ears

And as soon as she arose Tertia went to the house of Charisius her husband's(kinsman), and found Mygdonia lying upon the earth in humiliation, and ashes and sackcloth were spread under her, and she was praying that the Lord would forgive her her former sins and she might soon depart out of life. And Tertia said unto her: Mygdonia, my dear sister and companion what is this hand what is the disease that hath overtaken thee? and why doest thou the deeds of madmen? Know thyself and come back unto thine own way, come near unto thy many kinsfolk, and spare thy true husband Charisius, and do not things unbefitting a free-woman. Mygdonia saith unto her: O Tertia, thou hast not yet heard the preacher of life: not yet hath he touched thine ears, not yet hast thou tasted the medicine of life nor art freed from corruptible mourning. Thou standest in the life of time, and the everlasting life and salvation thou knowest not, and perceivest not the incorruptible fellowship. Thou standest clad in robes that grow old and desirest not those that are eternal, and art proud of this beauty which vanisheth and hast no thought of the holiness of thy soul; and art rich in a multitude of servants, and pridest thyself in the glory that cometh of many, but redeemest not thyself from the condemnation of death.

And being come up into the mountain unto the place where he was to be slain, he said unto them that held him, and to the rest: Brethren, hearken unto me now at the last; for I am come to my departure out of the body. Let not then the eyes of your heart be blinded, nor your ears be made deaf. Believe on the God whom I preach, and be not guides unto yourselves in the hardness of your heart, but walk in all your liberty, and in the glory that is toward men, and the life that is toward God.

But this first I have desired to sow in your ears, even that ye should take care for your souls—on which account I am come unto you—and not expect that this time will be for ever, for it is but a moment, and not lay up treasures upon the earth where all things do fade. Neither think that when ye have gotten children ye can rest upon them, and try not for their sakes to defraud and overreach. Neither, ye poor, be vexed if ye have not wherewith to minister unto pleasures; for men of substance when they are diseased call you happy. Neither, ye rich, rejoice that ye have much money, for by possessing these things ye provide for yourselves grief that ye cannot be rid of when ye lose them; and besides, while it is with you, ye are afraid lest some one attack you on account of it.

Having therefore beheld, brethren, the grace of the Lord and his kindly affection toward us, let us worship him as those unto whom he hath shown mercy, not with our fingers, nor our mouth, nor our tongue, nor with any part whatsoever of our body, but with the disposition of our soul—even him who became a man apart from this body: and let us watch because (or we shall find that) now also he keepeth ward over prisons for our sake, and over tombs, in bonds and dungeons, in reproaches and insults, by sea and on dry land, in scourgings, condemnations, conspiracies, frauds, punishments, and in a word, he is with all of us, and himself suffereth with us when we suffer, brethren. When he is called upon by each one of us, he endureth not to shut his ears to us, but as being everywhere he hearkeneth to all of us; and now both to me and to Drusiana,—forasmuch as he is the God of them that are shut upbringing us help by his own compassion.

Now when Aristodemus, who was chief priest of all those idols, saw this, filled with a wicked spirit, he stirred up sedition among the people, so that one people prepared themselves to fight against the other. And John turned to him and said: Tell me, Aristodemus, what can I do to take away the anger from thy soul? And Aristodemus said: If thou wilt have me believe in thy God, I will give thee poison to drink, and if thou drink it, and die not, it will appear that thy God is true. The apostle answered: If thou give me poison to drink, when I call on the name of my Lord, it will not be able to harm me. Aristodemus said again: I will that thou first see others drink it and die straightway that so thy heart may recoil from that cup. And the blessed John said: I have told thee already that I am prepared to drink it that thou mayest believe on the Lord Jesus Christ when thou seest me whole after the cup of poison. Aristodemus therefore went to the proconsul and asked of him two men who were to undergo the sentence of death. And when he had set them in the midst of the market-place before all the people, in the sight of the apostle he made them drink the poison: and as soon as they had drunk it, they gave up the ghost. Then Aristodemus turned to John and said: Hearken to me and depart from thy teaching wherewith thou callest away the people from the worship of the gods; or take and drink this, that thou mayest show that thy God is almighty, if after thou hast drunk, thou canst remain whole. Then the blessed John, as they lay dead which had drunk the poison, like a fearless and brave man took the cup, and making the sign of the cross, spake thus: My God, and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whose word the heavens were established, unto whom all things are subject, whom all creation serveth, whom all power obeyeth, feareth, and trembleth, when we call on thee for succour: whose name the serpent hearing is still, the dragon fleeth, the viper is quiet, the toad (which is called a frog) is still and strengthless, the scorpion is quenched, the basilisk vanquished, and the phalangia (spider) doth no hurt—in a word, all venomous things, and the fiercest reptiles and noisome beasts, are pierced (or covered with darkness). Do thou, I say, quench the venom of this poison, put out the deadly workings thereof, and void it of the strength which it hath in it: and grant in thy sight unto all these whom thou hast created, eyes that they may see, and ears that they may hear and a heart that they may understand thy greatness. And when he had thus said, he armed his mouth and all his body with the sign of the cross and drank all that was in the cup. And after be had drunk, he said: I ask that they for whose sake I have drunk, be turned unto thee, O Lord, and by thine enlightening receive the salvation which is in thee. And when for the space of three hours the people saw that John was of a cheerful countenance, and that there was no sign at all of paleness or fear in him, they began to cry out with a loud voice: He is the one true God whom John worshippeth.

John therefore continued with the brethren, rejoicing in the Lord. And on the morrow, being the Lord's day, and all the brethren being gathered together, he began to say unto them: Brethren and fellow-servants and coheirs and partakers with me in the kingdom of the Lord, ye know the Lord, how many mighty works he hath granted you by my means, how many wonders, healings, signs, how great spiritual gifts, teachings, governings, refreshings, ministries, knowledges, glories, graces, gifts, beliefs, communions, all which ye have seen given you by him in your sight, yet not seen by these eyes nor heard by these ears. Be ye therefore stablished in him, remembering him in your every deed, knowing the mystery of the dispensation which hath come to pass towards men, for what cause the Lord hath l accomplished it. He beseecheth you by me, brethren, and entreateth you, desiring to remain without grief, without insult, not conspired against, not chastened: for he knoweth even the insult that cometh of you, he knoweth even dishonour, he knoweth even conspiracy, he knoweth even chastisement, from them that hearken not to his commandments.

And when the multitudes that stood by of them that had been made disciples in Christ by him saw that they had done unto him none of the things accustomed with them that are crucified, they hoped to hear something again from him. For as he hung, he moved his head and smiled. And Stratocles asked him, saying: Wherefore smilest thou, servant of God? thy laughter maketh us to mourn and weep because we are bereaved of thee. And the blessed Andrew answered him: Shall I not laugh, my son Stratocles, at the vain assault (ambush) of Aegeates, whereby he thinketh to punish us? we are strangers unto him and his conspiracies. He hath not <ears> to hear; for if he had, he would have heard that the man of Jesus cannot be punished, because he is henceforth known of him.

And when the ninth hour was fully come, they rose up to make prayer. And behold certain widows, of the aged, unknown to Peter, which sat there, being blind and not believing, cried out, saying unto Peter: We sit together here, O Peter, hoping and believing in Christ Jesus: as therefore thou hast made one of us to see, we entreat thee, lord Peter, grant unto us also his mercy and pity. But Peter said to them: If there be in you the faith that is in Christ, if it be firm in you, then perceive in your mind that which ye see not with your eyes, and though your ears are closed, yet let them be open in your mind within you. These eyes shall again be shut, seeing nought but men and oxen and dumb beasts and stones and sticks; but not every eye seeth Jesus Christ. Yet now, Lord, let thy sweet and holy name succour these persons; do thou touch their eyes; for thou art able—that these may see with their eyes. And when all had prayed, the hall wherein they were shone as when it lighteneth, even with such a light as cometh in the clouds, yet not such a light as that of the daytime, but unspeakable, invisible, such as no man can describe, even such that we were beside ourselves with bewilderment, calling on the Lord and saying: Have mercy, Lord, upon us thy servants: what we are able to bear, that, Lord, give thou us; for this we can neither see nor endure. And as we lay there, only those widows stood up which were blind; and the bright light which appeared unto us entered into their eyes and made them to see. Unto whom Peter said: Tell us what ye saw. And they said: We saw an old man of such comeliness as we are not able to declare to thee; but others said: We saw a young man; and others: We saw a boy touching our eyes delicately, and so were our eyes opened. Peter therefore magnified the Lord, saying: Thou only art the Lord God, and of what lips have we need to give thee due praise? and how can we give thee thanks according to thy mercy? Therefore, brethren, as I told you but a little while since, God that is constant is greater than our thoughts, even as we have learned of these aged widows, how that they beheld the Lord in divers forms.

The fame of it therefore being spread throughout the city, there came the mother of a certain senator, and cast herself into the midst of the people, and fell at Peter's feet, saying: I have learned from my people that thou art a servant of the merciful God, and dost impart his grace unto all them that desire this light. Impart therefore the light unto my son, for I know that thou begrudgest none; turn not away from a matron that entreateth thee. Unto whom Peter said: Wilt thou believe on my God, by whom thy son shall be raised? And the mother said with a loud voice, weeping: I believe, O Peter, I believe! and all the people cried out: Grant the mother her son. But Peter said: Let him be brought hither before all these. And Peter turned himself to the people and said: Ye men of Rome, I also am one of yourselves, and bear a man's body and am a sinner, but have obtained mercy: look not therefore upon me as though I did by mine own power that which I do, but by the power of my Lord Jesus Christ, who is the judge of quick and dead. In him do I believe and by him am I sent, and have confidence when I call upon him to raise the dead. Go thou therefore also, O woman, and cause thy son to be brought hither and to rise again. And the woman passed through the midst of the people and went into the street, running, with great joy, and believing in her mind she came unto her house, and by means of her young men she took him up and came unto the forum. Now she bade the young men put caps pilei, a sign that they were now freed. on their heads, and to walk before the bier, and all that she had determined to burn upon the body of her son to be borne before his bier; and when Peter saw it he had compassion upon the dead body and upon her. And she came unto the multitude, while all bewailed her; and a great crowd of senators and matrons followed after, to behold the wonderful works of God: for this Nicostratus which was dead was exceeding noble and beloved of the senate. And they brought him and set him down before Peter. And Peter called for silence, and with a loud voice said: Ye men of Rome, let there now be a just judgement betwixt me and Simon; and judge ye whether of us two believeth in the living God, he or I. Let him raise up the body that lieth here, and believe in him as the angel of God. But if he be not able, and I call upon my God and restore the son alive unto his mother, then believe ye that this man is a sorcerer and a deceiver, which is entertained among you. And when all they heard these things, they thought that it was right which Peter had spoken, and they encouraged Simon, saying: Now, if there be aught in thee, show it openly! either overcome, or thou shall be overcome! (or, convince us, or thou shalt be convicted). Why standest thou still? Come, begin! But Simon, when he saw them all instant with him, stood silent; and thereafter, when he saw the people silent and looking upon him, Simon cried out, saying: Ye men of Rome, if ye behold the dead man arise, will ye cast Peter out of the city? And all the people said: We will not only cast him out, but on the very instant will we burn him with fire. Then Simon went to the head of the dead man and stooped down and thrice raised himself up (or, and said thrice: Raise thyself), and showed the people that he (the dead) lifted his head and moved it, and opened his eyes and bowed himself a little unto Simon. And straightway they began to ask for wood and torches, wherewith to burn Peter. But Peter receiving strength of Christ, lifted up his voice and said unto them that cried out against him: Now see I, ye people of Rome, that ye are—I must not say fools and vain, so long as your eyes and your ears and your hearts are blinded. How long shall your understanding be darkened? see ye not that ye are bewitched, supposing that a dead man is raised, who hath not lifted himself up? It would have sufficed me, ye men of Rome, to hold my peace and die without speaking, and to leave you among the deceits of this world; but I have the chastisement of fire unquenchable before mine eyes. If therefore it seem good unto you, let the dead man speak, let him arise if he liveth, let him loose his jaw that is bound, with his hands, let him call upon his mother, let him say unto you that cry out: Wherefore cry ye? let him beckon unto us with his hand. If now ye would see that he is dead, and yourselves bewitched, let this man depart from the bier, who hath persuaded you to depart from Christ, and ye shall see that the dead man is such as ye saw him brought hither. But Agrippa the prefect had no longer patience, but thrust away Simon with his own hands, and again the dead man lay as he was before. And the people were enraged, and turned away from the sorcery of Simon and began to cry out: Hearken, O Caesar! if now the dead riseth not, let Simon burn instead of Peter, for verily he hath blinded us. But Peter stretched forth his hand and said: O men of Rome, have patience! I say not unto you that if the lad be raised Simon shall burn; for if I say it, ye will do it. The people cried out: Against thy will, Peter, we will do it. Unto whom Peter said: If ye continue in this mind the lad shall not arise: for we know not to render evil for evil, but we have learned to love our enemies and pray for our persecutors. For if even this man can repent, it were better; for God will not remember evil. Let him come, therefore, into the light of Christ; but if he cannot, let him possess the part of his father the devil, but let not your hands be defiled. And when he had thus spoken unto the people, he went unto the lad, and before he raised him, he said to his mother: These young men whom thou hast set free in the honour of thy son, can yet serve their God when he liveth, being free; for I know that the soul of some is hurt if they shall see thy son arise and know that these shall yet be in bondage: but let them all continue free and receive their sustenance as they did before, for thy son is about to rise again; and let them be with him. And Peter looked long upon her, to see her thoughts. And the mother of the lad said: What other can I do? therefore before the prefect I say: whatsoever I was minded to burn upon the body of my son, let them possess it. And Peter said: Let the residue be distributed unto the widows. Then Peter rejoiced in soul and said in the spirit: O Lord that art merciful, Jesu Christ, show thyself unto thy Peter that calleth upon thee like as thou hast always shown him mercy and loving-kindness: and in the presence of all these which have obtained freedom, that these may become thy servants, let Nicostratus now arise. And Peter touched the lad's side and said: Arise. And the lad arose and put off his grave clothes and sat up and loosed his jaw, and asked for other raiment; and he came down from the bier and said unto Peter: I pray thee, O man of God, let us go unto our Lord Christ whom I saw speaking with me; who also showed me unto thee and said to thee: Bring him hither unto me, for he is mine. And when Peter heard this of the lad, he was strengthened yet more in soul by the help of the Lord; and Peter said unto the people: Ye men of Rome, it is thus that the dead are raised up, thus do they converse, thus do they arise and walk, and live so long time as God willeth. Now therefore, ye that have come together unto the sight, if ye turn not from these your evil ways, and from all your gods that are made with hands, and from all uncleanness and concupiscence, <ye shall perish for ever: Turn ye therefore and> receive fellowship with Christ, believing, that ye may obtain everlasting life.

