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BOOK 3  (from: _Apostolic Fathers,_ Charles H. Hoole, 1885 translation)

                          CLEMENT to the Corinthians

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CHAPTER 0
 0:1  |The Church of God which sojourneth at Rome, to
the Church of God which sojourneth at Corinth, to them
that are called and sanctified in the will of God
through our Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be
multiplied unto you from Almighty God through Jesus
Christ.

CHAPTER 1
 1:1  |On account of the sudden and repeated calamities
and mischances, brethren, that have come upon us, we
suppose that we have the more slowly given heed to the
things that are disputed among you, beloved, and to
the foul and unholy sedition, alien and foreign to the
elect of God, which a few headstrong and self-willed
persons have kindled to such a degree of madness, that
your venerable and famous name, worthy to be loved of
all men, is greatly blasphemed.
 1:2  For who that hath tarried among you hath not
approved your most virtuous and firm faith, hath not
admired your sober and seemly piety in Christ, hath
not proclaimed your splendid disposition of
hospitality, hath not deemed blessed your perfect and
unerring knowledge?
 1:3  For ye did all things without respect of
persons, and walked in the laws of God, submitting
yourselves to them that have the rule over you, and
giving the due honour to the presbyters that are among
you. Young men ye enjoined to think such things as be
sober and grave. Women ye exhorted to perform all
things in a blameless and honourable and pure
conscience, loving dutifully their own husbands; and
ye taught them to manage the affairs of their houses
with gravity, keeping in the rule of obedience, being
temperate in all things.

CHAPTER 2
 2:1  |And ye were all humble, boasting of nothing,
submitting yourselves rather than subjecting others,
more gladly giving than receiving, content with the
provision that God had given you; and attending
diligently to his words, ye received them into your
very hearts, and his sufferings were before your eyes.
 2:2  Thus a deep and rich peace was given to all, and
an insatiable longing for doing good, and a plentiful
outpouring of the Holy Spirit was upon all of you.
 2:3  And ye, being filled with a holy desire, with
excellent zeal and pious confidence, stretched out
your arms to Almighty God, beseeching him to be
merciful unto you, if ye had in anything unwillingly
done amiss.
 2:4  Ye contended day and night for the whole
brotherhood, that in his mercy and good pleasure the
number of his elect might be saved.
 2:5  Ye were simple and sincere without malice one
toward another:
 2:6  all sedition and all schism were abominable unto
you. Ye grieved over the transgressions of your
neighbour, judging his short-comings your own.
 2:7  Ye repented not of any well-doing, being ready
to every good work;
 2:8  and being adorned with a very virtuous and holy
habit of life, ye did all things in his fear. The
commandments and ordinances of the Lord were written
on the breadth of your heart.

CHAPTER 3
 3:1  |All honour and enlargement was given to you, and
then was fulfilled that which is written: -- The
beloved ate and drank, and was enlarged and grew fat
and kicked.
 3:2  From this came emulation and envy, strife and
sedition, persecution and disorder, war and captivity.
 3:3  Thus the mean men were lifted up against the
honourable; those of no repute against those of good
repute; the foolish against the wise; the young
against the elder.
 3:4  Through this justice and peace are afar off,
because each of you leaveth off the fear of God and is
dimsighted in his faith, nor walketh in the laws of
his commandments, nor behaveth as becometh a citizen
of Christ; but each walketh according to his own evil
lusts, having taken up unjust and unholy envy, by
which also death entered into the world.

CHAPTER 4
 4:1  |For it is thus written: And it came to pass
after certain days, that Cain brought of the fruits of
the ground a sacrifice to God, and Abel brought also
of the firstlings of the sheep and of their fat.
 4:2  And God had respect unto Abel and unto his
gifts; but unto Cain and his gifts he had no regard.
 4:3  And Cain was grieved greatly, and his
countenance fell.
 4:4  And God said unto Cain, Why art thou very
sorrowful, and why hath thy countenance fallen? If
thou hast rightly offered, but hast not rightly
divided, hast thou not sinned?
 4:5  Hold thy peace; thy gift returneth unto thee,
and thou shalt be master over it.
 4:6  And Cain said unto Abel, Let us pass over into
the field. And it came to pass while they were in the
field, Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew
him.
 4:7  Ye see, brethren, jealousy and envy wrought the
slaughter of a brother.
 4:8  Through envy our father Jacob fled from the face
of his brother Esau.
 4:9  Envy caused Joseph to be persecuted unto death,
and to enter into bondage.
 4:10  Envy compelled Moses to flee from the face of
Pharaoh, king of Egypt, because he heard his
countryman say, Who made thee a judge or a decider
over us? Wilt thou kill me, as thou didst the Egyptian
yesterday?
 4:11  Through envy Aaron and Miriam pitched their
tents without the camp.
 4:12  Envy brought down Dathan and Abiram alive to
the grave, because they contended against Moses, the
servant of God.
 4:13  Through envy David suffered jealousy not only
of foreigners, but was persecuted also by Saul, king
of Israel.

CHAPTER 5
 5:1  |But let us pass from ancient examples, and come
unto those who have in the times nearest to us,
wrestled for the faith.
 5:2  Let us take the noble examples of our own
generation. Through jealousy and envy the greatest and
most just pillars of the Church were persecuted, and
came even unto death.
 5:3  Let us place before our eyes the good Apostles.
 5:4  Peter, through unjust envy, endured not one or
two but many labours, and at last, having delivered
his testimony, departed unto the place of glory due to
him.
 5:5  Through envy Paul, too, showed by example the
prize that is given to patience:
 5:6  seven times was he cast into chains; he was
banished; he was stoned; having become a herald, both
in the East and in the West, he obtained the noble
renown due to his faith;
 5:7  and having preached righteousness to the whole
world, and having come to the extremity of the West,
and having borne witness before rulers, he departed at
length out of the world, and went to the holy place,
having become the greatest example of patience.

CHAPTER 6
 6:1  |To these men, who walked in holiness, there was
gathered a great multitude of the elect, who, having
suffered, through envy, many insults and tortures,
became a most excellent example among us.
 6:2  Through envy women were persecuted, even the
Danaides and Dircae, who, after enduring dreadful and
unholy insults, attained to the sure course of the
faith; and they who were weak in body received a noble
reward.
 6:3  Envy hath estranged the minds of wives from
their husbands, and changed the saying of our father
Adam: This is now bone of my bone, and flesh of my
flesh.
 6:4  Envy and strife have overthrown mighty cities
and rooted out great nations.

CHAPTER 7
 7:1  |These things we enjoin you, beloved, not only by
way of admonition to you, but as putting ourselves
also in mind. For we are in the same arena, and the
same contest is imposed upon us.
 7:2  Wherefore, let us leave empty and vain thoughts,
and come unto the glorious and venerable rule of our
holy calling.
 7:3  Let us consider what is good and pleasing and
acceptable before him who made us.
 7:4  Let us look steadfastly to the blood of Christ,
and see how precious in the sight of God is his blood,
which having been poured out for our salvation,
brought to the whole world the grace of repentance.
 7:5  Let us go back to all generations, and learn
that in every generation God hath granted a place for
repentance to such as wished to return unto him.
 7:6  Noah preached repentance, and as many as
hearkened unto him were saved.
 7:7  Jonah prophesied destruction to the Ninevites,
and they, repenting of their sins, appeased God
through prayer, and, though alien from God, obtained
salvation.

CHAPTER 8
 8:1  |The ministers of the grace of God spake by the
Holy Spirit concerning repentance;
 8:2  and the Lord of all himself spake concerning
repentance with an oath. As I live, saith the Lord, I
desire not the death of a sinner, as I desire his
repentance; adding thereto an excellent saying:
 8:3  Repent, O house of Israel, from your iniquity:
Say unto the sons of my people, Though your sins reach
from earth to heaven, and though they be redder than
scarlet, and blacker than sackcloth, and ye turn unto
me with your whole heart and say, My father, I will
hearken unto you as to an holy people.
 8:4  And in another place he speaketh in this wise:
Wash, and be ye clean; take away the wickedness from
your souls from before my eyes; cease from your evil
deeds, learn to do well; seek judgment; deliver him
that is oppressed; give judgment for the orphan, and
justify the widow; and come and let us reason
together, saith he; and though your sins be as purple,
I will make them white as snow; and though they be as
scarlet, I will make them white as wool. And if ye be
willing and hearken unto me, ye shall eat the good
things of the earth; but if ye be not willing, and
hearken not, the sword shall devour you; for the mouth
of the Lord hath said this.
 8:5  Desiring, therefore, that all his beloved ones
should partake of repentance, he hath confirmed it by
his almighty will.

