn thyself away from their repentance, nor bring pretexts against them, nor drive them away from the Church. Be of understanding, then, in judgment, and receive not the witness of one man against any, but only the witness of three good and faithful men, to whom others bear witness that they are good and faithful, who cherish not hatred, nor revenge, nor jealousy. For there are some that speak falsely, that have two tongues, or three, who rejoice in evil-doing, haters of the brethren, who seek to scatter the flock of Christ. But if thou hearest their voice, and believest those that do thus, behold thou hast scattered thy flock without judgment, and given them over to evil and ravening wolves, that is (to) evil men. Or rather, they are not men, but evil beasts who are in the likeness of men, ungodly and unbelieving and apostates, who know not God. Such are liers in wait in the way, and like a wolf that seizeth and devoureth, they seize them that depart from the law of the Church; and when they see one that is lost, it seemeth a great thing for themselves. For their father, the devil, is a murderer. And those that go astray from the Church, and depart from the law, devils shall be their shepherds, and shall afflict them with torment and distress and sorrow of heart. And they shall follow the way of transgressors, and shall lose their reward, and shall depart farther and farther from God. And as for the bishop, if he judge not uprightly, his portion shall be with them. Thou oughtest not, then, to thrust away the sinner, nor to despise him that turneth; neither be thou lacking in mercy, that thou mayest heal the wound of sin, nor have thou fellowship with the man of blood. For concerning them the Scripture saith, ‘Their feet are swift to shed blood; shame and affliction are in their way, and they know not the way of peace; and there is no fear of God before their eyes.” The way of peace is our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath taught us, saying, “Forgive, that he may forgive you; and give, (and) men shall give unto you;” that is to say, Forgive men their trespasses, that your heavenly Father may forgive you your trespasses. Moreover He hath taught us in the Prayer, saying, “Forgive us our trespasses and our iniquity as we also forgive him that hath trespassed against us.” But if ye cannot forgive the trespasses of him that hath trespassed against you, how shall ye find forgiveness for your trespasses? And if there be anyone that hath been thrust forth being innocent, and then returning hath asked for pardon, and (the bishop) receive him not, he is a murderer of his brother, and a shedder of blood like Cain, who shed the blood of Abel his brother; and his blood cried unto God. And if any bishop thrust forth (a man) being innocent, he is, like Cain, a murderer.

THAT THE BISHOP OUGHT TO EXAMINE AND TRY EVERY MATTER IN RIGHTEOUSNESS AND UPRIGHTNESS, Be ye then pure as the first fathers, good and wise and prudent; and put away from you (every) evil habit and wicked custom. Choose rather for yourselves the way of life. The bishop ought to walk in this way, and do as it befitteth, and turn aside from evildoing, and do good works, and heal the sick who desire to repent, and cast forth such as refuse to turn. For there are many who seek pretexts, and lay snares and accusations through envy, as did the two elders against Susanna in Babylon, and as did the Egyptian woman against Joseph. But do not thou, O man of God, as these do; but be good and merciful, and receive them that repent. And favour not the sinner, neither slay the just. But whoso receiveth. not the repentant, and bringeth not the sinner back is the father of anger, and in him is no peace. For in the place where anger is, there the Lord dwelleth not; but anger is the friend of Satan, who goeth to and fro amongst false brethren—and in him is no peace—and causeth trouble in the Church. Understand, then, and follow not the way of fools who rejoice in evil, neither hearken to their voice, but beware of them, for there is no fear of God before their eyes, but rather revenge and envy. For evil men accuse the good who are without sin, and raise against them an evil report, and bring them down into great trouble and affliction. ii., 38.) But thou, O bishop, understand, and examine those who come unto thee to tell their cause, and judge between them with wisdom, discerning how and what the matter is. And if a man be found to have transgressed, admonish him thyself alone, as the Lord hath commanded; take him with thee alone, and speak unto him, that he may turn to repentance. And if he reject thee, take with thee one or two, and tell him of his sloth and folly, and teach him in meekness and wisdom; and it (that is, wisdom) dwelleth in the heart of the good, and resteth in the mind of teachers. And if he hearken to the word of you three, he hath saved his soul and gained himself; but if he refuse to hearken, tell it unto the Church, and if he refuse (to hear) the Church, he shall be unto thee as a heathen and a publican. Receive him not, and permit him not to enter the Church, nor reckon him with the Christians.” But those that repent of their sins, and turn to our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God—let us receive their repentance. [ii., 39.) Behold I, Matthew, one of the twelve, declare unto you the teaching of this new Didascalia, though before I was a publican. And when I repented and believed in the right faith, became an apostle and a preacher of the holy gospel, for by faith a man is saved. And in like manner Zacchaeus also, though before he was a publican, (yet) when he turned and repented and prayed to the Lord, He received his repentance and despised him not. And behold as those soldiers and publicans, who entered into the Church heard the word of repentance from John the Baptist, and that which he said after (their) baptism “Do nothing beyond that which is commanded unto you”; (so) lay not ye burdens on the Gentiles who turn unto God, lest they rebel against the faith. And thus we give commandment: Those that turn ye shall bring into the Church, that they may hear the word of the Scriptures, and bring forth fruits meet for repentance, lest they perish. But do not ye stand together with them in prayer, but let them be put forth after the reading of the Scriptures of the Law and the prophets and the Gospel. Then they shall be ready at all times to serve in the Church, that others, when they see, may fear and be admonished, and learn true godliness, i., 40.] O bishop, help the sinners, and strengthen them by the word of the Lord, and despise them not, and refuse not to eat with them. For our Lord refused not to eat” with publicans and sinners and when the Pharisees said unto His disciples, Wherefore eateth your master with sinners and publicans he answered and said unto them, The sick have need of the physician, and not the whole. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Wherefore it is right that thou visit them and comfort them, and eat with them in love, and be careful for their salvation, and help them, and say unto them, Be strong, clap your hands and dance (with) your feet. Ye ought then to console the sorrowful of heart, and bear patiently with the angry, lest they turn again unto folly, for the passionate man is ever a fool. [ii., 41.) But if any man turn, and show forth the fruits of repentance, straightway receive him, as the prodigal son who scattered all his father’s substance, “living riotously. And he spent all that he had, and there came a great famine on that land, and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to one of the men of that country, and he sent him to his field to feed swine. And he would fain have filled himself with the berries that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. And he thought in his heart, and said, How many hired servants of my father’s (are there) who have bread enough and to spare, and I die here of hunger. I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight; and am not worthy therefore to be called thy son: make me as (one) of thy servants. And he arose, and came to his father. And his father saw him from afar, and was moved with compassion for him, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And his son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am not worthy to be called thy son. And his father said to his servants, Bring quickly choice garments, and put (them) on him; (and) put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet: and bring a fatted calf, and kill (it), and let us eat, and make merry: (for) this my son was dead and lived again; and was lost and is found.” Thus do, O bishop, when ye baptize the catechumens: receive them and lay thy hand upon them, for they have been purified by repentance. And after thou hast prayed over them, baptize them and bring them into the good flock. For when thou layest thy hand upon them the Holy Spirit descendeth upon them from our Lord Jesus Christ. And if one of the faithful brethren asketh thee, and saith to thee, Wherefore hast thou (slain] the sinner? Oughtest thou not to rejoice with him, and to say to him, Because this thy brother was dead, and lived again; and was lost, and is found? For God is merciful, and forgiveth the sin of him that hath repented and done (that which is) good. Hear what David did when he sinned in the matter of the wife of Uriah. After his sin he repented, and said, ‘Turn thy face from my sin, and blot out all my transgression. Create for me a clean heart, O Lord, and renew a right spirit within me. And cast me not away from before thy face, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me joy and thy salvation and strengthen me with an excellent spirit.’, And thou also, O bishop, heal them as a wise physician, and as a faithful friend, who careth and seeketh for the salvation of his neighbour. In like manner do thou help and save, and heal from the wounds of sin those that turn unto God, that they may be saved from condemnation. If their disease be great, give unto them the remedy which blotteth out uncleanness; and anoint them with the oil of life, which destroyeth the poison of the disease, that is, fasting and prayer; and bind up by prayer and supplication the defilement of the limbs of those that are broken. And if, when thou doest all this, thou art not able to heal them, be not against them as a saw which cutteth asunder, or as an axe which breaketh in pieces, but rather as a wise physician who cutteth with a lancet, and removeth the foulness of the disease that is hidden within: and then shall the whole limb become sound. But if thou seest a deceitful man who refuseth to turn unto repentance, but liveth in folly and error, cut him off from the Church. For it is said, “Remove all evil from you.” “ It is right that thou admonish him, but it is right that thou reckon him not an enemy, for he is a member of thine. And respect not persons in judgment, and favour neither the rich nor the poor. [ii., 42.] And ye, O shepherds of the sheep and deacons, ought not to hearken to words of falsehood and accusation against an innocent man in whom is no sin, that ye should put him forth from the Church, seeking occasions to receive bribes, and to accept persons; for those that do thus are the friends of the devil. Know, then, that ye shall be requited concerning this before the judgment-seat of the Lord, for it is written, saying, ‘Thou shalt not slay the righteous with the sinner, nor take a bribe to destroy life: for a bribe blindeth the eyes of the wise, and perverteth the word of righteousness. Honour not a transgressor because of a bribe, and change not righteousness for falsehood, but take heed to yourselves,” and do not any (such) thing. And judge not unrighteously, and be not partakers with evil-doers. For it is said by Isaiah the prophet, ‘“ Woe unto them that call good evil, and evil good; that call light darkness, and darkness light; that call sweet bitter, and bitter sweet. Woe unto them that are wise unto evil, and say, We are as the wise.’’! But if ye pervert judgment by iniquity, know that ye shall bring on yourselves grievous condemnation. For our Lord saith, “Even as ye have judged, ye shall be judged, and with the measure wherewith ye -have measured, men shall measure unto you.”’ But if ye have understanding, and enquire into matters of judgment, ye shall discern the evil, and the false, and the slanderers who would fain slay their neighbours by wrongdoing. [ii., 43-] These are they that cause trouble, and observe words of vanity, and make snares for themselves by the words of their lips. Those that do thus put far away,” lest they destroy the Church of God. But if they turn and repent, and forsake their wickedness, and do good, let them be received that they ma enter into the Church, for they have received the Body or Christ. If a man be born having in his members aught superfluous, will he not cut off that which is superfluous in his members, that it be not a shame unto him? In like manner, ye shepherds of the sheep, drive out from the Church of God the ungodly and unbelieving; for it is a shame if there are with you those that believe not in the name of Jesus Christ. Cut them off entirely from the Church; ye are truly members of Christ and sons of the Church. And if there be found in your midst a superfluous member, who hath thoughts of evil, and goeth to and fro among you with murder, and slander, and blasphemy—he that doeth thus hath accomplished all the devices of Satan, and hath blasphemed against the Church. Let those that do thus be put forth from the Church, and be requited according to their works, and entirely cut off from the people of the Lord. Behold then the Church of the Lord is beautified, for the evil member hath gone forth from her, that dwelt within her, troubling her. These are destroyers, haters of good, and lovers of wealth and vain praise, who are wise unto evil, and scatter the sheep of the flock of Jesus Christ. lii., 44.] Bishops and people ought to judge in righteousness; for our Lord saith, “If ye walk in a crooked way, I also will walk with you in a crooked way. And moreover somewhere it is said, ‘“ With a righteous man thou shalt be righteous; and with a pure man thou shalt be pure; and with the elect thou shalt be elect; and with the crooked thou shalt be crooked.” Walk, then, in the way of purity, that thou mayest find honour and favour with the Lord. Be of one heart and love one another: and let there be peace among you."- And ye, O bishops, feed the people with firmness, with one heart and in uprightness and fellowship, that ye may glorify God in one faith. Be, then, one body and one spirit:nd one faith, even as the Lord hath granted unto you, in uprightness. Let the deacon tell the bishop of all that is done, even as Christ did nothing without the Father; for there is one will of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. And when the deacon hath received ordination from the bishop, let him be an ear, and an eye, and a mouth to the bishop, and tell (him) the cares of the people as befitteth: even as Jethro told Moses the prophet and he received his word. [ii., 45.] This honour befitteth a Christian people. Let not the layman judge, nor the elders, but rather such as are set in authority in the Church. For Satan bringeth snares on the servants of God from the ungodly, and teacheth them reproaches and blasphemies. Is there not one among us of understanding that is able to judge between us in uprightness? [ii., 46.] Suffer not, then, the heathen to know the mystery of your hidden things, and accept not against yourselves the testimony of those that believe not, but keep that which has been given unto you. For it is said, “Give that which is the King’s unto the King, and that which is God’s unto God.” ” But if thou hast a debt to pay, delay not to give, saying, To my brother a believer I will pay, but to him that believeth not, I will not pay; but do as our Lord when He paid tribute. And ye, O servants of God, keep the commandments of Christ; and if ye see among the brethren a quarrel or dispute, it is right for you to give word concerning them to those that are set in authority. If they are men of evil habits, and causers of trouble, and haters of good, and such as walk not in the right way—them that are such admonish and put to shame; but when they repent, receive them. And if ye act thus, ye have made peace between brethren and saved them from sin. Ye ought to forgive and pardon the trespasses of your neighbours, even as the Lord commanded Peter, when he said unto Him, If my neighbour sin against me, how often shall I forgive him? Seven times? And Jesus said unto him, I say not unto thee, seven times, but, seventy times seven. Thus, then, the Lord willeth that His disciples should do, and that they should never let revenge dwell in their hearts, nor envy,” nor anger, nor evil desire, but that they should make peace between brethren that they may live in unity. For our Lord saith, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God.’’ [ii., 47-] Ye ought not then on the Christian Sabbath” to cause contention, but rather (to make) peace. Let judgment be given on other days. And it is right, O bishops, that presbyters and deacons should sit with you in judgment. And judge not with partiality or accepting of persons, but judge in righteousness and uprightness as servants of God. And if there be anyone that hath a suit with his fellow, let them come both of them together, and stand in the court, even as it is written in the law. Judge ye” then in righteousness and in uprightness. Take heed and quickly set them at one, and make peace between them, before the judgment of death come forth from the bishop on him that hath sinned. For with you in the court of judgment is Christ the Son of God. And if any man say, Such a one hath blasphemed against the name of God, and walketh not in the way of righteousness, let not (your) judgment be given hastily, before his fellow appear. [ii., 49.] And when they have come both of them judge between them. For the judgment which proceedeth from you leadeth unto life, and on the other hand it goeth down unto eternal condemnation. For our Lord saith, ‘Follow righteousness and uprightness. But he whose sin is manifestly known, and hath been justly brought up to judgment, shall be far from life eternal, and shall not see the glory of God, but shall be put to shame before the saints. But if ye judge wrongfully, ye shall find condemnation and shall be requited according to your works, even as God requited the two elders who spake falsely against Susanna. Beware then of speaking falsely, for he that speaketh falsely shall find great condemnation. Be not as the men who were transgressors of the law, who spake falsely against Naboth in Samaria; and as the council of the Jews who spake falsely against Stephen the first martyr. They that bear witness must needs be faithful and meek men, in whom is no anger, pure and good and faithful, worshippers of God, in whom is no evil. Such men are worthy to bear witness, (being) pure, in whom is no blemish, and their testimony is sure. But receive not the testimony of those that live not thus. And though the testimony of many false witnesses agree with one consent, hear not their words, for it is said, ‘‘Let me have no fellowship with their assembly of blood.” And moreover it is commanded in the law, ‘‘And hearken not unto a false accusation, nor sit with him that is unjust, lest thou become an unjust witness; nor join thyself with a multitude to do iniquity.’’ [ii., 50.) And if there be one who cometh before you in judgment, examine his life and (see) what his character and habits are; and (if) ye find witnesses concerning him that there is no evil in him, but that he followeth after righteousness, (being) a lover of God, and a receiver of strangers, and a lover of the poor, and a lover of the brethren; who loveth not gain, no extortioner, no drunkard, no sluggard; who putteth not forth his hand for oppression—him whose deeds are such judge in righteousness. But him that speaketh falsely against his neighbour admonish, for he is his brother’s murderer; that others, when they see, may fear, and not follow his way. And if there be one whose sin becometh manifest in judgment, admonish him and put him to shame. [ii., 51..] As we have said before, if there be one who maketh an accusation, give not judgment for the one until both of them are present together in court. But if ye give judgment for the one wrongfully, before his fellow standeth in the court of judgment, then are ye become speakers of lies, as the priests who spake falsely against Susanna in Babylon, and brought her down to the court unto a judgment of death. Howbeit Daniel the prophet saved Susanna, and brought down to the condemnation of death them that had spoken falsely against her. [ii., 53-] And ye also in like manner, if ye judge not in righteousness and uprightness, shall find condemnation, and the scourge of God shall come upon you. But if ye judge in righteousness and in uprightness, ye shall find a good reward and life eternal. Take heed, then, beloved brethren, and do good at all times, that ye may find honour before God with the holy fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of heaven in life eternal; for that is right before God. Judge, then,"” in righteousness and peace without anger, for he that provoketh his neighbour to anger without a cause, his portion shall be in Gehenna. For it is said, “Before the sun set, cool your anger, and give not place to Satan. (For let him that stole, steal no more.] And again David saith, ‘Be ye angry and sin not.” Love one another, and remove evil from your hearts, and be at peace amongst yourselves. Hear, then, what our Master and our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ saith in the! Gospel, ‘‘When thou bringest thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath wherewith to reproach thee, leave there thy offering before the altar, and go, first be reconciled with thy brother, and then, returning, offer thy gift." The sacrifice of God is a meek spirit and a humble heart, prayer and thanksgiving; but if thou provokest thy neighbour to anger, and grievest his heart, God will not receive thy sacrifice and thy prayer. Ye, beloved brethren, ought at all times to pray and make supplication, and utter your supplication to God, that He may remove from you indignation and anger. Praise the lord continually at every season, and make mention of His name (which is) Most high, that He may remove from you hatred, and anger, and revenge, that ye may be able to pray with a pure heart wherein is no defilement; for the Lord hath commanded us to love our enemies, and much more our friends. And again it is said, “‘ Hate not any man, but some of them admonish, and some of them teach.” Neither hate thou thy brother with thy whole heart, nor hear an accusation against him, nor find” occasion of stumbling because of him. And persecute not the stranger that dwelleth with thee, for thou wast a stranger in the land of Egypt; and hate not an Edomite, for he is thy brother. And David also saith, “If I have requited them that requited me evil, let mine enemies cause me to fall down naked.’’