And having approached and standing by the cross he began to say: O name of the cross, thou hidden mystery! O grace ineffable that is pronounced in the name of the cross! O nature of man, that cannot be separated from God! O love (friendship) unspeakable and inseparable, that cannot be shown forth by unclean lips! I seize thee now, I that am at the end of my delivery hence (or, of my coming hither). I will declare thee, what thou art: I will not keep silence of the mystery of the cross which of old was shut and hidden from my soul. Let not the cross be unto you which hope in Christ, this which appeareth: for it is another thing, different from that which appeareth, even this passion which is according to that of Christ. And now above all, because ye that can hear are able to hear it of me, that am at the last and final hour of my life, hearken: Separate your souls from every thing that is of the senses, from every thing that appeareth, and does not exist in truth. Blind these eyes of yours, close these ears of yours, put away your doings that are seen; and ye shall perceive that which concerneth Christ, and the whole mystery of your salvation: and let thus much be said unto you that hear, as if it had not been spoken. But now it is time for thee, Peter, to deliver up thy body unto them that take it. Receive it then, ye unto whom it belongeth. I beseech you the executioners, crucify me thus, with the head downward and not otherwise: and the reason wherefore, I will tell unto them that hear.

Now whereas thou hast made known and revealed these things unto me, O word of life, called now by me wood (or, word called now by me the tree of life), I give thee thanks, not with these lips that are nailed unto the cross, nor with this tongue by which truth and falsehood issue forth, nor with this word which cometh forth by means of art whose nature is material, but with that voice do I give thee thanks, O King, which is perceived (understood) in silence, which is not heard openly, which proceedeth not forth by organs of the body, which goeth not into ears of flesh, which is not heard of corruptible substance, which existeth not in the world, neither is sent forth upon earth, nor written in books, which is owned by one and not by another: but with this, O Jesu Christ, do I give thee thanks, with the silence of a voice, wherewith the spirit that is in me loveth thee, speaketh unto thee, seeth thee, and beseecheth thee. Thou art perceived of the spirit only, thou art unto me father, thou my mother, thou my brother, thou my friend, thou my bondsman, thou my steward: thou art the All and the All is in thee: and thou Art, and there is nought else that is save thee only. Unto him therefore do ye also, brethren, flee, and if ye learn that in him alone ye exist, ye shall obtain those things whereof he saith unto you: 'which neither eye hath seen nor ear heard, neither have they entered into the heart of man.' We ask, therefore, for that which thou hast promised to give unto us, O thou undefiled Jesu. We praise thee, we give thee thanks, and confess to thee, glorifying thee, even we men that are yet without strength, for thou art God alone, and none other: to whom be glory now and unto all ages. Amen.

And Bartholomew went and trode upon his neck, and pressed down his face into the earth as far as his ears.

Then Adam, when he heard the Word of God, and the fluttering of the angels whom he did not see, but only heard the sound of them with his ears, he and Eve wept, and said to the angels:--

At these words of Satan Cain opened his ears, and leant towards his speech.

And as much time as there was and went past, understand that after that he created man in the likeness of his own form, and put into him eyes to see, and ears to hear, and heart to reflect, and intellect wherewith to deliberate.

And the spirit of hatred was in me, and I wished not either to hear of Joseph with the ears, or see him with the eyes, because he rebuked us to our faces saying that we were eating of the flock without Judah.

And under the stones which had been arranged to represent eggs the artists made a crown containing all kinds of fruits, having at its top clusters of grapes and ears of corn, dates also and apples, and pomegranates and the like, conspicuously arranged.

The weasel class, too, is peculiar: for besides what has been said, it has a characteristic which is defiling: It conceives through the ears and brings forth through the mouth.

For by embodying in speech all that they receive through the ears, they involve others in evils and work no ordinary impurity, being themselves altogether defiled by the pollution of impiety.

Not the melodies of the sirens nor the songs of swans with sweet sound do so charm the hearer's ears, as sounded the voices of the sons, speaking to the mother from amid the torments.

Open your ears and I will speak to you. Give me your souls that I may also give you my soul,

Ears have become mine and I have heard His truth.

Would that you had ears, O earth, And that you had a heart, O dust: That you might go and announce in Sheol, And say to the dead:

For over this above all shall those who come then lament, that they rejected My law, and stopped their ears that they might not hear wisdom or receive understanding.

Thine ears listen to the hopeful prayer of the poor. Thy judgments (are executed) upon the whole earth in mercy;

Shall be nor ears of corn; but all shall eat

And knowledge taught; I who formed eyes and ears,

Of fine ears, high-souled Egypt; but again

Shall shoot up like ears in the Roman wars;

which comes into thy mind, for in every place are their eyes and their ears; but keep watch over thy mouth, let it not be thy destruction.

All that thou hearest thou mayest try by thy ears, for the beauty of a man is his faithfulness, for his hatefulness is the lying of his lips.

Good eyes shall not be darkened and good ears shall not be stopped, and a good mouth will love

. . . a child and a deaf man, ears . . .

And when I heard it from above, fear and trembling fell upon me, and I rose up from my dream. And while the Voice of God was yet in mine ears, I said: How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. And I set up the stone that was under my head for a pillar, and poured oil on the top of it, and I called the name of that place the house of God . . . Lord God of Adam, of thy creature, and Lord God of Abraham and Isaac my father, and of all whose ways are right before thee, thou that sittest mighty upon the Cherubim and upon the throne of the majesty, of fire and full of eyes, as I saw in my dream; that holds the Cherubim with four faces, that bears the Seraphim full of eyes, that bears the whole world under his arm, and is borne of none. Thou hast established the heaven for the glory of thy name. Thou hast spread out upon the clouds of the heaven the heaven that flieth under thee, that under it thou mayest move the sun and hide it in the night lest it be held for God: thou hast ordained the way for the moon and the stars, and her thou makest to wax and wane, but for the stars, thou hast commanded them to pass over, lest these also should be supposed gods. Before the face of thy majesty the six-winged Seraphim fear, and hide their feet and their face with their wings, and with the others they fly, and sing . . . Highest, with twelve faces, many-named, fiery, lightning-formed, holy one! Holy, Holy, Holy, Jao Jaova, Jaoel, Sabakdos, Chabod, Sabaoth, Omlelech, Elaber, Ame S'me Barech, eternal king, strong, mighty, very great, long-suffering. Blessed One, that fillest heaven and earth and the sea and the abyss and all æons with thy glory. Hear my song wherewith I have praised thee, and grant me my petition for which I pray to thee, and show me the interpretation of my dream. For thou art strong and mighty and glorious, a holy God, the Lord of me and of my fathers.

And invisibly he received a voice in his ears: Come hither, Sedrach, since you wish and desirest to converse with God and ask of him that he may reveal unto you whatever you wish to ask. And Sedrach said: What, Sir? And the voice said to him: I was sent to you to raise you here into heaven. And he said: I desired to speak mouth to mouth with God: I am not fit, Sir, to come into heaven. And stretching out his wings he took him up and he came into heaven to the very flame, and he set him as high as the third heaven, and in it stood the flame of the divinity.

And weeping and bewailing he began to say: O marvellous head of heavenly adornment: O radiant as the sun which shines on heaven and earth: your hairs are known from Teman, your eyes from Bosor, your ears from thunder, your tongue from a trumpet, and your brain is a small creation, your head the energy of the whole body: O friendly and most fair beloved by all, and now falling into the earth it must become forgotten. O hands, mild, fair-fingered, worn with toil by which the body is nourished: O hands, deftest of all, heaping up from all quarters you made ready houses. O fingers adorned and decked with gold and silver (rings): and great worlds are led by the fingers: the three joints enfold the palms, and heap up beautiful things: and now you must become aliens to the world. O feet, skilfully walking about, self-running, most swift, unconquerable: O knees, fitted together, because without you the body does not move: the feet run along with the sun and the moon in the night and in the day, heaping up all things, foods and drinks, and nourishing the body: O feet, most swift and fair runners, moving on the face of the earth, getting ready the house with every good thing: O feet which bear up the whole body, that run up to the temples, making repentance and calling on the saints, and now you are to remain motionless. O head and hands and feet, until now I have kept you. O soul, what sent you into the humble and wretched body? And now being separated from it, you are going up where the Lord calls you, and the wretched body goes away to judgment. O body well-adorned, hair clothed with stars, head of heavenly adornment and dress: O face well-anointed, light-bringing eyes, voice trumpet-like, tongue placable, chin fairly adorned, hairs like the stars, head high as heaven, body decked out, light-bringing eyes that know all things — and now you shall fall into the earth and under the earth your beauty shall disappear.