CHAPTER 9
 9:1  |Wherefore, let us submit ourselves to his
excellent and glorious will, and, becoming suppliants
of his mercy and goodness, let us fall before him and
betake ourselves to his mercies, having laid aside the
vain toil and the strife and the jealousy that leadeth
unto death.
 9:2  Let us look steadfastly at those that have
ministered with perfectness to his excellent glory.
 9:3  Let us take as example Enoch, who, having been
found just by reason of obedience, was translated, and
his death was not found.
 9:4  Noah, having been found faithful, preached, by
his ministry, regeneration unto the world, and by him
God preserved the animals that entered with one
consent into the ark.

CHAPTER 10
 10:1  |Abraham, who was called the friend, was found
faithful, inasmuch as he became obedient to the words
of God.
 10:2  This man, by obedience, went out from his land
and his kinsfolk, and the house of his father, that,
by leaving a scanty land and weak kinsfolk and a small
house, he might inherit the promises of God.
 10:3  For he saith unto him, Go out from thy land and
thy kinsfolk, and the house of thy father, unto the
land that I shall show thee, and I will make thee a
great nation, and bless thee, and magnify thy name,
and thou shalt be blessed; and I will bless them that
bless thee, and curse them that curse thee, and in
thee shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed.
 10:4  And again, when he separated from Lot, God said
unto him, Lift up thine eyes, and look from the place
where thou now art unto the north and unto the south,
and unto the east and unto the sea; for all the land
which thou seest, to thee will I give it and to thy
seed for ever,
 10:5  and I will make thy seed as the dust of the
earth: if any man can number the dust of the earth,
thy seed also shall be numbered.
 10:6  And again he saith, God brought forth Abraham,
and said unto him: Look up to heaven and number the
stars, if thou art able to number them, so shall thy
seed be. And Abraham believed God, and it was counted
to him for righteousness.
 10:7  Through faith and hospitality a son was given
unto him in old age, and through obedience he offered
him a sacrifice unto God on one of the mountains that
he showed him.

CHAPTER 11
 11:1  |By hospitality and goodness Lot was saved out
of Sodom when the whole region round about was judged
with fire and brimstone; the Lord making it manifest
that he leaveth not them that hope upon him, but
appointeth to punishment and torment them that turn in
another way.
 11:2  For his wife, who went out together with him,
being of another mind, and not being in concord with
him, was on that account placed as a sign, so that she
became a pillar of salt even to this day; that it
might be known to all that the double-minded, and they
who doubt concerning the power of God, are for a
judgment and a sign to all generations.

CHAPTER 12
 12:1  |Through faith and hospitality Rahab the harlot
was saved;
 12:2  for when spies were sent unto Jericho by Jesus,
the son of Nun, the king of the land knew that they
had come to spy out his country, and sent out men to
apprehend them that they might be taken and put to
death.
 12:3  But the hospitable Rahab having received them,
hid them in an upper story under the stalks of flax.
 12:4  When, therefore, the men from the king came
upon her, and said, There came unto thee men who are
spies of this our land; bring them out, for the king
so commandeth it; she answered, The two men whom ye
are seeking entered in unto me, but they departed
quickly and are on their way; but she showed not the
men unto them.
 12:5  And she said unto the men, Of a surety I know
that the Lord your God has given over this city unto
you; for the fear and trembling of you hath fallen
upon them that inhabit it; when, therefore, it hath
happened unto you to take it, save me and the house of
my father.
 12:6  And they say unto her, So shall it be, even as
thou hast spoken unto us. When, therefore, thou hast
perceived that we are coming, thou shalt gather
together all thy household under thy roof, and they
shall be saved; but as many as shall be found without
the house shall be destroyed.
 12:7  And they proceeded further to give her a sign,
that she should hang from her house scarlet, making it
manifest beforehand that through the blood of the Lord
there shall be redemption to all who believe and hope
upon God.
 12:8  Behold, beloved, how there was not only faith,
but prophecy in the woman.

CHAPTER 13
 13:1  |Let us therefore, brethren, be humble, laying
aside all boasting and pride, and folly and wrath, and
let us do that which is written; for the Holy Spirit
saith, Let not the wise boast in his wisdom, nor the
strong in his strength, nor the rich in his riches;
but let him that boasteth make his boast in the Lord,
even by seeking him and doing judgment and justice.
Let us especially remember the words of our Lord Jesus
Christ which he spake when teaching gentleness and
long-suffering, for he spake thus:
 13:2  Show mercy, that ye may obtain mercy; forgive,
that it may be forgiven unto you; as ye do, so shall
it be done unto you; as ye give, so shall it be given
unto you; as ye judge, so shall ye be judged; as ye
are kindly affectioned, so shall kindness be showed
unto you; with whatsover measure ye measure, with the
same shall it be measured unto you.
 13:3  With this commandment and with these
exhortations let us strengthen ourselves, that we may
walk obedient to his holy words with all humility. For
the Holy Scripture saith,
 13:4  Upon whom shall I have respect but upon him
that is meek and quiet, and that trembleth at my
words?

CHAPTER 14
 14:1  |It is therefore meet and right, men and
brethren, that we should be obedient unto God rather
than follow them that in pride and disorderliness are
leaders of detestable sedition.
 14:2  For we shall incur no slight harm, but rather a
great danger, if we rashly give ourselves up to the
wills of men who launch out into strife and sedition
so as to estrange us from that which is good.
 14:3  Let us, therefore, show kindness towards them
according to the mercy and sweetness of him that made
us.
 14:4  For it is written, The men of kindness shall
inherit the land. The innocent shall be left upon it;
but they that be lawless shall be destroyed out of it.
 14:5  And again he saith, I saw the unrighteous man
exalted on high and lifted up like the cedars of
Lebanon. And I passed by, and behold he was not; I
sought his place and found it not. Keep innocence, and
regard righteousness; for there is a remnant that
remaineth to the man of peace.

CHAPTER 15
 15:1  |Let us therefore cleave unto them who live in
peace and godliness, not unto them who hypocritically
profess to desire peace.
 15:2  For he saith in a certain place, This people
honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far
from me.
 15:3  And again, With their mouth did they bless, but
with their heart did they curse.
 15:4  And again he saith, They loved him with their
mouth, and with their tongue they lied against him.
For their heart was not right with him, nor were they
faithful in his covenant.
 15:5  Let the crafty lips be put to silence, and may
the Lord destroy all the deceitful lips, even the
haughty tongue, they who said, Let us magnify our
tongue, our lips are our own; who is master over us?
 15:6  On account of the misery of the poor, and on
account of the groaning of the needy, I will now
arise, saith the Lord; I will set him in safety, I
will deal confidently with him.

CHAPTER 16
 16:1  |For Christ belongeth unto them that are humble,
not unto them that exalt themselves over his flock.
 16:2  Our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the sceptre of
the majesty of God, came not in the arrogance of
boasting and pride, though he was able to do so; but
in humility, even as the Holy Spirit spake concerning
him.
 16:3  For he saith, Lord, who hath believed our
report, and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been
revealed? Like a child have we delivered our message
before him; he is as a root in a thirsty land. There
is no form nor glory in him, and we beheld him, and he
had neither form nor comeliness, but his form was
despised, lacking comeliness, beyond the form of the
sons of men. He was a man stricken and in toil,
knowing how to bear infirmity, for his face was turned
away; it was dishonoured and held in no reputation.
 16:4  He beareth our sins and suffereth pain on our
account, and we esteemed him as one in toil, stricken
and afflicted.
 16:5  He was wounded for our sins, and for our
transgressions did he suffer infirmity; the
chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his
stripes we were healed.
 16:6  All we, like sheep, have gone astray, every one
hath erred in his own way,
 16:7  and the Lord hath given him up for our sins;
and he, through affliction, openeth not his mouth. He
was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb
before its shearers is dumb, so openeth he not his
mouth.
 16:8  In his humiliation his judgment was taken away,
and who shall declare his generation, for his life is
taken from the earth;
 16:9  for the iniquity of my people he hath come unto
death.
 16:10  And I will give the wicked in requital for his
burial, and the rich for his death: for he did no sin,
neither was guile found in his mouth: and the Lord
willeth to purify him from stripes.
 16:11  If ye make an offering for sin your soul shall
prolong its days.
 16:12  And the Lord willeth to take away from the
travail of his soul, to show him light and to form him
by knowledge, to justify the righteous man who serveth
many well; and their sins he shall bear himself.
 16:13  Wherefore he shall receive the inheritance of
many, and shall divide the spoils of the strong,
because his soul was delivered up unto death, and he
was numbered among the transgressors,
 16:14  and he bore the sins of many, and was given up
for their sins.
 16:15  And again he saith, I am a worm and no man --
a reproach of men and despised of the people;
 16:16  all they who saw me mocked me, they spake with
their lips, they shook the head; he hoped in God, let
him deliver him, let him save him, because he desireth
him.
 16:17  See, beloved, what is the example that hath
been given unto us; for if the Lord so humbled
himself, what shall we do who have through his mercy
come under the yoke of his grace?

