Testament of Benjamin 1

Pseudonymously presented as Benjamin's deathbed testament, the last of the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs; actual author unknown and date debated (proposals span the 2nd century BC to the 2nd century AD). Praises purity of mind and goodness, and includes a passage some read as a veiled prophecy of an apostle to the Gentiles.

1THE copy of the words of Benjamin, which he commanded his sons to observe, after he had lived a hundred and twenty-five years.

Ἀντίγραφον λόγων Βενιαμήν, ὧν διέθετο τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτοῦ, ζήσας ἔτη ἑκατὸν εἴκοσι πέντε. (7828)

2And he kissed them, and said: As Isaac was born to Abraham in his old age, so also was I to Jacob.

Καταφιλήσας δὲ αὐτοὺς εἶπεν· Ὥσπερ Ἰσαὰκ ἐτέχθη τῷ Ἀβραὰμ ἐν γήρει αὐτοῦ, οὕτως κἀγὼ τῷ Ἰακώβ. (12269)

3And since Rachel my mother died in giving me birth, I had no milk; therefore I was suckled by Bilhah her handmaid.

Καὶ ἐπειδὴ Ῥαχιὴλ ἡ μήτηρ μου τέθνηκε γεννώσά με, γάλα οὐκ ἔσχον· Βαλλὰν οὖν τὴν παιδίσκην αὐτῆς ἐθήλασα. (7405)

4For Rachel remained barren for twelve years after she had borne Joseph; and she prayed the Lord with fasting twelve days, and she conceived and bare Me.

Ἡ γὰρ Ῥαχιὴλ μετὰ τὸ τεκεῖν τὸν Ἰωσὴφ δώδεκα ἔτη ἐστείρευσεν· καὶ προσηύξατο πρὸς Κύριον μετὰ νηστείας, καὶ συλλαβοῦσα τέτοκέ με. (11982)

5For my father loved Rachel dearly, and prayed that he might see two sons born from her.

Σφόδρα γὰρ ἠγάπα ὁ πατήρ μου τὴν Ῥαχιήλ, καὶ ηὔχετο δύο υἱοὺς ἰδεῖν ἐξ αὐτῆς. (7269)

6Therefore was I called Benjamin, that is, a son of days.

Διὰ τοῦτο ἐκλήθην Βενιαμίν, ὅ ἐστιν υἱὸς ἡμερῶν. (3771)

7And when I went into Egypt, to Joseph, and my brother recognized me, he said unto me: What did they tell my father when they sold me?

Ὅτε δὲ ἦλθον εἰς Αἴγυπτον πρὸς Ἰωσήφ, καὶ ἐγνώρισέν με ὁ ἀδελφός μου, λέγει μοι· Τί εἶπαν τῷ πατρί μου ὅτε με ἐπώλησαν; (10661)

8And I said unto him, They dabbled thy coat with blood and sent it, and said: Know whether this be thy son's coat.

Καὶ εἶπον αὐτῷ, ὅτι ἔφυραν τὸν χιτῶνά σου αἵματι καὶ πέμψαντες αὐτὸν εἶπον· Ἐπίγνωθι εἰ ὁ χιτὼν τοῦ υἱοῦ σου ἐστὶν οὗτος. (15581)

9And he said unto me: Even so, brother, when they had stripped me of my coat they gave me to the Ishmaelites, and they gave me a loin cloth, and scourged me, and bade me run.

Καὶ λέγει μοι· Ναί, ἀδελφέ· καὶ ὅτε ἐξέδυσάν με τὸν χιτῶνά μου δέδωκάν με τοῖς Ἰσμαιλίταις· καὶ δέδωκάν μοι περίζωμα, καὶ φραγγελλώσαντες εἶπόν μοι τρέχειν. (12740)

10And as for one of them that had beaten me with a rod, a lion met him and slew him.