For then neither brother pities brother, nor man wife, nor children parents, nor friends friends, nor a slave his master; for he who is the adversary of men shall come up from Tartarus, and shall show men many things. What shall I make of you, Esdras? And will you yet plead with me? And the prophet said: Lord, I shall not cease to plead with You. And God said: Number the flowers of the earth. If you shall be able to number them, you are able also to plead with me. And the prophet said: Lord, I cannot number them. I wear human flesh; but I shall not cease to plead with You. I wish, Lord, to see also the under parts of Tartarus. And God said: Come down and see. And He gave me Michael, and Gabriel, and other thirty-four angels; and I went down eighty-five steps, and they brought me down five hundred steps, and I saw a fiery throne, and an old man sitting upon it; and his judgment was merciless. And I said to the angels: Who is this? And what is his sin? And they said to me: This is Herod, who for a time was a king, and ordered to put to death the children from two years old and under. And I said: Woe to his soul! And again they took me down thirty steps, and I there saw boilings up of fire, and in them there was a multitude of sinners; and I heard their voice, but saw not their forms. And they took me down lower many steps, which I could not measure. And I there saw old men, and fiery pivots turning in their ears. And I said: Who are these? And what is their sin? And they said to me: These are they who would not listen. And they took me down again other five hundred steps, and I there saw the worm that sleeps not, and fire burning up the sinners. And they took me down to the lowest part of destruction, and I saw there the twelve plagues of the abyss. And they took me away to the south, and I saw there a man hanging by the eyelids; and the angels kept scourging him. And I asked: Who is this? And what is his sin? And Michael the commander said to me: This is one who lay with his mother; for having put into practice a small wish, he has been ordered to be hanged. And they took me away to the north, and I saw there a man bound with iron chains. And I asked: Who is this? And he said to me: This is he who said, I am the Son of God, that made stones bread, and water wine. And the prophet said: My lord, let me know what is his form, and I shall tell the race of men, that they may not believe in him. And he said to me: The form of his countenance is like that of a wild beast; his right eye like the star that rises in the morning, and the other without motion; his mouth one cubit; his teeth span long; his fingers like scythes; the track of his feet of two spans; and in his face an inscription, Antichrist. He has been exalted to heaven; he shall go down to Hades. At one time he shall become a child; at another, an old man. And the prophet said: Lord, and how do You permit him, and he deceives the race of men? And God said: Listen, my prophet. He becomes both child and old man, and no one believes him that he is my beloved Son. And after this a trumpet, and the tombs shall be opened, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible. Then the adversary, hearing the dreadful threatening, shall be hidden in outer darkness. Then the heaven, and the earth, and the sea shall be destroyed. Then shall I burn the heaven eighty cubits, and the earth eight hundred cubits. And the prophet said: And how has the heaven sinned? And God said: Since...there is evil. And the prophet said: Lord, and the earth, how has it sinned? And God said: Since the adversary, having heard the dreadful threatening, shall be hidden, even on account of this will I melt the earth, and with it the opponent of the race of men. And the prophet said: Have mercy, Lord, upon the race of the Christians. And I saw a woman hanging, and four wild beasts sucking her breasts. And the angels said to me: She grudged to give her milk, but even threw her infants into the rivers. And I saw a dreadful darkness, and a night that had no stars nor moon; nor is there there young or old, nor brother with brother, nor mother with child, nor wife with husband. And I wept, and said: O Lord God, have mercy upon the sinners. And as I said this, there came a cloud and snatched me up, and carried me away again into the heavens. And I saw there many judgments; and I wept bitterly, and said: It is good for a man not to have come out of his mother's womb. And those who were in torment cried out, saying: Since you have come hither, O holy one of God, we have found a little remission. And the prophet said: Blessed are they that weep for their sins. And God said: Hear, O beloved Esdras. As a husbandman casts the seed of the grain into the ground, so also the man casts his seed into the parts of the woman. The first month it is all together; the second it increases in size; the third it gets hair; the fourth it gets nails; the fifth it is turned into milk; and the sixth it is made ready, and receives life; the seventh it is completely furnished; the ninth the barriers of the gate of the woman are opened; and it is born safe and sound into the earth. And the prophet said: Lord, it is good for man not to have been born. Woe to the human race then, when You shall come to judgment! And I said to the Lord: Lord, why have You created man, and delivered him up to judgment? And God said, with a lofty proclamation: I will not by any means have mercy on those who transgress my covenant. And the prophet said: Lord, where is Your goodness? And God said: I have prepared all things for man's sake, and man does not keep my commandments. And the prophet said: Lord, reveal to me the judgments and paradise. And the angels took me away towards the east, and I saw the tree of life. And I saw there Enoch, and Elias, and Moses, and Peter, and Paul, and Luke, and Matthias, and all the righteous, and the patriarchs. And I saw there the keeping of the air within bounds, and the blowing of the winds, and the storehouses of the ice, and the eternal judgments. And I saw there a man hanging by the skull. And they said to me: This man removed landmarks. And I saw there great judgments. And I said to the Lord: O Lord God, and what man, then, who has been born has not sinned? And they took me lower down into Tartarus, and I saw all the sinners lamenting and weeping and mourning bitterly. And I also wept, seeing the race of men thus tormented. Then God says to me: Do you know, Esdras, the names of the angels at the end of the world? Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, Raphael, Gabuthelon, Aker, Arphugitonos, Beburos, Zebuleon.

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

And I Solomon did as she enjoined me, and restrained myself because of the wisdom dwelling in me; in order that I might hear of her deeds, and reprehend them, and manifest them to men. And I sat down, and said to the demon: "What art thou?" And she said: "I am called among men Obizuth; and by night I sleep not, but go my rounds over all the world, and visit women in childbirth. And divining the hour I take my stand; and if I am lucky, I strangle the child. But if not, I retire to another place. For I cannot for a single night retire unsuccessful. For I am a fierce spirit, of myriad names and many shapes. And now hither, now thither I roam. And to westering parts I go my rounds. But as it now is, though thou hast sealed me round with the ring of God, thou hast done nothing. I am not standing before thee, and thou wilt not be able to command me. For I have no work other than the destruction of children, and the making their ears to be deaf, and the working of evil to their eyes, and the binding their mouths with a bond, and the ruin of their minds, and paining of their bodies."

The fifth said: "I am called Iudal, and I bring about a block in the ears and deafness of hearing. If I hear, 'Uruel Iudal,' I at once retreat."

And the man said: 'I will go also to Joseph that I may speak into his ears these words concerning thee.'

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 THE RICH OUGHT TO SEEK TO KNOW THE PROFIT OF THE SCRIPTURES AT ALL TIMES IN THE STRENGTH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. [i., 5] But if thou art rich, and hast no need of the art and labour of thy hand, wherewith to earn thy bread and livelihood, be not slothful, nor sit idle, but go to the faithful, and sit with them, (even) with them that are united with thee in faith; and speak with another of the word of life, and read what is in the Book of Kings and the Prophets, and sing a psalm of praise, and hearken to the word of the Gospel, which is the fulfilment of the whole law. [i., 6.] And keep far from all service of the gods of the Gentiles; and take no heed of any words of vanity which profit not, and seek no other law, nor false prophets who change and corrupt the faith. What then art thou unable (to find) in the law of God, that thou shouldest seek after the learning of the Gentiles? But if thou desirest to know the power of the interpretation of the Scriptures, seek out the Book of Kings: and if thou wishest to find out the power of the wise and their teaching, thou hast the prophets, Job and Solomon. These are they that are full of wisdom, and thou shalt find knowledge in them. These, more than all teachers, shall make understanding to increase, for their word is the voice of the Lord God, who alone is all-wise. And if thou desirest a song, thou hast the Psalms of David. And if thou desirest to seek to understand the creation of the world and the generation of the first fathers, thou hast the Law. And if thou desirest to know wisdom and doctrine, thou hast the book of the law, which is full of the glory of the Lord God. Keep far, then, from works of evil, and from the doctrine of Satan, and the word of vanity, which is not in the law; but read what is in Deuteronomy, that thou mayest understand and know the glory of God, who hath saved thee from many snares of Satan. For the Saviour came not to destroy the Law and the prophets, but to fulfil them, and to loose the bonds which are in Deuteronomy, and to bring men to a spiritual teaching. Wherefore He calleth us, saying, ‘‘Come unto me all ye that are troubled and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”! And thou, when thou hast read the Law and the prophets and (the Books of) the Kings and the Gospel, shalt understand how many were the righteous men who have reigned and pleased God in their lives, and for this have found life eternal; and also thou shalt know how many evil kings have transgressed through lack of understanding. These have perished and been destroyed by the stroke of the judgment of God, and have lost eternal life. And knowing this, thou shalt be strong in the right faith, and shalt find grace and favour with our Lord Jesus Christ, for thou art one of His members. Moreover, when thou desirest to bathe, enter not into the bath where the women bathe, lest they see the beauty of thy youth, and the charm of thy flesh, and stumble because of thee, or thou thyself sin and fall by reason of them. [i., 7-] O my children, let us hear and understand the word of the Holy One, which saith, “Keep ye my commandment; say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister, and make knowledge thy friend, that she may keep thee from the strange and evil woman, even if she bring unto thee words of allurement. For from the window of her house she looketh down on the streets, and if she see one of the foolish children, a youth that lacketh knowledge, who walketh in the corners of the ways of her -house, and talketh in the darkness of evening, when the quiet and darkness of night come on, then the woman lighteth upon him having the adornments of adultery, which excite the hearts of the youths. She is flighty and wanton, and in her house her feet rest not; and for a short while she wandereth abroad, and for a while in the streets, and in every corner she lieth in wait. And she laid hold on him and kissed him, and with a face without shame said unto him, I have a peace-offering; to-day I pay my vow; therefore I came to meet thee; desiring thy countenance I have found thee. I have spread my bed with fine linen, carpets from Egypt I have strewn; I have sprinkled my bed with saffron, and my house with cinnamon. Come, let us enjoy ourselves with kisses until the morning, and let us revel in love. For my husband is not in my house; he has gone on a far journey, taking a bag of gold in his hand; after many days would he return to his house. And she led him astray with many words, and drew him on with the snare of her lips, and he followed her in the wicked blindness of his heart.”! And furthermore it is said, “Look not on an evil woman, for honey floweth from the lips of an adulterous woman, which for a time is sweet to thy throat, and afterwards thou shalt find it more bitter than gall, and sharper by far than a two-edged sword.”. And again it is said, ‘Keep thy way from her, and draw not nigh to the door of her house, lest thou give thy life to others, and thy livelihood to them that are without mercy; lest strangers be filled with thy strength, and thy labour pass to the house of another; and thou shalt repent afterwards when thy flesh (and) thy body are weakened, and thou shalt say, How have I hated instruction, and mine ears are turned from reproof, and I have not hearkened to the voice of them that gave me commandments,” who admonished me and taught me, nor caused mine ear to attend: I have been well nigh in all evil.” And now also I say unto you, Choose out all the good things which are written in the Holy Scriptures, that we may not neglect these witnesses,” and turn aside unto a multitude of words, but may be strong in a faith, and in doing good. And let us keep far from all evil-doing, and be pure from all evil (and) uncleanness before God, that we may find life eternal.