CHAPTER 17
 17:1  |Let us be imitators of them also who went about
in goat-skins and sheep-skins, preaching the coming of
Christ; we mean Elias and Elisaeus and Ezekiel the
prophets, and beside them those who have obtained a
good report.
 17:2  Abraham obtained an exceeding good report, and
was called the friend of God, and saith, looking
steadfastly to the glory of God in humility, I am but
earth and ashes.
 17:3  And, moreover, concerning Job, it is thus
written: Job was a just man and blameless, truthful,
one that feared God, and abstained from all evil.
 17:4  But he himself, accusing himself, saith, No one
is pure from pollution, though his life be but for one
day.
 17:5  Moses was called faithful in all his house, and
by his ministry God judged his people Israel by
stripes and punishment. But he, though he was greatly
glorified, spake not haughtily, but said, when the
oracle was given him out of the bush, Who am I
that thou sendest me? I am weak of voice and slow of
tongue.
 17:6  And again he saith, I am but as the smoke from
a pot.

CHAPTER 18
 18:1  |But what shall we say of David, who obtained a
good report; unto whom God said, I have found a man
after my own heart, David, the son of Jesse, with my
everlasting mercy have I anointed him.
 18:2  But he himself saith unto God, Have mercy upon
me, O God, according to thy great mercy, according to
the multitude of thy compassion do away with mine
iniquity;
 18:3  wash me throughly from my iniquity, and cleanse
me from my sin. For I know my iniquity, and my sin is
ever before me.
 18:4  Against thee only have I sinned, and done this
evil in thy sight, that thou mightest be justified in
thy words, and overcome when thou art judged.
 18:5  Behold, I was shapen in wickedness, and in sin
did my mother conceive me.
 18:6  Behold, thou hast loved truth; thou hast shown
me the secret and hidden things of thy wisdom.
 18:7  Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall
be clean. Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter
than snow.
 18:8  Thou shalt make me to hear of joy and gladness;
the bones that have been humiliated shall rejoice.
 18:9  Turn away thy face from my sins, and blot out
all my misdeeds.
 18:10  Create in me a new heart, O Lord, and renew a
right spirit within me.
 18:11  Cast me not away from thy presence, and take
not thy Holy Spirit from me.
 18:12  O give me again the joy of thy salvation, and
establish me with thy guiding Spirit.
 18:13  I will teach sinners thy ways; the ungodly
shall be converted unto thee.
 18:14  Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, thou
God of my salvation;
 18:15  my tongue shall rejoice in thy righteousness.
O Lord, thou shalt open my mouth, and my lips shall
show forth thy praise.
 18:16  For if thou hadst desired sacrifice, I would
have given it; in whole burnt offerings thou wilt not
delight.
 18:17  The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit; a
broken and a contrite heart God will not despise.

CHAPTER 19
 19:1  |The humility of men so many in number and so
great, and who have obtained so good a report, and
their subjection through obedience, hath made not only
us but the generations before us better, namely, those
who in fear and truth have received his oracles.
 19:2  Since, therefore, we have become the partakers
in many great and glorious actions, let us finally
return to that goal of peace that was given us from
the beginning; let us look steadfastly to the Father
and Creator of the whole world, and let us cleave to
the glorious and excellent gifts and benefits of his
peace.
 19:3  Let us behold him in spirit, and look with the
eyes of the soul to his long-suffering will. Let us
consider how gentle he is toward all his creation.

CHAPTER 20
 20:1  |The heavens, being put in motion by his
appointment, are subject to him in peace;
 20:2  night and day accomplish the course ordered by
him, in nothing hindering one another.
 20:3  The sun and the moon and the dances of the
stars according to his appointment, in harmony and
without any violation of order, roll on the courses
appointed to them.
 20:4  The fruitful earth bringeth forth in due
season, according to his will, abundant nourishment
for men and beasts; nothing doubting, nor changing in
anything from the things that are decreed by him.
 20:5  The unsearchable things of the abyss, and the
secret ordinances of the lower parts of the earth, are
held together by the same command.
 20:6  The hollow of the vast sea, gathered together
by his hand into its reservoirs, transgresseth not the
bounds placed around it; but even as he hath appointed
to it, so it doeth;
 20:7  for he said, Thus far shalt thou come, and thy
waves shall be broken within thee.
 20:8  The ocean, impassable to men, and the worlds
that are beyond it, are governed by the same
commandments of their Master.
 20:9  The seasons of spring and summer, autumn and
winter, in peace succeed one another.
 20:10  The fixed stations of the winds, each in their
due time, perform their services without offence. The
ever-flowing fountains, made for enjoyment and health,
offer their breasts without fail to sustain the lives
of men. Even the smallest of animals come together in
peace and harmony.
 20:11  All these things the great Maker and Master of
all things hath appointed to be in peace and harmony,
doing good unto all things, but more especially unto
us, who have fled for refuge to his mercies, through
our Lord Jesus Christ,
 20:12  to whom be glory and majesty for ever and
ever. Amen.

CHAPTER 21
 21:1  |Beware, beloved, lest his many blessings come
to be a condemnation to all of us, unless, walking
worthily of him, we do what is honourable and well
pleasing before him with oneness of mind.
 21:2  For he saith in a certain place, The Spirit of
the Lord is a candle, searching out the secret places
of the heart.
 21:3  Let us see how near he is at hand, and how none
of our thoughts and reasonings do escape him.
 21:4  It is right, therefore, that we should not
desert from his will.
 21:5  Let us offend against men who are foolish, and
senseless, and puffed up in the pride of their own
speech, rather than against God.
 21:6  Let us have respect to our Lord Jesus Christ,
whose blood was given for us. Let us reverence them
that are over us. Let us honour our elders. Let us
instruct the young in the discipline of the fear of
God. Let us direct our wives to that which is good;
 21:7  let them show forth the lovely habit of
chastity, and exhibit the pure disposition of
meekness. Let them make manifest by their conversation
the government of their tongues; let them show love,
not according to partiality, but equally to all that
fear the Lord in holiness.
 21:8  Let your children be partakers of the
discipline of Christ; let them learn how much humility
availeth before God; what power a pure love hath with
God; how his fear is honourable and great, preserving
all who, with a pure mind, walk in holiness before
him.
 21:9  For he is a searcher out of thoughts and
counsels, his breath is in us, and when he willeth he
will take it away.

CHAPTER 22
 22:1  |All these things doth the faith which is in
Christ assure. For he himself, through the Holy
Spirit, thus calleth unto us: Come, ye children,
hearken unto me, I will teach you the fear of the
Lord.
 22:2  What man is he that wisheth for life and would
fain see good days?
 22:3  Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips that
they speak no guile.
 22:4  Turn away from evil and do good;
 22:5  seek peace and pursue it.
 22:6  The eyes of the Lord are over the just, and his
ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the
Lord is against them that do evil, to destroy their
memorial out of the land.
 22:7  The righteous cried, and the Lord heard him,
and delivered him out of all his troubles.
 22:8  Many are the afflictions of the sinner, but
they that hope in the Lord, mercy shall compass them
round about.

