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BOOK 2  (from: _Apostolic Fathers,_ Charles H. Hoole, 1885 translation)

                 DIDACHE (Teaching of the Twelve Apostles)

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CHAPTER 1
 1:1  |There are two paths, one of life and one of
death, and the difference is great between the two
paths.
 1:2  |Now the path of life is this -- first, thou
shalt love the God who made thee, thy neighbour as
thyself, and all things that thou wouldest not should
be done unto thee, do not thou unto another.
 1:3  And the doctrine of these maxims is as follows.
Bless them that curse you, and pray for your enemies.
Fast on behalf of those that persecute you; for what
thank is there if ye love them that love you? Do not
even the Gentiles do the same? But do ye love them that
hate you, and ye will not have an enemy.
 1:4  Abstain from fleshly and worldly lusts. If any one
give thee a blow on thy right cheek, turn unto him the
other also, and thou shalt be perfect; if any one compel
thee to go a mile, go with him two; if a man take away
thy cloak, give him thy coat also; if a man take from
thee what is thine, ask not for it again, for neither
art thou able to do so.
 1:5  Give to every one that asketh of thee, and ask not
again; for the Father wishes that from his own gifts
there should be given to all. Blessed is he who giveth
according to the commandment, for he is free from guilt;
but woe unto him that receiveth. For if a man receive
being in need, he shall be free from guilt; but he who
receiveth when not in need, shall pay a penalty as to
why he received and for what purpose; and when he is in
tribulation he shall be examined concerning the things
that he has done, and shall not depart thence until he
has paid the last farthing.
 1:6  For of a truth it has been said on these matters,
let thy almsgiving abide in thy hands until thou knowest
to whom thou hast given.

CHAPTER 2
 2:1  |But the second commandment of the teaching is
this.
 2:2  Thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not commit
adultery; thou shalt not corrupt youth; thou shalt not
commit fornication; thou shalt not steal; thou shalt not
use soothsaying; thou shalt not practise sorcery; thou
shalt not kill a child by abortion, neither shalt thou
slay it when born; thou shalt not covet the goods of thy
neighbour;
 2:3  thou shalt not commit perjury; thou shalt not bear
false witness; thou shalt not speak evil; thou shalt not
bear malice;
 2:4  thou shalt not be double-minded or double-tongued,
for to be double tongued is the snare of death.
 2:5  Thy speech shall not be false or empty, but
concerned with action.
 2:6  Thou shalt not be covetous, or rapacious, or
hypocritical, or malicious, or proud; thou shalt not
take up an evil design against thy neighbour;
 2:7  thou shalt not hate any man, but some thou shalt
confute, concerning some thou shalt pray, and some thou
shalt love beyond thine own soul.

CHAPTER 3
 3:1  |My child, fly from everything that is evil, and
from everything that is like to it.
 3:2  Be not wrathful, for wrath leadeth unto slaughter;
be not jealous, or contentious, or quarrelsome, for from
all these things slaughter ensues.
 3:3  My child, be not lustful, for lust leadeth unto
fornication; be not a filthy talker; be not a lifter up
of the eye, for from all these things come adulteries.
 3:4  My child, be not an observer of omens, since it
leadeth to idolatry, nor a user of spells, nor an
astrologer, nor a travelling purifier, nor wish to see
these things, for from all these things idolatry
ariseth.
 3:5  My child, be not a liar, for lying leadeth unto
theft; be not covetous or conceited, for from all these
things thefts arise.
 3:6  My child, be not a murmurer, since it leadeth unto
blasphemy; be not self-willed or evil-minded, for from
all these things blasphemies are produced;
 3:7  but be thou meek, for the meek shall inherit the
earth;
 3:8  be thou longsuffering, and compassionate, and
harmless, and peaceable, and good, and fearing alway the
words that thou hast heard.
 3:9  Thou shalt not exalt thyself, neither shalt thou
put boldness into thy soul. Thy soul shall not be joined
unto the lofty, but thou shalt walk with the just and
humble.
 3:10  Accept the things that happen to thee as good,
knowing that without God nothing happens.

