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BOOK 1  (from: _Apostolic Fathers,_ Kirsopp Lake, 1912 (Loeb Classical Library))

                             Epistle of BARNABAS

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CHAPTER 1
 1:0  Greeting and introduction -- Three doctrines
-- Prophecy
 1:1  |Hail, sons and daughters, in the name of the
Lord who loved us, in peace.
 1:2  |Exceedingly and abundantly do I rejoice over
your blessed and glorious spirit for the greatness and
richness of God's ordinances towards you; so innate a
grace of the gift of the spirit have you received.
 1:3  Wherefore I congratulate myself the more in my
hope of salvation, because I truly see in you that the
Spirit has been poured out upon you from the Lord, who
is rich in his bounty; ^1 so that the sight of you,
for which I longed, amazed me.
 1:4  Being persuaded then of this, and being
conscious that since I spoke among you I have much
understanding because the Lord has travelled with me
in the way of righteousness, I am above all
constrained to this, to love you above my own life,
because great faith and love dwell in you in the "hope
of his life."
 1:5  I have therefore reckoned that, if I make it my
care in your behalf to communicate somewhat of that
which I received, it shall bring me the reward of
having ministered to such spirits, and I hasten to
send you a short letter in order that your knowledge
may be perfected along with your faith.
 1:6  |There are then three doctrines ^2 of the Lord:
"the hope of life" is the beginning and end of our
faith; and righteousness is the beginning and end of
judgment; love of joy and of gladness is the testimony
of the works of righteousness.
 1:7  For the Lord made known to us through the
prophets things past and things present and has given
us the firstfruits of the taste of things to come; and
when we see these things coming to pass one by one, as
he said, we ought to make a richer and deeper offering
for fear of him.
 1:8  But I will show you a few things, not as a
teacher but as one of yourselves, in which you shall
rejoice at this present time.

===== small type on =====
 ^1  Literally "spring."
 ^2  Or possibly "ordinances" or "decrees."
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CHAPTER 2
 2:0  The need of virtue -- The abolition of Jewish
sacrifices
 2:1  |Seeing then that the days are evil, and that the
worker of evil himself is in power, we ought to give
heed to ourselves, and seek out the ordinances of the
Lord.
 2:2  Fear then, and patience are the helpers of our
faith, and long-suffering and continence are our
allies.
 2:3  While then these things remain in holiness
towards the Lord, wisdom, prudence, understanding, and
knowledge rejoice with them.
 2:4  For he has made plain to us through all the
Prophets that he needs neither sacrifices nor
burnt-offerings nor oblations, saying in one place,
 2:5  "What is the multitude of your sacrifices unto
me? saith the Lord. I am full of burnt offerings and
desire not the fat of lambs and the blood of bulls and
goats, not even when ye come to appear before me. For
who has required these things at your hands?
Henceforth shall ye tread my court no more. If ye
bring flour, it is vain. Incense is an abomination to
me. I cannot away with your new moons and sabbaths."
 2:6  These things then he abolished in order that the
new law of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is without the
yoke of necessity, might have its oblation not made by
man.
 2:7  And again he says to them, "Did I command your
fathers when they came out of the land of Egypt to
offer me burnt offerings and sacrifices?
 2:8  Nay, but rather did I command them this: Let
none of you cherish any evil in his heart against his
neighbour, and love not a false oath."
 2:9  We ought then to understand, if we are not
foolish, the loving intention of our Father, for he
speaks to us, wishing that we should not err like
them, but seek how we may make our offering to him.
 2:10  To us then he speaks thus: "Sacrifice for the
Lord is a broken heart, a smell of sweet savour to the
Lord is a heart that glorifieth him that made it." ^1
We ought, therefore, brethren, carefully to enquire
concerning our salvation, in order that the evil one
may not achieve a deceitful entry into us and hurl us
away from our life.