THAT THE BISHOP OUGHT TO EXAMINE AND TRY EVERY MATTER IN RIGHTEOUSNESS AND UPRIGHTNESS, Be ye then pure as the first fathers, good and wise and prudent; and put away from you (every) evil habit and wicked custom. Choose rather for yourselves the way of life. The bishop ought to walk in this way, and do as it befitteth, and turn aside from evildoing, and do good works, and heal the sick who desire to repent, and cast forth such as refuse to turn. For there are many who seek pretexts, and lay snares and accusations through envy, as did the two elders against Susanna in Babylon, and as did the Egyptian woman against Joseph. But do not thou, O man of God, as these do; but be good and merciful, and receive them that repent. And favour not the sinner, neither slay the just. But whoso receiveth. not the repentant, and bringeth not the sinner back is the father of anger, and in him is no peace. For in the place where anger is, there the Lord dwelleth not; but anger is the friend of Satan, who goeth to and fro amongst false brethren—and in him is no peace—and causeth trouble in the Church. Understand, then, and follow not the way of fools who rejoice in evil, neither hearken to their voice, but beware of them, for there is no fear of God before their eyes, but rather revenge and envy. For evil men accuse the good who are without sin, and raise against them an evil report, and bring them down into great trouble and affliction. ii., 38.) But thou, O bishop, understand, and examine those who come unto thee to tell their cause, and judge between them with wisdom, discerning how and what the matter is. And if a man be found to have transgressed, admonish him thyself alone, as the Lord hath commanded; take him with thee alone, and speak unto him, that he may turn to repentance. And if he reject thee, take with thee one or two, and tell him of his sloth and folly, and teach him in meekness and wisdom; and it (that is, wisdom) dwelleth in the heart of the good, and resteth in the mind of teachers. And if he hearken to the word of you three, he hath saved his soul and gained himself; but if he refuse to hearken, tell it unto the Church, and if he refuse (to hear) the Church, he shall be unto thee as a heathen and a publican. Receive him not, and permit him not to enter the Church, nor reckon him with the Christians.” But those that repent of their sins, and turn to our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God—let us receive their repentance. [ii., 39.) Behold I, Matthew, one of the twelve, declare unto you the teaching of this new Didascalia, though before I was a publican. And when I repented and believed in the right faith, became an apostle and a preacher of the holy gospel, for by faith a man is saved. And in like manner Zacchaeus also, though before he was a publican, (yet) when he turned and repented and prayed to the Lord, He received his repentance and despised him not. And behold as those soldiers and publicans, who entered into the Church heard the word of repentance from John the Baptist, and that which he said after (their) baptism “Do nothing beyond that which is commanded unto you”; (so) lay not ye burdens on the Gentiles who turn unto God, lest they rebel against the faith. And thus we give commandment: Those that turn ye shall bring into the Church, that they may hear the word of the Scriptures, and bring forth fruits meet for repentance, lest they perish. But do not ye stand together with them in prayer, but let them be put forth after the reading of the Scriptures of the Law and the prophets and the Gospel. Then they shall be ready at all times to serve in the Church, that others, when they see, may fear and be admonished, and learn true godliness, i., 40.] O bishop, help the sinners, and strengthen them by the word of the Lord, and despise them not, and refuse not to eat with them. For our Lord refused not to eat” with publicans and sinners and when the Pharisees said unto His disciples, Wherefore eateth your master with sinners and publicans he answered and said unto them, The sick have need of the physician, and not the whole. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Wherefore it is right that thou visit them and comfort them, and eat with them in love, and be careful for their salvation, and help them, and say unto them, Be strong, clap your hands and dance (with) your feet. Ye ought then to console the sorrowful of heart, and bear patiently with the angry, lest they turn again unto folly, for the passionate man is ever a fool. [ii., 41.) But if any man turn, and show forth the fruits of repentance, straightway receive him, as the prodigal son who scattered all his father’s substance, “living riotously. And he spent all that he had, and there came a great famine on that land, and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to one of the men of that country, and he sent him to his field to feed swine. And he would fain have filled himself with the berries that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. And he thought in his heart, and said, How many hired servants of my father’s (are there) who have bread enough and to spare, and I die here of hunger. I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight; and am not worthy therefore to be called thy son: make me as (one) of thy servants. And he arose, and came to his father. And his father saw him from afar, and was moved with compassion for him, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And his son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am not worthy to be called thy son. And his father said to his servants, Bring quickly choice garments, and put (them) on him; (and) put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet: and bring a fatted calf, and kill (it), and let us eat, and make merry: (for) this my son was dead and lived again; and was lost and is found.” Thus do, O bishop, when ye baptize the catechumens: receive them and lay thy hand upon them, for they have been purified by repentance. And after thou hast prayed over them, baptize them and bring them into the good flock. For when thou layest thy hand upon them the Holy Spirit descendeth upon them from our Lord Jesus Christ. And if one of the faithful brethren asketh thee, and saith to thee, Wherefore hast thou (slain] the sinner? Oughtest thou not to rejoice with him, and to say to him, Because this thy brother was dead, and lived again; and was lost, and is found? For God is merciful, and forgiveth the sin of him that hath repented and done (that which is) good. Hear what David did when he sinned in the matter of the wife of Uriah. After his sin he repented, and said, ‘Turn thy face from my sin, and blot out all my transgression. Create for me a clean heart, O Lord, and renew a right spirit within me. And cast me not away from before thy face, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me joy and thy salvation and strengthen me with an excellent spirit.’, And thou also, O bishop, heal them as a wise physician, and as a faithful friend, who careth and seeketh for the salvation of his neighbour. In like manner do thou help and save, and heal from the wounds of sin those that turn unto God, that they may be saved from condemnation. If their disease be great, give unto them the remedy which blotteth out uncleanness; and anoint them with the oil of life, which destroyeth the poison of the disease, that is, fasting and prayer; and bind up by prayer and supplication the defilement of the limbs of those that are broken. And if, when thou doest all this, thou art not able to heal them, be not against them as a saw which cutteth asunder, or as an axe which breaketh in pieces, but rather as a wise physician who cutteth with a lancet, and removeth the foulness of the disease that is hidden within: and then shall the whole limb become sound. But if thou seest a deceitful man who refuseth to turn unto repentance, but liveth in folly and error, cut him off from the Church. For it is said, “Remove all evil from you.” “ It is right that thou admonish him, but it is right that thou reckon him not an enemy, for he is a member of thine. And respect not persons in judgment, and favour neither the rich nor the poor. [ii., 42.] And ye, O shepherds of the sheep and deacons, ought not to hearken to words of falsehood and accusation against an innocent man in whom is no sin, that ye should put him forth from the Church, seeking occasions to receive bribes, and to accept persons; for those that do thus are the friends of the devil. Know, then, that ye shall be requited concerning this before the judgment-seat of the Lord, for it is written, saying, ‘Thou shalt not slay the righteous with the sinner, nor take a bribe to destroy life: for a bribe blindeth the eyes of the wise, and perverteth the word of righteousness. Honour not a transgressor because of a bribe, and change not righteousness for falsehood, but take heed to yourselves,” and do not any (such) thing. And judge not unrighteously, and be not partakers with evil-doers. For it is said by Isaiah the prophet, ‘“ Woe unto them that call good evil, and evil good; that call light darkness, and darkness light; that call sweet bitter, and bitter sweet. Woe unto them that are wise unto evil, and say, We are as the wise.’’! But if ye pervert judgment by iniquity, know that ye shall bring on yourselves grievous condemnation. For our Lord saith, “Even as ye have judged, ye shall be judged, and with the measure wherewith ye -have measured, men shall measure unto you.”’ But if ye have understanding, and enquire into matters of judgment, ye shall discern the evil, and the false, and the slanderers who would fain slay their neighbours by wrongdoing. [ii., 43-] These are they that cause trouble, and observe words of vanity, and make snares for themselves by the words of their lips. Those that do thus put far away,” lest they destroy the Church of God. But if they turn and repent, and forsake their wickedness, and do good, let them be received that they ma enter into the Church, for they have received the Body or Christ. If a man be born having in his members aught superfluous, will he not cut off that which is superfluous in his members, that it be not a shame unto him? In like manner, ye shepherds of the sheep, drive out from the Church of God the ungodly and unbelieving; for it is a shame if there are with you those that believe not in the name of Jesus Christ. Cut them off entirely from the Church; ye are truly members of Christ and sons of the Church. And if there be found in your midst a superfluous member, who hath thoughts of evil, and goeth to and fro among you with murder, and slander, and blasphemy—he that doeth thus hath accomplished all the devices of Satan, and hath blasphemed against the Church. Let those that do thus be put forth from the Church, and be requited according to their works, and entirely cut off from the people of the Lord. Behold then the Church of the Lord is beautified, for the evil member hath gone forth from her, that dwelt within her, troubling her. These are destroyers, haters of good, and lovers of wealth and vain praise, who are wise unto evil, and scatter the sheep of the flock of Jesus Christ. lii., 44.] Bishops and people ought to judge in righteousness; for our Lord saith, “If ye walk in a crooked way, I also will walk with you in a crooked way. And moreover somewhere it is said, ‘“ With a righteous man thou shalt be righteous; and with a pure man thou shalt be pure; and with the elect thou shalt be elect; and with the crooked thou shalt be crooked.” Walk, then, in the way of purity, that thou mayest find honour and favour with the Lord. Be of one heart and love one another: and let there be peace among you."- And ye, O bishops, feed the people with firmness, with one heart and in uprightness and fellowship, that ye may glorify God in one faith. Be, then, one body and one spirit:nd one faith, even as the Lord hath granted unto you, in uprightness. Let the deacon tell the bishop of all that is done, even as Christ did nothing without the Father; for there is one will of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. And when the deacon hath received ordination from the bishop, let him be an ear, and an eye, and a mouth to the bishop, and tell (him) the cares of the people as befitteth: even as Jethro told Moses the prophet and he received his word. [ii., 45.] This honour befitteth a Christian people. Let not the layman judge, nor the elders, but rather such as are set in authority in the Church. For Satan bringeth snares on the servants of God from the ungodly, and teacheth them reproaches and blasphemies. Is there not one among us of understanding that is able to judge between us in uprightness? [ii., 46.] Suffer not, then, the heathen to know the mystery of your hidden things, and accept not against yourselves the testimony of those that believe not, but keep that which has been given unto you. For it is said, “Give that which is the King’s unto the King, and that which is God’s unto God.” ” But if thou hast a debt to pay, delay not to give, saying, To my brother a believer I will pay, but to him that believeth not, I will not pay; but do as our Lord when He paid tribute. And ye, O servants of God, keep the commandments of Christ; and if ye see among the brethren a quarrel or dispute, it is right for you to give word concerning them to those that are set in authority. If they are men of evil habits, and causers of trouble, and haters of good, and such as walk not in the right way—them that are such admonish and put to shame; but when they repent, receive them. And if ye act thus, ye have made peace between brethren and saved them from sin. Ye ought to forgive and pardon the trespasses of your neighbours, even as the Lord commanded Peter, when he said unto Him, If my neighbour sin against me, how often shall I forgive him? Seven times? And Jesus said unto him, I say not unto thee, seven times, but, seventy times seven. Thus, then, the Lord willeth that His disciples should do, and that they should never let revenge dwell in their hearts, nor envy,” nor anger, nor evil desire, but that they should make peace between brethren that they may live in unity. For our Lord saith, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God.’’ [ii., 47-] Ye ought not then on the Christian Sabbath” to cause contention, but rather (to make) peace. Let judgment be given on other days. And it is right, O bishops, that presbyters and deacons should sit with you in judgment. And judge not with partiality or accepting of persons, but judge in righteousness and uprightness as servants of God. And if there be anyone that hath a suit with his fellow, let them come both of them together, and stand in the court, even as it is written in the law. Judge ye” then in righteousness and in uprightness. Take heed and quickly set them at one, and make peace between them, before the judgment of death come forth from the bishop on him that hath sinned. For with you in the court of judgment is Christ the Son of God. And if any man say, Such a one hath blasphemed against the name of God, and walketh not in the way of righteousness, let not (your) judgment be given hastily, before his fellow appear. [ii., 49.] And when they have come both of them judge between them. For the judgment which proceedeth from you leadeth unto life, and on the other hand it goeth down unto eternal condemnation. For our Lord saith, ‘Follow righteousness and uprightness. But he whose sin is manifestly known, and hath been justly brought up to judgment, shall be far from life eternal, and shall not see the glory of God, but shall be put to shame before the saints. But if ye judge wrongfully, ye shall find condemnation and shall be requited according to your works, even as God requited the two elders who spake falsely against Susanna. Beware then of speaking falsely, for he that speaketh falsely shall find great condemnation. Be not as the men who were transgressors of the law, who spake falsely against Naboth in Samaria; and as the council of the Jews who spake falsely against Stephen the first martyr. They that bear witness must needs be faithful and meek men, in whom is no anger, pure and good and faithful, worshippers of God, in whom is no evil. Such men are worthy to bear witness, (being) pure, in whom is no blemish, and their testimony is sure. But receive not the testimony of those that live not thus. And though the testimony of many false witnesses agree with one consent, hear not their words, for it is said, ‘‘Let me have no fellowship with their assembly of blood.” And moreover it is commanded in the law, ‘‘And hearken not unto a false accusation, nor sit with him that is unjust, lest thou become an unjust witness; nor join thyself with a multitude to do iniquity.’’ [ii., 50.) And if there be one who cometh before you in judgment, examine his life and (see) what his character and habits are; and (if) ye find witnesses concerning him that there is no evil in him, but that he followeth after righteousness, (being) a lover of God, and a receiver of strangers, and a lover of the poor, and a lover of the brethren; who loveth not gain, no extortioner, no drunkard, no sluggard; who putteth not forth his hand for oppression—him whose deeds are such judge in righteousness. But him that speaketh falsely against his neighbour admonish, for he is his brother’s murderer; that others, when they see, may fear, and not follow his way. And if there be one whose sin becometh manifest in judgment, admonish him and put him to shame. [ii., 51..] As we have said before, if there be one who maketh an accusation, give not judgment for the one until both of them are present together in court. But if ye give judgment for the one wrongfully, before his fellow standeth in the court of judgment, then are ye become speakers of lies, as the priests who spake falsely against Susanna in Babylon, and brought her down to the court unto a judgment of death. Howbeit Daniel the prophet saved Susanna, and brought down to the condemnation of death them that had spoken falsely against her. [ii., 53-] And ye also in like manner, if ye judge not in righteousness and uprightness, shall find condemnation, and the scourge of God shall come upon you. But if ye judge in righteousness and in uprightness, ye shall find a good reward and life eternal. Take heed, then, beloved brethren, and do good at all times, that ye may find honour before God with the holy fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of heaven in life eternal; for that is right before God. Judge, then,"” in righteousness and peace without anger, for he that provoketh his neighbour to anger without a cause, his portion shall be in Gehenna. For it is said, “Before the sun set, cool your anger, and give not place to Satan. (For let him that stole, steal no more.] And again David saith, ‘Be ye angry and sin not.” Love one another, and remove evil from your hearts, and be at peace amongst yourselves. Hear, then, what our Master and our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ saith in the! Gospel, ‘‘When thou bringest thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath wherewith to reproach thee, leave there thy offering before the altar, and go, first be reconciled with thy brother, and then, returning, offer thy gift." The sacrifice of God is a meek spirit and a humble heart, prayer and thanksgiving; but if thou provokest thy neighbour to anger, and grievest his heart, God will not receive thy sacrifice and thy prayer. Ye, beloved brethren, ought at all times to pray and make supplication, and utter your supplication to God, that He may remove from you indignation and anger. Praise the lord continually at every season, and make mention of His name (which is) Most high, that He may remove from you hatred, and anger, and revenge, that ye may be able to pray with a pure heart wherein is no defilement; for the Lord hath commanded us to love our enemies, and much more our friends. And again it is said, “‘ Hate not any man, but some of them admonish, and some of them teach.” Neither hate thou thy brother with thy whole heart, nor hear an accusation against him, nor find” occasion of stumbling because of him. And persecute not the stranger that dwelleth with thee, for thou wast a stranger in the land of Egypt; and hate not an Edomite, for he is thy brother. And David also saith, “If I have requited them that requited me evil, let mine enemies cause me to fall down naked.’’

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 THE MARTYRS WHO ARE BROUGHT TO TRIAL AND AFFLICTED WITH SORE PUNISHMENT. [OF THE FEASTS OF THE PASSOVER.]! [v., 1.] If there be any Christian who hath been brought before the judgment-seat of the ungodly, whether for execution, or banishment, or imprisonment, or that he may be given to the wild beasts for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and for the true faith and the love of God, turn not your face from them, but send them sustenance of your substance and of the sweat of your brow; and give sustenance besides to the soldiers who guard them, that they may not afflict them with sore torment. And spurn not a Christian your brother whom they have dragged before the judgment-seat for the name of the Lord our God. He is a holy martyr, the brother of our Lord, and the son of the Most High, and the habitation of the Holy Spirit. He is a faithful (witness) who hath kept the commandment of the Gospel and inherited the crown of life, and is a martyr for the sake of the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of His precious blood. Wherefore, ye faithful, with your labour and with your substance do service to the saints, and let such as have no money fast for their sakes, and let such as have give a portion of their substance to the saints. And if there be anyone who giveth all his substance as a ransom for them to save them, he is blessed and a friend of Christ. If there be anyone who giveth his substance to the poor, he is elect and holy; much more then he who freely giveth his substance for the martyrs’ sake. He is one that hath fulfilled the will of God, and hath imitated the saints who confessed our Lord before Gentiles and kings and the people of Israel. For it is said, “ Whosoever shall confess me in the presence of men, him will I also confess in the presence of my Father who is in heaven.” Christ, then, shall bear witness before the Father to those who do thus. And as for you, it is not right that ye should be negligent and ashamed to go to the prison and visit the prisoners. Help them rather, and comfort them, and if ye do this, ye shall be reckoned with the martyrs. For as for them their witness is written, because they have suffered and been afflicted: and ye also have been reckoned with them, because ye have done them service with a ready heart and a good ministry without sloth. And of these our Lord saith, “Come unto me, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you before the world (was): for IT was hungry, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me to drink: I was a stranger, and ye received me: I was naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye spake unto me. And then shall the righteous answer and say, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and gave thee meat or thirsty, and gave thee to drink and when saw we thee a stranger, and received thee or naked, and clothed thee or sick, (and) visited thee or in prison, and spake unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye did unto one of these little ones, ye did unto me. And then he shall say to those on his left hand, Depart, ye cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for Satan and for his angels: for I was hungry, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me not to drink: I was a stranger, and ye received me not: I was naked, and ye clothed me not: I was sick, and ye visited me not: I was in prison, and ye spake not unto me. Then shall those on the left hand answer, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? And then shall the King answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye did not to one of these little ones, ve did not to me. And these shall go away into eternal condemnation, but the righteous into eternal life.” [v., 2.] If there be anyone who saith, I am a Christian; and doeth evil, committeth fornication, and is impure; and they pass on him the sentence of death, from such a man keep far away. Christians ought not to transgress the law or break (it) by evil doing, but rather (ought) to turn aside from the ungodly and unbelieving and have no fellowship with them. But as for those whom the ungodly have imprisoned, or banished, or bound, or delivered up to death for Christ’s name’s sake, take heed to save your brethren and your fellow-members from the hands of the ungodly. And if there be a Christian who hath toiled for their sakes, blessed is he, for he shall be reckoned with the martyrs, because he hath suffered for Christ’s sake. And on us too in like manner came suffering and affliction from Caiaphas, and those with Alexander, and Annas the high-priest, and afterwards we went out from them rejoicing that we were worthy to endure the sufferings of Christ. In like manner do ye also endure patiently and rejoice concerning suffering, that ye may be blessed in that day. [v., 3.] But as for those who are persecuted for the sake of the faith, and go forth from city to city for the sake of the commandment of the Gospel of our Lord, receive them and give them rest and shelter with you as martyrs, rejoicing that ye are companions with them. Understand then that they are blessed of the Lord. For our Lord saith, “Blessed are ye when they revile you, and mock you, and speak all (manner of) evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven for so persecuted they the prophets who were before you.” And again He saith, “If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you also.” And again He saith, “If they persecute you in this city, flee ye to the next. And, “In this world ye shall be sad and troubled,” for, “they shall deliver you up to the synagogue and their judges shall scourge you, and they shall bring you before rulers and Kings for my sake for a testimony ’’; and, “He who patiently endureth to the end, shall be saved.’’! He who is persecuted for Christ’s name’s sake, and by patient endurance becometh a martyr is in truth a man of God. [v., 4.] But he who consorteth with the ungodly, and hath denied Christ lest the unbelievers should hate him and loveth himself more than his Lord, in whose hand his breath is, is hated and despised and tormented of God, because he hath preferred the love of man, and hath become a hater of God, and taken part with the accursed, and not with the Saints. Instead of the Kingdom prepared for the blessed he hath chosen for himself the eternal fire of Gehenna prepared for Satan and his angels. And concerning such a one our Lord answered, and said, “ Whosoever denieth me in the presence of men, him will I also deny in the presence of my Father who is in heaven.” And again, He hath commanded, saying, “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth his son or his daughter more than me is not worthy of me: and he that taketh not up his cross, and followeth not after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life, let him lose it, and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. What doth it profit a man if he have gained the whole world and lost his life and what would he not give as a ransom for his life?” And again He saith, “ Fear not them that kill your bodies, but are not able to kill your souls; but fear him who is able to destroy soul and body in Gehenna.”! [v., 5-] For it is right that he who hath learned a craft should teach others, and if he teach not others he is not perfect as his master. Jesus Christ is our Saviour and our Master. How then shall we not love doctrine and admonition? For our Lord hated haughtiness, and pride, and luxury, and riches, and covetousness, and revenge; and moreover He lightly esteemed ” sister and mother for love of His Father and love of man. And again, He patiently endured suffering, and stripes, and reproach, and reviling, and mockery, and yet more He was wounded on the Cross to save all those who believe in Him. And if He patiently endured all this, and disdained not to be crucified on the Cross and patiently endured the sufferings of death, how then shall not we endure the sufferings of our Saviour? But if he suffered willingly for our sakes, yet we do not (suffer) for His sake, but rather hope for His mercy. But there is nothing which He desireth to receive from us, but only a belief in the right faith. v., 6.) Wherefore let us lightly esteem our parents, and our kinsfolk, and our friends, and our wives, and our children, and all the good things of this world. And if we love these, we shall not keep this commandment. However let us take heed that we enter not into temptation; and when we are called to (bear) witness, let us hold fast our faith in the precious name of our Saviour. Let us rejoice and patiently. endure, when we are persecuted, that we may inherit life eternal. Let us, then, not love honour and praise as the people of the Jews who rejected the miracles of Christ, and believed not on Him, because they feared the chief priests; but preferred praise from men, and not Nile from God. But we have believed in the right faith, that we may instruct the new (converts) who have received baptism, and may confirm the hearts of the catechumens. But if we keep the faith in our hearts, and speak not out boldly unto men through fear of condemnation and affliction, we shall forfeit life eternal; and (shall become) moreover a stumbling-block to others (and) a snare to many. And if we act thus we shall be requited with a twofold penalty. Let us take heed, then, lest we fall into affliction, and pray lest we enter into temptation. For the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Let us be wise, then, lest we fall away from this right faith through fear of the ungodly and unbelievers, for our years are but few. And if there be any one that abandons his hope in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, all his life long he shall be afflicted with suffering that hath no remedy, and with wrath that weakeneth the limbs and breaketh the bones, and hereafter he shall lose life eternal, and be punished in the fire of Gehenna, and in weeping and gnashing of teeth. But he who hath suffered for the Lord, and hath been a martyr, shall rejoice in God, because he hath chosen for himself the crown of the Kingdom, and his departure from this world hath been perfect in the right faith. And if a catechumen suffer and patiently endure affliction and die for Christ’s sake, his sufferings shall be to him instead of baptism, and he shall win-a good hope and life eternal. And others too who have fought a good fight, and died for Christ’s name's sake in the right faith, shall rejoice and be glad, for they have kept the admonition of their master. For He saith, “Be ye worthy as your master (is worthy).”! Our Lord Jesus Christ suffered for our sakes and patiently endured reviling and mockery, and bore the spitting of the unclean, reproach, and reviling and blows; and after this they scourged Him, and pierced Him on the Cross, and gave Him vinegar to drink (mingled) with gall, and when He had accomplished all that was written He said unto God, “ Father, behold into thy hand, I commend my soul.” And he who desireth to be a disciple, let him patiently endure sufferings and affliction, and bear stripes with a brave heart and (with) love. And if he be cast into the fire, there shall be nothing that shall touch him, even as the Three Children were saved from the furnace of fire. And everyone who hath suffered for His sake shall receive a reward, because he hath believed in one God, the Father, and Jesus Christ, the great High-priest, our teacher and the guide of our souls, and the Giver of our life; to Him be glory for ever and ever. Amen. [v., 7.] He then is the Lord God Almighty, our Saviour Jesus Christ, who shall confirm us in His faith, and raise us up with those that have fallen asleep, and who) fulfilled His will perfectly without omission. And if we be drowned in the sea, or (if) beasts and birds devour our flesh, (yet) not one hair of our heads shall perish, for the world and all that is therein are holden in His hand. Wherefore He hath taught us, saying, “By your patience, ye shall possess your souls. For at the last day every creature shall rise again, righteous men and sinners. And concerning the resurrection of the dead, and the reward of the martyrs Gabriel said unto Daniel, ‘Many of those who have fallen asleep shall rise from the dust, some shall rise to life eternal, and some shall rise in shame and contempt; but the righteous shall shine as the sun and as the bright stars.” Behold the holy Gabriel foretold and said, And the saints shall shine as the bright stars. And again he bare witness concerning them that they knew the truth and understood His holy name. For he did not say this concerning the resurrection from the dead of the martyrs alone, but concerning the resurrection of all men, whether righteous or sinners, that they may be recompensed each one according to his deeds. For the Jews say, There is no resurrection of the dead. Behold our bones are dust and our flesh dried up.’’? And to those who think this our Lord answereth, saying, Behold I will open your graves, and bring you forth therefrom, and I will put my spirit upon you, and ye shall live. Now ye shall know that I am the Lord, (even I) who speak ” and perform.” And moreover Isaiah saith, ‘‘The dead shall arise, and those that are in the graves shall live, and those that (rest) in the earth shall rejoice, for the dew that is from thee is their‘life.” He hath told us much concerning the resurrection from the dead, and (their) abode in life eternal, which is full of grace and truth, which He hath prepared for those that love Him; and (concerning) the judgment of the ungodly, their fall, shame and misery; the fire that never shall be quenched, ant the worm that sleepeth not shall come upon them. But God desireth not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should be converted and live. Behold He hath told us that Enoch and Elijah did not taste of death, and hath revealed unto us that the dead shall rise in His time. Elijah raised the widow’s son, and Elisha raised (the son of) the Shunammite. Behold we understand that the death of the righteous is not a judgment of those saints who receive it with joy. In like manner Jesus Christ the Lord of the Apostles and the Life of the faithful shall raise the dead. And so let us also toil in this world, and after a brief while we shall enter into rest, and the race of Adam shall be renewed, and shall rise with him to life eternal. It is said, “All the dead shall hear his voice, and those that hear shall live. Wherefore we believe in the resurrection of the dead and the second coming of Christ. And moreover He who raised Lazarus from the grave on the fourth day raised from the dead both the daughter of Jairus and the widow’s son. And He Himself too rose from the dead on the third day by the will of His Father, and became.the Word of life. And He also it is who brought forth Jonah alive and unhurt from the whale’s belly on the third day, and saved the Three Children from the furnace of fire in the land of Babylon, and Daniel from the mouth of the lions. He, then, who hath authority and might will raise the dead at the last day. But if the ungodly who believe not the Holy Scriptures mock at us, behold the Sibyl their own prophetess maketh glad their hearts, and saith thus unto them, “When the flesh hath decayed, and is become dust, the fire shall consume it by the commandment of God, who waxeth not old and decayeth not; (and) God shall raise up again the bones which were burned in the fire and became ashes. Then shall God pronounce the sentence of judgment upon all the world. Such as have done evil shall descend to the depths of the earth, and those that have kept his commandment shall have eternal life, and God will give unto them the spirit of life; and those that are saved shall look one upon another.” And if they believe not in the resurrection, let them not refuse belief in () another creature. Behold that bird whose name is the phoenix will cause the ungodly to understand, who themselves say that it is alone of its kind. Of this bird they say that it lives for five hundred years, and then goes down to Egypt and brings with it cinnamon, and cassia, and aloe-wood.” And it alights on the image of the idol whose name is Ion, and looks towards the east, and worships the Sun, and then is consumed and turned to ashes. Then there comes forth from the ashes a small worm and it becomes a young phoenix, and, when it is grown, it returns to the land of Arabia.“ If then they know of the resurrection “ of this bird, how can they question with us of that which we say and believe? Cannot He who created man out of nothing raise the dead by His great power? Wherefore it is right that we should patiently endure the various sufferings and afflictions that come upon us. But if we believe not in the resurrection of the dead, our suffering and our affliction is in vain. We believe in what Moses saith, “In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth.” There was not one thing that He needed, (and) knowing that all things are created by His Word, it was His pleasure that there should be heaven and earth, and light and darkness, and night, (and) day, and the stars, and birds, and whales, and beasts, and creeping things, and trees, and herbs. Thus He raised them up by His will, and needed no other helper. He it is who is able by His power to renew the world again and to raise the dead. Man, however, was not created first, but He created him from the four elements, and gave him a soul. And in like manner He will give back to this (soul) the body of flesh that is dissolved. For the resurrection is for those that have fallen asleep and not for those that have not been created. For He created (it) from what was fleshless, and put within it many marvels. And again He will raise up and save those that have fallen asleep, as He created flesh out of seed in the womb. As Jeremiah the prophet saith, “Before I created thee in the womb, I knew thee.” And again it is said, “I am the Lord who created the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth, and I create the soul in man.” Even as the Scripture saith concerning this, God the Father said to his only-begotten Son Jesus Christ, “Let us make man in our image and in our likeness. And then God created them male and female.”! And furthermore the holy victor Job saith thus—he of whom the Scripture saith that ‘‘he will rise with those whom the Lord raises.” ‘Thou hast milked me like milk, and curdled me like cheese; thou hast clothed me with flesh and skin, and hast bound my bones with sinews; and thou hast shown me compassion and mercy, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit. I know this that is with thee, that thou canst do all things and that there is nothing that is impossible with thee.” And again, David, the lover of God, saith, ‘Thy hands have made me and fashioned me; give me understanding, and I will learn thy commandment.” And elsewhere he saith, ‘‘Thou hast created me and laid thy hand upon me. Marvellous is thy work, and (that) my soul knoweth right well. And my bones were not hidden from thee, which thou didst make in secret, nor my substance, (which was) beneath the earth. And that which I have done, thine eyes have seen, and all is written in thy book. Isaiah also saith, “We are the clay and thou hast created us." If, then, men are God’s creation, made by Christ, they shall be raised with Christ, and those that have done His will shall receive honour and the crown of life. Thus the ungodly and unbelieving, who have not received baptism and believe not in the resurrection, shall be condemned to eternal punishment, but those that have done good shall shine like the stars of light. For David saith, ‘The Lord is faithful in all his words and righteous in all his works.” He who created for Himself a body of a virgin (and) who is the Creator of the whole world is the only one who hath risen from the dead, and moreover He will make all the dead to rise. He who maketh the grain of wheat to shoot from the earth, and multiplieth its fruit; “and (who) is able to make shoot forth again the tree that is hewn down, and to multiply its branches; and (who) made Aaron’s dry rod to blossom, is able also in like manner to raise us up with Him in the glory wherewith He ascended. He who made straight the feet of the lame, and cured the palsied, and healed the man whose hand was withered; He who spat on the ground and made clay and anointed the eyes of the man who was born blind; He who healed the wasted limbs, shall He not be able to raise us up also? He who satisfied the souls of five thousand men with five barley loaves and two fishes —and they took up of what was left twelve baskets full —and (who) made water wine; who sent Peter, and he took a penny from the fish’s mouth. He it is who will raise the dead. Behold we are His witnesses concerning everything which the prophets proclaimed concerning Him. We, His companions, ate and drank with Him, and saw His miracles and His life. And again, we saw His sufferings, and His agony, and His death, and His resurrection. And we heard His words, and were His friends, and abode with Him forty days. And after He rose from the dead He charged us to publish the preaching of the holy Gospel in all the world, and commanded us to baptize into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, who is the Paraclete, the Spirit of truth, And when He had given this charge, He, in the flesh that He took of us, ascended into heaven to the Father who had sent Him. If ye thus believe, blessed are ye, but if ye believe not, ye are far from Him because ye have not kept His commandment.