OF BISHOPS, PRESBYTERS, AND DEACONS, [ii., 1.] OF bishops we have heard thus from our Lord Jesus Christ, that the shepherd of the sheep who is ordained bishop of all the Churches must needs be blameless, pure and good,” who thinketh not on the care of this world, who is full fifty years old, who hath passed the strength of youth, who is not a slanderer, nor one that speaketh lies amongst the brethren. For the Gospel saith, “For every word that a man speaketh thoughtlessly, he shall give account in the day of judgment, that it may condemn him.’” And furthermore it is said, “For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” Wherefore it is meet that he abound in all good things. But if he be not learned, let him be prudent and intelligent, of middle age. But if the city be a small one, and there be not found therein one (thus) fitted for the office of bishop and there be found among the young men one prudent and wise, though his years are (but) few, and if those who know him bear witness that he is worthy to be ordained bishop, if he have lived from his youth perfect in the works of the holy and humble fathers, and walketh in the way of righteousness, tried in every work, and if (men) bear witness to him that he is perfect, let him be ordained in peace. For Solomon also when but twelve years old became King over the people of Israel; and Joash too became ruler when he was seven years old and afterwards in the eighth year he reigned in righteousness. For the Lord spake by the mouth of Isaiah the prophet, and said, ‘‘To whom shall I look, but to him that is meek and humble and quiet, who trembleth at my word and again it is said in the Gospel, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Let him therefore be merciful, for it is said, ‘Blessed arc the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” Let him therefore be a peacemaker, for it is said, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers; they shall be called the children of God.” Let him be pure of heart, without revenge and evil and unrighteousness, for it is said, “ Blessed are the pure in heart; they shall see God.” Let him, then, be spiritual, and watchful to do good, neither insatiable nor passionate, nor a drunkard, nor vindictive, without hatred and strife, not haughty, nor a lover of money, nor a reviler; neither let him exalt himself, lest he fall into the snare of Satan; for everyone that hath exalted himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be raised to honour. And let such a one be ordained bishop who hath married one elect wife, who is able to order his household aright, a teacher and monitor who hath brought up his children in purity. And let his wife also be faithful, who traineth her children in the true worship and in the fear of the Lord. It is right that the men of his household should obey the bishop in humility and in fear, and let him be master even as it is written. [ii., 3.] And let them try him that he be blameless, not passionate, (for) thus saith wisdom, “Anger destroyeth the wise man.” And let him be merciful and charitable, for our Lord saith, ‘And by this shall all know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another.” Let him, then, be a lover of men, who receiveth strangers, who accepteth not persons, a man of understanding, who sheweth favour neither to rich, nor to poor, one who hath a craft,” whose hands are open to give, who receiveth widows, a lover of the poor and the orphans and widows. And moreover let him support those (widows) who have children. But if there be a slothful man, or one who hath spent all his substance in drunkenness and fornication, and desireth to receive alms, let not the bishop show any care for him, nor permit him to enter the church. For the Scripture saith unto those who act thus, “ How long wilt thou lie, thou sluggard? and when wilt thou awake from sleep? A while thou sleepest, and a while thou sittest; a while thou slumberest, and a while thou foldest thy hand to thy breast; and then as an evil messenger cometh poverty upon thee, and want as a swift) runner.” [ii., 5-] It is not right for the bishop to judge, accepting the person of the rich, and to neglect the poor. For God said unto Moses, “ Judge not, accepting the person of the rich, nor turn aside the judgment of the poor, for the judgment is the Lord’s.” But he ought to judge uprightly. The food of the bishop ought to be meat seasoned with moderation, that he may be able to teach and admonish the people, and that he may turn them to God. And let him keep far from all evil, and read the Scriptures at all times and be a lover of wisdom, that he may be able to interpret the Scriptures in the Holy Spirit, (even) the words of the Gospel, the Law and the prophets. The Lord saith, ‘‘Understand ye the words of the Scriptures, for they bear witness of me.” It becometh a bishop to search out and expound the Scriptures in order, and to satisfy the people with spiritual teaching, and fill them with the light of the law of God with much admonition. God saith, “Make the light of wisdom to shine upon you, for it is time.”! [ii., 6.] ‘Thus, then, it is right for the bishop to suffer and toil and wrestle for righteousness’ sake, but above all before the people, that they, when they see his works, may receive his admonition. And, moreover, let him become surety for no man, nor associate with the great, nor be of a double tongue, nor follow after princes, but let him fear God; and let him not hearken to a false accusation against his neighbour. And let him not be slothful in fasting, nor seek occasions for eating, nor say, To-day is a feast, as the Gentiles do, to eat and drink and be wanton: but let him remove from him every idle desire which hath no profit, for all this is despised and hateful before God, and well-pleasing to demons.,It is meet for the bishop to command and admonish the people to remove from them all these works. But let him teach them and turn them, that they may imitate him and follow (him) in righteousness. For God said unto the children of Israel, “Observe my law and my commandment.” And Jesus Christ Himself also, our Lord and our God, first did all, and (then) taught us to imitate Him. Wherefore He saith that he who shall teach and do, shall be great in the Kingdom of heaven." It is right for you, O bishops, to teach the people and save them from error, even as Christ hath given you grace. For the Lord spake by the mouth of Ezekiel the prophet, and said, “Son of man, have made thee a watchman to the house of Israel, and thou shalt hear the word from my mouth, and admonish them by my word. When I say to the sinner, Thou shalt surely die, and he hath not repented, and thou hast not spoken to him, nor admonished him, that he may repent and turn from his (evil) way and live, that sinner shall die in his sin, and his blood will I require from thee, saith the Lord. But if thou hast admonished the sinner, and he hath not turned from his sin, he shall die in his guilt and thou shalt save thy soul. And if the righteous man hath turned from his righteousness and committed sin, while I show him punishment before his face, and thou hast not admonished him, he shall surely die in his guilt, and his righteousness which he hath done I will not remember, and his blood will I require from thy hand. And if thou hast admonished the righteous man, so that he sin not, that righteous man shall surely live, and thou also hast saved thy soul.” ‘As when war and strife arise in the midst of a people, and they seek out a watchman to bring them tidings, that they may be on guard, and if he tell them not beforehand, that they may be saved from defeat, their blood shall be upon his head, for they heard not the sound of the trumpet. But if he see the sword which cometh on the land, and blow with the trumpet a signal to the hosts, and (if) one who hearkeneth hear the sound of the trumpet and get him not away, and the sword come and find him, his blood shall return on his own head, for he heard the sound of the trumpet, and gat him not away, and his blood shall be poured out on him; but he who gat him away saved his life.” In like manner the bishop, if he teach the word of life, shall find life eternal. The sword is eternal condemnation, and the sound of the trumpet is the Holy Gospel, and the watchman is the bishop of the Holy Church. The bishop ought to feed (the flock), and teach, and hold fast the word, and make men to fear concerning the judgment. Wherefore let him admonish those that walk without knowledge, and make them to see plainly; and let him teach those that know not, and confirm those that know; and let him gather those that are lost and speak to them at all times concerning their salvation, that, when they hear these things, they may be admonished and do (that which is) good. For God saith by the prophet, ‘‘Testify against this people, and tell them their sins (to see) if they will turn, and repent, and be saved from their iniquity.” And Moses also said unto the people, ‘“‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one.” And again, it is said in the Holy Gospel, ‘‘He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” And Solomon also saith, Hear, my son, the instruction of thy father and disregard not the commandment of thy mother.” Yet they have not heard unto this day, but have forsaken the Lord the only true God, and He hath called them a generation of transgressors and adulterers, concerning whom we have spoken before. [ii., 7.] And now know, beloved, ye who have been baptized into the death of our Lord Jesus Christ, that it is not meet that they should sin who have received such grace as this. Know, brethren, that such as these who, after they have received baptism, turn back to deeds of sin, shall go down to the condemnation of Gehenna. [ii., 8.] And (there are) others also who have not been believers, but (who) afterwards when they have believed and been baptized become blessed before God, even as our Lord saith in the Holy Gospel, ‘Blessed are ye when they revile you and mock you, and speak all (manner of) evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice, for great is your reward in heaven.” And if there be anyone against whom they have spoken, blessed is he. For it is written, saying, “Every man who is not tried, is not elect before God.” [f there be any man who hath transgressed the law, and men curse him, he hath brought the curse on his own head. In like manner we also, if we hear not the commandments of God and do not His will, shall bring a curse upon ourselves, and moreover shall be far from God. For as for such as do not what they themselves teach, and turn not from their own ways, the bishop ought to admonish them, and put to shame those who do thus. But it s right that he teach them in the love of Christ how they ought to serve.: [ii., 9.] It is right for the bishop to seek after righteousness, and not honour transgressors, nor be partial in judgment, nor take a bribe from any man, for a bribe blindeth the eyes of the wise, nor turn aside a right cause. And moreover it is said somewhere, “Put away all evil from you.” And Solomon also saith, “‘Come not into the place where they encamp; withdraw from them, and turn away. For they sleep not, unless they do evil. Sleep is taken away from them, and they sleep not who feed on sin.” ii., 10.) But if the bishop have no understanding, and have walked in subtlety and vileness, even as Saul did concerning Agag, and as Eli the priest, who admonished not his sons, who forsook the commandment of God—and, behold, how he himself lost his honour, and also the holy tabernacle of his city—he hath wrought iniquity before God, and is become a stumbling-block and an offence unto the new converts who have received baptism, and also to the catechumens, both men and women alike. And if he teach not, nor admonish, nor walk in the right way, but forsake the commandments of God, for this cause he shall receive excommunication, and the wrath of God shall come upon him; for he hath perverted the way of the people, even as the people erred in the days of Jeroboam, and those also who were slain with Korah. But if there be anyone who sinneth against the bishop and against those in authority, while there is no sin in them, and they are guiltless, it is not right that he should enter the Church of God, for he hath been bold, and hath walked in folly and the lust of his soul. Wherefore that shall come upon him which came upon those who mocked at Noah, and as Achan, who received the curse upon himself, and as Gehazi, who received money from Naaman, the Syrian. Behold, then, it is meet that the shepherd of the sheep should teach and admonish in humility, and turn them to repentance, with full knowledge of the life of each one, and should order their manner of living, as is fitting, in peace; that the people may lead good lives and turn from their sins. This then is well-pleasing in God’s sight, for when a man turneth from his sin and returneth to repentance, others seeing him are taught the true service. [ii., 11.] Therefore ought the bishop to be watchful to do good, that the beauty of his life may be known unto all; for he is the guide of the people, and the shepherd of the elders’ and rulers and teachers, and of all who are under him. The bishop ought to sit in the church with the priests, and they ought to judge each man, as is fitting; for to them hath the Lord given authority, and hath commanded them, saying, ““Whatsoever ye have bound on earth, let it be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye have loosed on earth, let it be loosed in heaven.” [ii., 12.] It is right for the bishop to turn the people to the knowledge of God, and to receive the repentance of those who have turned to God, (and) to teach them, and console them in meekness and in love and in humility, and with joy of heart; for the Lord God is merciful. For He saith by Ezekiel the prophet, “Say unto them,” as I live; saith the Lord God, I desire not that the sinner should die,” but that he should repent, and forsake his evil way: and why will ye die, house of Israel? And thou, son of man, say unto the children of thy people, the righteousness of the righteous shall not save him, when he committeth iniquity, and the sin of the sinner shall not afflict him, if he repent of his iniquity: the righteous man also shall not be saved, when he hath sinned. When I speak to the righteous, if he trust in his righteousness and commit sin, all his righteousness I will not remember unto him: in his sin which he hath committed, he shall die. And if I say unto the sinner, Thou shalt surely die, and he repent of his sin and do justice and righteousness, and return the pledge of his debt and restore what he hath robbed, and walk in the ordinances of life, and commit not sin, he shall surely live, and shall not die in his sin that he hath sinned, neither will remember unto him his sin and his iniquity; for he hath done justice and righteousness, and by it he shall live.” Wherefore sinners shall hope; when they turn from their sins and repent, they shall find a good hope; and they shall inherit the earth. [ii., 13.] But let them that have not transgressed take heed lest they fall into affliction and sorrow and weeping. Know, then, and understand, O man, if thou transgressest and committest sin in this world, and repentest not, thou hast not life. Repent, then, while thou livest, for after death there is no repentance. Even as David saith, ‘‘For there is none in death who remembereth thee, and in Sheol who will confess to thee?” It is right, then, brethren, that we should be ready to do good, and should walk in the way of righteousness, in which there is no sorrow. Let us hear, then, and understand that which is said, Direct my way and my going according to thy word.” And let us not be wanting in any good work, but observe the holy word which the Holy Gospel saith concerning the five wise virgins, and not (be) as the five foolish virgins, whose oil of good works failed, and they went forth from the marriage which is in heaven. Wherefore we ought to take heed to ourselves and fashion ourselves, and mark the time of the bridegroom, lest we fall into sin; but he that doeth righteousness let him take heed to do good even unto the end. It is meet, then, that the bishop be of understanding and judge uprightly, for the judgment is the Lord’s. Let him admonish sinners, that they may walk in the right way; and, when they turn, let him receive their repentance in compassion and in mercy. Remember, then, what our Lord saith, “There is great joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth.”’ (ii., 14.] But if thou receivest not them that repent, but rejectest them, thou hast scattered thy flock, and hast not understood what David saith, “Deliver not unto the wild beasts the soul that confesseth unto thee.” For thus saith the Lord, “That which hath fallen, shall it not arise and that which hath erred, shall it not turn again? Wherefore hath my people transgressed with an evil transgression, and held fast to their own counsel, and refused to leave it? Hearken now and hear me. Say they not thus? Is there not a man that repenteth of his evil, and saith, What have I done? Turn again, O my children that are far away, and I will heal your wounds.” Receive them that turn to thee and repent, O bishop, and be not thou of a double heart, nor make proud thy heart as those who have no mercy. For he who doeth thus feareth not God: but let him rather take thought to fulfil the needs of the people, as it is fitting. Let us take heed, then, to ourselves, and have no fellowship with sinners and wicked men who do thus. The righteousness of the righteous (shall be) for himself, but he that committeth sin without law, his iniquity shall return on his own head. For it is said by Ezekiel the prophet, “If a land sin against me, and go astray, and transgress, and I lift up my hands against it, and break the strength of bread, and send famine against it, and destroy from off it man and beast, if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should not save (it) by their righteousness, saith the Lord God. And if send evil beasts against and upon that land, and punish it, and destroy it, and there be none left to go about (therein) because of those beasts, even if these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall not save their sons, nor their daughters,” but they alone shall be saved, and the land shall be destroyed.”! As it is written, “If there be in this world a righteous man and a sinner, the righteous shall not perish with the sinner.” But He sendeth rain on the good "' and the evil. And if there be anyone who thinketh and saith, Judgment is equal against all, it is not so; '" for in this warfare there is one that is strong, and again, there is another who is stronger than he: and he that hath conquered shall receive the crown of victory openly. For God condemneth not the righteous with the sinner. Noah was not swallowed up in the waters of the flood: and Lot was not burnt in the fire: and Rahab the harlot perished not. But if ye desire to know what happened amongst us: Judas Iscariot perished, though he was together with us in one ministry; and Simon the sorcerer received the seal of the Lord; (yet) because these two were evil, their wickedness was made known openly. Judas hanged himself, and Simon flew up (into the air) and was dashed upon the ground. And while Noah was in the ark with his sons, Ham by his wickedness brought a curse upon his children. And by this we understand that the fathers are not punished for the sin of their children, nor children for the sin of their fathers. And this thing is quite manifest, that wives are not condemned for their husbands, nor young men for their wives, nor servants for their masters, nor masters for their servants, nor kinsmen for their kinsmen, nor friends for their friends, nor sinners for the righteous, nor the righteous for sinners, but to each one is rendered according to his deeds. For Noah was not recompensed for the sin of the people, and Lot was not consumed in the fire of Sodom, nor Rahab for the sake of Jericho, nor the children of Israel for the sake of the Egyptians. We ought not to follow the steps and the works of the extortioners and the unjust and murderers, who seek occasions for evil, men of hatred, who are ready to (inflict) death, for everyone shall be requited according to his works even as David saith, “For thou wilt requite everyone according to his works.” Therefore it is right that we should help the afflicted, and visit the sick and convert the sinners, who have been wounded by deeds of sin. Let us teach them and instruct them with the word of admonition, that they may be saved from the death of sin. For it is not the whole who need a physician, but the sick; since our Father who is in heaven desireth not that one of these little ones should perish. Now, brethren, let us not hearken to the words of fools and those whose hearts are darkened but let us accomplish the good pleasure of God the Father the Creator of all things by our Lord Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