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 ^1  The first part of this quotation is Ps. 51:19; the second part
according to a note in _Codex Constantinopolitanus_ is from
the Apocalypse of Adam, which is no longer extant.
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CHAPTER 3
 3:0  Concerning fasting
 3:1  |To them he says then again concerning these
things, "Why do ye fast for me, saith the Lord, so
that your voice is heard this day with a cry! This is
not the fast which I chose, saith the Lord, not a man
humbling his soul;
 3:2  nor though ye bend your neck as a hoop, and put
on sackcloth, and make your bed of ashes, not even so
shall ye call it an acceptable fast."
 3:3  But to us he says, "Behold this is the fast
which I chose," saith the Lord, "loose every bond of
wickedness, set loose the fastenings of harsh
agreements, send away the bruised in forgiveness, and
tear up every unjust contract, give to the hungry thy
bread, and if thou seest a naked man clothe him, bring
the homeless into thy house, and if thou seest a
humble man, despise him not, neither thou nor any of
the household of thy seed.
 3:4  Then shall thy light break forth as the dawn,
and thy robes shall rise quickly, and thy
righteousness shall go before thee, and the glory of
God shall surround thee."
 3:5  "Then thou shalt cry and God shall hear thee;
while thou art still speaking He shall say, `Lo I am
here'; if thou puttest away from thee bondage, and
violence, and the word of murmuring, and dost give to
the poor thy bread with a cheerful heart, and dost
pity the soul that is abased."
 3:6  So then, brethren, the long-suffering one
foresaw that the people whom He prepared in his
Beloved should believe in guilelessness, and made all
things plain to us beforehand that we should not be
shipwrecked by conversion to their law.

CHAPTER 4
 4:0  Warning that the final trial is at hand -- The
cavenant. Christian or Jewish? -- Admonition to
stedfastness
 4:1  |We ought, then, to enquire earnestly into the
things which now are, and to seek out those which are
able to save us. Let us then utterly flee from all the
works of lawlessness, lest the works of lawlessness
overcome us, and let us hate the error of this present
time, that we may be loved in that which is to come.
 4:2  Let us give no freedom to our souls to have
power to walk with sinners and wicked men, lest we be
made like to them.
 4:3  The final stumbling block is at hand of which it
was written, as Enoch says, "For to this end the Lord
has cut short the times and the days, that his beloved
should make haste and come to his inheritance."
 4:4  And the Prophet also says thus: "Ten kingdoms
shall reign upon the earth and there shall rise up
after them a little king, who shall subdue three of
the kings under one."
 4:5  Daniel says likewise concerning the same: "And I
beheld the fourth Beast, wicked and powerful and
fiercer than all the beasts of the sea, and that ten
horns sprang from it, and out of them a little
excrescent horn, and that it subdued under one three
of the great horns."
 4:6  You ought then to understand. And this also I
ask you, as being one of yourselves, and especially as
loving you all above my own life; take heed to
yourselves now, and be not made like unto some,
heaping up your sins and saying that the covenant is
both theirs and ours.
 4:7  It is ours: but in this way did they finally
lose it when Moses had just received it, for the
Scripture says: "And Moses was in the mount fasting
forty days and forty nights, and he received the
covenant from the Lord, tables of stone written with
the finger of the hand of the Lord."
 4:8  But they turned to idols and lost it. For thus
saith the Lord: "Moses, Moses, go down quickly, for
thy people, whom thou broughtest forth out of the land
of Egypt, have broken the Law." And Moses understood
and cast the two tables out of his hands, and their
covenant was broken, in order that the covenant of
Jesus the Beloved should be sealed in our hearts in
hope of his faith.
 4:9  (And though I wish to write much, I hasten to
write in devotion to you, not as a teacher, but as it
becomes one who loves to leave out nothing of that
which we have.) ^1 Wherefore let us pay heed in the
last days, for the whole time of our life and faith
will profit us nothing, unless we resist, as becomes
the sons of God in this present evil time, against
the offences which are to come, that the Black One may
have no opportunity of entry.
 4:10  Let us flee from all vanity, let us utterly
hate the deeds of the path of wickedness. Do not by
retiring apart live alone as if you were already made
righteous, but come together and seek out the common
good.
 4:11  For the Scripture says: "Woe to them who are
prudent for themselves and understanding in their own
sight." Let us be spiritual, let us be a temple
consecrated to God, so far as in us lies let us
"exercise ourselves in the fear" of God, and let us
strive to keep his commandments in order that we may
rejoice in his ordinances.
 4:12  The Lord will "judge" the world "without
respect of persons." Each will receive according to
his deeds. If he be good his righteousness will lead
him; if he be evil the reward of iniquity is before
him.
 4:13  Let us never rest as though we were `called' ^2
and slumber in our sins, lest the wicked ruler gain
power over us and thrust us out from the Kingdom of
the Lord.
 4:14  And consider this also, my brethren, when you
see that after such great signs and wonders were
wrought in Israel they were even then finally
abandoned; -- let us take heed lest as it was written
we be found "many called but few chosen."