THAT MEN OUGHT TO KEEP AND OBSERVE THE FEAST-DAYS WITH SPIRITUAL JOY. [v., 13.] Keep, then, the feast-days, beloved brethren. The first feast is the day of Christ’s Birth, on the twenty-fifth (day) of the ninth month according to the reckoning of the Hebrews, but according to the reckoning of the Egyptians on the twenty-ninth (day) of the month Tahsas, which is the fourth month. And after this celebrate the feast of the Epiphany, on which the Lord manifested the glory of His Godhead in (His) baptism by John in the River Jordan. Keep (it) in the tenth month on the sixth (day) according to the reckoning of the Hebrews, and according to the reckoning of the Egyptians on the eleventh (day) of the month Tobi, which is Ter, (that is) in the fifth month. And after this observe in purity the forty days of the Holy Fast, which teacheth us quietness and patience, fasting and prayer, which bring us near unto Christ. And this Holy Fast shall be ended on the day of the Passover, on which came Salvation. But let the beginning of your (paschal) fast be on the second day (of the week) before the Passover, [v., 14.] for on the day after the (feast of) Hosanna, on the second day (of the week) the wicked Jews, transgressors against the faith and the law, were gathered together and took counsel against the Lord in the first month... which is Miyazya, and on the third day of the week they took still further counsel, and on the fourth day of the week they at length decided to deliver Him up to death on the Cross. And Judas knew this counsel of theirs, (and) as he was a thief, forthwith Satan made him to fall through love of money, for he kept the purse and stole the money of the poor. And though he did all this, the Lord did not thrust him away, for He knew the evil of his heart. And while we were eating with Him, our Lord desired to admonish him; and behold He gave us to understand that he should betray Him. Wherefore He said, Verily, verily, I say unto you that one of you shall betray me. And we spake among ourselves, each one, saying, Lord, is it? And arose (being) one of the Twelve, for He loved me more than all the disciples, (and) I asked Him and said unto Him, Lord, who is he that shall betray thee? And our Lord told us not his name, but showed us by two signs (who it was); first, in that He said, He who dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me; and that He said in the second place, He to whom I shall give the bread, the same shall betray me. For (Judas) said unto Him, Is it I, Lord? But our Lord did not say unto him, Yea, thou; but He said unto him, Thou hast said. He did not wish to name him openly, but said unto him, It were good for that man by whose hands the Son of Man shall be delivered up, if he had not been born. And Judas, hearing this, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will betray Him unto you? And they bargained with him to give him thirty (pieces of) silver. It was the fifth day of the week on which our Lord ate the Passover with us. And Judas took the bread, and dipped his hand in the dish, and went out at night. And our Lord said unto us, The hour hath come. Behold ye shall be scattered every one, and shall leave me alone. And we said, every one of us, We will not leave thee; and I Peter said unto Him, Though they all leave Thee, yet will I not leave Thee, but will die with Thee. And He said unto me, Verily, I say unto thee, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny thrice that thou.knowest me. Behold He declared unto us this holy mystery, which is His holy Body and His precious Blood, while Judas was with us. And then our Lord went forth to the Mount of Olives, and we also went with Him, praying and singing praises, as we were wont. He withdrew a little from us, and prayed to the Father, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me, nevertheless let Thy will and not my will be done. Thus He did three times. And our eyes were heavy with sleep because of sorrow; and our Lord came to us, and said unto us, The time hath come, behold the Son of Man is betrayed into the hand of sinners. Behold Judas came, and many ungodly men with him, and he had given them as the sign whereby he should betray Him—a kiss, a sign with deceit which was full of wickedness. And when they perceived the sign which Judas had given unto them, they laid hold on Jesus, and, when they had bound (Him), led Him away to Caiaphas the High-priest, to a place where were no good men, nor holy priests, but rather an evil people and unholy priests, who were transgressors of the law. And they cease not to blaspheme against Him and revile Him, and beat Him, and spit in His face, and mock Him, and buffet Him. And they seek false witnesses against Him, who say, He speaketh blasphemy against Moses, and will destroy the Temple, and will cause the sacrifices to cease, and is an enemy of the Romans, and rebelleth against the kings, and maketh Himself a king. All this did these ‘‘many dogs and fat bulls,”' in whom was no mercy, do against Him. And at night they brought Him forth, and led Him before Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, and wrought much evil against Him, and delivered Him up to Pilate the Roman governor; and it was then the sixth day of the week. And they accused Him much in many words which it were unseemly to utter. And Pilate, the Roman governor, when he heard, believed them not, but said unto them, I have found in this man no fault for which He should die. And then they brought against Him two witnesses who uttered and spake lies against Christ. And Pilate knew that their witness agreed not. Then they changed their minds, and devised a plan by which to make Pilate afraid, and they said, This man maketh Himself a king, and forbiddeth us to do service to the king. They lied and gave a wicked judgment; they cried out and said, Crucify Him, crucify Him, that in Him might be fulfilled the word of the prophet which saith, “False witnesses have risen up against me, and what I know not, they have spoken against me. They have rewarded me evil for good.” And again it is said, ‘‘Many dogs have surrounded me, and the assembly of the wicked hath laid hold on me.”!— And when Pilate was not able to save Jesus for fear of the Jews, he took counsel to do the will of the people— for before Pilate had testified, and said, There is no fault which I have found in Him for which He should die. But the wicked Jews crucified Him on the Cross, and pierced Him—though the Romans have a law, and put no man to death, unless he be convicted in trial before the governor. But the soldiers of the guard took the Lord of Glory, and at the third hour they raised Him on the tree, and at the sixth hour they crucified Him, and gave Him vinegar and myrrh to drink, mingled with gall. They took His garments and divided them amongst themselves, and they crucified with Him two malefactors, one on His right hand, and one on His left, that it might be fulfilled which is written, saying, ‘And they cast gall into my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” And again it is said, ‘‘On my vesture they did cast lots.” And somewhere it is said, ‘He was reckoned with the transgressors.” And then there came a darkness for three hours, from the sixth hour until the ninth hour: and then the darkness departed, and the light appeared, even as it is written, saying, “It was not " day, nor night: and in the evening the light appeared.” And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, and said, ‘Elohe, elohe, lama sabqtani, which, being interpreted, meaneth, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And then He cried and said, Father, forgive them, for they do what they know not. And again He said, Father, into Thy hand I commend my soul; and then He bowed His head, and His spirit departed. And they took Him down from the Cross, and buried Him in a new tomb, and it was evening. And late on the Sabbath as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week He rose from the dead, fulfilling all that He had said unto us, before He suffered, that the Son of Man should be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. And after He rose from the dead, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene and to Mary (the mother) of James, and to the son of Cleopas in the way. And after this He appeared to us, His disciples, while we were hidden for fear of the Jews. For this is written in the Gospel. And again He commanded us to keep the holy fast of the Passover for six days because of the transgression thee, of the ungodly and the wickedness of the Jews, who were transgressors of the law. And again He commanded us to fast on the fourth and the sixth days of the week—on the fourth because (on it) the Jews completed their evil design against Him; and on the sixth, because of the sufferings of the Saviour. We ought not to fast on the Sabbath, except on the one day (the Sabbath) of the Passion; but the other Sabbaths let us honour because our Lord rested from all His work on the Sabbath day. For our Lord came, but they believed not on Him, and received not His teaching; and therefore they have missed their salvation. [v., 15.] But ye are blessed and a holy race, for ye are not as the people of old, but ye have been saved from ungodliness and idolatry.. And ye are a people of God, and to you have been opened the gates of life, though formerly ye were hateful and despised. But now being His elect and beloved (ye are) a holy people unto God, who are worthy to proclaim the wonderful works of our Saviour. For it is said, “ They have found me, who sought not after me; and was manifested to those who thought not of me.”’ And He said to the people that did not know His name, Behold I have sought you, and ye have not sought me; but ye have believed in me, and hearkened unto my Church, and have been saved from error (even from false) gods, and have followed the One God, the Father Almighty, and His Son Jesus Christ. And ye are reckoned with those who believed on me, ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands; and ye were not as Israel who believed not on me. And concerning them it is said, “All the day long I lift up my hands to a disobedient people, who neither hear, nor obey; but walk in an evil way, that is not good; for” (they are) a people who follow after sin, and provoke me to anger continually.” [v., 16.] Behold, then, ye have seen that they have transgressed against the Lord, and believed not on Him. Wherefore it is said, “These did provoke the Holy Spirit to anger,” (and) their heart was blinded, and punishment was increased upon them for the wickedness of their imagination. For they said, We believe in Christ, but they believed not that He was the Lord God, who was begotten of the Father before the Creation, the only-begotten Son, the Word of the Father. But they being lacking in faith knew Him not, and understood not the prophecies of the prophets that were written concerning Him, that Christ should be borne of a virgin, though they read and heard what He saith, Behold a virgin shall conceive, and shall bring forth a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel. for unto us a child was born: unto us a son was given, and the government was upon his shoulder, and his name is called Great in counsel, and the Angel of peace; for I will bring peace to the rulers, and life is his, and great is his beginning and of his peace there is no end.” And because of the wickedness of their doings which was without end (they believed not). Wherefore, it is said, ‘“‘Lord, who believed our word and to whom hath thine arm been revealed?’ And again it is said, “Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand: and seeing ye shall see, and shall not know, for the heart of this people is darkened.” Wherefore wisdom was hidden from them, because, when they saw, they knew not; and when they heard, they understood not.. But ye are Gentiles, and to you hath been given the kingdom, though formerly ye knew not God, but now ye know Him by a right faith and the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ our Saviour, the Giver of life to all who hope in, Him. Behold ye have abandoned the worship of idols that have no life, and have despised unclean sacrifices, and turned away from the rulers of darkness. Wherefore ye have entered into the true light through our Lord Jesus Christ, and by Him ye have known the One true God, the Father, and have been made inheritors of His kingdom, for ye have been baptized into His death and His resurrection. Ye must needs, then, be as new-born babes that have no evil in their hearts. Put away sin from you, for He hath redeemed you with His precious blood, that ye should worship the living God. In those days the Lord spake concerning Israel in the case of those that believed not: ‘The kingdom of heaven shall be taken from them, and given to a nation that doeth righteousness.” But be ye zealous to bring forth the fruit of sound wisdom, for you He sent of old to His vineyard. And they hearkened not unto you, but hardened their hearts, and rose up against the keepers of the Lord’s vineyard, and laid hold on them. One they a killed, and one they stoned with stones, and one they slew with the sword, and one they sawed asunder, and one they killed in the temple. And the Heir also they killed and rejected Him, and stoned Him [with the stone which the builders rejected]. And concerning you it is said, “‘A people whom I knew not, hath served me, and at the hearing of the ear have they obeyed me.’?!

THAT MEN OUGHT TO KEEP AND OBSERVE THE FEAST-DAYS WITH SPIRITUAL JOY. [v., 13.] Keep, then, the feast-days, beloved brethren. The first feast is the day of Christ’s Birth, on the twenty-fifth (day) of the ninth month according to the reckoning of the Hebrews, but according to the reckoning of the Egyptians on the twenty-ninth (day) of the month Tahsas, which is the fourth month. And after this celebrate the feast of the Epiphany, on which the Lord manifested the glory of His Godhead in (His) baptism by John in the River Jordan. Keep (it) in the tenth month on the sixth (day) according to the reckoning of the Hebrews, and according to the reckoning of the Egyptians on the eleventh (day) of the month Tobi, which is Ter, (that is) in the fifth month. And after this observe in purity the forty days of the Holy Fast, which teacheth us quietness and patience, fasting and prayer, which bring us near unto Christ. And this Holy Fast shall be ended on the day of the Passover, on which came Salvation. But let the beginning of your (paschal) fast be on the second day (of the week) before the Passover, [v., 14.] for on the day after the (feast of) Hosanna, on the second day (of the week) the wicked Jews, transgressors against the faith and the law, were gathered together and took counsel against the Lord in the first month... which is Miyazya, and on the third day of the week they took still further counsel, and on the fourth day of the week they at length decided to deliver Him up to death on the Cross. And Judas knew this counsel of theirs, (and) as he was a thief, forthwith Satan made him to fall through love of money, for he kept the purse and stole the money of the poor. And though he did all this, the Lord did not thrust him away, for He knew the evil of his heart. And while we were eating with Him, our Lord desired to admonish him; and behold He gave us to understand that he should betray Him. Wherefore He said, Verily, verily, I say unto you that one of you shall betray me. And we spake among ourselves, each one, saying, Lord, is it? And arose (being) one of the Twelve, for He loved me more than all the disciples, (and) I asked Him and said unto Him, Lord, who is he that shall betray thee? And our Lord told us not his name, but showed us by two signs (who it was); first, in that He said, He who dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me; and that He said in the second place, He to whom I shall give the bread, the same shall betray me. For (Judas) said unto Him, Is it I, Lord? But our Lord did not say unto him, Yea, thou; but He said unto him, Thou hast said. He did not wish to name him openly, but said unto him, It were good for that man by whose hands the Son of Man shall be delivered up, if he had not been born. And Judas, hearing this, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will betray Him unto you? And they bargained with him to give him thirty (pieces of) silver. It was the fifth day of the week on which our Lord ate the Passover with us. And Judas took the bread, and dipped his hand in the dish, and went out at night. And our Lord said unto us, The hour hath come. Behold ye shall be scattered every one, and shall leave me alone. And we said, every one of us, We will not leave thee; and I Peter said unto Him, Though they all leave Thee, yet will I not leave Thee, but will die with Thee. And He said unto me, Verily, I say unto thee, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny thrice that thou.knowest me. Behold He declared unto us this holy mystery, which is His holy Body and His precious Blood, while Judas was with us. And then our Lord went forth to the Mount of Olives, and we also went with Him, praying and singing praises, as we were wont. He withdrew a little from us, and prayed to the Father, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me, nevertheless let Thy will and not my will be done. Thus He did three times. And our eyes were heavy with sleep because of sorrow; and our Lord came to us, and said unto us, The time hath come, behold the Son of Man is betrayed into the hand of sinners. Behold Judas came, and many ungodly men with him, and he had given them as the sign whereby he should betray Him—a kiss, a sign with deceit which was full of wickedness. And when they perceived the sign which Judas had given unto them, they laid hold on Jesus, and, when they had bound (Him), led Him away to Caiaphas the High-priest, to a place where were no good men, nor holy priests, but rather an evil people and unholy priests, who were transgressors of the law. And they cease not to blaspheme against Him and revile Him, and beat Him, and spit in His face, and mock Him, and buffet Him. And they seek false witnesses against Him, who say, He speaketh blasphemy against Moses, and will destroy the Temple, and will cause the sacrifices to cease, and is an enemy of the Romans, and rebelleth against the kings, and maketh Himself a king. All this did these ‘‘many dogs and fat bulls,”' in whom was no mercy, do against Him. And at night they brought Him forth, and led Him before Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, and wrought much evil against Him, and delivered Him up to Pilate the Roman governor; and it was then the sixth day of the week. And they accused Him much in many words which it were unseemly to utter. And Pilate, the Roman governor, when he heard, believed them not, but said unto them, I have found in this man no fault for which He should die. And then they brought against Him two witnesses who uttered and spake lies against Christ. And Pilate knew that their witness agreed not. Then they changed their minds, and devised a plan by which to make Pilate afraid, and they said, This man maketh Himself a king, and forbiddeth us to do service to the king. They lied and gave a wicked judgment; they cried out and said, Crucify Him, crucify Him, that in Him might be fulfilled the word of the prophet which saith, “False witnesses have risen up against me, and what I know not, they have spoken against me. They have rewarded me evil for good.” And again it is said, ‘‘Many dogs have surrounded me, and the assembly of the wicked hath laid hold on me.”!— And when Pilate was not able to save Jesus for fear of the Jews, he took counsel to do the will of the people— for before Pilate had testified, and said, There is no fault which I have found in Him for which He should die. But the wicked Jews crucified Him on the Cross, and pierced Him—though the Romans have a law, and put no man to death, unless he be convicted in trial before the governor. But the soldiers of the guard took the Lord of Glory, and at the third hour they raised Him on the tree, and at the sixth hour they crucified Him, and gave Him vinegar and myrrh to drink, mingled with gall. They took His garments and divided them amongst themselves, and they crucified with Him two malefactors, one on His right hand, and one on His left, that it might be fulfilled which is written, saying, ‘And they cast gall into my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” And again it is said, ‘‘On my vesture they did cast lots.” And somewhere it is said, ‘He was reckoned with the transgressors.” And then there came a darkness for three hours, from the sixth hour until the ninth hour: and then the darkness departed, and the light appeared, even as it is written, saying, “It was not " day, nor night: and in the evening the light appeared.” And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, and said, ‘Elohe, elohe, lama sabqtani, which, being interpreted, meaneth, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And then He cried and said, Father, forgive them, for they do what they know not. And again He said, Father, into Thy hand I commend my soul; and then He bowed His head, and His spirit departed. And they took Him down from the Cross, and buried Him in a new tomb, and it was evening. And late on the Sabbath as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week He rose from the dead, fulfilling all that He had said unto us, before He suffered, that the Son of Man should be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. And after He rose from the dead, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene and to Mary (the mother) of James, and to the son of Cleopas in the way. And after this He appeared to us, His disciples, while we were hidden for fear of the Jews. For this is written in the Gospel. And again He commanded us to keep the holy fast of the Passover for six days because of the transgression thee, of the ungodly and the wickedness of the Jews, who were transgressors of the law. And again He commanded us to fast on the fourth and the sixth days of the week—on the fourth because (on it) the Jews completed their evil design against Him; and on the sixth, because of the sufferings of the Saviour. We ought not to fast on the Sabbath, except on the one day (the Sabbath) of the Passion; but the other Sabbaths let us honour because our Lord rested from all His work on the Sabbath day. For our Lord came, but they believed not on Him, and received not His teaching; and therefore they have missed their salvation. [v., 15.] But ye are blessed and a holy race, for ye are not as the people of old, but ye have been saved from ungodliness and idolatry.. And ye are a people of God, and to you have been opened the gates of life, though formerly ye were hateful and despised. But now being His elect and beloved (ye are) a holy people unto God, who are worthy to proclaim the wonderful works of our Saviour. For it is said, “ They have found me, who sought not after me; and was manifested to those who thought not of me.”’ And He said to the people that did not know His name, Behold I have sought you, and ye have not sought me; but ye have believed in me, and hearkened unto my Church, and have been saved from error (even from false) gods, and have followed the One God, the Father Almighty, and His Son Jesus Christ. And ye are reckoned with those who believed on me, ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands; and ye were not as Israel who believed not on me. And concerning them it is said, “All the day long I lift up my hands to a disobedient people, who neither hear, nor obey; but walk in an evil way, that is not good; for” (they are) a people who follow after sin, and provoke me to anger continually.” [v., 16.] Behold, then, ye have seen that they have transgressed against the Lord, and believed not on Him. Wherefore it is said, “These did provoke the Holy Spirit to anger,” (and) their heart was blinded, and punishment was increased upon them for the wickedness of their imagination. For they said, We believe in Christ, but they believed not that He was the Lord God, who was begotten of the Father before the Creation, the only-begotten Son, the Word of the Father. But they being lacking in faith knew Him not, and understood not the prophecies of the prophets that were written concerning Him, that Christ should be borne of a virgin, though they read and heard what He saith, Behold a virgin shall conceive, and shall bring forth a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel. for unto us a child was born: unto us a son was given, and the government was upon his shoulder, and his name is called Great in counsel, and the Angel of peace; for I will bring peace to the rulers, and life is his, and great is his beginning and of his peace there is no end.” And because of the wickedness of their doings which was without end (they believed not). Wherefore, it is said, ‘“‘Lord, who believed our word and to whom hath thine arm been revealed?’ And again it is said, “Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand: and seeing ye shall see, and shall not know, for the heart of this people is darkened.” Wherefore wisdom was hidden from them, because, when they saw, they knew not; and when they heard, they understood not.. But ye are Gentiles, and to you hath been given the kingdom, though formerly ye knew not God, but now ye know Him by a right faith and the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ our Saviour, the Giver of life to all who hope in, Him. Behold ye have abandoned the worship of idols that have no life, and have despised unclean sacrifices, and turned away from the rulers of darkness. Wherefore ye have entered into the true light through our Lord Jesus Christ, and by Him ye have known the One true God, the Father, and have been made inheritors of His kingdom, for ye have been baptized into His death and His resurrection. Ye must needs, then, be as new-born babes that have no evil in their hearts. Put away sin from you, for He hath redeemed you with His precious blood, that ye should worship the living God. In those days the Lord spake concerning Israel in the case of those that believed not: ‘The kingdom of heaven shall be taken from them, and given to a nation that doeth righteousness.” But be ye zealous to bring forth the fruit of sound wisdom, for you He sent of old to His vineyard. And they hearkened not unto you, but hardened their hearts, and rose up against the keepers of the Lord’s vineyard, and laid hold on them. One they a killed, and one they stoned with stones, and one they slew with the sword, and one they sawed asunder, and one they killed in the temple. And the Heir also they killed and rejected Him, and stoned Him [with the stone which the builders rejected]. And concerning you it is said, “‘A people whom I knew not, hath served me, and at the hearing of the ear have they obeyed me.’?!