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

THAT A CHRISTIAN OUGHT NOT TO SWEAR BY THE NAMES OF THE (FALSE) GODS AND DEMONS, NOR EVER MAKE MENTION OF THEM ACCORDING TO HIS FORMER WONT. [v., 11.] We Christians ought not to swear by the names of the (false) gods, nor make mention of their names with our lips, nor bow before them, nor fear them, for he who so doeth and serveth (false) gods, shall be far from God, the giver of life. Howbeit they are not gods, but the work of men’s hands, and spirits of Satan. For God said concerning the children of me, and have sworn by Israel, ‘They have forsaken strange gods, and have provoked me to anger by their gods.” For despised and hateful and impure (is accounted) in the Scriptures every one that worshippeth and serveth (false) gods, and that sweareth by their names. [v., 12.] And not these only (are so accounted), but also astrologers‘ and magicians who practise superstition. [Serve them not nor worship them.] And moreover it is said, “ When thou regardest the heavens, worship not the sun, and the moon, and the stars. “Walk not then in the way (And elsewhere it is said), of the nations, nor learn their works, nor fear the signs of the heaven.” For (God) created the sun, and the moon, and the stars, to give light to men, and not that they should worship them. For Israel in the wilderness bowed down before the idol, the molten calf, and they worshipped also the stars and the sun, even as Ezekiel saith, Beasts that speak not they made for themselves as gods. And in like manner the Egyptians worshipped many (other) gods and (also the god with) the dog's face. And in Judah (they worshipped) gods of gold and silver, as God saith by the mouth of the prophet, “The gods of the nations are of gold and silver, the work of the hands of men. They have mouths, and speak not; they have eyes, and see not; they have ears, and hear not; they have noses, and smell not; they have hands, and handle not; they have feet, and walk not; neither speak they with their throat; and there is no breath in their mouths. Like unto them be all they that make them, and all they that trust in them.” Behold, then, beloved brethren, ye have heard what God saith, that evil and defiled are all they that worship idols, and bow down to the sun and the moon, and the stars. But Christians who love God ought not to swear by the sun and the moon, nor by the stars of heaven nor by the earth. And our Master hath bidden.us never to swear by anything. Behold then let our words be prudent, for our Lord saith, “Swear not by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King; neither shalt thou swear by thy head,” for the foolish Jews swear by their heads. For He hath commanded that the words of the faithful should be one, either yea, yea, or nay, nay; and whatsoever is more than these is evil. For he that sweareth falsely transgresseth the law, and honoureth the (false) gods as the truth, since God hath made them to err in the blindness of their hearts and in the evil of their doings, that they may do that which is unseemly.

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.

THAT MEN OUGHT TO PRAY AND MAKE SUPPLICATION AND. GIVE PRAISE AND SING OVER THOSE THAT HAVE ENTERED INTO REST; AND TO GIVE ALMS ON THEIR BEHALF. GaTuER yourselves together diligently in the church, and read the holy Scriptures over those righteous Christians who have fallen asleep, and your brethren the martyrs who have entered into rest in the faith of Christ; and celebrate for them the eucharist,' (and) offer in the church His holy Body and precious Blood. And when ye bring (them) to the church and to the tomb sing psalms over them, for (it is said,) “precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of the righteous.” (And again,) Return unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord is thy help.” ) And again it is said, ‘The remembrance of the righteous man is with praise”; and “their souls are in the hand of God; even if they sleep, they are not dead.” Our Saviour said to the Sadducees, ‘Concerning the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read what the Scripture saith, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. He is not then the God of the dead. He is the God of the living,” [and not all are living nor....]. Elisha also in his death (raised) him that was slain in Syria; when the dead body touched him, it was raised. The righteous Joseph also touched the body of Jacob on the bier, and was not defiled. And Moses and Joshua the son of Nun, when they brought forth the bones of Joseph from the land of Egypt and touched his bones, were not defiled. And in like manner, ye bishops and all the people, when ye touch the dead bodies of those that have fallen asleep, count it not an abomination to carry their bones, for ye shall not be defiled on account of them. Remove, then, from you, this practice, for it is a thing of folly. And as for you, be ye adorned with wisdom and knowledge, that ye may find life eternal, and a portion with the souls of the righteous in the Kingdom of heaven, in a place of rest through Jesus Christ our Saviour, who is able to open the ears of your hearts that ye may hear the words of God which have instructed you in the Gospel by the admonition of our Lord Jesus Christ the Nazarene, who was crucified in the days of Pontius Pilate and Herod the King: He suffered, and died, and rose from the dead, and shall come again with glory and with great power; (and) shall raise the dead, and render to every man according to his works; and He ascended with great glory to His Father. And after He rose from the dead, we saw Him, and ate and drank and abode with Him forty days; and then He ascended into heaven, and sat on the right hand of the Father, the Almighty who sitteth on the Cherubim; concerning whom David saith, “The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I bring thine enemies under the footstool of thy feet’”; whom the blessed Stephen saw, and cried and said, ‘“ Behold I see the heaven opened, and the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of God’”’; who created the hosts of: angels; to whom be great glory and honour and thanksgiving and dominion with His Father and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.

THAT WE OUGHT TO REST ON THE SABBATH DAYS AND HEARKEN TO THE WORDS OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES THAT WE MAY DO HIS WILL, AND REMEMBER THE SUFFERINGS WHICH GOD THE WORD ENDURED FOR OUR SAKES. [vii., 36.] O Lord Almighty, who didst create the world by Jesus Christ our Saviour, and didst appoint the Sabbath, and rest thereon from all Thy work, and hast commanded us to rest (on it) from all the work of our hands, and to be ready to serve and do Thy commandments; and hast given us feast days (for) the joy of our souls; and that we should remember the skill of Thy wisdom, that God the word was pleased to be born of a woman for our sakes, and appeared manifestly in this world (); and was baptized as man, though He was God, and endured patiently the sufferings of the Cross, died and rose from the dead in great might. Wherefore we keep as a feast the holy day of His resurrection, and honour the first day of the week, and give glory, and sing praise to Him who conquer death and cave light to the whole world, and hath bestowed on us incorruptible honour and glory, and hath gathered the scattered people, and made them to be one pure flock, and hath blessed them, even as He blessed Israel. (It was) Thou, O Lord, who broughtest our fathers from the land of Egypt, and didst deliver them from bitter bondage, and didst save them from the sea, and from the labour of the brick-kiln, and didst bring them forth from the power of Pharaoh and his hosts; and leddest them through the sea on dry ground, and didst sustain them with all good things in the wilderness, and appoint for them the law of the ten words which Thou didst utter with Thy voice, and didst write with Thy hands, and didst command them to rest on the Sabbath day, that they might give Thee humble thanks, and be safe from all evil; and didst bind them with words of admonition, and gather them and bring them into the house of Thy sanctuary. Wherefore He hath commanded us to rest on every Sabbath day, because on the Sabbath day our Lord rested from all His work. Let us, then, seek after all His law, and give thanks to Him, and bless God for all the good things that He hath bestowed on us, the sons of men. And greater than all these is (the day of) His holy resurrection which our Lord and Saviour and Creator, God the Word, hath taught us (to observe), He who was begotten before the world was created, the Son of the Father, and (was born) of the Virgin Mary without human father: He suffered and was crucified and died in the days of Pontius Pilate; and rose from the dead on the day of the Christian Sabbath. Remember, O Lord, that which we offer to Thee on this day, the sacrifice, and the oblation, and the eucharist of Thy holy peace, this great portion which Thou hast given unto us, that we may offer () that which is good unto the greatness of Thy power. (vii., 37.] And Thou hast fulfilled the prophecy, and hast shown mercy unto Zion, and hast had compassion on Jerusalem, and hast exalted the throne of David thy servant amongst us by the birth of Christ, who was born of a virgin of his seed according to the flesh. Do Thou, O Lord, receive the prayer and supplication of Thy people who call upon Thee in truth, even as Thou didst receive the sacrifices of the righteous each in its own time: first of Abel, whose sacrifice Thou didst respect and receive; of Noah when he was going forth from the Ark; of Abraham when he was going forth from the land of the Chaldees; of Isaac when he was going forth from the Well of the Oath; of Jacob in Bethlehem; and of Moses in the mount; and of Aaron in the wilderness; and of Joshua the son of Nun in Gilgal; and of Gideon on the rock; and of Manoah and his wife in the plain; and of Samson when he was athirst before he transgressed; and of Jephthah in war; and of Barak and Deborah over Sisera; and of Samuel in Mizpeh; and of David in the field of Ornan the Jebusite; and of Solomon in Gibeon and in Jerusalem; and of Elijah on Mount Carmel; and of Elisha at the fountains; and of Jehoshaphat in battle; and of Hezekiah in his sickness and concerning Sennacherib; and of Manasseh in the mount of the Chaldees after he had transgressed; and of Josiah in Pasa; and of Ezra when he was returning; and of Daniel in the den of lions; and of Jonah in the belly of the whale; and of the Three Children in the furnace of fire; and of Hannah in the tabernacle of testimony by the ark; and of Nehemiah when he was building the wall with Zerubbabel; and of Mattathias and his sons on the hilltop (); and of Joel in the blessing; now also in like manner receive the prayer and supplication of those who offer to Thee with knowledge through Jesus Christ.: [vii., 38.] We give thanks to Thee for all things. Thou takest not from us Thy compassion and Thy mercy, for Thou art merciful and full of compassion in all generations, Who didst receive Enosh, and Enoch, and Noah, (and didst help) in the days of Moses and Joshua, (and) the Judges, and in the days of Samuel and Elijah and the other prophets, and in the days - of David and the other kings, and in the days of Esther and Mordecai, and in the days of Judith, and in the days of Judas Maccabaeus and his brethren: receive us also in like manner in our days through Thy Son Jesus Christ the Great High-priest, who hath saved us from the sword and famine, and hath fed us and satisfied us, and healed us from (our) sickness, and protected us from evil tongues. To Thee we give thanks at all times through Jesus Christ, who hath bestowed on us a sweet and articulate voice, and a tongue fair as the sound of an instrument, and hath made us to discern between sweet and bitter, (and given us) eyes to see, and ears to hear, and noses to smell, and hands to handle with, and feet to walk; and these Thou hast created from a tiny drop that is gathered in the womb; and Thou didst bestow (on man therewith) a soul that shall not die, and make him a rational being. And Thou didst instruct him by Thy law and adorn him by Thy commandments; and after a while Thou didst make him mortal and didst. grant him a resurrection. How then shall man repay Thee for all this that Thou hast done for him? Now also we must needs give Thee thanks and glorify Thee according to the measure of our power. Receive (us) that (our service) may be acceptable before Thee; and save us from the apostasy of the wicked whose gods are many, and deliver us from those who contend against Christ, and free us from the error of Satan, for Thou didst send Christ Thy beloved Son to become man, though He is God, and didst cause the Paraclete to dwell in us, and didst set the angels to bless us, and didst put Satan to shame. Since Thou hast created us and granted us life, preserve us, and give us sustenance, and turn us to repentance; for Thou art worthy of glory and worship for all that Thou hast done for us through Thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ for ever and ever. Amen. Follow after this at all times, brethren; the Lord be with you on earth and in heaven and in the Kingdom of His Father, who sent Him to free us from deeds of sin, and the service of Satan, and (who) hath given life to the sons of men, even to those that believe in the Lord God, the Creator, that those who believe in Christ may live. [vii., 39.] What thanks is it fitting that we should offer to God the Father through Jesus Christ? Behold we have told you before, and have taught you. Observe all this that ye may find life eternal. Amen.