CHAPTER 23
 23:1  |The Father whose mercies are over all things,
who loveth to do good, hath bowels of compassion for
them that fear him, and with gentleness and kindness
bestoweth his favour upon them that come unto him with
a pure mind.
 23:2  Wherefore let us not be double-minded, nor let
our hearts form vain imaginations concerning his
excellent and glorious gifts.
 23:3  Let not that scripture be applicable unto us
which saith, Wretched are the double-minded, even they
that doubt in their heart and say, We have heard these
things in the time of our fathers; and lo, we have
grown old, and none of them hath happened unto us.
 23:4  O foolish ones! compare yourselves to a tree.
Take, for example, the vine: first it sheddeth its
leaves, then cometh the bud, then the leaf, then the
flower, after that the unripe grape, then the ripe
grape. See how in a little time the fruit of the tree
attaineth to maturity.
 23:5  Of a truth, quickly and suddenly shall his will
be fulfilled; the scripture also bearing witness that
he shall come quickly, and shall not tarry; and the
Lord shall come suddenly into his temple, even the
holy one, whom ye expect.

CHAPTER 24
 24:1  |Let us consider, beloved, how the Master
showeth to us continually the resurrection that is
about to be, of which he hath made our Lord Jesus
Christ the first fruit, having raised him from the
dead.
 24:2  Let us look, beloved, at the resurrection that
is ever taking place.
 24:3  Day and night show to us the resurrection; the
night is lulled to rest, the day ariseth; the day
departeth, the night cometh on.
 24:4  Let us consider the fruits, in what way a grain
of corn is sown.
 24:5  The sower goeth forth and casteth it into the
ground, and when the seeds are cast into the ground,
they that fell into the ground dry and naked are
dissolved; then after their dissolution, the mighty
power of the providence of the Lord raiseth them up,
and from one seed many grow up and bring forth fruits.

CHAPTER 25
 25:1  |Let us consider the wonderful sign that
happeneth in the region of the east, even about
Arabia.
 25:2  There is a bird which is called the phoenix.
This, being the only one of its kind, liveth for five
hundred years. And when the time of its death draweth
near, it maketh for itself a nest of frankincense and
myrrh and the other perfumes, into which, when its
time is fulfilled, it entereth, and then dieth.
 25:3  But as its flesh rotteth, a certain worm is
produced, which being nourished by the moisture of the
dead animal, putteth forth feathers. Then, when it
hath become strong, it taketh the nest wherein are the
bones of its ancestor, and bearing them, it flieth
from the region of Arabia to that of Egypt, to the
city which is called Heliopolis;
 25:4  there, in day-time, in the sight of all, it
flieth up, and placeth them upon the altar of the sun,
and having done so, returneth back.
 25:5  The priests, therefore, look into the registers
of the times, and find that it has come at the
completion of the five-hundredth year.

CHAPTER 26
 26:1  |Shall we then think it great and wonderful, if
the Maker of all things shall make a resurrection of
those who, in the confidence of a good faith, have
piously seized him, when even by means of a bird he
showeth the greatness of his promises?
 26:2  For he saith in a certain place, And thou shalt
raise me up, and I will give thanks unto thee; and
again: I slumbered and slept; I arose up because thou
art with me.
 26:3  And again Job saith, Thou shalt raise up this
my flesh, which hath suffered all these things.

CHAPTER 27
 27:1  |In this hope, therefore, let our souls be bound
unto him who is faithful in his promises and just in
his judgments.
 27:2  He who hath commanded men not to lie, much more
shall he not lie; for nothing is impossible with God,
except to lie.
 27:3  Let our faith, therefore, in him be kindled
afresh within us, and let us consider that all things
are near unto him.
 27:4  By the word of his majesty did he constitute
all things, and by a word he is able to destroy them.
 27:5  Who shall say unto him, What hast thou done? or
who shall resist the might of his strength? He will do
all things when he willeth and as he willeth, and none
of the things decreed by him shall pass away.
 27:6  All things are before him, and nothing hath
escaped his counsel:
 27:7  seeing that the heavens declare the glory of
God, and the firmament showeth the work of his hands:
day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night
proclaimeth knowledge; and there is no speech nor
language where their voices are not heard.

CHAPTER 28
 28:1  |Since, therefore, all things are seen and heard
of him, let us fear him and abandon the filthy desires
for evil deeds, that we may be sheltered by his mercy
from the judgments to come.
 28:2  For whither can any of us fly from his mighty
hand, and what world shall receive any of them that
desert from him?
 28:3  For the scripture saith in a certain place,
Whither shall I go, and where shall I conceal myself
from thy face? If I ascend into heaven, thou art
there; if I depart into the uttermost parts of the
earth, there is thy right hand; if I shall make my bed
in the abyss, there is thy Spirit.
 28:4  Whither then shall we depart, and where shall
we fly from him that embraceth all things?

CHAPTER 29
 29:1  |Let us, therefore, approach him with holiness
of spirit, lifting unto him pure and undefiled hands;
loving the kind and compassionate Father who hath made
us a part of his elect.
 29:2  For it is thus written, When The Most High
divided the nations, when he dispersed the sons of
Adam, he settled the boundaries of the nations
according to the number of the angels of God. The
portion of the Lord was his people Jacob.
 29:3  Israel was the measurement of his inheritance.
And in another place he saith, Behold the Lord taketh
to himself a nation from the midst of the nations,
even as a man taketh the firstfruits of his
threshingfloor; and there shall go forth from that
nation the Holy of Holies.

CHAPTER 30
 30:1  |Since, therefore, we are a portion of the Holy
One, let us do all such things as pertain unto
holiness, avoiding evil-speaking, foul and impure
embraces, drunkenness, disorderliness, abominable
desires, detestable adultery, execrable pride;
 30:2  for God, he saith, resisteth the proud, but
giveth grace unto the humble.
 30:3  Let us cleave, therefore, to them to whom grace
has been given from God. Let us clothe ourselves with
concord, being humble, temperate, keeping ourselves
far from all whispering and evil speaking, justified
by our deeds, and not by our words.
 30:4  For he saith, He who saith many things shall,
in return, hear many things. Doth he that is eloquent
think himself to be just? --
 30:5  doth he that is born of woman and liveth but
for a short time think himself to be blessed? Be not
abundant in speech.
 30:6  Let our praise be in God, and not for
ourselves, for God hateth the self-praisers.
 30:7  Let the testimony of right actions be given us
from others, even as it was given to our fathers who
were just.
 30:8  Audacity, self-will, and boldness belong to
them who are accursed of God; but moderation,
humility, and meekness, to them that are blessed of
God.

CHAPTER 31
 31:1  |Let us cleave, therefore, to his blessing, and
let us see what are the ways of blessing. Let us
consult the records of the things that happened from
the beginning.
 31:2  On what account was our father Abraham blessed?
Was it not that he wrought righteousness and truth
through faith?
 31:3  Isaac, with confidence, knowing the future,
willingly became a sacrifice.
 31:4  Jacob, with humility, flying from his brother,
went out from his own land and journeyed unto Laban
and served as a slave, and there were given unto him
the twelve tribes of Israel.

CHAPTER 32
 32:1  |If any one will consider these things with
sincerity and one by one, he will recognize the
magnificence of the gifts that were given by him.
 32:2  For from Jacob came the priests and all the
Levites that serve the altar of God. From him came our
Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh; from him
came the kings and rulers and governors of the tribe
of Judah; and the remainder of his tribes are of no
small glory, since God hath promised, Thy seed shall
be as the stars of heaven.
 32:3  All these, therefore, have been glorified and
magnified, not through themselves or through their
works, or through the righteousness that they have
done, but through his will.
 32:4  And we who through his will have been called in
Christ Jesus are justified, not by ourselves, or
through our wisdom or understanding or godliness, or
the works that we have done in holiness of heart, but
by faith, by which all men from the beginning have
been justified by Almighty God, to whom be glory world
without end. Amen.

CHAPTER 33
 33:1  |What, then, shall we do, brethren? Shall we
cease from well-doing, and abandon charity? May the
Master never allow that this should happen to us! but
let us rather with diligence and zeal hasten to fulfil
every good work.
 33:2  For the Maker and Lord of all things rejoiceth
in his works.
 33:3  By his supreme power he founded the heavens,
and by his incomprehensible understanding he ordered
them. The earth he separated from the water that
surrounded it, and fixed it on the firm foundation of
his own will. The animals which inhabit therein he
commanded to be by his ordinance. Having made
beforehand the sea and the animals that are therein,
he shut them in by his own power.
 33:4  Man, the most excellent of all animals,
infinite in faculty, he moulded with his holy and
faultless hands, in the impress of his likeness.
 33:5  For thus saith God: Let us make man in our own
image, and after our own likeness. And God made man.
Male and female made he them.
 33:6  When, therefore, he had finished all things, he
praised and blessed them, and said, Be fruitful, and
multiply.
 33:7  Let us see, therefore, how all the just have
been adorned with good works. Yea, the Lord himself
rejoiced when he had adorned himself with his works.
 33:8  Having, therefore, this example, let us come in
without shrinking to his will; let us work with all
our strength the work of righteousness.