THAT WE CHRISTIANS OUGHT TO UNDERSTAND TO OBSERVE THE PASCHAL SEASON AND NOT KEEP IT IN ERROR ON ANY OTHER DAYS, BUT IN THE WEEK IN WHICH THE PASSOVER COMES ON THE FOURTEENTH DAY (OF THE MONTH). [v., 17.] Ye, beloved brethren, who have been bought with the precious blood of Christ, ought to keep the feast of the holy Passover with all exactness and understanding. For day and night are equal on the twenty-fifth (day) of the month Magabit. Make your reckoning sure, for our Lord did not suffer twice in one year. Do you also take heed to keep the memorial of His sufferings once only every year. For our sakes He died, and (therefore) consent not to keep the feast along with the Jews, for there is no love between us and them. [or they in folly have erred in their reckoning, though they think they are exact. Wherefore they are dishonoured in all the earth, and have departed from the truth. But do you take heed to the reckoning of the day on the twenty-fifth (day) of Magabit, which is the twenty-second (day) of the month Magabit according to the reckoning of the Hebrews, and observe this reckoning until the twenty-first (day). And further make no mistake in the reckoning of the Passover, lest it be celebrated before the (festival of) Hosanna, that the Passover may not fall twice in one year through inaccurate reckoning. But let the holy day of the resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ be celebrated on the holy Christian Sabbath. (v., 18.) And further let the fast of the holy Passover be from the second day of the week until the first Sabbath, the vigil of the Passover. And in the week of the Passion cat nothing except bread, and water and salt. Abstain on these days of the Fast from eating flesh and drinking wine, for they are days of mourning and sorrow. Above all in these six days, if any one be able to fast, let him patiently endure for two days; but if he be not able, let him fast on one day, and keep himself from evil-doing. For our Lord saith, “The sons of the bridegroom cannot fast so long as the bridegroom is with them, but days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken from them; then shall they fast.’ [v., 19.] For in these six days the Jews took our Lord from us, and crucified Him on the Cross, and reckoned Him with the transgressors. Wherefore we command you to fast, even as we ourselves have done since He ascended into heaven. And as for the other days, let them fast on the fourth and sixth days of the week until the ninth hour, and whoso wisheth let him fast till the sun set. And keep vigil at night until the cock crow, being: gathered together in the church for praise and prayer, (and) reading the Law, and the prophets, and the psalms of David. And after ye have baptized (the catechumens), read the Gospel with fear and trembling, and teach the people things tending to profit and the salvation of their souls; and pray ye to God that Israel may turn to repentance, and be saved from ungodliness. For the Governor washed his hands, and said, “I am innocent of the blood of this just man,” but (they of) Israel cried out, and said, “His blood be on us, and on our children.” Then Pilate said unto them, “Shall I crucify your king? And they answered, and said, we have no king but Caesar: crucify him, crucify him, for everyone that maketh himself a king is a rebel against Caesar. And they answered, and said, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar’s friend.” Pilate the governor and Herod the King commanded that He should be crucified, that it might be fulfilled which was written, saying, ‘“ Why have the nations raged, and the peoples spoken vain things? The kings of the earth have risen up, and the rulers also have assembled together against the Lord and against his anointed.” And again it is said, “ And they have cast away their brother as an unclean corpse.”! Then they crucified Him on the sixth day of the week and He rose again on the Sabbath day. The Scripture was fulfilled which saith, “Arise, O God, and judge the earth, for thou shalt have inheritance among all the nations.” " And moreover it is said, “Now will I arise, saith the Lord, and will appoint salvation, and deal boldly in him.” And again it is said, ‘Arise, O Lord, in thine anger, and be thou exalted above mine enemies.” And moreover it is said, ‘Render to them their recompense upon their heads.”. And for this cause offer ye also your sacrifice as the Lord hath commanded you. For He said, “Thus do ye in remembrance of me.” Finish the fast, then, with joy and gladness, and keep the feast, for our Lord Jesus Christ hath risen from the dead, and His resurrection hath given us hope. Let this ordinance be unto you a law for ever until He come again in glory. For the Jews have not believed in the resurrection of our Saviour, but we Christians believe in His resurrection, for all who hope in His holy resurrection shall find life eternal. [v., 20.) Keep, then, a feast on the eighth day, for on it the Lord appeared. Thomas said, To me also He appeared, and made me glad, (shewing me) the marks in His hands and His feet, and the wound in His holy side. Though before was faithless, and believed not in His resurrection, He shewed me openly the wound in His right side. On the fortieth day keep a feast, for on it He finished all (His) dispensation and ascended into heaven to the Father who had raised Him (from the dead), and He sat down on the right hand of power, and subjected His enemies under the footstool of His feet; and He shall come again in glory and great power to judge the living and the dead, and He shall render to everyone according to his works. And behold the Jews who crucified Him shall see the beloved Son of God. For even until now the Jews are gathered together on the tenth (day) of the ninth month, reading the Lamentations of Jeremiah the prophet (where it is said) “The spirit of our life, Jesus Christ they have taken from us, and have afflicted him.” And moreover they read what Baruch wrote, “This is our God; there is none other that is like unto him. He found every way of life, and gave it to Jacob his servant and to Israel his beloved. And after this he walked upon the earth.” And as they read this, they weep and mourn. And thus they do, making it seem a mourning for the desolation which Nebuchadnezzar wrought, and pretending it is the truth. And ten days after He ascended (was) the fulfilment of Pentecost, for on that day at the third hour Jesus Christ sent unto us the Paraclete, and filled us with His power, and we spake with new tongues, (declaring) that Jesus Christ is the Messiah of God, who hath authority to judge the living and the dead. And concerning Him Moses bare witness, and said, The Lord our God took fire, and caused it to come down as rain.” And in like manner Jacob saw Him in the likeness of a man, and said, “I have seen the Lord our God face to face, and my life is preserved.” And Abraham also received Him as a stranger and believed that He was God. This is the chief of the hosts of the armies of God whom Joshua the son of Nun saw; and moreover as a strong man in armour He helped him by Jericho, and then Joshua did reverence to Him as a servant doth to his lord. And again, this is He of whom Samuel the prophet knew that He was Christ the Anointed of God. And further priests and kings called Him the Anointed. And again, He it was whom David knew, and spake with fear (concerning) the glory of the Beloved. ‘My heart hath uttered a good word and I have made known my work to the king; my tongue is as the pen of a scribe that writeth speedily. His beauty is fairer than the sons of men, grace hath been poured forth from his lips; therefore God hath blessed thee for ever. Gird thee with thy sword upon thy thigh, O mighty one, in thy beauty and thy comeliness. Advance, prosper and reign, because of righteousness, and uprightness, and meekness, and the glory of thy right hand shall lead thee. Thy arrows are sharp, O mighty one—the peoples shall fall under thee—in the heart of the king’s enemies. Thy throne, O Lord, is for ever and ever, a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy Kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity; therefore the Lord thy God hath anointed (thee) with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.” And concerning Him Solomon saith, ‘“‘The Lord created me in the beginning of his way for his works, before the world be founded me, in the beginning before he made the earth, and before he -made the abysses, and before the fountains of water issued forth, and before he set in order the mountains; before all the hills he begat me.” And moreover Isaiah the prophet saith, “A rod shall come forth from the root of Jesse, and a flower shall ascend from its stock, and shall be set as a ruler of the nations.” And again, Solomon saith, “Wisdom hath built herself a house.” And moreover, Zechariah saith, “Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion, and publish (it), daughter of Jerusalem; behold thy King cometh; he is righteous and bringeth salvation, and is meek, and rideth on an ass, and on the foal of an ass.”! And moreover, Daniel saith, ‘‘The Son of man came to the ancient of days. He then is the stone (that) came down from the mountain, (cut out) without hands."; We also declare (and) proclaim unto you that He is the Word of God that was before the world, and moreover is equal with Him in everything. Believe in Him that ye may find life eternal; but if ye believe not in Him, ye shall find condemnation. He who believeth not on the Son shall not see life eternal, and the wrath of God abideth on him. And after the feast of Pentecost keep a feast for seven days, and then fast; for we ought to rejoice and be glad because He hath granted us that we should receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Moses and Elijah fasted for forty days. And Daniel also fasted for three weeks, and ate no pleasant food, nor did flesh and wine enter into his mouth. And the blessed Hannah, when she made supplication to God to grant her a son [Samuel], said, “I have not drunk wine to be drunken, but my heart was strong in the Lord.” And the men of Nineveh fasted for three days and three nights. Esther, and Mordecai, and Judith were saved by fasting from the wicked Holofernes and from Haman. And David also saith, ‘My knees are weak through fasting, and my flesh is dried for want of oil.” Do ye also fast and ask of Him pardon of sin. And fast besides. on the fourth and sixth days of the week, giving alms to the poor; and honour the Sabbath being gathered together in the church with joy and gladness; and on the other Sabbaths fast not, but only on one day, the vigil of the Passover. And if there be anyone who fasteth on the Christian Sabbath which is (the day of) His holy resurrection, or at Pentecost, (that is) until the feast of Pentecost —they who do thus, and mourn on the feasts of the Lord, have no remission of sin. Do ye keep on them a spiritual feast, and never appear sad.

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.

Concerning the prayer which is said over the water. When the priest standeth over the water, let him pray thus, saying, O Lord our God, the Almighty, Father of Thine only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ, I give Thee thanks for that thou didst send Thine only-begotten Son, and He hath saved the whole world, and He heareth all who make supplication unto Him, and proclaimeth concerning the Kingdom of heaven, and remission of sins, and the resurrection of the dead. I glorify Thee, and give Thee thanks, and praise Thee that Thou didst patiently endure the sufferings of death on the cross for all; Who hast given us baptism, which is the new birth. I glorify Thee, O God the Father, God alone, in the name of Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit that Thou the Doer of all wonders hast not rejected mankind; Who didst create Adam and set him in the garden, and when he transgressed Thy commandment, Thou didst put him forth from the garden by Thy righteous judgment, but in Thy manifold mercy Thou didst not cast him off, but didst send Thy Son in the latter days to become man, and to endure suffering without sin. I pray to Thee and entreat Thee; look down from heaven upon this water, and sanctify it by Thy power, that all they who are baptized thereby according to Christ's command may be together with Him partakers in His crucifixion, and death, and His resurrection, and His ascension into heaven, that Thou mayest save them from the death of sin, and that they may live in righteousness. And after this let him baptize into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and anoint with the oil of balsam, and say:

But because in the midst of the assembly of the people [there are], more and more, many carnal desires, and the labourers are feeble and few, only My perfect labourers shall know the multitude of My words, all also which at times I spake to you in private before I should suffer, and which ye know; ye both have them and understand them. For My mysteries are given to those who are Mine, with whom I shall rejoice and be glad with My Father. When they shall be loosed from [this] life they shall come to Me. But these remaining words, determining and appointing them, speak ye in the Churches. But from the day that My faithful ones also have the desire to know, that they may do the things of My Father, what[soever is] in this My testament, I will be with them, and will be praised among them, and I will make My habitation with them, by power informing them of the will of My Father. See that ye give not My holy things to the dogs, and cast not pearls before swine, as I have often commanded you. Give not My holy things to defiled and wicked men who do not bear My cross, and are not subject [to Me]; and My commandments shall be for derision among them. And it shall be to him that is embittered and doeth them not, but giveth My words without profit, for the destruction of their souls. But it shall be spoken and given to those who are firm and fixed, and do not fall away, who keep My commandments and this tradition, [to the end] that they, keeping these [things], may abide holy and upright and strong in Me, fleeing from the downfall of iniquity and the death of sin; the Holy Ghost [also] bestowing upon them His grace, that they may believe uprightly, that they may in the Spirit spiritually know the things of the Spirit, and in hope endure labour, and in joy serve My Gospel, and bear the reproach of My cross, not doubting but [rather] glorying; for verily I say unto you, that such as these [men] and such as these [women] shall, after death, dwell in the third order of My Father who hath sent Me.

Let him offer on Saturday three loaves for a complete symbol of the Trinity; but on the first day of the week let him offer four loaves for a complete symbol of the Gospel. Because that the ancient people erred, when he offereth let the veil in front of the door be closed, and within it let him offer with the presbyters and deacons and the canonical widows, and subdeacons and deaconesses and readers [and] those who have gifts. But let the bishop stand first in the middle, and the presbyters immediately behind him on either side, and the widows immediately behind the presbyters on the left side, and the deacons also behind the presbyters on the right hand side; the readers behind them, and the subdeacons behind the readers, and the deaconesses behind the subdeacons. Let the bishop then place his hand on those loaves which have been set on the altar, and let the presbyters place their hands together with him, and let the rest stand only. Let not the loaf of catechumens be received; not even if he have a believing son or wife and wish to offer on their behalf; let it not be offered unless he is baptized Before the bishop or presbyter offereth, let the people give the Peace to one another. Then, a great silence being made, let the deacon say thus: [Lift up] your hearts to heaven. If any man have wrath against his companion, let him be reconciled. If any man have a conscience without faith, let him confess [it]. If any man have a thought foreign to the commandments, let him depart. If any man have fallen into sin, let him not hide himself: he may not hide himself. If any man have a disordered reason, let him not draw near. If any man be defiled, if any man be not firm, let him give place. If any man be a stranger to the commandments of Jesus, let him depart. If any man despise the prophets, let him separate himself: from the wrath of the Only-begotten let him deliver himself. Let us not despise the cross. Let us flee from threatening. We have our Lord as onlooker, the Father of Lights with the Son, [and] the angels who visit [us]. See to yourselves that ye be not in anger against your neighbours. See that no man be in wrath: God seeth. [Lift] up your hearts to offer for the salvation of life and of holiness. In the wisdom of God let us receive the grace which hath been bestowed upon us. Then let the bishop say, giving and rendering thanks with an awed voice: Our Lord [be] with you. And let the people say: And with thy spirit. Let the bishop say: [Lift] up your hearts. Let the people say: They are [lifted up] unto the Lord. Let the bishop say: Let us give thanks to the Lord. And let all the people say: It is meet and right. And let the bishop cry: Holy things in holy [persons]. And let the people call out: In heaven and on earth without ceasing. Let the bishop immediately say: We render thanks to Thee, O God, the Holy One, Confirmer of our souls, and Giver of our life, the Treasure of incorruptibility, and Father of the Only-begotten, our Saviour, whom in the latter times Thou didst send to us as a Saviour and Proclaimer of Thy purpose For it is Thy purpose that we should be saved in Thee. Our heart giveth thanks unto Thee, O Lord, [our] mind, [our] soul, with all [its] thinking, that Thy grace may come upon us, O Lord, so that we may continually praise Thee, and Thy Only-begotten Son, and Thy Holy Ghost, now and alway, and for ever and ever. Amen. O Thou Power of the Father, the Grace of the nations, Knowledge, true Wisdom, the Exaltation of the meek, the Medicine of souls, the Confidence of us who believe, for Thou art the Strength of the righteous, the Hope of the persecuted, the Haven of those who are buffeted, the Uluminator of the perfect, the Son of the living God make to arise on us, out of Thy gift which cannot be searched into, courage, might, reliance, wisdom, strength, unlapsing faith, unshaken hope, the knowledge of Thy Spirit, meekness [and] uprightness, so that alway, O Lord, we Thy servants, and all the people, may praise Thee purely, may bless Thee, may give thanks unto Thee, Lord, at all times, and may beseech Thee. And also let the bishop say: Thou, Lord, the Founder of the heights, and King of the treasuries of light, Visitor of the heavenly Sion, King of the orders of archangels, of Dominions, Praises, Thrones, Raiments, Lights, Joys, Delights, the Father of kings, who holdest all in Thy hand, and suppliest [all] by Thy reason, through Thine Only-begotten Son who was crucified for our sins: Thou, Lord, didst send Thy Word, who is of Thy counsel and covenants by whom Thou madest all things, being well pleased with Him, into a virgin womb; who, when He was conceived, [and] made flesh, was shown to be Thy Son, being born of the Holy Ghost and the Virgin; who, fulfilling Thy; will, and preparing a holy people, stretched forth His hands to suffering, that He might loose from sufferings and corruption and death those who have hoped in thee; who when He was betrayed to voluntary suffering that He might raise up those who had slipped, and find those who were lost, and give life to the dead, and loose [the pains of] death, and rend the bonds of the Devil, and fulfil the counsel of the Father, and tread down Sheol, and open the way of life, and guide the righteous to light, and fix the boundary, and lighten the darkness, and nurture the babes, and reveal the resurrection; taking bread, gave it to His disciples, saying, Take, eat, this is My Body which is broken for you for the forgiveness of sins. When ye shall do this, ye make My resurrection. Also the cup of wine which He mixed He gave for a type of the Blood which he shed for us. And also let him say: Remembering therefore Thy death and resurrection, we offer to Thee bread and the cup, giving thanks to Thee who alone art God for ever, and our Saviour, since Thou hast promised to us to stand before Thee and to serve Thee in priesthood., Therefore we render thanks to Thee, we Thy servants, O Lord. And let the people say likewise. And also let [the bishop] say: We offer to Thee this thanksgiving, Eternal Trinity, O Lord Jesus Christ, O Lord the Father before whom all creation and every nature trembleth fleeing into itself, O Lord the Holy Ghost; we have brought this drink and this food of Thy Holiness [to Thee]; Cause that it may be to us not for condemnation, not for reproach, not for destruction, but for the medicine and support of our spirit. Yea, O God, grant us that by Thy Name every thought of things displeasing to Thee may flee away. Grant, O God, that every proud conception may be driven away from us by Thy Name which is written within the veils of Thy sanctuaries, those high ones—a Name which, when Sheol heareth [it], it is amazed, the depth is rent, the spirits are driven away, the dragon is bruised, unbelief is cast out, disobedience is subdued, anger is appeased, envy worketh not, pride is reproved, avarice rooted out, boasting taken away, arrogance humbled, [and] every root of bitterness destroyed. Grant therefore, O Lord, to our innermost eyes to see Thee, praising Thee and glorifying Thee, commemorating Thee [and] serving Thee, having a portion in Thee alone, O Son and Word of God, who subduest all things. Sustain unto the end those who have gifts of revelations Confirm those who have a gift of healing! Make those courageous who have the power of tongues. Keep those who have the word of doctrine upright. Care for those who do Thy will alway. Visit the widows. Help the orphans. Remember those who have fallen asleep in the faith. And grant us an inheritance with Thy saints, and bestow [upon us] the power to please Thee as they also pleased Thee. Feed the people in uprightness: sanctify us all, O God; but grant that all those who partake and receive of Thy Holy Things may be made one with Thee, so that they may be filled with the Holy Ghost, for the confirmation of the faith in truth, that they may lift up always a doxology to Thee, and to Thy beloved Son Jesus Christ, by whom praise and might [be] unto Thee, with Thy Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Let the people say: Amen. The deacon: Karnestly let us beseech our Lord and our God that He may bestow upon us concord of spirit. The bishop: Give us concord in the Holy Spirit, and heal our souls by this offering, that we may live in Thee in all the ages of ages. The people: Amen. Let the people also pray in the same [words]. After these things the seal of thanksgiving thus: Let the Name of the Lord be blessed for ever. The people: Amen. The priest: Blessed is He that hath come in the Name of the Lord. Blessed [is] the Name of His praise. And let all the people say: So be it, so be it. Let the bishop say: Send the grace of the Spirit upon us. If the bishop be polluted, let him not offer, but let a presbyter offer. Also let him not receive of the mystery, not as though he were defiled, but because of the honour of the altar. But after he hath fasted and bathed in pure water, let him approach and minister. Similarly also a presbyter. And wf also a widow be menstruous, let her not approach. Similarly if a woman or a layman or any of the company [of the clergy be polluted), let him not approach, for the honour [of the altar] except after fasting and bathing. Let the priests first receive, thus: the bishops, presbyters, deacons, widows, readers, subdeacons. After these those that have gifts, those newly baptized, babes. The people thus: old men, virgins and the rest. The women [thus]: deaconesses, and after that the rest. Let each one when he receiveth the thanksgiving say before he partaketh: Amen. After that let him pray thus; after that he receiveth the Eucharist let him say: Holy, Holy, Holy, Trinity ineffable, grant me to receive unto life this Body, [and] not unto condemnation. And grant me to bring forth the fruits that are pleasing to Thee, so that when I shall be shown to be pleasing to Thee I may live in Thee, doing Thy commandments; and [that] with boldness I may call Thee Father, when I call for Thy kingdom and Thy will [to come] to me. -May Thy Name be hallowed in me, O Lord; for Thou art mighty and [to be] praised, and to Thee be praise for ever and ever. Amen. After the prayer let him receive. When he taketh of the Cup, let him say twice Amen, for a complete symbol of the Body and Blood. After all receive, let them pray, giving and rendering thanks Sor the reception, the deacon saying: Let us give thanks unto the Lord, receiving His Holy Things, so that the reception [of them] may be for the life and salvation of our souls. Let us beg and beseech [His grace], raising a doxology to the Lord our God. After that let the bishop [say]: O Lord, Giver of light eternal, the Helmsman of souls, the Guide of saints; Give us understanding eyes which always look to Thee, and ears which hear Thee only, so that our soul may be filled with grace. Create in us a clean heart, O God; so that we may alway comprehend Thy greatness. O God, Wonderful, who lovest man, make our souls better, and, by this Eucharist which we, Thy servants, who fail in much, have [now] received, form our thoughts so that they shall not swerve: for Thy kingdom is blessed, O Lord God, [who art] glorified and praised in Father and in Son and in Holy Ghost, both before the worlds, and now, and alway, and for the ages and for ever and ever without end. The people: Amen.

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.

After he is [ordained] let him be constant at the altar, making prayers laboriously without ceasing. But sometimes alone in some house let him take a rest from the things which belong to the house of the Lord; but not ceasing, or diminishing [one] hour, from prayers. Let him fast three days each [week] all the year, [on the] one [hand] that he may be perfected in intelligence; and moreover [let him fast] according to his strength, not wandering about and going hither and thither with every spirit, but doing everything with energy. If it be revealed to a presbyter or bishop to speak, let him speak; but if not, let him not neglect and despise his work, Tf it be revealed to a presbyter to visit his parishes and speak the word, let him go; but if not, let him entreat God with supplication; and if it be revealed to him to speak to them, let him speak to them, always taking the burden and load of Him who was crucified for him, and praying for all the people. Let not a presbyter or bishop be anxious about food or raiment. God taketh thought and careth for His own in the [things] which He knoweth. But if, when he receiveth from any one food or clothing, it be said to him that he should receive also from another, let it suffice him to receive from [the first] alone, and that [only] in so far as is fitting, and as he needeth, and not to excess. In respect of firmness of faith, let a presbyter always be unchangeable; for it is such as these that God desireth; and let him prove the heart of each one; lest evil) kept and buried within, make him a stranger to the grace of God. Let him not allow tares to grow in the good wheat, but let him take them away from it, and cut off, those who bring [them] into it. Let not darkness cover his light. Let him teach all the faithful at all times that they accomplish their course, as it were, in the day; because the children of light walk not in darkness. Let the teaching of the presbyter be fitting, and quiet and moderate, coupled with fear and trembling; and that of the bishop also in like manner. And in teaching let them not speak vain things; but let him say such things as the hearers when they hear may keep [in memory]. Let the presbyter be mindful of all the things that he teacheth. For in the day of the Lord the Word, it will be demanded [of him] that he should testify to the people the things which he spake, so that those who did not hear may be reproved. For he must stand before the glory of God speaking those things which he hath taught. Thus, then, let him teach, that he perish not. Let him pray for those who hear, that the Lord may give them understanding of the Spirit, of knowledge, of truth; and let him not vainly cast pearls before swine; but let him search out [those] who are worthy, those who have heard and have performed; lest if the Word have not brought forth fruit in them, but have perished, he himself should prove the cause of its perishing. Let him not give the holy things to dogs. Let him discern the signs of those who hear the word and bring forth good fruits. But in all things let him, without anxiety, keep [the matter] for the bishop. Let him not neglect nor despise those who do good works through teaching! But let him watch for signs in them; [and] of those [signs appearing] in them let him judge spiritually by [their] sighs, weeping, earnest conversations, silence, sadness, patience, humble bowing of the head. But that which best traineth and causeth suffering is weeping and groaning. But the work [these do] is watching, continence, fasting, quietness, unceasing prayer, meditation, faith, meekness, philanthropy, labour, weariness, love, subjection, goodness, gravity, and every [work of] light. [On the other hand], the signs of those who do not bring forth the fruits of life are [these]:—-sloth, love of pleasure, eyes wandering in all directions, disobedience, complaining, restlessness, a laziness that will not move, wandering about. But the work [these do] is gluttony, debauchery, anger, unbelief, idle and unseasonable laughter, confusion, neglect, error, disturbance, wantonness, love of gains, love of money, envy, contention, drunkenness, high-mindedness, vain talking, love of praise, and every [work of] darkness. Let him recognise products such as these, and let him speak to those who are worthy. But let him not waste time upon those who do not receive [his teaching]. For those who sow on earth without fruits shall reap miseries. Let the presbyter, as is right and fitting, go about to the houses of those who are sick with the deacon, and visit them; let him consider and say to them those things that are fitting and proper, especially to the faithful. Let him exhort that the sick who are poor be helped by the Church, so that they also who do [deeds] of kindness may enter into the joy of their Lord Let him confirm those who have newly become catechumens with prophetical and evangelical utterances, with the word of teaching. Let him not neglect his prayers, for he is the figure of the archangels: but let him know that God did not spare the angels who sinned. Let him fast; and if it is proper, let him receive of the cup. Let wine suffice him, as much as, in his judgment, profiteth and helpeth him, lest that drink which was for [his] healing he receive to [his] loss) In sickness, let him eat herbs and fish, and also that he may have care for his work. In everything let the priest be an example to the faithful of the work of holiness. Let the presbyter praise and give thanks in the same way as the bishop.

THUS: Let those who first come to hear the Word, before they enter among all the people, first come to teachers at home, and let them be examined as to all the cause [of their coming] with all accuracy, so that their teachers may know for what they have come, or with what will, And if they have come with a good will and love, let them be diligently taught. But let those who bring them be such as are well on in years, faithful who are known by the Church; and let them bear witness about them, if they are able to hear [the word]. Also let their life and conversation be asked about: if they be not contentious, if quiet, if meek, not speaking vain things or despisers or foul speakers, or buffoons or leaders astray, or ridicule mongers. Also if any of them have a wife or not; and if of his own free will he have not [a wife], let him be instructed carefully and diligently and persuaded with all kindness to amend his failings. And let the bishop provide for him in the Lord with prophetical instructions which lead him to purity; and if he maketh progress, also with apostolic doctrines and then with Gospel [doctrines] and with the perfect word of doctrine; and if he be worthy, let him be baptized. And if thus he be worthy of the hidden things, let him hear [them] by himself, and also make progress in that which is hidden. Let there be no obstacle at all to him who desireth to marry, so that he be not caught by the Evil One with fornication. But let him marry a Christian, a faithful [woman] of the race of the Christians, who is able to keep her husband in the faith; at the bidding of the bishop, he thus providing for him. And also let him who cometh be asked if he be a slave or free; and if the slave of one who is faithful, and if also his master permit him, let him hear. But if his master be not faithful and do not permit him, let him be persuaded to permit him. And if [his master] say truly about him that he wisheth to become a Christian because he hateth his masters, let him be cast out. But if no cause be shewn of hatred of servitude, but [if] he [really] wish to be a Christian, let him hear. But if his master be faithful and do not bear witness to him, let him be cast out. Similarly if [a woman] be the wife of a man, let the woman be taught to please her husband in the fear of God. But if both of them desire to serve purity in piety, they have a reward. Let him who is unmarried not commit fornication, but let him marry in the law. But if he desire to persevere thus, let him abide in the Lord. If any one be tormented with a devil, let him not hear the Word from a teacher until he be cleansed. For the intelligence, when consumed with a material spirit, doth not receive the immaterial and holy Word. But if he be cleansed, let him be instructed in the Word.