Concerning the things which shall be brought upon the altar. If any bishop or elder brings anything else upon the altar of the Lord except that which we have commanded, that they shall bring and place there as an offering ; should they bring either honey or milk, or of birds or of beasts anything else than that which our Lord has commanded, let him be deposed. Nor shall they be allowed to bring anything upon the altar except ears of grain and grapes in their seasons and the oil of the holy lamps and frankincense at the time of the holy Eucharist. But the other fruits they shall send into the house, and they shall belong to the bishop and the presbyters ; only they shall not bring them upon the altar. And the bishop and the presbyters and the other ordained persons shall divide these among themselves.

Let him be constant at the altar; in prayers let him be persistent day and night, especially at the obligatory times of night; at the first hour, at midnight, and at early twilight when the star of the dawn riseth. Then also in the morning, at the third, sixth, ninth [hours, and the] twelfth hour at the lamp [lighting]. If also at every hour he offer prayers without ceasing for the people and for himself, he doeth well. Let him abide in the house of the Church alone. If he have one or two likeminded with himself, it is good that he should be with them for united supplication in unison? For where two or three are gathered together in My Name, ye know that I have said unto you that I am in the midst of them. But if he cannot abide all night long, yet let him remain these hours that I have said. For then the angels visit the Church. Let him fast three days each [week] all the year. But for three weeks after his appointment let him maintain the fast according to the number of the eighteen Exalted Entrances by which the Only-begotten passed when He came to the passion. But on the first day of the week only let him feed on bread with oil and honey and salt, and all fruits of trees; but let him in no wise taste wine, except only the cup of the Offering. This let him use whether ill or well. For it is good that this be for the priests only. And so after these weeks all the year, let him fast three days each [week]; and for the rest of the time let him fast according to his strength. But in no wise let him eat meat, not because if he taste or eat [meat] he is to be blamed, but because when he loveth infirmity these strong meats are not fitting, and in order that he may watch. Let the Offering only be on Saturday, or on the first day of the week, and on a fast-day. On the eve let him instruct and teach these things in the manner of a mystery to those whom he hath tested as having ears to hear But if he be sick in body, let him quickly take care to heal himself, feeding on fish, and constantly [taking] a little wine of the Holy thing, that the Church may not also come to an end because he is lying sick; but [that] those who learn may receive joy. But when teaching in the Church, let him speak thus carefully, as a man who knoweth that he is speaking for a testimony the doctrine of all the ministry of the Father of all, that [doctrine] which is accurately written. Let him say all these things—all those which he accurately knoweth and remembereth of old. For if he knoweth what he saith, he may have hope that his hearers also [will] have known these things. And with all his labour, let him beseech the Lord, so that his word may bring forth the fruits of the Holy Spirit in them that hear. Let him do everything in order, and with knowledge. Let him dismiss the catechumens after he hath admonished them with meditations and admonitions of the Prophets and Apostles with instructive words, so that they may know Him whom they confess. But let him teach the faithful after the manner of a mystery, having first dismissed the catechumens; and after the instruction in the mysteries let him offer, so that knowing in what mystery they are taking part, they may offer with fear.

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 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.

On the Saturday let the bishop assemble them who receive the laver, and let him bid them to kneel while the deacon proclaimeth. And when there is silence let him exorcise [them], laying a hand on them, and saying: O God of heaven, God of the lights, God of the archangels who are under Thy power, God of the angels who are under Thy might, King of glories and of dominions, God of saints, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; who hast loosed the souls that were bound by death; who hast enlightened him that was bound in darkness and fixed firm, by the firm-fixing of the suffering of Thy Only-begotten; who hast loosed our cords and hast loosed every weight from [off] us; who hast repelled from us every attack of the Evil One; O Son and Word of God, who hast made us immortal by Thy death; who hast glorified us with Thy glory; who hast loosed all the bands of our sins by Thy passion; who hast borne the curse of our sins by Thy cross, and by Thy resurrection hast taught [mankind] to pass from [being] sons of men to become gods; who hast taken on Thee our humiliation; who hast trodden the way to heaven for us; who hast changed us from corruption to incorruptibility; hear me, O Lord, who cry to Thee in pain and fear,O Lord God, and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, before Him before whom stand the holy hosts of archangels and of cherubim and armies without number, of princes and of seraphim; whose veil [is] the light, and before whose face [is] fire; the throne of whose glory is ineffable; the habitations of whose delights, which Thou hast prepared for Thy saints, are ineffable, the raiments and treasures of which are visible to Thee alone and to Thy holy angels; before whom all things tremble, giving praise; whose glance measureth the mountains, and whose Name, when uttered, cleaveth the depths; whom the heavens which are shut up by Thy hand, hide from view; before whom the earth and the depths together tremble; before whom the sea and the dragons that [are] in it quake; of whom the wild beasts trembling, stand in awe; through whom the mountains and the firmament of the earth melt with fear; at whose power the tempest of the winter quaketh and trembleth, and the raging whirlwind keepeth its limits; because of whom the fire of vengeance doth not overpass that which hath been prescribed to it, but abideth when reproved by Thy commandment; because of whom the whole creation travaileth, groaning with groans, being bidden to tarry till its time; from whom all nature and creation that opposeth itself fleeth; because of whom the whole army of the adversary is subdued, and the Devil is fallen, and the serpent is trodden down, and,the dragon is killed; because of whom the nations which have confessed Thee are enlightened and strengthened in Thee, O Lord; because of whom life is revealed and hope confirmed, and faith strengthened and the Gospel preached; because of whom corruption is brought to naught and incorruptibility waxeth strong; through whom man was fashioned from the earth, but having believed in Thee he is no longer earth; O Lord God Almighty, I exorcise these in the Name of Thee and of Thy beloved Son Jesus Christ. Drive away from the souls of these Thy servants every disease and illness, and every stumbling block and all unbelief, all doubt and all contempt, every unclean spirit that worketh, that is a witch, that killeth, that is under the earth, that is fiery, dark, evil-smelling, given to witchcraft, lascivious, loving gold, uplifted, money loving, wrathful. Yea, O Lord God, overthrow from these Thy servants who have been named in Thee the weapons of the Devil, all magic, witchcraft, fear of idols, divination, astrology, necromancy, observation of the stars, astronomy, pleasure of the passions, love of disgraceful things, sadness, love of money, drunkenness, fornication, adultery, lasciviousness, contumacy, contentiousness, wrath, confusion, wickedness, evil suspicion. Yea, O Lord God, hear me, and breathe on these Thy servants the spirit of tranquillity, that, being guarded by Thee, they may bring forth in Thee fruits of faith, of virtue, of wisdom, of purity, of self-discipline of patience, of hope, of concord, of modesty, of praise. For by Thee they have been called as servants, in the Name of Jesus Christ, being baptized in the Trinity, in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, the angels, glories, dominions, all the heavenly army being witnesses. O Lord, the real-essence of our life and theirs, guard their hearts, O God, for Thou art mighty and glorious for ever and ever. And let all the people, also the priests, say: Amen, So be it, so be it, so be it. If any one be in the endurance of any thing, rise suddenly while the bishop is saying [these words], and weep or cry out, or foam [at the mouth] or gnash with his teeth, or stare or be much uplifted or altogether run away, being quickly carried off, let such an one be put aside by the deacons, so that there be no disturbance while the bishop is speaking, and let such an one be exorcised by the priests until he be cleansed, and so let him be baptized. After the priest exorciseth those who have drawn near, or him who is found unclean, let the priest breathe on them and seal them between their eyes, on the nose, on the heart, on the ears; and so let him raise them up.

Abstain, therefore, from all unlawful desires and injustice. For it is written in the law, You shall not covet your neighbour's wife, nor his field, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is your neighbour's; for all coveting of these things is from the evil one. For he that covets his neighbour's wife, or his man-servant, or his maid-servant, is already in his mind an adulterer and a thief; and if he does not repent, is condemned by our Lord Jesus Christ: through whom glory be to God for ever, Amen. For He says in the Gospel, recapitulating, and confirming, and fulfilling the ten commandments of the law: It is written in the law, You shall not commit adultery: but I say unto you, that is, I said in the law, by Moses. But now I say unto you myself, Whosoever shall look on his neighbour's wife to lust after her, has committed adultery with her already in his heart. Such a one is condemned of adultery, who covets his neighbour's wife in his mind. But does not he that covets an ox or an ass design to steal them? To apply them to his own use, and to lead them away? Or, again, does not he that covets a field, and continues in such a disposition, wickedly contrive how to remove the landmarks, and to compel the possessor to part with somewhat for nothing? For as the prophet somewhere speaks: Woe to those who join house to house, and lay field to field, that they may deprive their neighbour of somewhat which was his. Wherefore he says: Must you alone inhabit the earth? For these things have been heard in the ears of the Lord of hosts. And elsewhere: Cursed be he who removes his neighbour's landmarks: and all the people shall say, Amen. Wherefore Moses says: You shall not remove your neighbour's landmarks which your fathers have set . Upon this account, therefore, terrors, death, tribunals, and condemnations follow such as these from God. But as to those who are obedient to God, there is one law of God, simple, true, living, which is this: Do not that to another which you hate another should do to you. You would not that any one should look upon your wife with an evil design to corrupt her; do not, therefore, look upon your neighbour's wife with a wicked intention. You would not that your garment should be taken away; do not, therefore, take away another's. You would not be beaten, reproached, affronted; do not, therefore, serve any other in the like manner.