CHAPTER 4
 4:1  |My child, thou shalt remember both night and day
him that speaketh unto thee the Word of God; thou shalt
honour him as thou dost the Lord, for where the teaching
of the Lord is given, there is the Lord;
 4:2  thou shalt seek out day by day the favour of the
saints, that thou mayest rest in their words;
 4:3  thou shalt not desire schism, but shalt set at
peace them that contend; thou shalt judge righteously;
thou shalt not accept the person of any one to convict
him of transgression;
 4:4  thou shalt not doubt whether a thing shall be or
not.
 4:5  Be not a stretcher out of thy hand to receive, and
a drawer of it back in giving.
 4:6  If thou hast, give by means of thy hands a
redemption for thy sins.
 4:7  Thou shalt not doubt to give, neither shalt thou
murmur when giving; for thou shouldest know who is the
fair recompenser of the reward.
 4:8  Thou shalt not turn away from him that is in need,
but shalt share with thy brother in all things, and
shalt not say that things are thine own; for if ye are
partners in what is immortal, how much more in what is
mortal?
 4:9  Thou shalt not remove thine heart from thy son or
from thy daughter, but from their youth shalt teach them
the fear of God.
 4:10  Thou shalt not command with bitterness thy
servant or thy handmaid, who hope in the same God as
thyself, lest they fear not in consequence the God who
is over both; for he cometh not to call with respect of
persons, but those whom the Spirit hath prepared.
 4:11  And do ye servants submit yourselves to your
masters with reverence and fear, as being the type of
God.
 4:12  Thou shalt hate all hypocrisy and everything that
is not pleasing to God;
 4:13  thou shalt not abandon the commandments of the
Lord, but shalt guard that which thou hast received,
neither adding thereto nor taking therefrom;
 4:14  thou shalt confess thy transgressions in the
Church, and shalt not come unto prayer with an evil
conscience. This is the path of life.

CHAPTER 5
 5:1  |But the path of death is this. First of all, it
is evil, and full of cursing; there are found murders,
adulteries, lusts, fornication, thefts, idolatries,
soothsaying, sorceries, robberies, false witnessings,
hypocrisies, double-mindedness, craft, pride, malice,
self-will, covetousness, filthy talking, jealousy,
audacity, pride, arrogance;
 5:2  there are they who persecute the good -- lovers of
a lie, not knowing the reward of righteousness, not
cleaving to the good nor to righteous judgment, watching
not for the good but for the bad, from whom meekness and
patience are afar off, loving things that are vain,
following after recompense, having no compassion on the
needy, nor labouring for him that is in trouble, not
knowing him that made them, murderers of children,
corrupters of the image of God, who turn away from him
that is in need, who oppress him that is in trouble,
unjust judges of the poor, erring in all things. From
all these, children, may ye be delivered.

CHAPTER 6
 6:1  |See that no one make thee to err from this path
of doctrine, since he who doeth so teacheth thee apart
from God.
 6:2  If thou art able to bear the whole yoke of the
Lord, thou wilt be perfect; but if thou art not able,
what thou art able, that do.
 6:3  But concerning meat, bear that which thou art able
to do. But keep with care from things sacrificed to
idols, for it is the worship of the infernal deities.

CHAPTER 7
 7:1  |But concerning baptism, thus baptize ye: having
first recited all these precepts, baptize in the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, in
running water;
 7:2  but if thou hast not running water, baptize in
some other water, and if thou canst not baptize in cold,
in warm water;
 7:3  but if thou hast neither, pour water three times
on the head, in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
 7:4  But before the baptism, let him who baptizeth and
he who is baptized fast previously, and any others who
may be able. And thou shalt command him who is baptized
to fast one or two days before.