THUS: Let those who first come to hear the Word, before they enter among all the people, first come to teachers at home, and let them be examined as to all the cause [of their coming] with all accuracy, so that their teachers may know for what they have come, or with what will, And if they have come with a good will and love, let them be diligently taught. But let those who bring them be such as are well on in years, faithful who are known by the Church; and let them bear witness about them, if they are able to hear [the word]. Also let their life and conversation be asked about: if they be not contentious, if quiet, if meek, not speaking vain things or despisers or foul speakers, or buffoons or leaders astray, or ridicule mongers. Also if any of them have a wife or not; and if of his own free will he have not [a wife], let him be instructed carefully and diligently and persuaded with all kindness to amend his failings. And let the bishop provide for him in the Lord with prophetical instructions which lead him to purity; and if he maketh progress, also with apostolic doctrines and then with Gospel [doctrines] and with the perfect word of doctrine; and if he be worthy, let him be baptized. And if thus he be worthy of the hidden things, let him hear [them] by himself, and also make progress in that which is hidden. Let there be no obstacle at all to him who desireth to marry, so that he be not caught by the Evil One with fornication. But let him marry a Christian, a faithful [woman] of the race of the Christians, who is able to keep her husband in the faith; at the bidding of the bishop, he thus providing for him. And also let him who cometh be asked if he be a slave or free; and if the slave of one who is faithful, and if also his master permit him, let him hear. But if his master be not faithful and do not permit him, let him be persuaded to permit him. And if [his master] say truly about him that he wisheth to become a Christian because he hateth his masters, let him be cast out. But if no cause be shewn of hatred of servitude, but [if] he [really] wish to be a Christian, let him hear. But if his master be faithful and do not bear witness to him, let him be cast out. Similarly if [a woman] be the wife of a man, let the woman be taught to please her husband in the fear of God. But if both of them desire to serve purity in piety, they have a reward. Let him who is unmarried not commit fornication, but let him marry in the law. But if he desire to persevere thus, let him abide in the Lord. If any one be tormented with a devil, let him not hear the Word from a teacher until he be cleansed. For the intelligence, when consumed with a material spirit, doth not receive the immaterial and holy Word. But if he be cleansed, let him be instructed in the Word.

Said Filepos: O my son, thou shalt not be lustful, because lust leads to adultery, and afterwards makes a man the ridicule and derision of all. Because lust is a seducing demon; so when the demon of anger unites with lust, it is perdition to him in whom it happens; and where there is an unclean spirit there is sin of the soul. If he finds a little (place) where he may enter, then he enlarges that place, and takes with him all the unclean spirits, and they enter into that soul, and he will not let them leave that man; and it is impossible for him to lift himself up at all to see the right Make a limit at which to lay aside your anger, that ye may cool and delay anger after your anger; lest Satan cast you into a very wicked deed. Anger and lust are evil, and when they remain for much time, unless (men) cool their anger they will become demons; and when the demons get men into their power, they set fire to their souls, and when they have brought them to do sin and wrong, they deride them and rejoice over the ruin of their souls.

Concerning the gift and the office. If anyone has obtained a gift and office he shall not glory over anyone. Our God and Saviour Jesus Christ (is) he who gave us this great mystery of the religion of God, calling the Jews and Gentiles that they might know the one God and Father in truth. As he said himself in the Gospel when giving thanks for the salvation of those who believe on him: I have manifested thy Name to the men: the work which thou gavest me I have finished. And concerning himself he said to the Father: Holy Father, the world indeed knoweth thee not, but I know thee, and these also know thee. Since then we have all been thus made perfect, he said concerning the Spirit of grace which should be given from him: This sign, then, to them who believe (is) that which shall be done in my Name. They shall cast out demons, and they shall speak with tongues, and they shall take serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not affect them, and upon the sick they shall lay their hand and they shall recover. And this grace, then, was first given to us, the Apostles, that in his name we might preach the Gospel to all creation; and next, to those who believed by us, as is seemly that they should be given to them; not for the sake of benefiting those who work, but for the sake of unbelievers, to make them believe: that those who by the Son did not believe in him, the power of the signs might put to shame. For signs are not for the faithful but for unbelieving, for Jews and Gentiles. Casting out demons is no gain for us, but is done by the working of our Lord Christ To those who believe this grace shall be given, as the Lord himself teaches and shows us when he said: Rejoice not because the demons submit to you, but rejoice because your names are written in the heavens. Since the power is his, and ours the faith and diligence, it is clear that we work by him. It is not necessary therefore that a believer should cast out demons, and raise the dead, and speak with tongues, but he who gave the grace (gave it) for that which is seemly, for salvation of unbelievers. Though most men are put to shame, not by the demonstration of the word, but by the working of the signs which is connected with salvation, yet all the wicked are not put to shame by a plague. And God himself testified to this, as he said in the Law: With other tongues I will speak to this people and with other lips, and they will not believe. For neither did the Egyptians believe God, when Moses the prophet worked so many signs and miracles, nor did the Jews, through their malice, believe him, though our Lord Christ for the Jews like Moses healed all infirmity and all sickness among them. Nor again did it put those to shame, nor did they believe in it, when the rod became transformed as a serpent, nor the hand when it was made white, nor the river when it became blood, neither by this again did they believe him: nor again were these satisfied when the blind saw and the lame ran and the dead rose. And moreover Iyanes and Iyanbares opposed that one, and this also Hana and Kayafa insulted. But this one was not sufficient for them, and they (lit. he) were not put to shame when he did signs and wonders, but only those of good character with whom God is well pleased, and he only exercises power for them as a wise ordainer, not according to the power of a man, but his own will. This therefore we say that they who received such a grace may not boast over those who received not the grace. I speak therefore about a grace accompanied by a sign, for there is no man who believed in Christ the Son of God, who does not receive a grace of the Holy Spirit. For indeed he who has been transformed from the religion of many evil gods and believed in God the Father and in Christ his Son; this (in itself) is a grace from God. If he believed in God and cast away the unbelief of the Jews, and confesses (that) according to the will of God who was before the world, the only Son in the last days was born of a virgin without intercourse of man, and lived with men without sin, fulfilling all the righteousness of the Law, and that by the will of God he was crucified and was buried and rose the third day, and after the resurrection from the dead (for forty days) having been with the Apostles, and having made an end of all his ordinance (to them), he ascended in their presence to him who sent him, God the Father. To know this in truth then, not vaguely but as certain, he received a grace from God. So also he who has been transformed from all heresy. Let not therefore any who do a sign and miracle despise any of the believers to whom a working was not imparted. His own are the graces of God which are given through Christ. Thou indeed hast received this, and any of thy neighbours that; either the word of wisdom, or knowledge, or discerning of spirits, or the word of prescient instruction, or endurance, or lawful continence. Because Moses the man of God, in Egypt, when he worked signs did not magnify himself above the people Esrael, and though he was named god he did not magnify himself nor boasted over his prophet Aaron. Neither did (the son) of Newe Iyasu when he was leading the people after him, and while he fought with (the people of) the Iyabusewon, and made the sun to stand towards Gabaon and the moon towards the valley of Ailon, because the day was not sufficient for the victory, he did not magnify himself above Fenehas and above Kaleb. Nor did Samuel, though he wrought many signs, contemn David the beloved of God, both being prophets, the one chief priest and the other king. And the seven thousand who were in Esrael, the holy ones who would not worship Ba'al in bowing the knee, Elyas only amongst them and his assistant Eleseos were workers of a miracle. Neither did Elyassa despise Abdeyu keeping the law and fearing God, and he did no signs. And Elesewon did not neglect his assistant when he was afraid of the enemy, but attended to him. And Daniel again, the wise, who was twice saved from the mouth of the lions; and the three children who went forth from the furnace of fire did not despise the others who were another people, because they knew that by their own power they did not overcome the trial, but by the strength of God they both did a sign, and they were saved from the trouble. Therefore let none of you magnify himself above his brother, if he is a prophet or worker of a miracle. If indeed it was granted that there should not be any who believed not, superfluous then (would be) all working of signs. For the fearing of God is a matter of faith, and the doing of a sign is of him whose power worked. As regards the first indeed we looked to ourselves, and in the second God works, concerning which we have already spoken.

Concerning the gift and the office. If anyone has obtained a gift and office he shall not glory over anyone. Our God and Saviour Jesus Christ (is) he who gave us this great mystery of the religion of God, calling the Jews and Gentiles that they might know the one God and Father in truth. As he said himself in the Gospel when giving thanks for the salvation of those who believe on him: I have manifested thy Name to the men: the work which thou gavest me I have finished. And concerning himself he said to the Father: Holy Father, the world indeed knoweth thee not, but I know thee, and these also know thee. Since then we have all been thus made perfect, he said concerning the Spirit of grace which should be given from him: This sign, then, to them who believe (is) that which shall be done in my Name. They shall cast out demons, and they shall speak with tongues, and they shall take serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not affect them, and upon the sick they shall lay their hand and they shall recover. And this grace, then, was first given to us, the Apostles, that in his name we might preach the Gospel to all creation; and next, to those who believed by us, as is seemly that they should be given to them; not for the sake of benefiting those who work, but for the sake of unbelievers, to make them believe: that those who by the Son did not believe in him, the power of the signs might put to shame. For signs are not for the faithful but for unbelieving, for Jews and Gentiles. Casting out demons is no gain for us, but is done by the working of our Lord Christ To those who believe this grace shall be given, as the Lord himself teaches and shows us when he said: Rejoice not because the demons submit to you, but rejoice because your names are written in the heavens. Since the power is his, and ours the faith and diligence, it is clear that we work by him. It is not necessary therefore that a believer should cast out demons, and raise the dead, and speak with tongues, but he who gave the grace (gave it) for that which is seemly, for salvation of unbelievers. Though most men are put to shame, not by the demonstration of the word, but by the working of the signs which is connected with salvation, yet all the wicked are not put to shame by a plague. And God himself testified to this, as he said in the Law: With other tongues I will speak to this people and with other lips, and they will not believe. For neither did the Egyptians believe God, when Moses the prophet worked so many signs and miracles, nor did the Jews, through their malice, believe him, though our Lord Christ for the Jews like Moses healed all infirmity and all sickness among them. Nor again did it put those to shame, nor did they believe in it, when the rod became transformed as a serpent, nor the hand when it was made white, nor the river when it became blood, neither by this again did they believe him: nor again were these satisfied when the blind saw and the lame ran and the dead rose. And moreover Iyanes and Iyanbares opposed that one, and this also Hana and Kayafa insulted. But this one was not sufficient for them, and they (lit. he) were not put to shame when he did signs and wonders, but only those of good character with whom God is well pleased, and he only exercises power for them as a wise ordainer, not according to the power of a man, but his own will. This therefore we say that they who received such a grace may not boast over those who received not the grace. I speak therefore about a grace accompanied by a sign, for there is no man who believed in Christ the Son of God, who does not receive a grace of the Holy Spirit. For indeed he who has been transformed from the religion of many evil gods and believed in God the Father and in Christ his Son; this (in itself) is a grace from God. If he believed in God and cast away the unbelief of the Jews, and confesses (that) according to the will of God who was before the world, the only Son in the last days was born of a virgin without intercourse of man, and lived with men without sin, fulfilling all the righteousness of the Law, and that by the will of God he was crucified and was buried and rose the third day, and after the resurrection from the dead (for forty days) having been with the Apostles, and having made an end of all his ordinance (to them), he ascended in their presence to him who sent him, God the Father. To know this in truth then, not vaguely but as certain, he received a grace from God. So also he who has been transformed from all heresy. Let not therefore any who do a sign and miracle despise any of the believers to whom a working was not imparted. His own are the graces of God which are given through Christ. Thou indeed hast received this, and any of thy neighbours that; either the word of wisdom, or knowledge, or discerning of spirits, or the word of prescient instruction, or endurance, or lawful continence. Because Moses the man of God, in Egypt, when he worked signs did not magnify himself above the people Esrael, and though he was named god he did not magnify himself nor boasted over his prophet Aaron. Neither did (the son) of Newe Iyasu when he was leading the people after him, and while he fought with (the people of) the Iyabusewon, and made the sun to stand towards Gabaon and the moon towards the valley of Ailon, because the day was not sufficient for the victory, he did not magnify himself above Fenehas and above Kaleb. Nor did Samuel, though he wrought many signs, contemn David the beloved of God, both being prophets, the one chief priest and the other king. And the seven thousand who were in Esrael, the holy ones who would not worship Ba'al in bowing the knee, Elyas only amongst them and his assistant Eleseos were workers of a miracle. Neither did Elyassa despise Abdeyu keeping the law and fearing God, and he did no signs. And Elesewon did not neglect his assistant when he was afraid of the enemy, but attended to him. And Daniel again, the wise, who was twice saved from the mouth of the lions; and the three children who went forth from the furnace of fire did not despise the others who were another people, because they knew that by their own power they did not overcome the trial, but by the strength of God they both did a sign, and they were saved from the trouble. Therefore let none of you magnify himself above his brother, if he is a prophet or worker of a miracle. If indeed it was granted that there should not be any who believed not, superfluous then (would be) all working of signs. For the fearing of God is a matter of faith, and the doing of a sign is of him whose power worked. As regards the first indeed we looked to ourselves, and in the second God works, concerning which we have already spoken.

Concerning the gift and the office. If anyone has obtained a gift and office he shall not glory over anyone. Our God and Saviour Jesus Christ (is) he who gave us this great mystery of the religion of God, calling the Jews and Gentiles that they might know the one God and Father in truth. As he said himself in the Gospel when giving thanks for the salvation of those who believe on him: I have manifested thy Name to the men: the work which thou gavest me I have finished. And concerning himself he said to the Father: Holy Father, the world indeed knoweth thee not, but I know thee, and these also know thee. Since then we have all been thus made perfect, he said concerning the Spirit of grace which should be given from him: This sign, then, to them who believe (is) that which shall be done in my Name. They shall cast out demons, and they shall speak with tongues, and they shall take serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not affect them, and upon the sick they shall lay their hand and they shall recover. And this grace, then, was first given to us, the Apostles, that in his name we might preach the Gospel to all creation; and next, to those who believed by us, as is seemly that they should be given to them; not for the sake of benefiting those who work, but for the sake of unbelievers, to make them believe: that those who by the Son did not believe in him, the power of the signs might put to shame. For signs are not for the faithful but for unbelieving, for Jews and Gentiles. Casting out demons is no gain for us, but is done by the working of our Lord Christ To those who believe this grace shall be given, as the Lord himself teaches and shows us when he said: Rejoice not because the demons submit to you, but rejoice because your names are written in the heavens. Since the power is his, and ours the faith and diligence, it is clear that we work by him. It is not necessary therefore that a believer should cast out demons, and raise the dead, and speak with tongues, but he who gave the grace (gave it) for that which is seemly, for salvation of unbelievers. Though most men are put to shame, not by the demonstration of the word, but by the working of the signs which is connected with salvation, yet all the wicked are not put to shame by a plague. And God himself testified to this, as he said in the Law: With other tongues I will speak to this people and with other lips, and they will not believe. For neither did the Egyptians believe God, when Moses the prophet worked so many signs and miracles, nor did the Jews, through their malice, believe him, though our Lord Christ for the Jews like Moses healed all infirmity and all sickness among them. Nor again did it put those to shame, nor did they believe in it, when the rod became transformed as a serpent, nor the hand when it was made white, nor the river when it became blood, neither by this again did they believe him: nor again were these satisfied when the blind saw and the lame ran and the dead rose. And moreover Iyanes and Iyanbares opposed that one, and this also Hana and Kayafa insulted. But this one was not sufficient for them, and they (lit. he) were not put to shame when he did signs and wonders, but only those of good character with whom God is well pleased, and he only exercises power for them as a wise ordainer, not according to the power of a man, but his own will. This therefore we say that they who received such a grace may not boast over those who received not the grace. I speak therefore about a grace accompanied by a sign, for there is no man who believed in Christ the Son of God, who does not receive a grace of the Holy Spirit. For indeed he who has been transformed from the religion of many evil gods and believed in God the Father and in Christ his Son; this (in itself) is a grace from God. If he believed in God and cast away the unbelief of the Jews, and confesses (that) according to the will of God who was before the world, the only Son in the last days was born of a virgin without intercourse of man, and lived with men without sin, fulfilling all the righteousness of the Law, and that by the will of God he was crucified and was buried and rose the third day, and after the resurrection from the dead (for forty days) having been with the Apostles, and having made an end of all his ordinance (to them), he ascended in their presence to him who sent him, God the Father. To know this in truth then, not vaguely but as certain, he received a grace from God. So also he who has been transformed from all heresy. Let not therefore any who do a sign and miracle despise any of the believers to whom a working was not imparted. His own are the graces of God which are given through Christ. Thou indeed hast received this, and any of thy neighbours that; either the word of wisdom, or knowledge, or discerning of spirits, or the word of prescient instruction, or endurance, or lawful continence. Because Moses the man of God, in Egypt, when he worked signs did not magnify himself above the people Esrael, and though he was named god he did not magnify himself nor boasted over his prophet Aaron. Neither did (the son) of Newe Iyasu when he was leading the people after him, and while he fought with (the people of) the Iyabusewon, and made the sun to stand towards Gabaon and the moon towards the valley of Ailon, because the day was not sufficient for the victory, he did not magnify himself above Fenehas and above Kaleb. Nor did Samuel, though he wrought many signs, contemn David the beloved of God, both being prophets, the one chief priest and the other king. And the seven thousand who were in Esrael, the holy ones who would not worship Ba'al in bowing the knee, Elyas only amongst them and his assistant Eleseos were workers of a miracle. Neither did Elyassa despise Abdeyu keeping the law and fearing God, and he did no signs. And Elesewon did not neglect his assistant when he was afraid of the enemy, but attended to him. And Daniel again, the wise, who was twice saved from the mouth of the lions; and the three children who went forth from the furnace of fire did not despise the others who were another people, because they knew that by their own power they did not overcome the trial, but by the strength of God they both did a sign, and they were saved from the trouble. Therefore let none of you magnify himself above his brother, if he is a prophet or worker of a miracle. If indeed it was granted that there should not be any who believed not, superfluous then (would be) all working of signs. For the fearing of God is a matter of faith, and the doing of a sign is of him whose power worked. As regards the first indeed we looked to ourselves, and in the second God works, concerning which we have already spoken.

That not everyone who prophesies is righteous, nor everyone who casts out demons is holy. " Because Bala'am even, the son of Be'or, prophesied by divination, (being) wicked, and ]Kayafas with false name of Chief Priest prophesied. And Satan even foretold, and the demons who are with him, but not on account of this have they so much as a spark of fear of God, in ignorance they are trusting to the will of the malice of their thoughts. It is clear then that the impious if they prophesy do not reveal their wickedness in their prophesying. Nor do those who cast out demons (belong) to the righteous by their casting them out. They lead one another astray: like the teaching of laughter, (they who do it) and they who consort with them go to ruin. And a lawless king was not a king, but is a tyrant.

But concerning bishops, we have heard from our Lord, that a pastor who is to be ordained a bishop for the churches in every parish, must be unblameable, unreprovable, free from all kinds of wickedness common among men, not under fifty years of age; for such a one is in good part past youthful disorders, and the slanders of the heathen, as well as the reproaches which are sometimes cast upon many persons by some false brethren, who do not consider the word of God in the Gospel: Whosoever speaks an idle word shall give an account thereof to the Lord in the day of judgment. And again: By your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned. Let him therefore, if it is possible, be well educated; but if he be unlettered, let him at any rate be skilful in the word, and of competent age. But if in a small parish one advanced in years is not to be found, let some younger person, who has a good report among his neighbours, and is esteemed by them worthy of the office of a bishop — who has carried himself from his youth with meekness and regularity, like a much elder person, — after examination, and a general good report, be ordained in peace. For Solomon at twelve years of age was king of Israel, and Josiah at eight years of age reigned righteously, and in like manner Joash governed the people at seven years of age. Wherefore, although the person be young, let him be meek, gentle, and quiet. For the Lord God says by Esaias: Upon whom will I look, but upon him who is humble and quiet, and always trembles at my words? In like manner it is in the Gospel also: Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Let him also be merciful; for again it is said: Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Let him also be a peacemaker; for again it is said: Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the sons of God. Let him also be one of a good conscience, purified from all evil, and wickedness, and unrighteousness; for it is said again: Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

For the bishop must not only himself give no offense, but must be no respecter of persons; in meekness instructing those that offend. But if he himself has not a good conscience, and is a respecter of persons for the sake of filthy lucre, and receiving of bribes, and spares the open offender, and permits him to continue in the Church, he disregards the voice of God and of our Lord, which says, You shall exactly execute right judgment. You shall not accept persons in judgment: you shall not justify the ungodly. You shall not receive gifts against any one's life; for gifts do blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous. And elsewhere He says: Take away from among yourselves that wicked person. And Solomon says in his Proverbs: Cast out a pestilent fellow from the congregation, and strife will go out along with him.

When you see the offender, with severity command him to be cast out; and as he is going out, let the deacons also treat him with severity, and then let them go and seek for him, and detain him out of the Church; and when they come in, let them entreat you for him. For our Saviour Himself entreated His Father for those who had sinned, as it is written in the Gospel: Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. Then order the offender to come in; and if upon examination you find that he is penitent, and fit to be received at all into the Church when you have afflicted him his days of fasting, according to the degree of his offense — as two, three, five, or seven weeks — so set him at liberty, and speak such things to him as are fit to be said in way of reproof, instruction, and exhortation to a sinner for his reformation, that so he may continue privately in his humility, and pray to God to be merciful to him, saying: If You, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who should stand? For with You there is propitiation. Of this sort of declaration is that which is said in the book of Genesis to Cain: You have sinned; be quiet; that is, do not go on in sin. For that a sinner ought to be ashamed for his own sin, that oracle of God delivered to Moses concerning Miriam is a sufficient proof, when he prayed that she might be forgiven. For says God to him: If her father had spit in her face, should she not be ashamed? Let her be shut out of the camp seven days, and afterwards let her come in again. We therefore ought to do so with offenders, when they profess their repentance, — namely, to separate them some determinate time, according to the proportion of their offense, and afterwards, like fathers to children, receive them again upon their repentance.

As to a good shepherd, let the lay person honour him, love him, reverence him as his lord, as his master, as the high priest of God, as a teacher of piety. For he that hears him, hears Christ; and he that rejects him, rejects Christ; and he who does not receive Christ, does not receive His God and Father: for, says He, He that hears you, hears me; and he that rejects you, rejects me; and he that rejects me, rejects Him that sent me. In like manner, let the bishop love the laity as his children, fostering and cherishing them with affectionate diligence; as eggs, in order to the hatching of young ones; or as young ones, taking them in his arms, to the rearing them into birds: admonishing all men; reproving all who stand in need of reproof; reproving, that is, but not striking; beating them down to make them ashamed, but not overthrowing them; warning them in order to their conversion: chiding them in order to their reformation and better course of life; watching the strong, that is, keeping him firm in the faith who is already strong; feeding the people peaceably; strengthening the weak, that is, confirming with exhortation that which is tempted; healing that which is sick, that is, curing by instruction that which is weak in the faith through doubtfulness of mind; binding up that which is broken, that is, binding up by comfortable admonitions that which is gone astray, or wounded, bruised, or broken by their sins, and put out of the way; leasing it of its offenses, and giving hope: by this means restore it in strength to the Church, bringing it back into the flock. Bring again that which is driven away, that is, do not permit that which is in its sins, and is cast out by way of punishment, to continue excluded; but receiving it, and bringing it back, restore it to the flock, that is, to the people of the undefiled Church. Seek for that which is lost, that is, do not suffer that which desponds of its salvation, by reason of the multitude of its offenses, utterly to perish. Search for that which is grown sleepy, drowsy, and sluggish, and that which is unmindful of its own life, through the depth of its sleep, and which is at a great distance from its own flock, so as to be in danger of falling among the wolves, and being devoured by them. Bring it back by admonition, exhort it to be watchful; and insinuate hope, not permitting it to say that which was said by some: Our impieties are upon us, and we pine away in them; how shall we then live? As far as possible, therefore, let the bishop make the offense his own, and say to the sinner, Do thou but return, and I will undertake to suffer death for you, as our Lord suffered death for me, and for all men. For the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep; but he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming, that is, the devil, and he leaves the sheep, and flees, and the wolf seizes upon them. We must know, therefore, that God is very merciful to those who have offended, and has promised repentance with an oath. But he who has offended, and is unacquainted with this promise of God concerning repentance, and does not understand His long-suffering and forbearance, and besides is ignorant of the Holy Scriptures, which proclaim repentance, inasmuch as he has never learned them from you, perishes through his folly. But — like a compassionate shepherd, and a diligent feeder of the flock — search out, and keep an account of your flock. Seek that which is wanting; as the Lord God our gracious Father has sent His own Son, the good Shepherd and Saviour, our Master Jesus, and has commanded Him to leave the ninety-nine upon the mountains, and to go in search after that which was lost, and when He had found it, to take it upon His shoulders, and to carry it into the flock, rejoicing that He had found that which was lost. In like manner, be obedient, O bishop, and seek that which was lost, guide that which has wandered out of the right way, bring back that which is gone astray: for you have authority to bring them back, and to deliver those that are broken-hearted by remission. For by you does our Saviour say to him who is discouraged under the sense of his sins, Your sins are forgiven you: your faith has saved you; go in peace. But this peace and haven of tranquillity is the Church of Christ, into which do you, when you have loosed them from their sins, restore them, as being now sound and unblameable, of good hope, diligent, laborious in good works. As a skilful and compassionate physician, heal all such as have wandered in the ways of sin; for they that are whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick. For the Son of man came to save and to seek that which was lost. Since you are therefore a physician of the Lord's Church, provide remedies suitable to every patient's case. Cure them, heal them by all means possible; restore them sound to the Church. Feed the flock, not with insolence and contempt, as lording it over them, but as a gentle shepherd, gathering the lambs into your bosom, and gently leading those which are with young.

