Epistle of Barnabas 2

1Since, therefore, the days are evil, and Satan possesses the power of this world, we ought to give heed to ourselves, and diligently inquire into the ordinances of the Lord. Fear and patience, then, are helpers of our faith; and long-suffering and continence are things which fight on our side. While these remain pure in what respects the Lord, Wisdom, Understanding, Science, and Knowledge rejoice along with them. For He hath revealed to us by all the prophets that He needs neither sacrifices, nor burnt-offerings, nor oblations, saying thus, “What is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me, saith the Lord? I am full of burnt-offerings, and desire not the fat of lambs, and the blood of bulls and goats, not when ye come to appear before me: for who hath required these things at your hands? Tread no more my courts, not though ye bring with you fine flour. Incense is a vain abomination unto me, and your new moons and sabbaths I cannot endure.” He has therefore abolished these things, that the new law of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is without the yoke of necessity, might have a human oblation. And again He says to them, “Did I command your fathers, when they went out from the land of Egypt, to offer unto me burnt-offerings and sacrifices? But this rather I commanded them, Let no one of you cherish any evil in his heart against his neighbour, and love not an oath of falsehood.” We ought therefore, being possessed of understanding, to perceive the gracious intention of our Father; for He speaks to us, desirous that we, not going astray like them, should ask how we may approach Him. To us, then, He declares, “A sacrifice [pleasing] to God is a broken spirit; a smell of sweet savour to the Lord is a heart that glorifieth Him that made it.” We ought therefore, brethren, carefully to inquire concerning our salvation, lest the wicked one, having made his entrance by deceit, should hurl us forth from our [true] life.

Ἡμερῶν οὖν οὐσῶν πονηρῶν καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ ἐνερ- γοῦντος ἔχοντος τὴν ἐξουσίαν, ὀφείλομεν ἑαυτοῖς προσέ- χοντες ἐκζητεῖν τὰ δικαιώματα Κυρίου. τῆς οὖν πίστεως ἡμῶν εἰσὶν βοηθοὶ φόβος καὶ ὑπομονή, τὰ δὲ συνμαχοῦντα ἡμῖν μακροθυμία καὶ ἐγκράτεια" τούτων μενόντων τὰ πρὸς Κύριον ὡγνῶς, συνευνφραίνονται αὐτοῖς σοφία, σύνεσις, ἐπε- στήμη, γνῶσις. πεφανέρωκεν γὰρ ἡμῖν διὰ πάντων τῶν προφητῶν ὅτι οὔτε θυσιῶν οὔτε ὁλοκαυτωμάτων οὔτε προσ- Pie 11— φορῶν χρήζει, λέγων ὁτὲ pév’ §. Ti μοι πλῆθος τῶν θγοιῶν ὑμῶν ; λέγει Κύριος. πλήρης εἰμὶ ὁλοκδγτωμάτων, Kal cTéap ἀρνῶν Kai alma τδύρων Kal τράγων OY BoyAOMal, οὐδ᾽ AN ἔρχηςθε ὀφθῆναί μοι. τίς γὰρ ἐξεζήτηςεν TafTAa EK τῶν χειρῶν ὑμῶν ; TIATEIN MOY THN aYAHN oy προςθήςεςθε' "Edn φέρητε εεμίλδλιν, ᾿μάτδιον᾽ Oymiama, δδέλγγμά μοί ἐςτιν' TAC NEOMHNIAC ὑμῶν KAI τὰ CABBaTa οὐκ ἀνέχομδι. ταῦτα οὖν κατήργησεν, ἵνα 6 καινὸς νόμος τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἄνευ ζυγοῦ ἀνάγκης ὦν, μὴ ἀνθρωποποίητον ὄχῃ τὴν προσφοράν. λέ- Jews: ees δὲ πάλιν πρὸς αὐτούς" MH ἐγὼ ἐνετειλάμην τοῖς TATPACIN ὑμῶν ἐκπορεγομένοις ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου, προςενέγκδι μοι ὅλοκδγ- τώμλιδλτὰ Kal Oyciac; ἀλλ᾽ H τοῦτο ἐνετειλάμην δύτοις" “Exka- εἰ CTOC ὑμῶν KATA TOY πληςίον ἐν TH Kapadia ayTOy KaKian μὴ MNHCIKAKEITOO, Kal ὅρκον ψευδῆ μὴ drandre. Αἰσθάνεσθαι οὖν ὀφείλομεν, μὴ ὄντες ἀσύνετοι, THY γνώμην τῆς ἀγαθωσύνης τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν: ὅτι ἡμῖν λέγει, θέλων ἡμᾶς μὴ ὁμοίως πλανωμένους ἐκείνοις ξητεῖν πῶς προσάγωμεν αὐτῷ. ἡμῖν Ps. li οὖν οὕτως λέγει’ Oycia τῷ Θεῷ Kapadia εγντετριμμένη, ὀσμὴ ? εωλίδς τῷ Κγρίῳ Kapdia δοξάζογοὰ τὸν πεπλάκότὰ δύτην. ἀκριβεύεσθαι οὖν ὀφείλομεν, ἀδελφοί, περὶ τῆς σωτηρίας ἡμῶν, ἵνα μὴ ὁ πονηρὸς παρείσδυσιν πλάνης ποιήσας ἐν ἡμῖν ἐκσφενδονήσῃ ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τῆς ζωῆς ἡμῶν. απο. rs oe ee ee i -- ιν THE EPISTLE OF BARNABAS. 245