CHAPTER 34
 34:1  |The good workman receiveth boldly the bread of
his labour, but the slothful and remiss looketh not
his employer in the face.
 34:2  It is therefore right that we should be zealous
in well-doing, for from Him are all things;
 34:3  for he telleth us beforehand, Behold the Lord
cometh, and his reward is before his face, to give to
every one according to his work.
 34:4  He exhorteth us, therefore, with this reward in
view, to strive with our whole heart not to be
slothful or remiss towards every good work.
 34:5  Let our glorying and our confidence be in him;
let us submit ourselves to his will; let us consider
the whole multitude of his angels, how they stand by
and serve his will.
 34:6  For the scripture saith, Ten thousand times ten
thousand stood beside him, and thousands of thousands
served him; and they cried, Holy, holy, holy Lord of
Sabaoth! all creation is full of his glory.
 34:7  And let us, being gathered together in harmony
and a good conscience, cry earnestly, as it were with
one mouth, unto him, that we may become partakers of
his great and glorious promises;
 34:8  for he saith, Eye hath not seen, and ear hath
not heard, neither hath there entered into the heart
of man, what things he hath prepared for them that
wait for him.

CHAPTER 35
 35:1  |Behold, beloved, how blessed and wonderful are
the gifts of God --
 35:2  life in immortality, cheerfulness in
righteousness, truth in liberty, faith in confidence,
temperance in sanctification; and all these things
have already come within our cognizance.
 35:3  What therefore are the things that are prepared
for them that abide in patience? The Maker and Father
of the worlds, the all-holy one, he knoweth how many
and how beautiful they are.
 35:4  Let us, therefore, strive to be found in the
number of them that await him, that we may partake of
the promised gifts.
 35:5  And how will this be, beloved? If our mind be
established by faith toward God; if we seek out what
is pleasant and acceptable in his sight; if we perform
such things as harmonize with his blameless will, and
follow in the way of truth, casting from us all
unrighteousness and lawlessness, covetousness, strife,
malice and fraud, whispering and evil speaking, hatred
of God, pride and insolence, vainglory and
churlishness.
 35:6  For they who do these things are hateful unto
God, and not only they who do them, but also they who
have pleasure in them that do them.
 35:7  For the scripture saith: But unto the sinner
God hath said, Why dost thou speak of my ordinances,
and takest my covenant in thy mouth:
 35:8  but thou hast hated instruction and hast cast
my words behind thee. When thou sawest a thief thou
wentest with him, and hast cast in thy portion with
the adulterers; thy mouth hath abounded with evil, and
thy tongue hath contrived deceit. Thou satest and
spakest against thy brother, and hast slandered the
son of thy mother.
 35:9  This hast thou done, and I kept silence. Thou
thoughtest, O wicked one, that I was like unto thee;
 35:10  but I will convict thee, and set thyself
before thee.
 35:11  Consider this, ye who forget God, lest he
seize you as a lion, and there be none to save you.
 35:12  The sacrifice of praise shall honour me; and
there is the way by which I will show him the
salvation of God.

CHAPTER 36
 36:1  |This is the way, beloved, in which we found our
salvation; even Jesus Christ, the high priest of our
oblations, the champion and defender of our weakness.
 36:2  Through him we look steadfastly to the heights
of the heavens; through him we behold, as in a glass,
the immaculate and lofty countenance of God the
Father; through him the eyes of our heart were opened;
through him our foolish and darkened understanding
springeth up again to his marvellous light; through
him the Lord hath willed us to taste of immortal
knowledge; who, being the brightness of his glory, is
so far better than the angels, as he hath, by
inheritance, obtained a more excellent name than they.
 36:3  For it is thus written: Who maketh his angels
spirits, his ministers a flame of fire.
 36:4  But of his Son the Lord hath thus said: Thou
art my Son, to-day have I begotten thee. Ask of me,
and I will give thee the heathen for thine
inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the world for
thy possession.
 36:5  And, again, he saith unto him: Sit on my right
hand until I make thy enemies thy footstool.
 36:6  Who then are the enemies? Even the wicked, and
they who resist the will of God.

CHAPTER 37
 37:1  |Let us, therefore, men and brethren, carry on
our warfare with all earnestness in his faultless
ordinances.
 37:2  Let us consider those who fight under our
rulers, how orderly and obediently and submissively
they perform what is commanded them.
 37:3  All are not prefects, or commanders of
thousands, or commanders of hundreds, or commanders of
fifties, or such-like; but each in his own rank
performeth what has been ordered by the king or the
commanders.
 37:4  The great cannot exist without the small, nor
the small without the great. There is a certain
mixture in all things, and from thence ariseth their
use.
 37:5  Let us take, for example, our body; the head is
nothing without the feet, nor the feet without the
head. The smallest members of the body are necessary
and useful to the whole body, and all unite and work
with harmonious obedience for the preservation of the
whole body.

CHAPTER 38
 38:1  |Let, therefore, our whole body be saved in
Christ Jesus, and let each be subject to his
neighbour, according to the gift which he hath
received.
 38:2  Let not the strong man despise the weak, and
let the weak pay regard to the strong. Let him that is
rich minister to him that is poor. Let him that is
poor praise God that he hath given unto him one by
whom his want may be supplied. Let the wise show his
wisdom, not in words, but in good deeds; let him that
is humble not bear witness to himself, but leave
another to bear witness to him. Let him that is pure
in the flesh boast not of it, knowing that it is
another that giveth him the power of continence.
 38:3  Let us consider, brethren, of what matter we
are made, of what sort and who we are that have come
into the world, as it were out of the tomb and
darkness. He that made and fashioned us hath brought
us into this world, having prepared beforehand his
benefactions, even before we were born.
 38:4  Having, therefore, all these things from him,
we ought in all respects to give thanks unto him, to
whom be glory world without end. Amen.

CHAPTER 39
 39:1  |The senseless and unwise, the foolish and
unruly, make a mock of us, wishing to exalt themselves
in their own imagination.
 39:2  For what can a mortal do? or what strength hath
he that is born of earth?
 39:3  For it is written, There was no form before my
eyes, only I heard a breath and a voice.
 39:4  For what? shall a mortal be pure before the
Lord? or is a man blameless from his works? seeing
that he putteth no trust in his servants, and
beholdeth somewhat of iniquity in his angels;
 39:5  yea, the heaven is not pure in his sight. Away,
ye who dwell in houses of clay, of whom are we also
even of the same clay. He hath smitten them even as it
were a moth, and in a single day they are no more.
Because they could not help themselves they perished:
 39:6  he blew among them, and they died, because they
had no wisdom.
 39:7  Call, now, and see if there is any one that
will obey thee, if thou shalt behold any of the holy
angels. For anger destroyeth the fool, and envy
putteth him to death that is gone out of the way.
 39:8  I have beheld the foolish casting forth roots,
but straightway his habitation was eaten up.
 39:9  Let his sons be far from safety, let them be
mocked at the gates of their inferiors, and there
shall be none to deliver them. For that which had been
prepared for them the just shall eat, and they shall
not be delivered out of their troubles.

CHAPTER 40
 40:1  |Since, therefore, these things have been made
manifest before unto us, and since we have looked into
the depths of the divine knowledge, we ought to do
everything in order, whatsoever the Lord hath
commanded us to do at the appointed seasons, and to
perform the offerings and liturgies.
 40:2  These he hath not commanded to be done at
random or in disorder, but at fixed times and seasons.
 40:3  But when and by whom he wisheth them to be
fulfilled he himself hath decided by his supreme will;
that all things, being done piously, according to his
good pleasure, might be acceptable to his will.
 40:4  They, therefore, who at the appointed seasons
make their offerings are acceptable and blessed; for
while following the laws of the Master they do not
completely sin.
 40:5  For to the High Priest were assigned special
services, and to the priests a special place hath been
appointed; and on the Levites special duties are
imposed. But he that is a layman is bound by the
ordinances of laymen.