Be gentle, gracious, mild, without guile, without falsehood; not rigid, not insolent, not severe, not arrogant, not unmerciful, not puffed up, not a man-pleaser, not timorous, not double-minded, not one that insults over the people that are under you, not one that conceals the divine laws and the promises to repentance, not hasty in thrusting out and expelling, but steady, not one that delights in severity, not heady. Do not admit less evidence to convict any one than that of three witnesses, and those of known and established reputation; inquire whether they do not accuse out of ill-will or envy: for there are many that delight in mischief, forward in discourse, slanderous, haters of the brethren, making it their business to scatter the sheep of Christ; whose affirmation if you admit without nice scanning the same, you will disperse your flock, and betray it to be devoured by wolves, that is, by demons and wicked men, or rather not men, but wild beasts in the shape of men — by the heathen, by the Jews, and by the atheistic heretics. For those destroying wolves soon address themselves to any one that is cast out of the Church, and esteem him as a lamb delivered for them to devour, reckoning his destruction their own gain. For he that is their father, the devil, is a murderer. He also who is separated unjustly by your want of care in judging will be overwhelmed with sorrow, and be disconsolate, and so will either wander over to the heathen, or be entangled in heresies, and so will be altogether estranged from the Church and from hope in God, and will be entangled in impiety, whereby you will be guilty of his perdition: for it is not fair to be too hasty in casting out an offender, but slow in receiving him when he returns; to be forward in cutting off, but unmerciful when he is sorrowful, and ought to be healed. For of such as these speaks the divine Scripture: Their feet run to mischief; they are hasty to shed blood. Destruction and misery are in their ways, and the way of peace have they not known. The fear of God is not before their eyes. Now the way of peace is our Saviour Jesus Christ, who has taught us, saying: Forgive, and you shall be forgiven. Give, and it shall be given to you; that is, give remission of sins, and your offenses shall be forgiven you. As also He instructed us by His prayer to say unto God: Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. If, therefore, you do not forgive offenders, how can you expect the remission of your own sins? Do not you rather bind yourselves faster, by pretending in your prayers to forgive, when you really do not forgive? Will you not be confronted with your own words, when you say you forgive and do not forgive? For know that he who casts out one who has not behaved himself wickedly, or who will not receive him that returns, is a murderer of his brother, and sheds his blood, as Cain did that of his brother Abel, and his blood cries to God, and will be required. For a righteous man unjustly slain by any one will be in rest with God forever. The same is the case of him who without cause is separated by his bishop. He who has cast him out as a pestilent fellow when he was innocent, is more furious than a murderer. Such a one has no regard to the mercy of God, nor is mindful of His goodness to those that are penitent, nor keeping in his eye the examples of those who, having been once great offenders, received forgiveness upon their repentance. Upon which account, he who casts off an innocent person is more cruel than he that murders the body. In like manner, he who does not receive the penitent, scatters the flock of Christ, being really against Him. For as God is just in judging of sinners, so is He merciful in receiving them when they return. For David, the man after God's own heart, in his hymns ascribes both mercy and judgment to Him.

Be gentle, gracious, mild, without guile, without falsehood; not rigid, not insolent, not severe, not arrogant, not unmerciful, not puffed up, not a man-pleaser, not timorous, not double-minded, not one that insults over the people that are under you, not one that conceals the divine laws and the promises to repentance, not hasty in thrusting out and expelling, but steady, not one that delights in severity, not heady. Do not admit less evidence to convict any one than that of three witnesses, and those of known and established reputation; inquire whether they do not accuse out of ill-will or envy: for there are many that delight in mischief, forward in discourse, slanderous, haters of the brethren, making it their business to scatter the sheep of Christ; whose affirmation if you admit without nice scanning the same, you will disperse your flock, and betray it to be devoured by wolves, that is, by demons and wicked men, or rather not men, but wild beasts in the shape of men — by the heathen, by the Jews, and by the atheistic heretics. For those destroying wolves soon address themselves to any one that is cast out of the Church, and esteem him as a lamb delivered for them to devour, reckoning his destruction their own gain. For he that is their father, the devil, is a murderer. He also who is separated unjustly by your want of care in judging will be overwhelmed with sorrow, and be disconsolate, and so will either wander over to the heathen, or be entangled in heresies, and so will be altogether estranged from the Church and from hope in God, and will be entangled in impiety, whereby you will be guilty of his perdition: for it is not fair to be too hasty in casting out an offender, but slow in receiving him when he returns; to be forward in cutting off, but unmerciful when he is sorrowful, and ought to be healed. For of such as these speaks the divine Scripture: Their feet run to mischief; they are hasty to shed blood. Destruction and misery are in their ways, and the way of peace have they not known. The fear of God is not before their eyes. Now the way of peace is our Saviour Jesus Christ, who has taught us, saying: Forgive, and you shall be forgiven. Give, and it shall be given to you; that is, give remission of sins, and your offenses shall be forgiven you. As also He instructed us by His prayer to say unto God: Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. If, therefore, you do not forgive offenders, how can you expect the remission of your own sins? Do not you rather bind yourselves faster, by pretending in your prayers to forgive, when you really do not forgive? Will you not be confronted with your own words, when you say you forgive and do not forgive? For know that he who casts out one who has not behaved himself wickedly, or who will not receive him that returns, is a murderer of his brother, and sheds his blood, as Cain did that of his brother Abel, and his blood cries to God, and will be required. For a righteous man unjustly slain by any one will be in rest with God forever. The same is the case of him who without cause is separated by his bishop. He who has cast him out as a pestilent fellow when he was innocent, is more furious than a murderer. Such a one has no regard to the mercy of God, nor is mindful of His goodness to those that are penitent, nor keeping in his eye the examples of those who, having been once great offenders, received forgiveness upon their repentance. Upon which account, he who casts off an innocent person is more cruel than he that murders the body. In like manner, he who does not receive the penitent, scatters the flock of Christ, being really against Him. For as God is just in judging of sinners, so is He merciful in receiving them when they return. For David, the man after God's own heart, in his hymns ascribes both mercy and judgment to Him.

It is also your duty, O bishop, to have before your eyes the examples of those that have gone before, and to apply them skilfully to the cases of those who want words of severity or of consolation. Besides, it is reasonable that in your administration of justice you should follow the will of God; and as God deals with sinners, and with those who return, that you should act accordingly in your judging. Now, did not God by Nathan reproach David for his offense? And yet as soon as he said he repented, He delivered him from death, saying, Be of good cheer; you shall not die. So also, when God had caused Jonah to be swallowed up by the sea and the whale, upon his refusal to preach to the Ninevites, when yet he prayed to Him out of the belly of the whale, He retrieved his life from corruption. And when Hezekiah had been puffed up for a while, yet, as soon as he prayed with lamentation, He remitted his offense. But, O you bishops, hearken to an instance useful upon this occasion. For it is written thus in the fourth book of Kings and the second book of Chronicles: And Hezekiah died; and Manasseh his son reigned. He was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Hephzibah. And he did evil in the sight of the Lord: he did not abstain from the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord destroyed from the face of the children of Israel. And Manasseh returned and built the high places which Hezekiah his father had overthrown; and he reared pillars for Baal, and set up an altar for Baal, and made groves, as did Ahab king of Israel. And he made altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord spoke to David and to Solomon his son, saying, Therein will I put my name. And Manasseh set up altars, and by them served Baal, and said, My name shall continue forever. And he built altars to the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord; and he made his children pass through the fire in a place named Ge Benennom; and he consulted enchanters, and dealt with wizards and familiar spirits, and with conjurers and observers of times, and with teraphim. And he sinned exceedingly in the eyes of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger. And he set a molten and a graven image, the image of his grove, which he made in the house of the Lord, wherein the Lord had chosen to put His name in Jerusalem, the holy city, for ever, and had said, I will no more remove my foot from the land of Israel, which I gave to their fathers; only if they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the precepts that my servant Moses commanded them. And they hearkened not. And Manasseh seduced them to do more evil before the Lord than did the nations whom the Lord cast out from the face of the children of Israel. And the Lord spoke concerning Manasseh and concerning His people by the hand of His servants the prophets, saying, Because Manasseh king of Judah has done all these wicked abominations in a higher degree than the Amorite did which was before him, and has made Judah to sin with his idols, thus says the Lord God of Israel, Behold, I bring evils upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever hears of them, both his ears shall tingle. And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab; and I will blot out Jerusalem as a table-book is blotted out by wiping it. And I will turn it upside down; and I will give up the remnant of my inheritance, and will deliver them into the hands of their enemies, and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies, because of all the evils which they have done in my eyes, and have provoked me to anger from the day that I brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt even until this day. Moreover, Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another, beside his sins wherewith he made Judah to sin in doing evil in the sight of the Lord. And the Lord brought upon him the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, and they caught Manasseh in bonds, and they bound him in fetters of brass, and brought him to Babylon; and he was bound and shackled with iron all over in the house of the prison. And bread made of bran was given unto him scantily, and by weight, and water mixed with vinegar but a little and by measure, so much as would keep him alive; and he was in straits and sore affliction. And when he was violently afflicted, he besought the face of the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the face of the Lord God of his fathers. And he prayed unto the Lord, saying, O Lord, almighty God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and of their righteous seed, who has made heaven and earth, with all the ornament thereof, who has bound the sea by the word of Your commandment, who has shut up the deep, and sealed it by Your terrible and glorious name, whom all men fear and tremble before Your power; for the majesty of Your glory cannot be borne, and Your angry threatening towards sinners is insupportable. But Your merciful promise is unmeasurable and unsearchable; for You are the most high Lord, of great compassion, long-suffering, very merciful, and repentest of the evils of men. You, O Lord, according to Your great goodness, have promised repentance and forgiveness to those who have sinned against You, and of Your infinite mercy have appointed repentance unto sinners, that they may be saved. You therefore, O Lord, that art the God of the just, has not appointed repentance to the just as to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, which have not sinned against You; but You have appointed repentance unto me that am a sinner: for I have sinned above the number of the sands of the sea. My transgressions, O Lord, are multiplied; my transgressions are multiplied, and I am not worthy to behold and see the height of heaven for the multitude of mine iniquity. I am bowed down with many iron bands; for I have provoked Your wrath, and done evil before You, setting up abominations, and multiplying offenses. Now, therefore, I bow the knee of mine heart, beseeching You of grace. I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, and I acknowledge mine iniquities; wherefore I humbly beseech You, forgive me, O Lord, forgive me, and destroy me not with mine iniquities. Be not angry with me for ever, by reserving evil for me; neither condemn me into the lower part of the earth. For You are the God, even the God of those who repent, and in me You will show Your goodness; for You will save me that am unworthy, according to Your great mercy. Therefore I will praise You for ever all the days of my life; for all the powers of the heavens do praise You, and Yours is the glory for ever and ever. Amen. And the Lord heard his voice, and had compassion upon him. And there appeared a flame of fire about him, and all the iron shackles and chains which were about him fell off; and the Lord healed Manasseh from his affliction, and brought him back to Jerusalem unto his kingdom: and Manasseh knew that the Lord He is God alone. And he worshipped the Lord God alone with all his heart, and with all his soul, all the days of his life; and he was esteemed righteous. And he took away the strange gods and the graven image out of the house of the Lord, and all the altars which he had built in the house of the Lord, and all the altars in Jerusalem, and he cast them out of the city. And he repaired the altar of the Lord, and sacrificed thereon peace-offerings and thank-offerings. And Manasseh spoke to Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel. And he slept in peace with his fathers; and Amon his son reigned in his stead. And he did evil in the sight of the Lord according to all things that Manasseh his father had done in the former part of his reign. And he provoked the Lord his God to anger.

It is also your duty, O bishop, to have before your eyes the examples of those that have gone before, and to apply them skilfully to the cases of those who want words of severity or of consolation. Besides, it is reasonable that in your administration of justice you should follow the will of God; and as God deals with sinners, and with those who return, that you should act accordingly in your judging. Now, did not God by Nathan reproach David for his offense? And yet as soon as he said he repented, He delivered him from death, saying, Be of good cheer; you shall not die. So also, when God had caused Jonah to be swallowed up by the sea and the whale, upon his refusal to preach to the Ninevites, when yet he prayed to Him out of the belly of the whale, He retrieved his life from corruption. And when Hezekiah had been puffed up for a while, yet, as soon as he prayed with lamentation, He remitted his offense. But, O you bishops, hearken to an instance useful upon this occasion. For it is written thus in the fourth book of Kings and the second book of Chronicles: And Hezekiah died; and Manasseh his son reigned. He was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Hephzibah. And he did evil in the sight of the Lord: he did not abstain from the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord destroyed from the face of the children of Israel. And Manasseh returned and built the high places which Hezekiah his father had overthrown; and he reared pillars for Baal, and set up an altar for Baal, and made groves, as did Ahab king of Israel. And he made altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord spoke to David and to Solomon his son, saying, Therein will I put my name. And Manasseh set up altars, and by them served Baal, and said, My name shall continue forever. And he built altars to the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord; and he made his children pass through the fire in a place named Ge Benennom; and he consulted enchanters, and dealt with wizards and familiar spirits, and with conjurers and observers of times, and with teraphim. And he sinned exceedingly in the eyes of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger. And he set a molten and a graven image, the image of his grove, which he made in the house of the Lord, wherein the Lord had chosen to put His name in Jerusalem, the holy city, for ever, and had said, I will no more remove my foot from the land of Israel, which I gave to their fathers; only if they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the precepts that my servant Moses commanded them. And they hearkened not. And Manasseh seduced them to do more evil before the Lord than did the nations whom the Lord cast out from the face of the children of Israel. And the Lord spoke concerning Manasseh and concerning His people by the hand of His servants the prophets, saying, Because Manasseh king of Judah has done all these wicked abominations in a higher degree than the Amorite did which was before him, and has made Judah to sin with his idols, thus says the Lord God of Israel, Behold, I bring evils upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever hears of them, both his ears shall tingle. And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab; and I will blot out Jerusalem as a table-book is blotted out by wiping it. And I will turn it upside down; and I will give up the remnant of my inheritance, and will deliver them into the hands of their enemies, and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies, because of all the evils which they have done in my eyes, and have provoked me to anger from the day that I brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt even until this day. Moreover, Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another, beside his sins wherewith he made Judah to sin in doing evil in the sight of the Lord. And the Lord brought upon him the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, and they caught Manasseh in bonds, and they bound him in fetters of brass, and brought him to Babylon; and he was bound and shackled with iron all over in the house of the prison. And bread made of bran was given unto him scantily, and by weight, and water mixed with vinegar but a little and by measure, so much as would keep him alive; and he was in straits and sore affliction. And when he was violently afflicted, he besought the face of the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the face of the Lord God of his fathers. And he prayed unto the Lord, saying, O Lord, almighty God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and of their righteous seed, who has made heaven and earth, with all the ornament thereof, who has bound the sea by the word of Your commandment, who has shut up the deep, and sealed it by Your terrible and glorious name, whom all men fear and tremble before Your power; for the majesty of Your glory cannot be borne, and Your angry threatening towards sinners is insupportable. But Your merciful promise is unmeasurable and unsearchable; for You are the most high Lord, of great compassion, long-suffering, very merciful, and repentest of the evils of men. You, O Lord, according to Your great goodness, have promised repentance and forgiveness to those who have sinned against You, and of Your infinite mercy have appointed repentance unto sinners, that they may be saved. You therefore, O Lord, that art the God of the just, has not appointed repentance to the just as to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, which have not sinned against You; but You have appointed repentance unto me that am a sinner: for I have sinned above the number of the sands of the sea. My transgressions, O Lord, are multiplied; my transgressions are multiplied, and I am not worthy to behold and see the height of heaven for the multitude of mine iniquity. I am bowed down with many iron bands; for I have provoked Your wrath, and done evil before You, setting up abominations, and multiplying offenses. Now, therefore, I bow the knee of mine heart, beseeching You of grace. I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, and I acknowledge mine iniquities; wherefore I humbly beseech You, forgive me, O Lord, forgive me, and destroy me not with mine iniquities. Be not angry with me for ever, by reserving evil for me; neither condemn me into the lower part of the earth. For You are the God, even the God of those who repent, and in me You will show Your goodness; for You will save me that am unworthy, according to Your great mercy. Therefore I will praise You for ever all the days of my life; for all the powers of the heavens do praise You, and Yours is the glory for ever and ever. Amen. And the Lord heard his voice, and had compassion upon him. And there appeared a flame of fire about him, and all the iron shackles and chains which were about him fell off; and the Lord healed Manasseh from his affliction, and brought him back to Jerusalem unto his kingdom: and Manasseh knew that the Lord He is God alone. And he worshipped the Lord God alone with all his heart, and with all his soul, all the days of his life; and he was esteemed righteous. And he took away the strange gods and the graven image out of the house of the Lord, and all the altars which he had built in the house of the Lord, and all the altars in Jerusalem, and he cast them out of the city. And he repaired the altar of the Lord, and sacrificed thereon peace-offerings and thank-offerings. And Manasseh spoke to Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel. And he slept in peace with his fathers; and Amon his son reigned in his stead. And he did evil in the sight of the Lord according to all things that Manasseh his father had done in the former part of his reign. And he provoked the Lord his God to anger.

Have before your eyes the fear of God, and always remember the ten commandments of God — to love the one and only Lord God with all your strength; to give no heed to idols, or any other beings, as being lifeless gods, or irrational beings or dæmons. Consider the manifold workmanship of God, which received its beginning through Christ. You shall observe the Sabbath, on account of Him who ceased from His work of creation, but ceased not from His work of providence: it is a rest for meditation of the law, not for idleness of the hands. Reject every unlawful lust, everything destructive to men, and all anger. Honour your parents, as the authors of your being. Love your neighbour as yourself. Communicate the necessaries of life to the needy. Avoid swearing falsely, and swearing often, and in vain; for you shall not be held guiltless. Do not appear before the priests empty, and offer your free-will offerings continually. Moreover, do not leave the church of Christ; but go there in the morning before all your work, and again meet there in the evening, to return thanks to God that He has preserved your life. Be diligent, and constant, and laborious in your calling. Offer to the Lord your free-will offerings; for says He, Honour the Lord with the fruit of your honest labours. If you are not able to cast anything considerable into the Corban, yet at least bestow upon the strangers one, or two, or five mites. Lay up to yourself heavenly treasure, which neither the moth nor thieves can destroy. And in doing this, do not judge your bishop, or any of your neighbours among the laity; for if you judge your brother, you become a judge, without being constituted such by anybody, for the priests are only entrusted with the power of judging. For to them it is said, Judge righteous judgment; and again Approve yourselves to be exact money-changers. For to you this is not entrusted; for, on the contrary, it is said to those who are not of the dignity of magistrates or ministers: Judge not, and you shall not be judged.

But it is the duty of the bishop to judge rightly, as it is written, Judge righteous judgment; and elsewhere, Why do you not even of yourselves judge what is right? Be therefore as skilful dealers in money: for as these reject bad money, but take to themselves what is current, in the same manner it is the bishops's duty to retain the unblameable, but either to heal, or, if they be past cure, to cast off those that are blameworthy, so as not to be hasty in cutting off, nor to believe all accusations; for it sometimes happens that some, either through passion or envy, do insist on a false accusation against a brother, as did the two elders in the case of Susanna in Babylon, and the Egyptian woman in the case of Joseph. Therefore, as a man of God, do not rashly receive such accusations, lest you take away the innocent and slay the righteous; for he that will receive such accusations is the author of anger rather than of peace. But where there is anger, there the Lord is not; for that anger, which is the friend of Satan— I mean that which is excited unjustly by the means of false brethren — never suffers unanimity to be in the Church. Wherefore, when you know such persons to be foolish, quarrelsome, passionate, and such as delight in mischief, do not give credit to them; but observe such as they are, when you hear anything from them against their brother: for murder is nothing in their eyes, and they cast a man down in such a way as one would not suspect. Therefore consider diligently the accuser, wisely observing his mode of life, what, and of what sort it is; and in case you find him a man of veracity, do according to the doctrine of our Lord, and taking him who is accused, rebuke him, that he may repent, when nobody is by. But if he be not persuaded, take with you out or two more, and so show him his fault, and admonish him with mildness and instruction; for wisdom will rest upon an heart that is good, but is not understood in the heart of the foolish.

But it is the duty of the bishop to judge rightly, as it is written, Judge righteous judgment; and elsewhere, Why do you not even of yourselves judge what is right? Be therefore as skilful dealers in money: for as these reject bad money, but take to themselves what is current, in the same manner it is the bishops's duty to retain the unblameable, but either to heal, or, if they be past cure, to cast off those that are blameworthy, so as not to be hasty in cutting off, nor to believe all accusations; for it sometimes happens that some, either through passion or envy, do insist on a false accusation against a brother, as did the two elders in the case of Susanna in Babylon, and the Egyptian woman in the case of Joseph. Therefore, as a man of God, do not rashly receive such accusations, lest you take away the innocent and slay the righteous; for he that will receive such accusations is the author of anger rather than of peace. But where there is anger, there the Lord is not; for that anger, which is the friend of Satan— I mean that which is excited unjustly by the means of false brethren — never suffers unanimity to be in the Church. Wherefore, when you know such persons to be foolish, quarrelsome, passionate, and such as delight in mischief, do not give credit to them; but observe such as they are, when you hear anything from them against their brother: for murder is nothing in their eyes, and they cast a man down in such a way as one would not suspect. Therefore consider diligently the accuser, wisely observing his mode of life, what, and of what sort it is; and in case you find him a man of veracity, do according to the doctrine of our Lord, and taking him who is accused, rebuke him, that he may repent, when nobody is by. But if he be not persuaded, take with you out or two more, and so show him his fault, and admonish him with mildness and instruction; for wisdom will rest upon an heart that is good, but is not understood in the heart of the foolish.

For I Matthew, one of those twelve which speak to you in this doctrine, am an apostle, having myself been formerly a publican, but now have obtained mercy through believing, and have repented of my former practices, and have been vouchsafed the honour to be an apostle and preacher of the word. And Zacchæus, whom the Lord received upon his repentance and prayers to Him, was also himself in the same manner a publican at first. And, besides, even the soldiers and multitude of publicans, who came to hear the word of the Lord about repentance, heard this from the prophet John, after he had baptized them: Do nothing more than that which is appointed you. In like manner, life is not refused to the heathen, if they repent and cast away their unbelief. Esteem, therefore, every one that is convicted of any wicked action, and has not repented, as a publican or an heathen. But if he afterward repents, and turns from his error, then, as we receive the heathen, when they wish to repent, into the Church indeed to hear the word, but do not receive them to communion until they have received the seal of baptism, and are made complete Christians; so do we also permit such as these to enter only to hear, until they show the fruit of repentance, that by hearing the word they may not utterly and irrecoverably perish. But let them not be admitted to communion in prayer; and let them depart after the reading of the law, and the prophets, and the Gospel, that by such departure they may be made better in their course of life, by endeavouring to meet every day about the public assemblies, and to be frequent in prayer, that they also may be at length admitted, and that those who behold them may be affected, and be more secured by fearing to fall into the same condition.

