My LORD’s BibleThe Traditions of Matthias (Fragments) 1
Sayings attributed to Matthias, the apostle chosen in place of Judas (Acts 1:26), in a lost book Clement of Alexandria calls the 'Traditions'; it may be the same as the 'Gospel according to Matthias' that Origen and Eusebius name, and Hippolytus says the followers of Basilides claimed Matthias as the source of secret teaching from the Saviour. Probably 2nd century AD; author unknown. Three short passages survive, all quoted by Clement (Stromateis ii, iii and vii): wonder as the first step to knowledge, the discipline of the flesh, and the chosen one who sins when his neighbour sins. This is M. R. James's translation (1924); a further passage that the scholar Zahn assigned to the book (Zacchaeus's promise, which some called Matthias) is not given, since James marks it as a conjecture. Not part of any church's canon.
2Matthias also taught thus: that we should fight with the flesh and abuse it, not yielding to it at all for licentious pleasure, but should make the soul grow by faith and knowledge.
See also: Galatians 5:24
3In the Traditions Matthias the apostle said that on every occasion, if the neighbour of a chosen one sin, the chosen one hath sinned: for had he behaved himself as the word enjoins, the neighbour also would have been ashamed of his way of life, so as not to sin.
See also: Galatians 6:1