Let not a bishop be given to filthy lucre, especially before the Gentiles, rather suffering than offering injuries; not covetous, nor rapacious; no purloiner; no admirer of the rich, nor hater of the poor; no evil-speaker, nor false witness; not given to anger; no brawler; not entangled with the affairs of this life; not a surety for any one, nor an accuser in suits about money; not ambitious; not double-minded, nor double-tongued; not ready to hearken to calumny or evil-speaking; not a dissembler; not addicted to the heathen festivals; not given to vain deceits; not eager after worldly things, nor a lover of money. For all these things are opposite to God, and pleasing to demons. Let the bishop earnestly give all these precepts in charge to the laity also, persuading them to imitate his conduct. For, says He, Make the children of Israel pious. Let him be prudent, humble, apt to admonish with the instructions of the Lord, well-disposed, one who has renounced all the wicked projects of this world, and all heathenish lusts; let hint be orderly, sharp in observing the wicked, and taking heed of them, but yet a friend to all; just, discerning; and whatsoever qualities are commendable among men, let the bishop possess them in himself. For if the pastor be unblameable as to any wickedness, he will compel his own disciples, and by his very mode of life press them to become worthy imitators of his own actions. As the prophet somewhere says, And it will be, as is the priest, so is the people; for our Lord and Teacher Jesus Christ, the Son of God, began first to do, and then to teach, as Luke somewhere says: which Jesus began to do and to teach . Wherefore he says: Whosoever shall do and teach, he shall be called great in the kingdom of God. For you bishops are to be guides and watchmen to the people, as you yourselves have Christ for your guide and watchman. You should therefore become good guides and watchmen to the people of God. For the Lord says by Ezekiel, speaking to every one of you: Son of man, I have given you for a watchman to the house of Israel; and you shall hear the word from my mouth, and shall observe, and shall declare it from me. When I say unto the wicked, You shall surely die; if you do not speak to warn the wicked from his wickedness, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, and his blood will I require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked from his way, that he may turn from it, and he does not turn from it, he shall die in his iniquity, and you have delivered your soul. In the same manner, if the sword of war be approaching, and the people set a watchman to watch, and he see the same approach, and does not forewarn them, and the sword come and take one of them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood shall be required at the watchman's hand, because he did not blow the trumpet. But if he blew the trumpet, and he who heard it would not take warning, and the sword come and take him away, his blood shall be upon him, because he heard the trumpet and took not warning. But he who took warning has delivered his soul; and the watchman, because he gave warning, shall surely live. The sword here is the judgment; the trumpet is the holy Gospel; the watchman is the bishop, who is set in the Church, who is obliged by his preaching to testify and vehemently to forewarn concerning that judgment. If you do not declare and testify this to the people, the sins of those who are ignorant of it will be found upon you. Wherefore do you warn and reprove the uninstructed with boldness, teach the ignorant, confirm those that understand, bring back those that go astray. If we repeat the very same things on the same occasions, brethren, we shall not do amiss. For by frequent hearing it is to be hoped that some will be made ashamed, and at least do some good action, and avoid some wicked one. For says God by the prophet: Testify those things to them; perhaps they will hear your voice. And again: If perhaps they will hear, if perhaps they will submit. Moses also says to the people: If hearing you will hear the Lord God, and do that which is good and right in His eyes . And again: Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord. And our Lord is often recorded in the Gospel to have said: He that has ears to hear, let him hear. And wise Solomon says: My son, hear the instruction of your father, and reject not the laws of your mother. And, indeed, to this day men have not heard; for while they seem to have heard, they have not heard aright, as appears by their having left the one and only true God, and their being drawn into destructive and dangerous heresies, concerning which we shall speak again afterwards.

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.

But if the slanderous accusation be false, and you that are the pastors, with the deacons, admit of that falsehood for truth, either by acceptance of persons or receiving of bribes, as willing to do that which will he pleasing to the devil, and so you thrust out from the Church him that is accused, but is clear of the crime, you shall give an account in the day of the Lord. For it is written: The innocent and the righteous you shall not slay. You shall not take gifts to smite the soul: for gifts blind the eyes of the wise, and destroy the words of the righteous. And again: They that justify the wicked for gifts, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him. Be careful, therefore, not to condemn any persons unjustly, and so to assist the wicked. For woe to him that calls evil good, and good evil; bitter sweet, and sweet bitter; that puts light for darkness, and darkness for light. Take care, therefore, lest by any means you become acceptors of persons, and thereby fall under this voice of the Lord. For if you condemn others unjustly, you pass sentence against yourselves. For the Lord says: With what judgment you judge, you shall be judged; and as you condemn, you shall be condemned. If, therefore, you judge without respect of persons, you will discover that accuser who bears false witness against his neighbour, and will prove him to be a sycophant, a spiteful person, and a murderer, causing perplexity by accusing the man as if he were wicked, inconstant in his words, contradicting himself in what he affirms, and entangled with the words of his own mouth; for his own lips are a dangerous snare to him: whom, when you have convicted him of speaking falsely, you shall judge severely, and shall deliver him to the fiery sword, and you shall do to him as he wickedly proposed to do to his brother; for as much as in him lay he slew his brother, by forestalling the ears of the judge. Now it is written, that he that sheds man's blood, for that his own blood shall be shed. And: You shall take away that innocent blood, which was shed without cause, from you.

We do not permit our women to teach in the Church, but only to pray and hear those that teach; for our Master and Lord, Jesus Himself, when He sent us the twelve to make disciples of the people and of the nations, did nowhere send out women to preach, although He did not want such. For there were with us the mother of our Lord and His sisters; also Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Martha and Mary the sisters of Lazarus; Salome, and certain others. For, had it been necessary for women to teach, He Himself had first commanded these also to instruct the people with us. For if the head of the wife be the man, it is not reasonable that the rest of the body should govern the head. Let the widow therefore own herself to be the altar of God, and let her sit in her house, and not enter into the houses of the faithful, under any pretence, to receive anything; for the altar of God never runs about, but is fixed in one place. Let, therefore, the virgin and the widow be such as do not run about, or wander to the houses of those who are alien from the faith. For such as these are wanderers and impudent: they do not make their feet to rest in one place, because they are not widows, but purses ready to receive, triflers, evil-speakers, counsellors of strife, without shame, impudent, who being such, are not worthy of Him that called them. For they do not come to the common station of the congregation on the Lord's day, as those that are watchful; but either they slumber, or trifle, or allure men, or beg, or ensnare others, bringing them to the evil one; not suffering them to be watchful in the Lord, but taking care that they go out as vain as they came in, because they do not hear the word of the Lord either taught or read. For of such as these the prophet Isaiah says: Hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing you shall see, and not perceive: for the heart of this people is waxen gross, and they hear heavily with their ears .

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.

Nor do the legislators give us only prohibitions concerning idols, but also warn us concerning the luminaries, not to swear by them, nor to serve them. For they say: Lest, when you see the sun, and the moon, and the stars, you should be seduced to worship them. And elsewhere: Do not learn to walk after the ways of the heathen, and be not afraid of the signs of heaven. For the stars and the luminaries were given to men to shine upon them, but not for worship; although the Israelites, by the perverseness of their temper, worshipped the creature instead of the Creator, and acted insultingly to their Maker, and admired the creature more than is fit. And sometimes they made a calf, as in the wilderness; sometimes they worshipped Baalpeor; another time Baal, and Thamuz, and Astarte of Sidon; and again Moloch and Chamos; another time the sun, as it is written in Ezekiel; nay, and besides, brute creatures, as among the Egyptians Apis, and the Mendesian goat, and gods of silver and gold, as in Judea. On account of all which things He threatened them, and said by the prophet: Is it a small thing to the house of Judah to do these abominations which they have done? For they have filled the land with their wickedness, to provoke me to anger: and, behold, they are as those that mock. And I will act with anger. My eye shall not spare, neither will I have mercy; and they shall cry in mine ears with a great voice, and I will not hearken unto them. Consider, beloved, how many things the Lord declares against idolaters, and the worshippers of the sun and moon. Wherefore it is the duty of a man of God, as he is a Christian, not to swear by the sun, or by the moon, or by the stars; nor by the heaven, nor by the earth, by any of the elements, whether small or great. For if our Master charged us not to swear by the true God, that our word might be firmer than an oath, nor by heaven itself, for that is a piece of heathen wickedness, nor by Jerusalem, nor by the sanctuary of God, nor the altar, nor the gift, nor the gilding of the altar, nor one's own head, for this custom is a piece of Judaic corruption, and on that account was forbidden; and if He exhorts the faithful that their yea be yea, and their nay, nay, and says that what is more than these is of the evil one, how much more blameable are those who appeal to deities falsely so called as the objects of an oath, and who glorify imaginary beings instead of those that are real, whom God for their perverseness delivered over to foolishness, to do those things that are not convenient!

But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear. Yours, I say, who have believed in the one God, not by necessity, but by a sound understanding, in obedience to Him that called you. For you are released from the bonds, and freed from the servitude. For says He: I call you no longer servants, but friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father have I made known unto you. For to them that would not see nor hear, not for the want of those senses, but for the excess of their wickedness, I gave statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they would not live; they are looked upon as not good, as burnings and a sword, and medicines are esteemed enemies by the sick, and impossible to be observed on account of their obstinacy: whence also they brought death upon them being not obeyed.

To Him, therefore, who is able to open the ears of your hearts to the receiving the oracles of God administered to you both by the Gospel and by the teaching of Jesus Christ of Nazareth; who was crucified under Pontius Pilate and Herod, and died, and rose again from the dead, and will come again at the end of the world with power and great glory, and will raise the dead, and put an end to this world, and distribute to every one according to his deserts: to Him that has given us Himself for an earnest of the resurrection; who was taken up into the heavens by the power of His God and Father in our sight, who ate and drank with Him for forty days after He arose from the dead; who is sat down on the right hand of the throne of the majesty of Almighty God upon the cherubim; to whom it was said, Sit on my right hand, until I make Your enemies Your footstool; whom the most blessed Stephen saw standing at the right hand of power, and cried out, and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God, as the High Priest of all the rational orders — through Him, worship, and majesty, and glory be given to Almighty God, both now and for evermore. Amen.

If you have by the work of your hands, give, that you may labour for the redemption of your sins; for by alms and acts of faith sins are purged away. You shall not grudge to give to the poor, nor when you have given shall you murmur; for you shall know who will repay you your reward. For says he: He that has mercy on the poor man lends to the Lord; according to his gift, so shall it be repaid him again. You shall not turn away from him that is needy; for says he: He that stops his ears, that he may not hear the cry of the needy, himself also shall call, and there shall be none to hear him. You shall communicate in all things to your brother, and shall not say your goods are your own; for the common participation of the necessaries of life is appointed to all men by God. You shall not take off your hand from your son or from your daughter, but shall teach them the fear of God from their youth; for says he: Correct your son, so shall he afford you good hope.