CHAPTER 41
 41:1  |Let each of you, brethren, in his own order,
give thanks unto God, continuing in a good conscience,
not transgressing the fixed rule of his ministry, with
all gravity.
 41:2  Not in every place, brethren, are sacrifices
offered continually, either in answer to prayer, or
concerning sin and neglect, but in Jerusalem only; and
even there the offering is not made in every place,
but before the temple in the court of the altar, after
that which is offered has been diligently examined by
the high priest and the appointed ministers.
 41:3  They, therefore, who do anything contrary to
that which is according to his will have for their
punishment death.
 41:4  Ye see, brethren, by as much as we have been
thought worthy of greater knowledge, by so much the
more are we exposed to danger.

CHAPTER 42
 42:1  |The Apostles received for us the gospel from
our Lord Jesus Christ; our Lord Jesus Christ received
it from God.
 42:2  Christ, therefore, was sent out from God, and
the Apostles from Christ; and both these things were
done in good order, according to the will of God.
 42:3  They, therefore, having received the promises,
having been fully persuaded by the resurrection of our
Lord Jesus Christ, and having been confirmed by the
word of God, with the full persuasion of the Holy
Spirit, went forth preaching the good tidings that the
kingdom of God was at hand.
 42:4  Preaching, therefore, through the countries and
cities, they appointed their firstfruits to be bishops
and deacons over such as should believe, after they
had proved them in the Spirit.
 42:5  And this they did in no new way, for in truth
it had in long past time been written concerning
bishops and deacons; for the scripture, in a certain
place, saith in this wise: I will establish their
bishops in righteousness, and their deacons in faith.

CHAPTER 43
 43:1  |And wherein is it wonderful, if they who, in
Christ, were entrusted by God with this work appointed
the aforesaid officers? since even the blessed Moses,
the faithful servant in all his house, signified in
the sacred books all the things that were commanded
unto him, whom also the prophets have followed,
bearing witness together to the laws which were
appointed by him.
 43:2  For he, when a strife arose concerning the
priesthood, and when the tribes contended which of
them should be adorned with that glorious name,
commanded the twelve chiefs of the tribes to bring to
him rods, each inscribed with the name of a tribe; and
when he had taken them, he bound them together, and
sealed them with the seals of the heads of the tribes,
and laid them up on the table of God, in the
tabernacle of the testimony.
 43:3  And when he had closed the tabernacle, he
sealed the keys, and likewise the rods,
 43:4  and said unto them, Men and brethren, of
whatever tribe the rod shall bud, this hath God chosen
to be his priest, and to serve him.
 43:5  And when morning was come, he called together
all Israel, even six hundred thousand men, and showed
unto the heads of the tribes the seals, and opened the
tabernacle of the testimony and brought forth the
rods, and the rod of Aaron was found not only to have
budded, but also bearing fruit.
 43:6  What think ye, beloved? did not Moses know
beforehand that this was about to happen? Most
assuredly did he know it. But, that there might be no
disorder in Israel, he did thus that the name of the
true and only God might be glorified, to whom be glory
world without end. Amen.

CHAPTER 44
 44:1  |Our Apostles, too, by the instruction of our
Lord Jesus Christ, knew that strife would arise
concerning the dignity of a bishop;
 44:2  and on this account, having received perfect
foreknowledge, they appointed the above-mentioned as
bishops and deacons: and then gave a rule of
succession, in order that, when they had fallen
asleep, other men, who had been approved, might
succeed to their ministry.
 44:3  Those who were thus appointed by them, or
afterwards by other men of good repute, with the
consent of the whole Church, who have blamelessly
ministered to the flock of Christ with humility,
quietly, and without illiberality, and who for a long
time have obtained a good report from all, these, we
think, have been unjustly deposed from the ministry.
 44:4  For it will be no small sin in us if we depose
from the office of bishop those who blamelessly and
piously have made the offerings.
 44:5  Happy are the presbyters who finished their
course before, and died in mature age after they had
borne fruit; for they do not fear lest any one should
remove them from the place appointed for them.
 44:6  For we see that ye have removed some men of
honest conversation from the ministry, which had been
blamelessly and honourably performed by them.

CHAPTER 45
 45:1  |Ye are contentious, brethren, and are zealous
concerning things that pertain not unto salvation.
 45:2  Look diligently into the scriptures, which are
the true sayings of the Holy Spirit.
 45:3  Ye know how that nothing unjust or corrupt hath
been written in them; for ye will not in them find the
just expelled by holy men.
 45:4  The just were persecuted, but it was by the
lawless; they were thrown into prison, but it was by
the unholy; they were stoned, but it was by sinners;
they were slain, but it was by wicked men, even by
those who had taken up an unjust envy against them.
 45:5  They, therefore, when they suffered all these
things, suffered them with a good report.
 45:6  For what shall we say, brethren? was it by
those that feared God that Daniel was cast into the
den of lions?
 45:7  Was it by those who practised the magnificent
and glorious worship of the Most High that Ananias,
Azarias, and Misael, were shut up in the fiery
furnace? Let us not suppose that such was the case.
Who, then, were the men who did these things?
Abominable men and full of all wickedness were
inflamed to such a degree of wrath that they cast into
tortures those who, with a holy and a blameless
purpose, served God, not knowing that the Most High is
a champion and defender of those who with a pure
conscience serve his most excellent name, to whom be
glory world without end. Amen.
 45:8  But they, abiding steadfastly in their
confidence, have inherited honour and glory, and have
both been exalted and made beautiful by God, in the
memory that is made of them world without end. Amen.

CHAPTER 46
 46:1  |To such examples ought we also to cleave,
brethren.
 46:2  For it is written, Cleave unto them that are
holy, for they that cleave unto them shall be made
holy.
 46:3  And again, in another place he saith, With the
guiltless man thou shalt be guiltless, and with the
excellent thou shalt be excellent, and with him that
is crooked thou shalt be perverse.
 46:4  Let us, therefore, cleave to the guiltless and
the just, for they are the elect of God.
 46:5  Why are there strivings, and anger, and
division, and war among you?
 46:6  Have we not one God and one Christ? Is not the
Spirit of grace, which was poured out upon us, one? Is
not our calling one in Christ?
 46:7  Why do we tear apart and rend asunder the
members of Christ, and make sedition against our body,
and come to such a degree of madness that we forget we
are members one of another? Remember the words of our
Lord Jesus,
 46:8  for he said, Woe unto that man; it were good
for him if he had never been born, rather than that he
should cause one of my elect to offend. It were better
for him that a millstone were tied about him, and that
he were cast into the sea, rather than that he should
cause one of my little ones to offend.
 46:9 This your schism has perverted many; hath cast
many into despondency; many into doubt; all of us into
grief, and, as yet, your sedition remaineth.

CHAPTER 47
 47:1  |Take into your hands the epistle of the blessed
Apostle Paul.
 47:2  What did he first write unto you in the
beginning of his gospel?
 47:3  Of a truth, he warned you spiritually, in a
letter, concerning himself, and concerning Cephas and
Apollos, because even then there were factions among
you;
 47:4  but the faction of that time brought less sin
upon you; for ye inclined unto Apostles of good
repute, and unto a man approved among them.
 47:5  But now consider who they are that have
perverted you, and have diminished the glory of your
famous brotherly love.
 47:6  Disgraceful, brethren, yea, very disgraceful is
it, and unworthy of the conduct which is in Christ,
that it should be reported that the most firm and
ancient Church of the Corinthians hath, on account of
one or two persons, made sedition against its
presbyters.
 47:7  And this report came not only unto us, but also
unto the Gentiles, who go not with us. So that ye heap
blasphemies on the name of the Lord through your
folly, and withal cause danger to yourselves.

CHAPTER 48
 48:1  |Let us, therefore, remove this thing as quickly
as possible, and let us fall before the feet of the
Master, and beseech him with tears, that he will have
mercy and be reconciled unto us, and restore us again
to the grave and pure conversation of brotherly love.
 48:2  For this is a gate of righteousness opened unto
life, as it is written, Open unto me the gates of
righteousness; I will go in unto them, and give thanks
unto the Lord:
 48:3  this is the gate of the Lord; the righteous
shall enter thereby.
 48:4  Now, since many gates have been opened, the
gate of righteousness is that which is in Christ.
Happy are all they that enter therein, and who keep
their path straight in holiness and righteousness,
quietly performing all their duties.
 48:5  If a man be faithful, if he be mighty to
expound knowledge, if he be wise in the interpretation
of words, if he be pure in his deeds,
 48:6  by so much the more ought he to be humble, and
by as much as he seemeth to be greater, by so much the
more ought he to seek the common advantage of all, and
not of himself alone.