Εἷς δὲ ἐξ αὐτῶν ῥάβδῳ μαστίζων με, ὑπήντησεν αὐτῷ λέων καὶ ἀνεῖλεν αὐτόν. (8690)

11And so his associates were affrighted.

Καὶ οὕτως οἱ μέτοχοι αὐτοῦ φοβηθέντες ἐν ἀνέσει με κατέσχεν. (6848)

12Do ye also, therefore, my children, love the Lord God of heaven and earth, and keep His commandments, following the example of the good and holy man Joseph.

Νῦν οὖν, τέκνα μου, καὶ ὑμεῖς ἀγαπήσατε Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς, καὶ φυλάξατε ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ, μιμούμενοι τὸν ἀγαθὸν καὶ ὅσιον ἄνδρα Ἰωσήφ. (13555)

13And let your mind be unto good, even as ye know me; for he that bath his mind right seeth all things rightly.

Καὶ ἔστω ἡ διάνοια ὑμῶν εἰς τὸ ἀγαθόν, ὡς κἀμὲ οἴδατε· Ὅτι ὁ ἔχων τὴν διάνοιαν ὀρθὴν πάντα βλέπει ὀρθῶς. (9394)

14Fear ye the Lord, and love your neighbour; and even though the spirits of Beliar claim you to afflict you with every evil, yet shall they not have dominion over you, even as they had not over Joseph my brother.,

Φοβεῖσθε Κύριον καὶ ἀγαπᾶτε τὸν πλησίον· καὶ ἐὰν τὰ πνεύματα τοῦ Βελίαρ εἰς πᾶσαν πονηρίαν θλίψεως ἐκστήσωσι ὑμᾶς, οὐ μὴ κατακυριεύσωσιν ὑμῶν, ὡς οὔτε Ἰωσὴφ τὸν ἀδελφόν μου. (19186)

15How many men wished to slay him, and God shielded him!

Πόσοι τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἤθελον αὐτὸν ἀνελεῖν, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἐσκέπασεν αὐτόν· (6386)

16For he that feareth God and loveth his neighbour cannot be smitten by the spirit of Beliar, being shielded by the fear of God.

ὁ γὰρ φοβούμενος τὸν Θεὸν καὶ ἀγαπῶν τὸν πλησίον ὑπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ Βελίαρ οὐ δύναται πληγῆναι, σκεπαζόμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ φόβου τοῦ Θεοῦ. (13143)

17Nor can he be ruled over by the device of men or beasts, for he is helped by the Lord through the love which he hath towards his neighbour.

Καὶ ἀπὸ ἐπιβουλῆς ἀνθρώπων ἢ θηρίων οὐ δύναται κατακυριευθῆναι, βοηθούμενος ζῆν ἀπ᾽ αὐτῆς ὑπὸ τῆς ἀγάπης ἧς ἔχει πρὸς τὸν πλησίον. (11909)

18For Joseph also besought our father that he would pray for his brethren, that the Lord would not impute to them as sin whatever evil they had done unto him.

Καὶ γὰρ ὁ Ἰωσὴφ ἐδεήθη τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν, ἵνα προσεύξηται ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτοῦ ἵνα μὴ λογίσηται Κύριος αὐτοῖς ἁμαρτίαν, ὅτι ἐποίησαν πονηρὸν εἰς αὐτόν. (15065)

19And thus Jacob cried out: My good child, thou hast prevailed over the bowels of thy father Jacob.

Καὶ οὕτως ἐβόα Ἰακώβ· Ὦ τέκνον χρηστόν, ἐνίκησας τὰ σπλάγχνα Ἰακὼβ τοῦ πατρός σου· (10119)

20And he embraced him, and kissed him for two hours, saying:

καὶ περιλαβὼν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ δύο ὥρας κατεφίλει, λέγων· (5369)

21In thee shall be fulfilled the prophecy of heaven concerning the Lamb of God, and Saviour of the world, and that a blameless one shall be delivered up for lawless men, and a sinless one shall die for ungodly men in the blood of the covenant, for the salvation of the Gentiles and of Israel, and shall destroy Beliar and his servants.