===== small type on =====
 ^1  It is possible that the odd change of construction is due to
some reference to a well known maxim: but the source of such
quotation or reference has not been found.
 ^2  Apparently a loose expression = "confiding in our call."
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CHAPTER 5
 5:0  The reason for the Passion of Christ
 5:1  |For it was for this reason that the Lord endured
to deliver up his flesh to corruption, that we should
be sanctified by the remission of sin, that is, by his
sprinkled blood.
 5:2  For the scripture concerning him relates partly
to Israel, partly to us, and it speaks thus: "He was
wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our
iniquities, by his stripes we were healed. He was
brought as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb
dumb before its shearer."
 5:3  Therefore we ought to give great thanks to the
Lord that he has given us knowledge of the past, and
wisdom for the present, and that we are not without
understanding for the future.
 5:4  And the Scripture says, "Not unjustly are the
nets spread out for the birds." This means that a man
deserves to perish who has a knowledge of the way of
righteousness, but turns aside into the way of
darkness.
 5:5  Moreover, my brethren, if the Lord endured to
suffer for our life, though he is the Lord of all the
world, to whom God said before the foundation of the
world, "Let us make man in our image and likeness,"
how, then, did he endure to suffer at the hand of man?
 5:6  Learn: -- The Prophets who received grace from
him prophesied of him, and he, in order that he "might
destroy death," and show forth the Resurrection from
the dead, because he needs must be made "manifest in
the flesh," endured
 5:7  in order to fulfil the promise made to the
fathers, and himself prepare for himself the new
people and show while he was on earth that he himself
will raise the dead and judge the risen.
 5:8  Furthermore, while teaching Israel and doing
such great signs and wonders he preached to them and
loved them greatly;
 5:9  but when he chose out his own Apostles who were
to preach his Gospel, he chose those who were
iniquitous above all sin to show that "he came not to
call the righteous but sinners," -- then he manifested
himself as God's Son.
 5:10  For if he had not come in the flesh men could
in no way have been saved by beholding him; seeing
that they have not the power when they look at the sun
to gaze straight at its rays, though it is destined to
perish, and is the work of his hands.
 5:11  So then the Son of God came in the flesh for
this reason, that he might complete the total of the
sins of those who persecuted his prophets to death.
 5:12  For this cause he endured. For God says of the
chastisement of his flesh that it is from them: "When
they shall smite their shepherd, then the sheep of the
flock shall be destroyed."
 5:13  And he was willing to suffer thus, for it was
necessary that he should suffer on a tree, for the
Prophet says of him, "Spare my soul from the sword"
and, "Nail my flesh, for the synagogues of the wicked
have risen against me."
 5:14  And again he says: "Lo, I have given my back to
scourges, and my cheeks to strokes, and I have set my
face as a solid rock."