CHAPTER 49
 49:1  |Let him that hath the love which is in Christ
keep the commandments of Christ.
 49:2  Who can describe sufficiently the bond of the
love of God?
 49:3  Who is sufficient to speak as he ought of the
excellence of its beauty?
 49:4  The height to which love leads up is
unspeakable.
 49:5  Love joineth us unto God; love hideth a
multitude of sins; love beareth all things; is long
suffering in all things. In love there is nothing
illiberal, nothing haughty. Love hath no schism; love
maketh not sedition; love doth all things in harmony;
in love all the elect of God have been made perfect.
Without love nothing is acceptable unto God.
 49:6  In love, our Master hath taken us to himself.
Through the love that he hath for us, Jesus Christ our
Lord hath given his blood for us, by the will of God,
his flesh for our flesh, his soul for our soul.

CHAPTER 50
 50:1  |Ye see, brethren, how great and wonderful a
thing love is, and how there is no describing its
perfection.
 50:2  Who is sufficient to be found in it, except
those whom God shall have deemed worthy? Let us pray,
therefore, and ask from his mercy that we may live in
love, without human partiality, blameless.
 50:3  All the generations, from Adam even unto this
day, are gone by; but they who have been made perfect
in love according to the grace of God inhabit the
abode of the pious, and shall be made manifest in the
visitation of the kingdom of Christ.
 50:4  For it is written, Enter into the secret
chambers but a little while, until my anger and wrath
be passed, and I will remember the good day, and will
raise you up from your sepulchres.
 50:5  Blessed are we, beloved, if we do the
commandments of God in the harmony of love, so that
through love our sins may be forgiven us.
 50:6  For it is written, Blessed are they whose
iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sin,
and in whose mouth there is no guile.
 50:7  This blessedness cometh unto them who are elect
by God, through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom be
glory world without end. Amen.

CHAPTER 51
 51:1  |Whatever errors, therefore, we have committed
through the assaults of the adversary, let us for
these ask pardon; and they who have been leaders of
the sedition and division ought to consider the common
ground of our hope.
 51:2  For they who have their conversation in fear
and love wish that they themselves, rather than their
neighbours, should fall into suffering; and would
rather that themselves should undergo condemnation,
than that the harmony which hath been honourably and
justly handed down to us should do so.
 51:3  For it is better that a man should make
confession concerning his sins, than that he should
harden his heart, even as the heart of them was
hardened who made sedition against Moses the servant
of God; whose condemnation was manifest,
 51:4  for they went down alive into hell, and death
swallowed them up.
 51:5  Pharaoh and his army, and all the leaders of
Egypt, their chariots and their riders, through no
other cause were sunk in the Red Sea, and perished
there, than through the hardening of their foolish
hearts, after that the signs and wonders happened in
Egypt through the hand of Moses the servant of God.

CHAPTER 52
 52:1  |The Lord of all things, brethren, is in need of
naught; neither requireth he anything of any one,
except to confess unto him.
 52:2  For the elect David saith, I will confess unto
the Lord, and that shall please him more than a young
calf that putteth forth horns and hoofs. Let the poor
behold and rejoice thereat.
 52:3  And again he saith, Offer unto the Lord the
sacrifice of praise: pay thy vows unto the Most High.
And call upon me in the day of thy affliction, and I
will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
 52:4  For the sacrifice unto God is a broken spirit.

CHAPTER 53
 53:1  |Ye know, beloved, and know well, the sacred
scriptures, and have looked into the oracles of God;
call, therefore, these things to remembrance.
 53:2  For, when Moses had gone up into the mount, and
had tarried there forty days and forty nights in
fasting and humiliation, the Lord said unto him,
Moses, Moses, get thee down quickly hence, for thy
people, whom thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt,
have wrought iniquity. They have gone astray quickly
out of the way that thou commandest them, and have
made unto themselves molten images.
 53:3  And the Lord said unto him, I have spoken unto
thee once and twice, saying, I have beheld this
people, and, lo, it is a stiffnecked people. Let me
alone, that I may destroy them, and I will wipe out
their name from under heaven, and make of thee a
nation great and wonderful, and far more numerous than
they.
 53:4  And Moses said, Be it far from thee, O Lord.
Forgive this people their sin, or wipe my name also
out of the book of the living.
 53:5  Oh, the great love! Oh, the unsurpassable
perfection! The servant is bold towards the Lord: he
asketh remission for the people, or demands otherwise
that he himself should be destroyed together with
them.

CHAPTER 54
 54:1  |Who among you is noble? who is compassionate?
who is filled with love?
 54:2  Let him speak in this wise: If through me
sedition and strife arise, I will depart, I will go
away whithersoever ye will, and I will do that which
is commanded by the majority, only let the flock of
Christ be at peace together with the appointed
presbyters.
 54:3  He who doeth this shall gain for himself great
glory in the Lord, and every place shall receive him;
for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof.
 54:4  These things have they done who are citizens of
the kingdom of God, which needeth not to be repented
of, and these things will they yet do.

CHAPTER 55
 55:1  |But, to bring forward examples from the
Gentiles, also many kings and leaders, when a time of
pestilence had arisen, being warned by oracles, gave
themselves unto death, that they might deliver their
citizens by their blood. Many went out from their own
cities, that there might be no more sedition therein.
 55:2  We know that many among us gave themselves up
unto bonds, that they might deliver others. Many have
given themselves up unto slavery, and, having received
their own price, have therewith fed others.
 55:3  Many women, waxing strong through the grace of
God, have performed many manly deeds.
 55:4  The blessed Judith, when the city was besieged,
asked of the elders that she should be permitted to go
forth into the camp of the aliens.
 55:5  She therefore delivered herself unto danger,
and went out through love of her country and of her
people, who were besieged. And the Lord delivered
Olophernes into the hands of a woman.
 55:6  To no smaller danger did Esther, being perfect
in faith, expose herself, that she might deliver the
twelve tribes of Israel, who were about to perish. For
by fasting and humiliation she besought the Master,
who overlooketh all things, the God of Ages, who,
seeing the humiliation of her soul, delivered the
people for whose sake she put herself in jeopardy.

CHAPTER 56
 56:1  |Let us, therefore, pray for those who have
fallen into any transgression, that moderation and
humility may be given unto them, to the end that they
should submit themselves, I do not say unto us, but
unto the will of God; for so shall they obtain a
fruitful and perfect remembrance and compassion before
God and his saints.
 56:2  Let us accept, brethren, that discipline at
which no one needeth to be offended. The admonition
which we make one toward another is good and useful
exceedingly, for it joineth us unto the will of God.
 56:3  For thus speaketh the holy word: The Lord hath
chastened me with chastisements, but he hath not given
me over unto death.
 56:4  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and
scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
 56:5  The righteous shall chastise me in pity and
shall rebuke me, but let not the oil of sinners anoint
mine head.
 56:6  And again he saith: Blessed is the man whom the
Lord hath rebuked; refuse not thou the admonition of
the Almighty, for he maketh thee to grieve, and again
he restoreth thee;
 56:7  he hath smitten, and his hands have healed
thee;
 56:8  six times shall he deliver thee from calamity,
and the seventh time evil shall not touch thee.
 56:9  In the time of famine he shall deliver thee
from death, in war he shall redeem thee from the hand
of iron.
 56:10  From the scourge of the tongue shall he hide
thee, and thou shalt not be afraid when evils
approach.
 56:11  The unjust and the sinner shalt thou laugh to
scorn;
 56:12  and of the wild beasts thou shalt not be
afraid, for the wild beasts shall be at peace with
thee.
 56:13  Then shalt thou know that thy house shall be
at peace; the habitation of thy tabernacle shall not
fail.
 56:14  Thou shalt know that thy seed is abundant, thy
children like all the herb of the field.
 56:15  Thou shalt come to thy tomb like a ripe ear of
corn reaped in due season, like the heap of a
threshing-floor that is gathered at its proper time.
 56:16  Ye see, beloved, that there is a protection
for them that are chastened by the Master, for God
chasteneth us because he is good, to the end that we
should be admonished by his holy discipline.