Πληρωθήσεται περὶ σοῦ προφητεία οὐράνιος περὶ τοῦ ἀμνοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ σωτῆρος τοῦ κόσμου, ὅτι ἄμωμος ὑπὸ ἀνόμων παραδοθήσεται καὶ ὁ ἀναμάρτητος ὑπὲρ ἀσεβῶν ἀποθανεῖται ἐν αἵματι διαθήκης ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ ἐθνῶν καὶ τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ καὶ καταλύσει Βελίαρ καὶ τοὺς ὑπηρέτας αὐτοῦ. (26350)

See also: John 1:29

22See ye, therefore, my children, the end of the good man?

Ἴδετε οὖν, τέκνα μου, τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ ἀνδρὸς τὸ τέλος. (4384)

23Be followers of his compassion, therefore, with a good mind, that ye also may wear crowns of glory.

μιμήσασθε ἐν ἀγαθῷ διὰ τὴν εὐσπλαγχνίαν αὐτοῦ, ἵνα καὶ ὑμεῖς στεφάνους δόξης φορέσητε. (8359)

24For the good man hath not a dark eye; for he showeth mercy to all men, even though they be sinners.

Ὁ γὰρ ἀγαθὸς ἄνθρωπος οὐκ ἔχει σκοτεινὸν ὀφθαλμόν, ἐλεεῖ γὰρ πάντας, κἂν ἁμαρτωλοὶ ὦσιν. (7697)

25And though they devise with evil intent. concerning him, by doing good he overcometh evil, being shielded by God; and he loveth the righteous as his own soul.

Κἂν μὴ βούλωνται περὶ αὐτοῦ εἰς καλά, οὗτος τὸ ἀγαθὸν ποιῶν νικᾷ τὸ κακόν, σκεπόμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ· τοὺς ἀδικοῦντας ἀγαπᾷ ὡς τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ. (15524)

26If any one is glorified, he envieth him not; if any one is enriched, he is not jealous; if any one is valiant, he praiseth him; the virtuous man he laudeth; on the poor man he hath mercy; on the weak he hath compassion; unto God he singeth praises.

Ἐάν τις δοξάζηται, οὐ φθονεῖ αὐτόν· ἐάν τις πλουτεῖ, οὐ ζηλοῖ· ἐάν τις ἀνδρεῖος, ἐπαινεῖ αὐτόν· τὸν σώφρονα ἀγαπῶν· τὸν πένητα ἐλεεῖ· τῷ ἀσθενοῦντι συμπάσχει· τὸν Θεὸν φοβεῖται. (16184)

27And him that hath the grace of a good spirit he loveth as his own soul.

Καὶ τὸν ἔχοντα χάριν ἀγαθοῦ πνεύματος ἀγαπᾷ κατὰ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ. (7563)

28If therefore, ye also have a good mind, then will both wicked men be at peace with you, and the profligate will reverence you and turn unto good; and the covetous will not only cease from their inordinate desire, but even give the objects of their covetousness to them that are afflicted.

Ἐὰν οὖν καὶ ὑμεῖς ἔχετε ἀγαθὴν διάνοιαν, καὶ οἱ πονηροὶ ἄνθρωποι εἰρηνεύσουσιν μεθ᾽ ὑμῶν, καὶ οἱ ἄσωτοι αἰδεσθέντες ὑμᾶς ἐπιστρέψουσιν εἰς τὸ ἀγαθόν, καὶ οἱ πλεονεκτοῦντες οὐ μόνον ἀποστήσονται τοῦ πάθους ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ τῆς πλεονεξίας ἃ εἶχον δώσουσιν τοῖς θλιβομένοις. (22912)

29If ye do well, even the unclean spirits will flee from you; and the beasts will dread you.