CHAPTER 8
 8:1  |But as for your fasts, let them not be with the
hypocrites, for they fast on the second and fifth days
of the week, but do ye fast on the fourth and sixth
days.
 8:2  Neither pray ye as the hypocrites, but as the Lord
hath commanded in his gospel so pray ye: Our Father in
heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will
be done as in heaven so on earth. Give us this day our
daily bread. And forgive us our debt, as we also forgive
our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from the evil: for thine is the power, and
the glory, for ever.
 8:3  Thrice a day pray ye in this fashion.

CHAPTER 9
 9:1  |But concerning the Eucharist, after this fashion
give ye thanks.
 9:2  First, concerning the cup. We thank thee, our
Father, for the holy vine, David thy Son, which thou
hast made known unto us through Jesus Christ thy Son; to
thee be the glory for ever.
 9:3  And concerning the broken bread. We thank thee,
our Father, for the life and knowledge which thou hast
made known unto us through Jesus thy Son; to thee be the
glory for ever.
 9:4  As this broken bread was once scattered on the
mountains, and after it had been brought together became
one, so may thy Church be gathered together from the
ends of the earth unto thy kingdom; for thine is the
glory, and the power, through Jesus Christ, for ever.
 9:5  And let none eat or drink of your Eucharist but
such as have been baptized into the name of the Lord,
for of a truth the Lord hath said concerning this, Give
not that which is holy unto dogs.

CHAPTER 10
 10:1  |But after it has been completed, so pray ye.
 10:2  We thank thee, holy Father, for thy holy name,
which thou hast caused to dwell in our hearts, and for
the knowledge and faith and immortality which thou hast
made known unto us through Jesus thy Son; to thee be the
glory for ever.
 10:3  Thou, Almighty Master, didst create all things
for the sake of thy name, and hast given both meat and
drink, for men to enjoy, that we might give thanks unto
thee, but to us thou hast given spiritual meat and
drink, and life everlasting, through thy Son.
 10:4  Above all, we thank thee that thou art able to
save; to thee be the glory for ever.
 10:5  Remember, Lord, thy Church, to redeem it from
every evil, and to perfect it in thy love, and gather it
together from the four winds, even that which has been
sanctified for thy kingdom which thou hast prepared for
it; for thine is the kingdom and the glory for ever.
 10:6  Let grace come, and let this world pass away.
Hosanna to the Son of David. If any one is holy let him
come (to the Eucharist); if any one is not, let him
repent. Maranatha. Amen.
 10:7  But charge the prophets to give thanks, so far as
they are willing to do so.
 10:8  -- none --

CHAPTER 11
 11:1  |Whosoever, therefore, shall come and teach you
all these things aforesaid, him do ye receive;
 11:2  but if the teacher himself turn and teach another
doctrine with a view to subvert you, hearken not to him;
but if he come to add to your righteousness, and the
knowledge of the Lord, receive him as the Lord.
 11:3  But concerning the apostles and prophets, thus do
ye according to the doctrine of the Gospel.
 11:4  Let every apostle who cometh unto you be received
as the Lord.
 11:5  He will remain one day, and if it be necessary,
a second; but if he remain three days, he is a false
prophet.
 11:6  And let the apostle when departing take nothing
but bread until he arrive at his resting-place; but if
he ask for money, he is a false prophet.
 11:7  And ye shall not tempt or dispute with any
prophet who speaketh in the spirit; for every sin shall
be forgiven, but this sin shall not be forgiven.
 11:8  But not every one who speaketh in the spirit is
a prophet, but he is so who hath the disposition of the
Lord; by their dispositions they therefore shall be
known, the false prophet and the prophet.
 11:9  And every prophet who ordereth in the spirit that
a table shall be laid, shall not eat of it himself, but
if he do otherwise, he is a false prophet;
 11:10  and every prophet who teacheth the truth, if he
do not what he teacheth is a false prophet;
 11:11  and every prophet who is approved and true, and
ministering in the visible mystery of the Church, but
who teacheth not others to do the things that he doth
himself, shall not be judged of you, for with God lieth
his judgment, for in this manner also did the ancient
prophets.
 11:12  But whoever shall say in the spirit, Give me
money, or things of that kind, listen not to him; but if
he tell you concerning others that are in need that ye
should give unto them, let no one judge him.