But if any one returns, and shows forth the fruit of repentance, then do you receive him to prayer, as the lost son, the prodigal, who had consumed his father's substance with harlots, who fed swine, and desired to be fed with husks, and could not obtain it. This son, when he repented, and returned to his father, and said, I have sinned against Heaven, and before you, and am no more worthy to be called your son; the father, full of affection to his child, received him with music, and restored him his old robe, and ring, and shoes, and slew the fatted calf, and made merry with his friends. Therefore, O bishop, act in the same manner. And as you receive an heathen after you have instructed and baptized him, so do you let all join in prayers for this man, and restore him by imposition of hands to his ancient place among the flock, as one purified by repentance; and that imposition of hands shall be to him instead of baptism: for by the laying on of our hands the Holy Ghost was given to believers. And in case some one of those brethren who had stood immoveable accuse you, because you are reconciled to him, say to him: You are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was meet to make merry and be glad: for this your brother was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. For that God does not only receive the penitent, but restores them to their former dignity, holy David is a sufficient witness, who, after his sin in the matter of Uriah, prayed to God, and said: Restore unto me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me with Your free Spirit. And again: Turn Your face from my sins, and blot out all mine offenses. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my inward parts. Cast me not away from Your presence, and take not Your Holy Spirit from me. Therefore, as a compassionate physician, heal all that have sinned, making use of saving methods of cure; not only cutting and searing, or using corrosives, but binding up, and putting in tents, and using gentle healing medicines, and sprinkling comfortable words. If it be an hollow wound, or great gash, nourish it with a suitable plaister, that it may be filled up, and become even with the rest of the whole flesh. If it be foul, cleanse it with corrosive powder, that is, with the words of reproof. If it have proud flesh, eat it down with a sharp plaister — the threats of judgment. If it spreads further, sear it, and cut off the putrid flesh, mortifying him with fastings. But if, after all that you have done, you perceive that from the feet to the head there is no room for a fomentation, or oil, or bandage, but that the malady spreads and prevents all cure, as a gangrene which corrupts the entire member; then, with a great deal of consideration, and the advice of other skilful physicians, cut off the putrefied member, that the whole body of the Church be not corrupted. Be not therefore ready and hasty to cut off, nor do you easily have recourse to the saw, with its many teeth; but first use a lancet to lay open the wound, that the inward cause whence the pain is derived being drawn out, may keep the body free from pain. But if you see any one past repentance, and he has become insensible, then cut off the incurable from the Church with sorrow and lamentation. For: Take out from among yourselves that wicked person. And: You shall make the children of Israel to fear. And again: You shall not accept the persons of the rich in judgment. And: You shall not pity a poor man in his cause: for the judgment is the Lord's.

You shall therefore cast him out of the congregation as a murderer of his brother. Some time afterwards, if he says that he repents, mortify him with fastings, and afterwards you shall lay your hands upon him and receive him, but still securing him, that he does not disturb anybody a second time. But if, when he is admitted again, he be alike troublesome, and will not cease to disturb and to quarrel with his brother, spying faults out of a contentious spirit, cast him out as a pernicious person, that he may not lay waste the Church of God. For such a one is the raiser of disturbances in cities; for he, though he be within, does not become the Church, but is a superfluous and vain member, casting a blot, as far as in him lies, on the body of Christ. For if such men as are born with superfluous members of their body, which hang to them as fingers, or excrescences of flesh, cut them away from themselves on account of their indecency, whereby the unseemliness vanishes, and the man recovers his natural good shape by the means of the surgeon; how much more ought you, the pastors of the Church (for the Church is a perfect body, and sound members; of such as believe in God, in the fear of the Lord, and in love), to do the like when there is found in it a superfluous member with wicked designs, and rendering the rest of the body unseemly, and disturbing it with sedition, and war, and evil-speaking; causing fears, disturbances, blots, evil-speaking, accusations, disorders, and doing the like works of the devil, as if he were ordained by the devil to cast a reproach on the Church by calumnies, and mighty disorders, and strife, and division! Such a one, therefore, when he is a second time cast out of the Church, is justly cut off entirely from the congregation of the Lord. And now the Church of the Lord will be more beautiful than it was before, when it had a superfluous, and to itself a disagreeable member. Wherefore henceforward it will be free from blame and reproach, and become clear of such wicked, deceitful, abusive, unmerciful, traitorous persons; of such as are haters of those that are good, lovers of pleasure, affecters of vainglory, deceivers, and pretenders to wisdom; of such as make it their business to scatter, or rather utterly to disperse, the lambs of the Lord.

You shall therefore cast him out of the congregation as a murderer of his brother. Some time afterwards, if he says that he repents, mortify him with fastings, and afterwards you shall lay your hands upon him and receive him, but still securing him, that he does not disturb anybody a second time. But if, when he is admitted again, he be alike troublesome, and will not cease to disturb and to quarrel with his brother, spying faults out of a contentious spirit, cast him out as a pernicious person, that he may not lay waste the Church of God. For such a one is the raiser of disturbances in cities; for he, though he be within, does not become the Church, but is a superfluous and vain member, casting a blot, as far as in him lies, on the body of Christ. For if such men as are born with superfluous members of their body, which hang to them as fingers, or excrescences of flesh, cut them away from themselves on account of their indecency, whereby the unseemliness vanishes, and the man recovers his natural good shape by the means of the surgeon; how much more ought you, the pastors of the Church (for the Church is a perfect body, and sound members; of such as believe in God, in the fear of the Lord, and in love), to do the like when there is found in it a superfluous member with wicked designs, and rendering the rest of the body unseemly, and disturbing it with sedition, and war, and evil-speaking; causing fears, disturbances, blots, evil-speaking, accusations, disorders, and doing the like works of the devil, as if he were ordained by the devil to cast a reproach on the Church by calumnies, and mighty disorders, and strife, and division! Such a one, therefore, when he is a second time cast out of the Church, is justly cut off entirely from the congregation of the Lord. And now the Church of the Lord will be more beautiful than it was before, when it had a superfluous, and to itself a disagreeable member. Wherefore henceforward it will be free from blame and reproach, and become clear of such wicked, deceitful, abusive, unmerciful, traitorous persons; of such as are haters of those that are good, lovers of pleasure, affecters of vainglory, deceivers, and pretenders to wisdom; of such as make it their business to scatter, or rather utterly to disperse, the lambs of the Lord.

You shall therefore cast him out of the congregation as a murderer of his brother. Some time afterwards, if he says that he repents, mortify him with fastings, and afterwards you shall lay your hands upon him and receive him, but still securing him, that he does not disturb anybody a second time. But if, when he is admitted again, he be alike troublesome, and will not cease to disturb and to quarrel with his brother, spying faults out of a contentious spirit, cast him out as a pernicious person, that he may not lay waste the Church of God. For such a one is the raiser of disturbances in cities; for he, though he be within, does not become the Church, but is a superfluous and vain member, casting a blot, as far as in him lies, on the body of Christ. For if such men as are born with superfluous members of their body, which hang to them as fingers, or excrescences of flesh, cut them away from themselves on account of their indecency, whereby the unseemliness vanishes, and the man recovers his natural good shape by the means of the surgeon; how much more ought you, the pastors of the Church (for the Church is a perfect body, and sound members; of such as believe in God, in the fear of the Lord, and in love), to do the like when there is found in it a superfluous member with wicked designs, and rendering the rest of the body unseemly, and disturbing it with sedition, and war, and evil-speaking; causing fears, disturbances, blots, evil-speaking, accusations, disorders, and doing the like works of the devil, as if he were ordained by the devil to cast a reproach on the Church by calumnies, and mighty disorders, and strife, and division! Such a one, therefore, when he is a second time cast out of the Church, is justly cut off entirely from the congregation of the Lord. And now the Church of the Lord will be more beautiful than it was before, when it had a superfluous, and to itself a disagreeable member. Wherefore henceforward it will be free from blame and reproach, and become clear of such wicked, deceitful, abusive, unmerciful, traitorous persons; of such as are haters of those that are good, lovers of pleasure, affecters of vainglory, deceivers, and pretenders to wisdom; of such as make it their business to scatter, or rather utterly to disperse, the lambs of the Lord.

You shall therefore cast him out of the congregation as a murderer of his brother. Some time afterwards, if he says that he repents, mortify him with fastings, and afterwards you shall lay your hands upon him and receive him, but still securing him, that he does not disturb anybody a second time. But if, when he is admitted again, he be alike troublesome, and will not cease to disturb and to quarrel with his brother, spying faults out of a contentious spirit, cast him out as a pernicious person, that he may not lay waste the Church of God. For such a one is the raiser of disturbances in cities; for he, though he be within, does not become the Church, but is a superfluous and vain member, casting a blot, as far as in him lies, on the body of Christ. For if such men as are born with superfluous members of their body, which hang to them as fingers, or excrescences of flesh, cut them away from themselves on account of their indecency, whereby the unseemliness vanishes, and the man recovers his natural good shape by the means of the surgeon; how much more ought you, the pastors of the Church (for the Church is a perfect body, and sound members; of such as believe in God, in the fear of the Lord, and in love), to do the like when there is found in it a superfluous member with wicked designs, and rendering the rest of the body unseemly, and disturbing it with sedition, and war, and evil-speaking; causing fears, disturbances, blots, evil-speaking, accusations, disorders, and doing the like works of the devil, as if he were ordained by the devil to cast a reproach on the Church by calumnies, and mighty disorders, and strife, and division! Such a one, therefore, when he is a second time cast out of the Church, is justly cut off entirely from the congregation of the Lord. And now the Church of the Lord will be more beautiful than it was before, when it had a superfluous, and to itself a disagreeable member. Wherefore henceforward it will be free from blame and reproach, and become clear of such wicked, deceitful, abusive, unmerciful, traitorous persons; of such as are haters of those that are good, lovers of pleasure, affecters of vainglory, deceivers, and pretenders to wisdom; of such as make it their business to scatter, or rather utterly to disperse, the lambs of the Lord.

It is therefore a noble encomium for a Christian to have no contest with any one; but if by any management or temptation a contest arises with any one, let him endeavour that it may be composed, though thereby he be obliged to lose somewhat; and let it not come before an heathen tribunal. Nay, indeed, you are not to permit that the rulers of this world should pass sentence against your people; for by them the devil contrives mischief to the servants of God, and occasions a reproach to be cast upon us, as though we had not one wise man that is able to judge between his brethren, or to decide their controversies.

Let every widow be meek, quiet, gentle, sincere, free from anger, not talkative, not clamorous, not hasty of speech, not given to evil-speaking, not captious, not double-tongued, not a busybody. If she see or hear anything that is not right, let her be as one that does not see, and as one that does not hear. And let the widow mind nothing but to pray for those that give, and for the whole Church; and when she is asked anything by any one, let her not easily answer, excepting questions concerning the faith, and righteousness, and hope in God, remitting those that desire to be instructed in the doctrines of godliness to the governors. Let her only answer so as may tend to the subversion of the error of polytheism, and let her demonstrate the assertion concerning the monarchy of God. But of the remaining doctrines let her not answer anything rashly, lest by saying anything unlearnedly she should make the word to be blasphemed. For the Lord has taught us that the word is like a grain of mustard seed, which is of a fiery nature, which if any one uses unskilfully, he will find it bitter. For in the mystical points we ought not to be rash, but cautious; for the Lord exhorts us, saying: Cast not your pearls before swine, lest they trample them with their feet, and turn again and rend you. For unbelievers, when they hear the doctrine concerning Christ not explained as it ought to be, but defectively, and especially that concerning His incarnation or His passion, will rather reject it with scorn, and laugh at it as false, than praise God for it. And so the aged women will be guilty of rashness, and of causing blasphemy, and will inherit a woe. For says He, Woe to him by whom my name is blasphemed among the Gentiles.

In the same manner, therefore, the ears of the hearts of such widows as these are stopped, that they will not sit within in their cottages to speak to the Lord, but will run about with the design of getting, and by their foolish prattling fulfil the desires of the adversary. Such widows, therefore, are not affixed to the altar of Christ: for there are some widows which esteem gain their business; and since they ask without shame, and receive without being satisfied, render the generality more backward in giving. For when they ought to be content with their subsistence from the Church, as having moderate desires, on the contrary, they run from one of their neighbours' houses to another, and disturb them, heaping up to themselves plenty of money, and lend at bitter usury, and are only solicitous about mammon, whose bag is their god; who prefer eating and drinking before all virtue, saying, Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die; who esteem these things as if they were durable and not perishing things. For she that uses herself to nothing but talking of money, worships mammon instead of God — that is, is a servant to gain, but cannot be pleasing to God, nor resigned to His worship; not being able to intercede with Him continuously on account that her mind and disposition run after money: for where the treasure is, there will the heart be also. For she is thinking in her mind whither she may go to receive, or that a certain woman her friend has forgot her, and she has somewhat to say to her. She that thinks of such things as these will no longer attend to her prayers, but to that thought which offers itself; so that though sometimes she would pray for anybody, she will not be heard, because she does not offer her petition to the Lord with her whole heart, but with a divided mind. But she that will attend to God will sit within, and mind the things of the Lord day and night, offering her sincere petition with a mouth ready to utter the same without ceasing. As therefore Judith, most famous for her wisdom, and of a good report for her modesty, prayed to God night and day for Israel; so also the widow who is like to her will offer her intercession without ceasing for the Church to God. And He will hear her, because her mind is fixed on this thing alone, and is not disposed to be either insatiable, or covetous, or expensive; when her eye is pure, and her hearing clean, and her hands undefiled, and her feet quiet, and her mouth prepared for neither gluttony nor trifling, but speaking the things that are fit, and partaking of only such things as are necessary for her maintenance. So, being grave, and giving no disturbance, she will be pleasing to God; and as soon as she asks anything, the gift will come to her: as He says, While you are speaking, I will say, Behold, I am here. Let such a one also be free from the love of money, free from arrogance, not given to filthy lucre, not insatiable, not gluttonous, but continent, meek, giving nobody disturbance, pious, modest, sitting at home, singing, and praying, and reading, and watching, and fasting; speaking to God continually in songs and hymns. And let her take wool, and rather assist others than herself want from them; being mindful of that widow who is honoured in the Gospel with the Lord's testimony, who, coming into the temple, cast into the treasury two mites, which make a farthing. And Christ our Lord and Master, and Searcher of hearts, saw her, and said, Verily I say unto you, that this widow has cast into the treasury more than they all: for all they have cast in of their abundance, but this woman of her penury has cast in all the living that she had.

In the same manner, therefore, the ears of the hearts of such widows as these are stopped, that they will not sit within in their cottages to speak to the Lord, but will run about with the design of getting, and by their foolish prattling fulfil the desires of the adversary. Such widows, therefore, are not affixed to the altar of Christ: for there are some widows which esteem gain their business; and since they ask without shame, and receive without being satisfied, render the generality more backward in giving. For when they ought to be content with their subsistence from the Church, as having moderate desires, on the contrary, they run from one of their neighbours' houses to another, and disturb them, heaping up to themselves plenty of money, and lend at bitter usury, and are only solicitous about mammon, whose bag is their god; who prefer eating and drinking before all virtue, saying, Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die; who esteem these things as if they were durable and not perishing things. For she that uses herself to nothing but talking of money, worships mammon instead of God — that is, is a servant to gain, but cannot be pleasing to God, nor resigned to His worship; not being able to intercede with Him continuously on account that her mind and disposition run after money: for where the treasure is, there will the heart be also. For she is thinking in her mind whither she may go to receive, or that a certain woman her friend has forgot her, and she has somewhat to say to her. She that thinks of such things as these will no longer attend to her prayers, but to that thought which offers itself; so that though sometimes she would pray for anybody, she will not be heard, because she does not offer her petition to the Lord with her whole heart, but with a divided mind. But she that will attend to God will sit within, and mind the things of the Lord day and night, offering her sincere petition with a mouth ready to utter the same without ceasing. As therefore Judith, most famous for her wisdom, and of a good report for her modesty, prayed to God night and day for Israel; so also the widow who is like to her will offer her intercession without ceasing for the Church to God. And He will hear her, because her mind is fixed on this thing alone, and is not disposed to be either insatiable, or covetous, or expensive; when her eye is pure, and her hearing clean, and her hands undefiled, and her feet quiet, and her mouth prepared for neither gluttony nor trifling, but speaking the things that are fit, and partaking of only such things as are necessary for her maintenance. So, being grave, and giving no disturbance, she will be pleasing to God; and as soon as she asks anything, the gift will come to her: as He says, While you are speaking, I will say, Behold, I am here. Let such a one also be free from the love of money, free from arrogance, not given to filthy lucre, not insatiable, not gluttonous, but continent, meek, giving nobody disturbance, pious, modest, sitting at home, singing, and praying, and reading, and watching, and fasting; speaking to God continually in songs and hymns. And let her take wool, and rather assist others than herself want from them; being mindful of that widow who is honoured in the Gospel with the Lord's testimony, who, coming into the temple, cast into the treasury two mites, which make a farthing. And Christ our Lord and Master, and Searcher of hearts, saw her, and said, Verily I say unto you, that this widow has cast into the treasury more than they all: for all they have cast in of their abundance, but this woman of her penury has cast in all the living that she had.

In the same manner, therefore, the ears of the hearts of such widows as these are stopped, that they will not sit within in their cottages to speak to the Lord, but will run about with the design of getting, and by their foolish prattling fulfil the desires of the adversary. Such widows, therefore, are not affixed to the altar of Christ: for there are some widows which esteem gain their business; and since they ask without shame, and receive without being satisfied, render the generality more backward in giving. For when they ought to be content with their subsistence from the Church, as having moderate desires, on the contrary, they run from one of their neighbours' houses to another, and disturb them, heaping up to themselves plenty of money, and lend at bitter usury, and are only solicitous about mammon, whose bag is their god; who prefer eating and drinking before all virtue, saying, Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die; who esteem these things as if they were durable and not perishing things. For she that uses herself to nothing but talking of money, worships mammon instead of God — that is, is a servant to gain, but cannot be pleasing to God, nor resigned to His worship; not being able to intercede with Him continuously on account that her mind and disposition run after money: for where the treasure is, there will the heart be also. For she is thinking in her mind whither she may go to receive, or that a certain woman her friend has forgot her, and she has somewhat to say to her. She that thinks of such things as these will no longer attend to her prayers, but to that thought which offers itself; so that though sometimes she would pray for anybody, she will not be heard, because she does not offer her petition to the Lord with her whole heart, but with a divided mind. But she that will attend to God will sit within, and mind the things of the Lord day and night, offering her sincere petition with a mouth ready to utter the same without ceasing. As therefore Judith, most famous for her wisdom, and of a good report for her modesty, prayed to God night and day for Israel; so also the widow who is like to her will offer her intercession without ceasing for the Church to God. And He will hear her, because her mind is fixed on this thing alone, and is not disposed to be either insatiable, or covetous, or expensive; when her eye is pure, and her hearing clean, and her hands undefiled, and her feet quiet, and her mouth prepared for neither gluttony nor trifling, but speaking the things that are fit, and partaking of only such things as are necessary for her maintenance. So, being grave, and giving no disturbance, she will be pleasing to God; and as soon as she asks anything, the gift will come to her: as He says, While you are speaking, I will say, Behold, I am here. Let such a one also be free from the love of money, free from arrogance, not given to filthy lucre, not insatiable, not gluttonous, but continent, meek, giving nobody disturbance, pious, modest, sitting at home, singing, and praying, and reading, and watching, and fasting; speaking to God continually in songs and hymns. And let her take wool, and rather assist others than herself want from them; being mindful of that widow who is honoured in the Gospel with the Lord's testimony, who, coming into the temple, cast into the treasury two mites, which make a farthing. And Christ our Lord and Master, and Searcher of hearts, saw her, and said, Verily I say unto you, that this widow has cast into the treasury more than they all: for all they have cast in of their abundance, but this woman of her penury has cast in all the living that she had.

In the same manner, therefore, the ears of the hearts of such widows as these are stopped, that they will not sit within in their cottages to speak to the Lord, but will run about with the design of getting, and by their foolish prattling fulfil the desires of the adversary. Such widows, therefore, are not affixed to the altar of Christ: for there are some widows which esteem gain their business; and since they ask without shame, and receive without being satisfied, render the generality more backward in giving. For when they ought to be content with their subsistence from the Church, as having moderate desires, on the contrary, they run from one of their neighbours' houses to another, and disturb them, heaping up to themselves plenty of money, and lend at bitter usury, and are only solicitous about mammon, whose bag is their god; who prefer eating and drinking before all virtue, saying, Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die; who esteem these things as if they were durable and not perishing things. For she that uses herself to nothing but talking of money, worships mammon instead of God — that is, is a servant to gain, but cannot be pleasing to God, nor resigned to His worship; not being able to intercede with Him continuously on account that her mind and disposition run after money: for where the treasure is, there will the heart be also. For she is thinking in her mind whither she may go to receive, or that a certain woman her friend has forgot her, and she has somewhat to say to her. She that thinks of such things as these will no longer attend to her prayers, but to that thought which offers itself; so that though sometimes she would pray for anybody, she will not be heard, because she does not offer her petition to the Lord with her whole heart, but with a divided mind. But she that will attend to God will sit within, and mind the things of the Lord day and night, offering her sincere petition with a mouth ready to utter the same without ceasing. As therefore Judith, most famous for her wisdom, and of a good report for her modesty, prayed to God night and day for Israel; so also the widow who is like to her will offer her intercession without ceasing for the Church to God. And He will hear her, because her mind is fixed on this thing alone, and is not disposed to be either insatiable, or covetous, or expensive; when her eye is pure, and her hearing clean, and her hands undefiled, and her feet quiet, and her mouth prepared for neither gluttony nor trifling, but speaking the things that are fit, and partaking of only such things as are necessary for her maintenance. So, being grave, and giving no disturbance, she will be pleasing to God; and as soon as she asks anything, the gift will come to her: as He says, While you are speaking, I will say, Behold, I am here. Let such a one also be free from the love of money, free from arrogance, not given to filthy lucre, not insatiable, not gluttonous, but continent, meek, giving nobody disturbance, pious, modest, sitting at home, singing, and praying, and reading, and watching, and fasting; speaking to God continually in songs and hymns. And let her take wool, and rather assist others than herself want from them; being mindful of that widow who is honoured in the Gospel with the Lord's testimony, who, coming into the temple, cast into the treasury two mites, which make a farthing. And Christ our Lord and Master, and Searcher of hearts, saw her, and said, Verily I say unto you, that this widow has cast into the treasury more than they all: for all they have cast in of their abundance, but this woman of her penury has cast in all the living that she had.

But if any woman has been good, let her, as a prudent person, conceal her own name, not sounding a trumpet before her, that her alms may be with God in secret, as the Lord says: You, when you do your alms, let not your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your alms may be in secret. And let the widow pray for him that gave her the alms, whosoever he be, as being the holy altar of Christ; and the Father, who sees in secret, will render to him that did good openly. But those widows which will not live according to the command of God, are solicitous and inquisitive what deaconess it is that gives the charity, and what widows receive it. And when she has learned those things, she murmurs at the deaconess who distributed the charity, saying, Do you not see that I am in more distress, and want of your charity? Why, therefore, have you preferred her before me? She says these things foolishly, not understanding that this does not depend on the will of man, but the appointment of God. For if she is herself a witness that she was nearer, and, upon inquiry, was in greater want, and more naked than the other, she ought to understand who it is that made this constitution, and to hold her peace, and not to murmur at the deaconess who distributed the charity, but to enter into her own house, and to cast herself prostrate on her face to make supplication to God that her sin may be forgiven her. For God commanded the deaconess who brought the charity not to proclaim the same, and this widow murmured because she did not publish her name, that so she might know it, and run to receive; nay, did not only murmur, but also cursed her, forgetting Him that said: He that blesses you is blessed, and he that curses you is cursed. But the Lord says: When you enter into a house, say, Peace be to this house. And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it; but if it be not worthy, your peace shall return to you.

Concerning virginity we have received no commandment; but we leave it to the power of those that are willing, as a vow: exhorting them so far in this matter that they do not promise anything rashly; since Solomon says, It is better not to vow, than to vow and not pay. Let such a virgin, therefore, be holy in body and soul, as the temple of God, as the house of Christ, as the habitation of the Holy Spirit. For she that vows ought to do such works as are suitable to her vow; and to show that her vow is real, and made on account of leisure for piety, not to cast a reproach on marriage. Let her not be a wanderer abroad, nor one that rambles about unseasonably; not double-minded, but grave, continent, sober, pure, avoiding the conversation of many, and especially of those that are of ill reputation.