Ἐὰν ἦτε ἀγαθοποιοῦντες καὶ τὰ ἀκάθαρτα πνεύματα φεύξονται ἀφ᾽ ὑμῶν, καὶ τὰ θηρία φοβηθήσονται ὑμᾶς. (8796)

30For where there is reverence for good works and light in the mind, even darkness fleeth away from him.

Ὅπου γὰρ ἔνι φόβος ἀγαθῶν ἔργων καὶ φῶς εἰς διάνοιαν καὶ τὸ σκότος ἀποδιδράσκει ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ. (8413)

31For if any one does violence to a holy man, he repenteth; for the holy man is merciful to his reviler, and holdeth his peace.

Ἐὰν γὰρ ὑβρίσει ἄνδρα ὅσιον μετανοεῖ, ἐλεεῖ γὰρ ὁ ὅσιος τὸν λοιδορον καὶ σιωπᾷ. (4649)

32And if any one betrayeth a righteous man, the righteous man prayeth: though for a little he be humbled, yet not long after he appeareth far more glorious, as was Joseph my brother.

Κἂν τις δίκαιον προδώσει, ὁ δίκαιος προσεύχεται· εἰ καὶ πρὸς ὀλίγου ταπεινωθῇ, μετ᾽ οὐ πολὺ φαιδρότερος ἀναφαίνεται, οἷος γέγονεν Ἰωσὴφ ὁ ἀδελφός μου. (13641)

33The inclination of the good man is not in the power of the deceit of the spirit of Beliar, for the angel of peace guideth his soul.

Τὸ διαβούλιον τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ ἀνδρὸς οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν χειρὶ πλάνης πνεύματος Βελίαρ· ὁ γὰρ ἄγγελος τῆς εἰρήνης ὁδηγεῖ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ. (10956)

34And he gazeth not passionately upon corruptible things, nor gathereth together riches through a desire of pleasure.

Καὶ οὐχ ὁρᾷ ἐμπαθῶς τὰ φθαρτά, οὐδὲ συνάγει πλοῦτον εἰς φιληδονίαν. (6715)

35He delighteth not in pleasure, he grieveth not his neighbour, he sateth not himself with luxuries, he erreth not in the uplifting of the eyes, for the Lord is his portion.

Οὐ τέρπεται ἐν ἡδονῇ, οὐ λυπεῖ τὸν πλησίον, οὐκ ἐμπίπλαται τρυφῇ, οὐ πλανᾶται μετεωρισμοῖς ὀφθαλμῶν. Κύριος γάρ ἐστι ἡ μερὶς αὐτοῦ. (12860)

36The good inclination receiveth not glory nor dishonour from men, and it knoweth not any guile, or lie, or fighting or reviling; for the Lord dwelleth in him and lighteth up his soul, and he rejoiceth towards all men .

Τὸ ἀγαθὸν διαβούλιον οὐ δέχεται δόξης οὐκ ἀτιμίας ἀνθρώπων, καὶ πάντα δόλον ἢ ψεῦδος ἢ μάχην ἢ λοιδορίαν οὐκ οἶδε. Κύριος γὰρ ἐν αὐτῷ κατοικεῖ, καὶ φωτίζει τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ, καὶ χαίρει πρὸς πάντας ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ. (20655)

37The good mind hath not two tongues, of blessing and of cursing, of contumely and of honour, of sorrow and of joy, of quietness and of confusion, of hypocrisy and of truth, of poverty and of wealth; but it hath one disposition, uncorrupt and pure, concerning all men.

Ἡ ἀγαθὴ διάνοια οὐκ ἔχει δύο γλώσσας εὐλογίας καὶ κατάρας, ὕβρεως καὶ τιμῆς, ἡσυχίας καὶ ταραχῆς, ὑποκρίσεως καὶ ἀληθείας, πενίας καὶ πλούτου, ἀλλὰ μίαν ἔχει περὶ πάντας εἰλικρινῆ καὶ καθαρὰν διάθεσιν. (15585)