CHAPTER 6
 6:0  Proofs from the Prophets
 6:1  |When therefore he made the commandment what does
he say? "Who is he that comes into court with me? Let
him oppose me; or, who is he that seeks justice
against me? Let him draw near to the Lord's servant.
 6:2  Woe unto you, for ye shall all wax old as a
garment and the moth shall eat you up." And again the
Prophet says that he was placed as a strong stone for
crushing, "Lo, I will place for the foundations of
Sion a precious stone, chosen out, a chief corner
stone, honourable."
 6:3  Then what does he say? "And he that hopeth on it
shall live for ever." Is then our hope on a stone? God
forbid. But he means that the Lord placed His flesh in
strength. For he says, "And he placed me as a solid
rock."
 6:4  And again the Prophet says, "The stone which the
builders rejected, this is become the head of the
corner," and again he says, "This is the great and
wonderful day which the Lord made."
 6:5  I write to you more simply that you may
understand: I am devoted to your love.
 6:6  What then does the Prophet say again? "The
synagogue of the sinners compassed me around, they
surrounded me as bees round the honeycomb" and, "They
cast lots for my clothing."
 6:7  Since therefore he was destined to be manifest
and to suffer in the flesh his Passion was foretold.
For the Prophet says concerning Israel, "Woe unto
their soul, for they have plotted an evil plot against
themselves, saying, `Let us bind the Just one, for he
is unprofitable to us.'"
 6:8  What does the other Prophet, Moses, say to them?
"Lo, thus saith the Lord God, enter into the good land
which the Lord sware that he would give to Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob, and inherit it, a land flowing with
milk and honey."
 6:9  But learn what knowledge says. Hope, it says, on
that Jesus ^1 who will be manifested to you in the
flesh. For man is earth which suffers, for the
creation of Adam was from the face of the earth.
 6:10  What then is the meaning of "into the good land,
a land flowing with milk and honey"? Blessed be our
Lord, brethren, who has placed in us wisdom and
understanding of his secrets. For the prophet speaks a
parable of the Lord: "Who shall understand save he who
is wise, and learned, and a lover of his Lord?"
 6:11  Since then he made us new by the remission of
sins he made us another type, that we should have the
soul of children, as though he were creating us
afresh.
 6:12  For it is concerning us that the scripture says
that he says to the Son, "Let us make man after our
image and likeness, and let them rule the beasts of
the earth, and the birds of heaven, and the fishes of
the sea." And the Lord said, when he saw our fair
creation, "Increase and multiply and fill the earth";
these things were spoken to the Son.
 6:13  Again I will show you how he speaks to us. In
the last days he made a second creation; and the Lord
says, "See, I make the last things as the first." To
this then the Prophet referred when he proclaimed,
"Enter into a land flowing with milk and honey, and
rule over it."
 6:14  See then, we have been created afresh, as he
says again in another Prophet, "See," saith the Lord,
"I will take out from them" (that is those whom the
Spirit of the Lord foresaw) "the hearts of stone and I
will put in hearts of flesh." Because he himself was
going to be manifest in the flesh and to dwell among
us.
 6:15  For, my brethren, the habitation of our hearts
is a shrine holy to the Lord.
 6:16  For the Lord says again, "And wherewith shall I
appear before the Lord my God and be glorified?" He
says, "I will confess to thee in the assembly of my
brethren, and will sing to thee in the midst of the
assembly of saints." We then are they whom he brought
into the good land.
 6:17  What then is the milk and the honey? Because a
child is first nourished with honey, and afterwards
with milk. Thus therefore we also, being nourished on
the faith of the promise and by the word, shall live
and possess the earth.
 6:18  And we have said above, "And let them increase
and multiply and rule over the fishes." Who then is it
who is now able to rule over beasts or fishes or the
birds of heaven? For we ought to understand that to
rule implies authority, so that one may give
commandments and have domination.
 6:19  If then this does not happen at present he has
told us the time when it will; -- when we ourselves
also have been made perfect as heirs of the covenant
of the Lord.