CHAPTER 57
 57:1  |Do ye, therefore, that have laid the foundation
of the sedition submit yourselves to the presbyters,
and be chastised to repentance, bending the knees of
your hearts.
 57:2  Learn to submit yourselves, laying aside the
vain and haughty self-will of your tongues; for it is
better that you should be small and approved in the
flock of Christ, rather than that, seeming to be
superior to others, ye should be cast out of his hope.
 57:3  For thus saith the most excellent Wisdom,
Behold, I will send upon you the language of my
Spirit; I will teach you my word.
 57:4  Since I called and ye did not hearken, and
prolonged my words, and ye attended not, but made my
counsels of none effect, and were not obedient to my
reproofs, therefore I will laugh at your destruction,
I will exult when desolation cometh upon you; when
perturbation hath suddenly come upon you, and ruin is
at hand like a whirlwind, when tribulation and
oppression cometh upon you.
 57:5  For the time shall come when ye shall call upon
me, and I shall not hearken unto you; the wicked shall
seek me, and shall not find me. They hated wisdom and
chose not the fear of the Lord; they were not willing
to attend to my counsels, they mocked at my rebukes.
 57:6  Wherefore they shall eat the fruits of their
own way; they shall be filled with their own
unrighteousness.
 57:7  For because they wronged the innocent they
shall be slain, and judgment shall destroy the
unrighteous; but he who hearkeneth unto me shall abide
trusting in hope, and shall rest securely from all
evil.

CHAPTER 58
 58:1  |Let us, therefore, submit to his all-holy and
glorious name, and escape the threats that have been
before spoken by Wisdom against the disobedient, that
we may abide trusting in the most holy name of his
greatness.
 58:2  Accept this our advice, and it will not be
repented of by you. For as God liveth, and as the Lord
Jesus Christ liveth, and the Holy Spirit, the
confidence and hope of the elect, he who observeth in
humility with earnest obedience, and repining not, the
ordinances and commands given by God, he shall be
reckoned and counted in the number of them that are
saved by Jesus Christ, through whom is there to him
glory, world without end. Amen.

CHAPTER 59
 59:1  |But if some should be disobedient to the things
spoken by him through us, let them know that they will
entangle themselves in no small transgression and
danger,
 59:2  but that we shall be guiltless of this sin; and
we will ask, making with earnestness our prayer and
supplication, that the Maker of all things may keep
uninjured in all the world the number of those that
have been numbered as his elect, through his beloved
Son, Jesus Christ, through whom he hath called us from
darkness unto light, and from ignorance to a knowledge
of the glory of his name.
 59:3  |That we may hope in thy name, which is the
first of all things, open the eyes of our heart to
know thee, who art alone highest among the highest,
holy among the holy, who puttest down the haughtiness
of the proud, who scatterest the reasonings of the
Gentiles, who exaltest the humble on high, and
lowerest the lofty, who makest rich and makest poor,
who killest and makest to live, the only benefactor of
spirits, and God of all flesh, who lookest into the
abysses, who beholdest the works of men, who art the
helper of those in danger, the saviour of those who
have lost hope, who art the maker and bishop of every
soul, who makest the nations to multiply upon earth,
and out of all hast chosen those that love thee
through Jesus Christ thy beloved Son, through whom
thou hast taught us, hast sanctified us, hast honoured
us.
 59:4  We ask thee, Lord, to be our helper and
assister, save those of us who are in affliction,
have compassion on the humble, raise the fallen,
appear to those who are in need, heal the sinners,
convert those of thy people who are wandering from the
way, feed the hungry, ransom our prisoners, raise up
the sick, encourage the feeble-hearted, let all the
nations know that thou art God alone and Jesus Christ
thy Son, and that we are thy people and the sheep of
thy pasture.

CHAPTER 60
 60:1  |Thou hast made manifest the everlasting
constitution of the world by the things that happen.
Thou, Lord, who art faithful in all generations, hast
founded the world; thou who art just in thy judgments,
who art wonderful in strength and greatness; thou who
art wise in creating and prudent in establishing the
things that are made; thou that art good in the things
that are seen and faithful among them that trust upon
thee, merciful and compassionate, forgive us our
transgressions and unrighteousnesses, our sins and our
negligences.
 60:2  Take not into account every sin of thy servants
and handmaids, but purify us with the purification of
thy truth, and make straight our steps in holiness and
righteousness and singleness of heart, that we may so
walk and do such things as are right and well pleasing
before thee, and before our rulers.
 60:3  Yea, Lord, cause thy face to appear to us in
peace to our good, that we may be sheltered by thy
mighty hand, and preserved from all sin by thy lofty
arm, and deliver us from those that hate us unjustly.
 60:4  Give unity and peace both to us and to all that
dwell upon the earth, as thou gavest to our fathers
when they called upon thee with faith and truth, so
that we should become obedient to thy all-powerful and
most excellent name, and to those who rule and govern
us upon the earth.

CHAPTER 61
 61:1  |Thou, Lord, hast given the authority of the
kingdom to them through thy almighty and unspeakable
power, so that we, knowing the estimation and honour
given to them by thee, might submit ourselves to them,
in no way opposing thy will; to whom give, O Lord,
health, peace, concord, stability, so that they may
discharge the rule given unto them by thee without
offence;
 61:2  for thou, heavenly Lord, everlasting King,
givest to the sons of men glory and honour and
authority over the things that are upon the earth. Do
thou, Lord, direct their counsel according to what is
good and pleasing before thee, that, fulfilling with
peace and meekness and piety the authority given unto
them by thee, they may obtain mercy from thee.
 61:3  Thou who alone art able to do these and greater
good things among us, to thee do we give thanks
through the high priest and protector of our souls,
Jesus Christ, through whom to thee be the glory and
majesty, now and to all generations, world without
end. Amen.

CHAPTER 62
 62:1  |Concerning the things that pertain to our
religion, and the things that are most useful to a
virtuous life, for those who are willing to live
piously and righteously, we have sufficiently charged
you, men and brethren.
 62:2  For we have handled every argument concerning
faith and repentance, and genuine love and temperance,
and moderation and patience, reminding you that ye
must by righteousness and truth and long-suffering
approve yourselves with piety to almighty God, being
of one mind, without malice, in love and peace with
earnest obedience, even as our fathers, who were
beforementioned, approved themselves with humility
both with regard to God the Father and Creator and to
all men.
 62:3  And these things have we so much the more
gladly put you in mind of, inasmuch as we knew plainly
that we wrote unto men who are faithful and of high
repute, and who have looked into the oracles of the
instruction of God.

CHAPTER 63
 63:1  |It is right, therefore, that those who have
attended to so great and so many examples should
submit their necks, and fill the place of obedience,
so that being at peace from the vain sedition we may
attain, without any blame, to the end set before us in
truth.
 63:2  For joy and rejoicing will ye afford us if,
becoming obedient to the things that have been written
by us, ye put an end, by the suggestion of the Holy
Spirit, to the unlawful wrath of your discord,
according to the supplication which we have made
concerning peace and unity in this epistle.
 63:3  But we have also sent unto you men who are
faithful and prudent, who from youth up to old age
have behaved blamelessly among us, who also will be
witnesses between yourselves and us;
 63:4  and this we have done that ye may know that our
whole thought has been and is this, that ye may
speedily be at peace among yourselves.

CHAPTER 64
 64:1  |Finally, my God, who overlooketh all things,
who is the Master of spirits and Lord of all flesh, who
hath chosen our Lord Jesus Christ, and us through him
to be a peculiar people, give unto every soul that is
called after his glorious and holy name, faith, fear,
peace, patience, long-suffering, continence, purity,
sobriety, to the well-pleasing of his name, through
our high priest and protector, Jesus Christ, through
whom be ascribed unto him glory and greatness,
strength and honour, both now and world without end.
Amen.

CHAPTER 65
 65:1  |See that ye send back quickly unto us in peace
and with joy Claudius Ephebus and Valerius Bito,
together also with Fortunatus, who were sent unto you
from us, that they may the more quickly bring us news
of your peace and order, which we pray for and desire,
so that we may the sooner have joy concerning your
good order.
 65:2  |The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you,
and with all who everywhere are called of God through
him, to whom through him be glory, honour, might,
majesty, and eternal dominion, world without end.
Amen.