CHAPTER 12
 12:1  |Let every one that cometh in the name of the
Lord be received, but afterwards ye shall examine him
and know his character, for ye have knowledge both of
good and evil.
 12:2  If the person who cometh be a wayfarer, assist
him so far as ye are able; but he will not remain with
you more than two or three days, unless there be a
necessity.
 12:3  But if he wish to settle with you, being a
craftsman, let him work, and so eat;
 12:4  but if he know not any craft, provide ye
according to you own discretion, that a Christian may
not live idle among you;
 12:5  but if he be not willing to do so, he is a
trafficker in Christ. From such keep aloof.

CHAPTER 13
 13:1  |But every true prophet who is willing to dwell
among you is worthy of his meat,
 13:2  likewise a true teacher is himself worthy of his
meat, even as is a labourer.
 13:3  Thou shalt, therefore, take the firstfruits of
every produce of the wine-press and threshing-floor, of
oxen and sheep, and shalt give it to the prophets, for
they are your chief priests;
 13:4  but if ye have not a prophet, give it unto the
poor.
 13:5  If thou makest a feast, take and give the
firstfruits according to the commandment;
 13:6  in like manner when thou openest a jar of wine or
of oil, take the firstfruits and give it to the
prophets;
 13:7  take also the firstfruits of money, of clothes,
and of every possession, as it shall seem good unto
thee, and give it according to the commandment.

CHAPTER 14
 14:1  |But on the Lord's day, after that ye have
assembled together, break bread and give thanks, having
in addition confessed your sins, that your sacrifice may
be pure.
 14:2  But let not any one who hath a quarrel with his
companion join with you, until they be reconciled, that
your sacrifice may not be polluted,
 14:3  for it is that which is spoken of by the Lord. In
every place and time offer unto me a pure sacrifice, for
I am a great King, saith the Lord, and my name is
wonderful among the Gentiles.

CHAPTER 15
 15:1  |Elect, therefore, for yourselves bishops and
deacons worthy of the Lord, men who are meek and not
covetous, and true and approved, for they perform for
you the service of prophets and teachers.
 15:2  Do not, therefore, despise them, for they are
those who are honoured among you, together with the
prophets and teachers.
 15:3  Rebuke one another, not in wrath but peaceably,
as ye have commandment in the Gospel; and, but let no
one speak to any one who walketh disorderly with regard
to his neighbour, neither let him be heard by you until
he repent.
 15:4  But your prayers and your almsgivings and all
your deeds so do, as ye have commandment in the Gospel
of our Lord.

CHAPTER 16
 16:1  |Watch concerning your life; let not your lamps
be quenched or your loins be loosed, but be ye ready,
for ye know not the hour at which our Lord cometh.
 16:2  But be ye gathered together frequently, seeking
what is suitable for your souls; for the whole time of
your faith shall profit you not, unless ye be found
perfect in the last time.
 16:3  For in the last days false prophets and seducers
shall be multiplied, and the sheep shall be turned into
wolves, and love shall be turned into hate;
 16:4  and because iniquity aboundeth they shall hate
each other, and persecute each other, and deliver each
other up; and then shall the Deceiver of the world
appear as the Son of God, and shall do signs and
wonders, and the earth shall be delivered into his
hands; and he shall do unlawful things, such as have
never happened since the beginning of the world.
 16:5  Then shall the creation of man come to the fiery
trial of proof, and many shall be offended and shall
perish; but they who remain in their faith shall be
saved by the rock of offence itself.
 16:6  And then shall appear the signs of the truth;
first the sign of the appearance in heaven, then the
sign of the sound of the trumpet, and thirdly the
resurrection of the dead --
 16:7  not of all, but as it has been said, The Lord
shall come and all his saints with him;
 16:8  then shall the world behold the Lord coming on
the clouds of heaven.