But he that denies himself to be a Christian, that he may not be hated of men, and so loves his own life more than he does the Lord, in whose hand his breath is, is wretched and miserable, as being detestable and abominable, who desires to be the friend of men, but is the enemy of God, having no longer his portion with the saints, but with those that are accursed; choosing instead of the kingdom of the blessed, that eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels: not being any longer hated by men, but rejected by God, and cast out from His presence. For of such a one our Lord declared, saying: Whosoever shall deny me before men, and shall be ashamed of my name, I also will deny and be ashamed of him before my Father which is in heaven. And again He speaks thus to us ourselves, His disciples: He that loves father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me; and he that loves son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me; and he that takes not his cross, and follows after me, is not worthy of me. He that finds his life, shall lose it; and he that loses his life for my sake, shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? And afterwards: Fear not those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

For they began to hold a council against the Lord on the second day of the week, in the first month, which is Xanthicus; and the deliberation continued on the third day of the week; but on the fourth day they determined to take away His life by crucifixion. And Judas knowing this, who for a long time had been perverted, but was then smitten by the devil himself with the love of money, although he had been long entrusted with the purse, and used to steal what was set apart for the needy, yet was he not cast off by the Lord, through much long-suffering; nay, and when we were once feasting with Him, being willing both to reduce him to his duty and instruct us in His own foreknowledge, He said: Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you will betray me; and every one of us saying, Is it I? And the Lord being silent, I, who was one of the twelve, and more beloved by Him than the rest, arose up from lying in His bosom, and besought Him to tell who it should be that should betray Him. Yet neither then did our good Lord declare His name, but gave two signs of the betrayer: one by saying, he that dips with me in the dish; a second, to whom I shall give the sop when I have dipped it. Nay, although he himself said, Master, is it I? the Lord did not say Yes, but, You have said. And being willing to affright him in the matter, He said: Woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for him if he had never been born. Who, when he had heard that, went his way, and said to the priests, What will you give me, and I will deliver Him unto you? And they bargained with him for thirty pieces of silver. And the scripture was fulfilled, which said, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of Him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value, and gave them for the house of the potter. And on the fifth day of the week, when we had eaten the passover with Him, and when Judas had dipped his hand into the dish, and received the sop, and had gone out by night, the Lord said to us: The hour has come that you shall be dispersed, and shall leave me alone; and every one vehemently affirming that they would not forsake Him, I Peter adding this promise, that I would even die with Him, He said, Verily I say unto you, Before the cock crows, you shall thrice deny that you know me. And when He had delivered to us the representative mysteries of His precious body and blood, Judas not being present with us, He went out to the Mount of Olives, near the brook Cedron, where there was a garden; and we were with Him, and sang an hymn according to the custom. And being separated not far from us, He prayed to His Father, saying: Father, remove this cup away from me; yet not my will, but Yours be done. And when He had done this thrice, while we out of despondency of mind were fallen asleep, He came and said: The hour has come, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. And behold Judas, and with him a multitude of ungodly men, to whom he shows the signal by which he was to betray Him — a deceitful kiss. But they, when they had received the signal agreed on, took hold of the Lord; and having bound Him, they led Him to the house of Caiaphas the high priest, wherein were assembled many, not the people, but a great rout, not an holy council, but an assembly of the wicked and council of the ungodly, who did many things against Him, and left no kind of injury untried, spitting upon Him, cavilling at Him, beating Him, smiting Him on the face, reviling Him, tempting Him, seeking vain divination instead of true prophecies from Him, calling Him a deceiver, a blasphemer, a transgressor of Moses, a destroyer of the temple, a taker away of sacrifices, an enemy to the Romans, an adversary to Cæsar. And these reproaches did these bulls and dogs in their madness cast upon Him, till it was very early in the morning, and then they lead Him away to Annas, who was father-in-law to Caiaphas; and when they had done the like things to Him there, it being the day of the preparation, they delivered Him to Pilate the Roman governor, accusing Him of many and great things, none of which they could prove. Whereupon the governor, as out of patience with them, said: I find no cause against Him. But they bringing two lying witnesses, wished to accuse the Lord falsely; but they being found to disagree, and so their testimony not conspiring together, they altered the accusation to that of treason, saying, This fellow says that He is a king, and forbids to give tribute to Cæsar. And themselves became accusers, and witnesses, and judges, and authors of the sentence, saying, Crucify Him, crucify Him; that it might be fulfilled which is written by the prophets concerning Him, Unjust witnesses were gathered together against me, and injustice lied to itself; and again, Many dogs compassed me about, the assembly of the wicked laid siege against me; and elsewhere, My inheritance became to me as a lion in a wood, and has sent forth her voice against me. Pilate therefore, disgracing his authority by his pusillanimity, convicts himself of wickedness by regarding the multitude more than this just person, and bearing witness to Him that He was innocent, yet as guilty delivering Him up to the punishment of the cross, although the Romans had made laws that no man unconvicted should be put to death. But the executioners took the Lord of glory and nailed Him to the cross, crucifying Him indeed at the sixth hour, but having received the sentence of His condemnation at the third hour. After this they gave to Him vinegar to drink, mingled with gall. Then they divided His garments by lot. Then they crucified two malefactors with Him, on each side one, that it might be fulfilled which was written: They gave me gall to eat, and when I was thirsty they gave me vinegar to drink. And again: They divided my garment among themselves, and upon my vesture have they cast lots. And in another place: And I was reckoned with the transgressors. Then there was darkness for three hours, from the sixth to the ninth, and again light in the evening; as it is written: It shall not be day nor night, and at the evening there shall be light. All which things, when those malefactors saw that were crucified with Him, the one of them reproached Him as though He was weak and unable to deliver Himself; but the other rebuked the ignorance of his fellow and turning to the Lord, as being enlightened by Him, and acknowledging who He was that suffered, he prayed that He would remember him in His kingdom hereafter. He then presently granted him the forgiveness of his former sins, and brought him into paradise to enjoy the mystical good things; who also cried out about the ninth hour, and said to His Father: My God! My God! Why have You forsaken me? And a little afterward, when He had cried with a loud voice, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do, and had added, Into Your hands I commit my spirit, He gave up the ghost, and was buried before sunset in a new sepulchre. But when the first day of the week dawned He arose from the dead, and fulfilled those things which before His passion He foretold to us, saying: The Son of man must continue in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. And when He was risen from the dead, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, then to Cleopas in the way, and after that to us His disciples, who had fled away for fear of the Jews, but privately were very inquisitive about Him. But these things are also written in the Gospel.

For they began to hold a council against the Lord on the second day of the week, in the first month, which is Xanthicus; and the deliberation continued on the third day of the week; but on the fourth day they determined to take away His life by crucifixion. And Judas knowing this, who for a long time had been perverted, but was then smitten by the devil himself with the love of money, although he had been long entrusted with the purse, and used to steal what was set apart for the needy, yet was he not cast off by the Lord, through much long-suffering; nay, and when we were once feasting with Him, being willing both to reduce him to his duty and instruct us in His own foreknowledge, He said: Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you will betray me; and every one of us saying, Is it I? And the Lord being silent, I, who was one of the twelve, and more beloved by Him than the rest, arose up from lying in His bosom, and besought Him to tell who it should be that should betray Him. Yet neither then did our good Lord declare His name, but gave two signs of the betrayer: one by saying, he that dips with me in the dish; a second, to whom I shall give the sop when I have dipped it. Nay, although he himself said, Master, is it I? the Lord did not say Yes, but, You have said. And being willing to affright him in the matter, He said: Woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for him if he had never been born. Who, when he had heard that, went his way, and said to the priests, What will you give me, and I will deliver Him unto you? And they bargained with him for thirty pieces of silver. And the scripture was fulfilled, which said, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of Him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value, and gave them for the house of the potter. And on the fifth day of the week, when we had eaten the passover with Him, and when Judas had dipped his hand into the dish, and received the sop, and had gone out by night, the Lord said to us: The hour has come that you shall be dispersed, and shall leave me alone; and every one vehemently affirming that they would not forsake Him, I Peter adding this promise, that I would even die with Him, He said, Verily I say unto you, Before the cock crows, you shall thrice deny that you know me. And when He had delivered to us the representative mysteries of His precious body and blood, Judas not being present with us, He went out to the Mount of Olives, near the brook Cedron, where there was a garden; and we were with Him, and sang an hymn according to the custom. And being separated not far from us, He prayed to His Father, saying: Father, remove this cup away from me; yet not my will, but Yours be done. And when He had done this thrice, while we out of despondency of mind were fallen asleep, He came and said: The hour has come, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. And behold Judas, and with him a multitude of ungodly men, to whom he shows the signal by which he was to betray Him — a deceitful kiss. But they, when they had received the signal agreed on, took hold of the Lord; and having bound Him, they led Him to the house of Caiaphas the high priest, wherein were assembled many, not the people, but a great rout, not an holy council, but an assembly of the wicked and council of the ungodly, who did many things against Him, and left no kind of injury untried, spitting upon Him, cavilling at Him, beating Him, smiting Him on the face, reviling Him, tempting Him, seeking vain divination instead of true prophecies from Him, calling Him a deceiver, a blasphemer, a transgressor of Moses, a destroyer of the temple, a taker away of sacrifices, an enemy to the Romans, an adversary to Cæsar. And these reproaches did these bulls and dogs in their madness cast upon Him, till it was very early in the morning, and then they lead Him away to Annas, who was father-in-law to Caiaphas; and when they had done the like things to Him there, it being the day of the preparation, they delivered Him to Pilate the Roman governor, accusing Him of many and great things, none of which they could prove. Whereupon the governor, as out of patience with them, said: I find no cause against Him. But they bringing two lying witnesses, wished to accuse the Lord falsely; but they being found to disagree, and so their testimony not conspiring together, they altered the accusation to that of treason, saying, This fellow says that He is a king, and forbids to give tribute to Cæsar. And themselves became accusers, and witnesses, and judges, and authors of the sentence, saying, Crucify Him, crucify Him; that it might be fulfilled which is written by the prophets concerning Him, Unjust witnesses were gathered together against me, and injustice lied to itself; and again, Many dogs compassed me about, the assembly of the wicked laid siege against me; and elsewhere, My inheritance became to me as a lion in a wood, and has sent forth her voice against me. Pilate therefore, disgracing his authority by his pusillanimity, convicts himself of wickedness by regarding the multitude more than this just person, and bearing witness to Him that He was innocent, yet as guilty delivering Him up to the punishment of the cross, although the Romans had made laws that no man unconvicted should be put to death. But the executioners took the Lord of glory and nailed Him to the cross, crucifying Him indeed at the sixth hour, but having received the sentence of His condemnation at the third hour. After this they gave to Him vinegar to drink, mingled with gall. Then they divided His garments by lot. Then they crucified two malefactors with Him, on each side one, that it might be fulfilled which was written: They gave me gall to eat, and when I was thirsty they gave me vinegar to drink. And again: They divided my garment among themselves, and upon my vesture have they cast lots. And in another place: And I was reckoned with the transgressors. Then there was darkness for three hours, from the sixth to the ninth, and again light in the evening; as it is written: It shall not be day nor night, and at the evening there shall be light. All which things, when those malefactors saw that were crucified with Him, the one of them reproached Him as though He was weak and unable to deliver Himself; but the other rebuked the ignorance of his fellow and turning to the Lord, as being enlightened by Him, and acknowledging who He was that suffered, he prayed that He would remember him in His kingdom hereafter. He then presently granted him the forgiveness of his former sins, and brought him into paradise to enjoy the mystical good things; who also cried out about the ninth hour, and said to His Father: My God! My God! Why have You forsaken me? And a little afterward, when He had cried with a loud voice, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do, and had added, Into Your hands I commit my spirit, He gave up the ghost, and was buried before sunset in a new sepulchre. But when the first day of the week dawned He arose from the dead, and fulfilled those things which before His passion He foretold to us, saying: The Son of man must continue in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. And when He was risen from the dead, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, then to Cleopas in the way, and after that to us His disciples, who had fled away for fear of the Jews, but privately were very inquisitive about Him. But these things are also written in the Gospel.

For they began to hold a council against the Lord on the second day of the week, in the first month, which is Xanthicus; and the deliberation continued on the third day of the week; but on the fourth day they determined to take away His life by crucifixion. And Judas knowing this, who for a long time had been perverted, but was then smitten by the devil himself with the love of money, although he had been long entrusted with the purse, and used to steal what was set apart for the needy, yet was he not cast off by the Lord, through much long-suffering; nay, and when we were once feasting with Him, being willing both to reduce him to his duty and instruct us in His own foreknowledge, He said: Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you will betray me; and every one of us saying, Is it I? And the Lord being silent, I, who was one of the twelve, and more beloved by Him than the rest, arose up from lying in His bosom, and besought Him to tell who it should be that should betray Him. Yet neither then did our good Lord declare His name, but gave two signs of the betrayer: one by saying, he that dips with me in the dish; a second, to whom I shall give the sop when I have dipped it. Nay, although he himself said, Master, is it I? the Lord did not say Yes, but, You have said. And being willing to affright him in the matter, He said: Woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for him if he had never been born. Who, when he had heard that, went his way, and said to the priests, What will you give me, and I will deliver Him unto you? And they bargained with him for thirty pieces of silver. And the scripture was fulfilled, which said, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of Him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value, and gave them for the house of the potter. And on the fifth day of the week, when we had eaten the passover with Him, and when Judas had dipped his hand into the dish, and received the sop, and had gone out by night, the Lord said to us: The hour has come that you shall be dispersed, and shall leave me alone; and every one vehemently affirming that they would not forsake Him, I Peter adding this promise, that I would even die with Him, He said, Verily I say unto you, Before the cock crows, you shall thrice deny that you know me. And when He had delivered to us the representative mysteries of His precious body and blood, Judas not being present with us, He went out to the Mount of Olives, near the brook Cedron, where there was a garden; and we were with Him, and sang an hymn according to the custom. And being separated not far from us, He prayed to His Father, saying: Father, remove this cup away from me; yet not my will, but Yours be done. And when He had done this thrice, while we out of despondency of mind were fallen asleep, He came and said: The hour has come, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. And behold Judas, and with him a multitude of ungodly men, to whom he shows the signal by which he was to betray Him — a deceitful kiss. But they, when they had received the signal agreed on, took hold of the Lord; and having bound Him, they led Him to the house of Caiaphas the high priest, wherein were assembled many, not the people, but a great rout, not an holy council, but an assembly of the wicked and council of the ungodly, who did many things against Him, and left no kind of injury untried, spitting upon Him, cavilling at Him, beating Him, smiting Him on the face, reviling Him, tempting Him, seeking vain divination instead of true prophecies from Him, calling Him a deceiver, a blasphemer, a transgressor of Moses, a destroyer of the temple, a taker away of sacrifices, an enemy to the Romans, an adversary to Cæsar. And these reproaches did these bulls and dogs in their madness cast upon Him, till it was very early in the morning, and then they lead Him away to Annas, who was father-in-law to Caiaphas; and when they had done the like things to Him there, it being the day of the preparation, they delivered Him to Pilate the Roman governor, accusing Him of many and great things, none of which they could prove. Whereupon the governor, as out of patience with them, said: I find no cause against Him. But they bringing two lying witnesses, wished to accuse the Lord falsely; but they being found to disagree, and so their testimony not conspiring together, they altered the accusation to that of treason, saying, This fellow says that He is a king, and forbids to give tribute to Cæsar. And themselves became accusers, and witnesses, and judges, and authors of the sentence, saying, Crucify Him, crucify Him; that it might be fulfilled which is written by the prophets concerning Him, Unjust witnesses were gathered together against me, and injustice lied to itself; and again, Many dogs compassed me about, the assembly of the wicked laid siege against me; and elsewhere, My inheritance became to me as a lion in a wood, and has sent forth her voice against me. Pilate therefore, disgracing his authority by his pusillanimity, convicts himself of wickedness by regarding the multitude more than this just person, and bearing witness to Him that He was innocent, yet as guilty delivering Him up to the punishment of the cross, although the Romans had made laws that no man unconvicted should be put to death. But the executioners took the Lord of glory and nailed Him to the cross, crucifying Him indeed at the sixth hour, but having received the sentence of His condemnation at the third hour. After this they gave to Him vinegar to drink, mingled with gall. Then they divided His garments by lot. Then they crucified two malefactors with Him, on each side one, that it might be fulfilled which was written: They gave me gall to eat, and when I was thirsty they gave me vinegar to drink. And again: They divided my garment among themselves, and upon my vesture have they cast lots. And in another place: And I was reckoned with the transgressors. Then there was darkness for three hours, from the sixth to the ninth, and again light in the evening; as it is written: It shall not be day nor night, and at the evening there shall be light. All which things, when those malefactors saw that were crucified with Him, the one of them reproached Him as though He was weak and unable to deliver Himself; but the other rebuked the ignorance of his fellow and turning to the Lord, as being enlightened by Him, and acknowledging who He was that suffered, he prayed that He would remember him in His kingdom hereafter. He then presently granted him the forgiveness of his former sins, and brought him into paradise to enjoy the mystical good things; who also cried out about the ninth hour, and said to His Father: My God! My God! Why have You forsaken me? And a little afterward, when He had cried with a loud voice, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do, and had added, Into Your hands I commit my spirit, He gave up the ghost, and was buried before sunset in a new sepulchre. But when the first day of the week dawned He arose from the dead, and fulfilled those things which before His passion He foretold to us, saying: The Son of man must continue in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. And when He was risen from the dead, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, then to Cleopas in the way, and after that to us His disciples, who had fled away for fear of the Jews, but privately were very inquisitive about Him. But these things are also written in the Gospel.

See how the people provoked the Lord by not believing in Him! Therefore He says: They provoked the Holy Spirit, and He was turned to be their enemy. For blindness is cast upon them, by reason of the wickedness of their mind, because when they saw Jesus they did not believe Him to be the Christ of God, who was before all ages begotten of Him, His only-begotten Son, God the Word, whom they did not own through their unbelief, neither on account of His mighty works, nor yet on account of the prophecies which were written concerning Him. For that He was to be born of a virgin, they read this prophecy: Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His name Emanuel. For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, whose government is upon His shoulders; and His name is called the Angel of His Great Council, the Wonderful Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Potentate, the Prince of Peace, the Father of the Future Age. Now, that because of their exceeding great wickedness they would not believe in Him, the Lord shows in these words: Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? And afterward: Hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing you shall see, and shall not perceive: for the heart of this people has grown gross. Wherefore knowledge was taken from them, because seeing they overlooked, and hearing they heard not. But to you, the converted of the Gentiles, is the kingdom given, because you, who knew not God, have believed by preaching, and have known Him, or rather are known of Him, through Jesus, the Saviour and Redeemer of those that hope in Him. For you are translated from your former vain and tedious mode of life and have contemned the lifeless idols, and despised the demons, which are in darkness, and have run to the true light, and by it have known the one and only true God and Father, and so are owned to be heirs of His kingdom. For since you have been baptized into the Lord's death, and into His resurrection, as new-born babes, you ought to be wholly free from all sinful actions; for you are not your own, but His that bought you with His own blood. For concerning the former Israel the Lord speaks thus, on account of their unbelief: The kingdom of God shall be taken from them, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof; that is to say, that having given the kingdom to you, who were once far estranged from Him, He expects the fruits of your gratitude and probity. For you are those that were once sent into the vineyard, and did not obey, but these they that did obey; but you have repented of your denial, and you work therein now. But they, being uneasy on account of their own covenants, have not only left the vineyard uncultivated, but have also killed the stewards of the Lord of the vineyard, — one with stones, another with the sword; one they sawed asunder, another they slew in the holy place, between the temple and the altar; nay, at last they cast the Heir Himself out of the vineyard, and slew Him. And by them He was rejected as an unprofitable stone, but by you was received as the corner-stone. Wherefore He says concerning you: A people whom I knew not have served me, and at the hearing of the ear have they obeyed me.

See how the people provoked the Lord by not believing in Him! Therefore He says: They provoked the Holy Spirit, and He was turned to be their enemy. For blindness is cast upon them, by reason of the wickedness of their mind, because when they saw Jesus they did not believe Him to be the Christ of God, who was before all ages begotten of Him, His only-begotten Son, God the Word, whom they did not own through their unbelief, neither on account of His mighty works, nor yet on account of the prophecies which were written concerning Him. For that He was to be born of a virgin, they read this prophecy: Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His name Emanuel. For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, whose government is upon His shoulders; and His name is called the Angel of His Great Council, the Wonderful Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Potentate, the Prince of Peace, the Father of the Future Age. Now, that because of their exceeding great wickedness they would not believe in Him, the Lord shows in these words: Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? And afterward: Hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing you shall see, and shall not perceive: for the heart of this people has grown gross. Wherefore knowledge was taken from them, because seeing they overlooked, and hearing they heard not. But to you, the converted of the Gentiles, is the kingdom given, because you, who knew not God, have believed by preaching, and have known Him, or rather are known of Him, through Jesus, the Saviour and Redeemer of those that hope in Him. For you are translated from your former vain and tedious mode of life and have contemned the lifeless idols, and despised the demons, which are in darkness, and have run to the true light, and by it have known the one and only true God and Father, and so are owned to be heirs of His kingdom. For since you have been baptized into the Lord's death, and into His resurrection, as new-born babes, you ought to be wholly free from all sinful actions; for you are not your own, but His that bought you with His own blood. For concerning the former Israel the Lord speaks thus, on account of their unbelief: The kingdom of God shall be taken from them, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof; that is to say, that having given the kingdom to you, who were once far estranged from Him, He expects the fruits of your gratitude and probity. For you are those that were once sent into the vineyard, and did not obey, but these they that did obey; but you have repented of your denial, and you work therein now. But they, being uneasy on account of their own covenants, have not only left the vineyard uncultivated, but have also killed the stewards of the Lord of the vineyard, — one with stones, another with the sword; one they sawed asunder, another they slew in the holy place, between the temple and the altar; nay, at last they cast the Heir Himself out of the vineyard, and slew Him. And by them He was rejected as an unprofitable stone, but by you was received as the corner-stone. Wherefore He says concerning you: A people whom I knew not have served me, and at the hearing of the ear have they obeyed me.

Wherefore we exhort you to fast on those days, as we also fasted till the evening, when He was taken away from us; but on the rest of the days, before the day of the preparation, let every one eat at the ninth hour, or at the evening, or as every one is able. But from the even of the fifth day till cock-crowing break your fast when it is daybreak of the first day of the week, which is the Lord's day. From the even till cock-crowing keep awake, and assemble together in the church, watch and pray, and entreat God; reading, when you sit up all night, the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms, until cock-crowing, and baptizing your catechumens, and reading the Gospel with fear and trembling, and speaking to the people such things as tend to their salvation: put an end to your sorrow, and beseech God that Israel may be converted, and that He will allow them place of repentance, and the remission of their impiety; for the judge, who was a stranger, washed his hands, and said, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see to it. But Israel cried out, His blood be on us, and on our children. And when Pilate said, Shall I crucify your king? They cried out, We have no king but Cæsar: crucify Him, crucify Him; for every, one that makes himself a king speaks against Cæsar. And, If you let this man go, you are not Cæsar's friend. And Pilate the governor and Herod the king commanded Him to be crucified; and that oracle was fulfilled which says, Why did the Gentiles rage, and the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against His Christ; and, They cast away the Beloved, as a dead man, who is abominable. And since He was crucified on the day of the Preparation, and rose again at break of day on the Lord's day, the scripture was fulfilled which says, Arise, O God; judge the earth: for You shall have an inheritance in all the nations; and again, I will arise, says the Lord; I will put Him in safety, I will wax bold through Him; and, But You, Lord, have mercy upon me, and raise me up again, and I shall requite them. For this reason you should also, now that the Lord is risen, offer your sacrifice, concerning which He made a constitution by us, saying, Do this for a remembrance of me; and thenceforward leave off your fasting, and rejoice, and keep a festival, because Jesus Christ, the pledge of our resurrection, is risen from the dead. And let this be an everlasting ordinance till the consummation of the world, until the Lord come. For to Jews the Lord is still dead, but to Christians He is risen: to the former, by their unbelief; to the latter, by their full assurance of faith. For the hope in Him is immortal and eternal life. After eight days let there be another feast observed with honour, the eighth day itself, on which He gave me Thomas, who was hard of belief, full assurance, by showing me the print of the nails, and the wound made in His side by the spear. And again, from the first Lord's day count forty days, from the Lord's day till the fifth day of the week, and celebrate the feast of the ascension of the Lord, whereon He finished all His dispensation and constitution, and returned to that God and Father that sent Him, and sat down at the right hand of power, and remains there until His enemies are put under His feet; who also will come at the consummation of the world with power and great glory, to judge the quick and the dead, and to recompense to every one according to his works. And then shall they see the beloved Son of God whom they pierced; and when they know Him, they shall mourn for themselves, tribe by tribe, and their wives apart.

Above all things, O bishop, avoid the sad and dangerous and most atheistical heresies, eschewing them as fire that burns those that come near to it. Avoid also schisms: for it is neither lawful to turn one's mind towards wicked heresies, nor to separate from those of the same sentiment out of ambition. For some who ventured to set up such practices of old did not escape punishment. For Dathan and Abiram, who set up in opposition to Moses, were swallowed up into the earth. But Corah, and those two hundred and fifty who with him raised a sedition against Aaron, were consumed by fire. Miriam also, who reproached Moses, was cast out of the camp for seven days; for she said that Moses had taken an Ethiopian to wife. Nay, in the case of Azariah and Uzziah, the latter of which was king of Judah, but venturing to usurp the priesthood, and desiring to offer incense, which it was not lawful for him to do, was hindered by Azariah the high priest, and the fourscore priests; and when he would not obey he found the leprosy to arise in his forehead, and he hastened to go out, because the Lord had reproved him.