You catechumens, pray, and let all the faithful pray for them in their mind, saying: Lord, have mercy upon them. And let the deacon bid prayers for them, saving: Let us all pray unto God for the catechumens, that He that is good, He that is the lover of mankind, will mercifully hear their prayers and their supplications, and so accept their petitions as to assist them and give them those desires of their hearts which are for their advantage, and reveal to them the Gospel of His Christ; give them illumination and understanding, instruct them in the knowledge of God, teach them His commands and His ordinances, implant in them His pure and saving fear, open the ears of their hearts, that they may exercise themselves in His law day and night; strengthen them in piety, unite them to and number them with His holy flock; vouchsafe them the laver of regeneration, and the garment of incorruption, which is the true life; and deliver them from all ungodliness, and give no place to the adversary against them; and cleanse them from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, and dwell in them, and walk in them, by His Christ; bless their goings out and their comings in, and order their affairs for their good. Let us still earnestly put up our supplications for them, that they may obtain the forgiveness of their transgressions by their admission, and so may be thought worthy of the holy mysteries, and of constant communion with the saints. Rise up, you catechumens, beg for yourselves the peace of God through His Christ, a peaceable day, and free from sin, and the like for the whole time of your life, and your Christian ends of it; a compassionate and merciful God; and the forgiveness of your transgressions. Dedicate yourselves to the only unbegotten God, through His Christ. Bow down your heads, and receive the blessing. But at the naming of every one by the deacon, as we said before, let the people say, Lord, have mercy upon him; and let the children say it first. And as they have bowed down their heads, let the bishop who is newly ordained bless them with this blessing: O God Almighty, unbegotten and inaccessible, who only art the true God, the God and Father of Your Christ, Your only begotten Son; the God of the Comforter, and Lord of the whole world; who by Christ appointed Your disciples to be teachers for the teaching of piety; do Thou now also look down upon Your servants, who are receiving instruction in the Gospel of Your Christ, and give them a new heart, and renew a right spirit in their inward parts, that they may both know and do Your will with full purpose of heart, and with a willing soul. Vouchsafe them a holy admission, and unite them to Your holy Church, and make them partakers of Your divine mysteries, through Christ, who is our hope, and who died for them; by whom glory and worship be given to You in the Holy Spirit forever. Amen. And after this, let the deacon say: Go out, you catechumens, in peace. And after they are gone out, let him say: You energumens, afflicted with unclean spirits, pray, and let us all earnestly pray for them, that God, the lover of mankind, will by Christ rebuke the unclean and wicked spirits, and deliver His supplicants from the dominion of the adversary. May He that rebuked the legion of demons, and the devil, the prince of wickedness, even now rebuke these apostates from piety, and deliver His own workmanship from his power, and cleanse those creatures which He has made with great wisdom. Let us still pray earnestly for them. Save them, O God, and raise them up by Your power. Bow down your heads, you energumens, and receive the blessings. And let the bishop add this prayer, and say:—

O God Almighty, the true and faithful God, who art rich unto all that call upon You in truth, who art fearful in counsels, and wise in understanding, who art powerful and great, hear our prayer, O Lord, and let Your ears receive our supplication, and cause the light of Your countenance to shine upon this Your servant, who is to be ordained for You to the office of a deacon; and replenish him with Your Holy Spirit, and with power, as You replenished Stephen, who was Your martyr, and follower of the sufferings of Your Christ. Render him worthy to discharge acceptably the ministration of a deacon, steadily, unblameably, and without reproof, that thereby he may attain an higher degree, through the mediation of Your only begotten Son, with whom glory, honour, and worship be to You and the Holy Spirit forever. Amen.

If any bishop or presbyter, otherwise than our Lord has ordained concerning the sacrifice, offer other things at the altar of God, as honey, milk, or strong beer instead of wine, any necessaries, or birds, or animals, or pulse, otherwise than is ordained, let him be deprived; excepting grains of new grain, or ears of wheat, or bunches of grapes in their season.

But the sons of men would not hearken to them, nor incline their ears to their words, and they were stiffnecked.

And Noah and Methuselah stood forth, and said in the ears of the sons of men, all that God had spoken concerning them.

But the sons of men would not hearken, neither would they incline their ears to all their declarations.

And he called out and said, Wo unto my father and this wicked generation, whose hearts are all inclined to vanity, who serve these idols of wood and stone which can neither eat, smell, hear nor speak, who have mouths without speech, eyes without sight, ears without hearing, hands without feeling, and legs which cannot move; like them are those that made them and that trust in them.

And they inclined their ears to the words of their advisers, and they listened to all their words, and the words of the counsellors greatly pleased the kings, and they did so.

And Joseph spoke these words from the pit, and his brethren could not listen to him, nor incline their ears to the words of Joseph, and Joseph was crying and weeping in the pit.

And he awoke, and he slept again and he dreamed a second time, and he saw and behold seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good, and seven thin ears blasted with the east wind sprang, up after them, and the thin ears swallowed up the full ones, and Pharaoh awoke out of his dream.

And he awoke, and he slept again and he dreamed a second time, and he saw and behold seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good, and seven thin ears blasted with the east wind sprang, up after them, and the thin ears swallowed up the full ones, and Pharaoh awoke out of his dream.

And he awoke, and he slept again and he dreamed a second time, and he saw and behold seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good, and seven thin ears blasted with the east wind sprang, up after them, and the thin ears swallowed up the full ones, and Pharaoh awoke out of his dream.

And that which thou didst see in the second dream of seven full good ears of corn coming up upon one stalk, this is their interpretation, that thou wilt build unto thyself in the latter days seven cities throughout the land of Egypt; and that which thou sawest of the seven blasted ears of corn springing up after them and swallowing them up whilst thou didst behold them with thine eyes, is for a sign that the cities which thou wilt build will all be destroyed in the latter days, in the life-time of the king.

And that which thou didst see in the second dream of seven full good ears of corn coming up upon one stalk, this is their interpretation, that thou wilt build unto thyself in the latter days seven cities throughout the land of Egypt; and that which thou sawest of the seven blasted ears of corn springing up after them and swallowing them up whilst thou didst behold them with thine eyes, is for a sign that the cities which thou wilt build will all be destroyed in the latter days, in the life-time of the king.

And the seven bad kine are seven princes, who will stand up against them in the latter days and destroy them; and the seven ears of corn are the seven great princes belonging to Egypt, who will fall in the hands of the seven less powerful princes of their enemies, in the wars of our lord the king.

And that which thou sawest in the second dream, of seven good and bad ears of corn, is a sign that the government of Egypt will again return to thy seed as at first.

And the seven good and bad ears of corn which thou didst see in the second dream are fourteen children, and it will be in the latter days that they will stand up and fight amongst themselves, and seven of them will smite the seven that are more powerful.

And some of them said these words unto the king, saying, The seven good kine denote that seven children will be born to thee, and they will slay seven of thy children's children in the latter days; and the seven good ears of corn which thou didst see in the second dream, are those princes against whom seven other less powerful princes will fight and destroy them in the latter days, and avenge thy children's cause, and the government will again return to thy seed.

And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, Let Pharaoh relate his dreams that he dreamed; surely the interpretations belong to God; and Pharaoh related his dreams to Joseph, the dream of the kine, and the dream of the ears of corn, and the king left off speaking.

And Joseph found favor in the sight of the king, and the king inclined his ears and his heart, and he heard all the words of Joseph. And Joseph said unto the king, Do not imagine that they are two dreams, for it is only one dream, for that which God has chosen to do throughout the land he has shown to the king in his dream, and this is the proper interpretation of thy dream:

The seven good kine and ears of corn are seven years, and the seven bad kine and ears of corn are also seven years; it is one dream.

The seven good kine and ears of corn are seven years, and the seven bad kine and ears of corn are also seven years; it is one dream.

And at any time when they gathered the food Joseph commanded that they should bring the corn in the ears, and also bring with it some of the soil of the field, that it should not spoil.

And Naphtali went as Judah had commanded him, for Naphtali was lightfooted as one of the swift stags, and he would go upon the ears of corn and they would not break under him.

And Naphtali hearkened to the voice of Joseph and he hastened and ran to go down to Egypt, and Naphtali was lighter on foot than any of the stags that were upon the wilderness, for he would go upon ears of corn without crushing them.

And all the people and nobles of the children of Cush heard the words which Adoniah the queen had spoken in their ears.

And the fleas and flies came into the eyes and ears of the Egyptians.

It maketh the ears to hear and hearts to understand, it is a teacher of those who are learned, and it is a consoler of those who are discreet and prudent, and it giveth fame to those who seek after it.

He raised their dead, and He healed their sick folk, and He made the eyes of their blind to see, and He opened the ears of their deaf folk, and He cleansed the lepers, and He satisfied the hungry with food, and He performed many miracles, some of which are written down and some of which are not, even as saith John the Evangelist, the son of Zebedee, "If everything which Jesus did were written down, the whole world would not be able to hold all the writings that would have to be written."

See how he rejoiced in his belief, and see how he was justified by his belief, O blind Jew, who though having eyes seest not, and having ears hearest not, even as the Prophet Isaiah saith concerning you, "Their eyes are blind, and their hearts are covered with darkness, so that they may not understand and God may not show compassion unto them."

And He shall open the eyes of the blind, and He shall make the ears of the deaf to hear, and the feet that are lame shall run, and the tongues of the dumb shall speak."

As for the Parthians in Jerusalem, they betook themselves to plundering, and fell upon the houses of those that were fled, and upon the king's palace, and spared nothing but Hyrcanus's money, which was not above three hundred talents. They lighted on other men's money also, but not so much as they hoped for; for Herod having a long while had a suspicion of the perfidiousness of the barbarians, had taken care to have what was most splendid among his treasures conveyed into Idumea, as every one belonging to him had in like manner done also. But the Parthians proceeded to that degree of injustice, as to fill all the country with war without denouncing it, and to demolish the city Marissa, and not only to set up Antigonus for king, but to deliver Phasaelus and Hyrcanus bound into his hands, in order to their being tormented by him. Antigonus himself also bit off Hyrcanus's ears with his own teeth, as he fell down upon his knees to him, that so he might never be able upon any mutation of affairs to take the high priesthood again, for the high priests that officiated were to be complete, and without blemish.

But now Herod was under immediate concern about a most important affair, on account of his friendship with Antony, who was already overcome at Actium by Caesar; yet he was more afraid than hurt; for Caesar did not think he had quite undone Antony, while Herod continued his assistance to him. However, the king resolved to expose himself to dangers: accordingly he sailed to Rhodes, where Caesar then abode, and came to him without his diadem, and in the habit and appearance of a private person, but in his behavior as a king. So he concealed nothing of the truth, but spoke thus before his face: "O Caesar, as I was made king of the Jews by Antony, so do I profess that I have used my royal authority in the best manner, and entirely for his advantage; nor will I conceal this further, that thou hadst certainly found me in arms, and an inseparable companion of his, had not the Arabians hindered me. However, I sent him as many auxiliaries as I was able, and many ten thousand [cori] of corn. Nay, indeed, I did not desert my benefactor after the bow that was given him at Actium; but I gave him the best advice I was able, when I was no longer able to assist him in the war; and I told him that there was but one way of recovering his affairs, and that was to kill Cleopatra; and I promised him that, if she were once dead, I would afford him money and walls for his security, with an army and myself to assist him in his war against thee: but his affections for Cleopatra stopped his ears, as did God himself also who hath bestowed the government on thee. I own myself also to be overcome together with him; and with his last fortune I have laid aside my diadem, and am come hither to thee, having my hopes of safety in thy virtue; and I desire that thou wilt first consider how faithful a friend, and not whose friend, I have been."

Now upon these accounts, though Herod was somewhat afraid of the young men's high spirit, yet did he not despair of reducing them to a better mind; but before he went to Rome, whither he was now going by sea, he called them to him, and partly threatened them a little, as a king; but for the main, he admonished them as a father, and exhorted them to love their brethren, and told them that he would pardon their former offenses, if they would amend for the time to come. But they refuted the calumnies that had been raised of them, and said they were false, and alleged that their actions were sufficient for their vindication; and said withal, that he himself ought to shut his ears against such tales, and not be too easy in believing them, for that there would never be wanting those that would tell lies to their disadvantage, as long as any would give ear to them.

Now the day following the king assembled a court of his kinsmen and friends, and called in Antipater's friends also. Herod himself, with Varus, were the presidents; and Herod called for all the witnesses, and ordered them to be brought in; among whom some of the domestic servants of Antipater's mother were brought in also, who had but a little while before been caught, as they were carrying the following letter from her to her son: "Since all those things have been already discovered to thy father, do not thou come to him, unless thou canst procure some assistance from Caesar." When this and the other witnesses were introduced, Antipater came in, and falling on his face before his father's feet, he said, "Father, I beseech thee, do not condemn me beforehand, but let thy ears be unbiassed, and attend to my defense; for if thou wilt give me leave, I will demonstrate that I am innocent."