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 ^1  A contrast is here no doubt implied between "that Jesus who
will be manifested" and the Jesus, or Joshua (the two names are the
same in Greek) who led the Israelites over the Jordan.
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CHAPTER 7
 7:0  Fasting and the scapegoat
 7:1  |Understand therefore, children of gladness, that
the good Lord made all things plain beforehand to us,
that we should know him to whom we ought to give thanks
and praise for everything.
 7:2  If then the Son of God, though he was the Lord
and was "destined to judge the living and the dead"
suffered in order that his wounding might make us
alive, let us believe that the Son of God could not
suffer except for our sakes.
 7:3  But moreover when he was crucified "he was given
to drink vinegar and gall." Listen how the priests of
the Temple foretold this. The commandment was written,
"Whosoever does not keep the fast shall die the
death," and the Lord commanded this because he himself
was going to offer the vessel of the spirit as a
sacrifice for our sins, in order that the type
established in Isaac, who was offered upon the altar,
might be fulfilled.
 7:4  What then does he say in the Prophet? "And let
them eat of the goat which is offered in the fast for
all their sins." Attend carefully, -- "and let all the
priests alone eat the entrails unwashed with vinegar."
 7:5  Why? Because you are going "to give to me gall
and vinegar to drink" when I am on the point of
offering my flesh for my new people, therefore you
alone shall eat, while the people fast and mourn in
sackcloth and ashes, to show that he must suffer for
them.
 7:6  Note what was commanded: "Take two goats, goodly
and alike, and offer them, and let the priest take the
one as a burnt offering for sins."
 7:7  But what are they to do with the other? "The
other," he says, "is accursed." Notice how the type of
Jesus is manifested:
 7:8  "And do ye all spit on it, and goad it, and bind
the scarlet wool about its head, and so let it be cast
into the desert." And when it is so done, he who takes
the goat into the wilderness drives it forth, and
takes away the wool, and puts it upon a shrub which is
called Rachel, ^1 of which we are accustomed to eat
the shoots when we find them in the country: thus of
Rachel alone is the fruit sweet.
 7:9  What does this mean? Listen: "the first goat is
for the altar, but the other is accursed," and note
that the one that is accursed is crowned, because then
"they will see him" on that day with the long scarlet
robe "down to the feet" on his body, and they will
say, "Is not this he whom we once crucified and
rejected and pierced and spat upon? Of a truth it was
he who then said that he was the Son of God."
 7:10  But how is he like to the goat? For this
reason: "the goats shall be alike, beautiful, and a
pair," in order that when they see him come at that
time they may be astonished at the likeness of the
goat. See then the type of Jesus destined to suffer.
 7:11  But why is it that they put the wool in the
middle of the thorns? It is a type of Jesus placed in
the Church, because whoever wishes to take away the
scarlet wool must suffer much because the thorns are
terrible and he can gain it only through pain. Thus he
says, "those who will see me, and attain to my kingdom
must lay hold of me through pain and suffering."

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 ^1  It is probable that Barnabas has mistaken a word meaning a hill
for the name of a herb with which he was familiar; but it is not
clear whether the confusion was made in Hebrew or in Greek (rachos =
a brier, and sometimes a wild-olive, and rachis = a mountain ridge,
seems to suggest some such possibility). But the identity of the
herb is unknown. There is an interesting article on it in the
_Journal of Biblical Literature,_ 1890, by Rendel Harris.
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CHAPTER 8
 8:0  The sacrifice of a heifer
 8:1  |But what do you think that it typifies, that the
commandment has been given to Israel that the men in
whom sin is complete offer a heifer and slay it and
burn it, and that boys then take the ashes and put
them into vessels and bind scarlet wool on sticks (see
again the type of the Cross and the scarlet wool) and
hyssop, and that the boys all sprinkle the people thus
one by one in order that they all be purified from
their sins?
 8:2  Observe how plainly he speaks to you. The calf
is Jesus; the sinful men offering it are those who
brought him to be slain. Then there are no longer men,
no longer the glory ^1 of sinners.
 8:3  The boys who sprinkle are they who preached to
us the forgiveness of sins, and the purification of
the heart, to whom he gave the power of the Gospel to
preach, and there are twelve as a testimony to the
tribes, because there are twelve tribes of Israel.
 8:4  But why are there three boys who sprinkle? As a
testimony to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, for these are
great before God.
 8:5  And why was the wool put on the wood? Because the
kingdom of Jesus is on the wood, ^2 and because those
who hope on him shall live for ever.
 8:6  But why are the wool and the hyssop together?
Because in his kingdom there shall be evil and foul
days, in which we shall be saved, for he also who has
pain in his flesh is cured by the foulness of the
hyssop.
 8:7  And for this reason the things which were thus
done are plain to us, but obscure to them, because they
did not hear the Lord's voice.

===== small type on =====
 ^1  This seems to be the only possible translation, but the text
must surely be corrupt.
 ^2  Or "on the tree."
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CHAPTER 9
 9:0  The circumcision
 9:1  |For he speaks again concerning the ears, how he
circumcised our hearts; for the Lord says in the
Prophet: "In the hearing of the ear they obey me." And
again he says, "They who are afar off shall hear
clearly, they shall know the things that I have done,"
and "Circumcise your hearts, saith the Lord."
 9:2  And again he says, "Hear, O Israel, thus saith
the Lord thy God," and again the Spirit of the Lord
prophesies, "Who is he that will live for ever? Let
him hear the voice of my servant."
 9:3  And again he says, "Hear, O heaven, and give ear,
O earth, for the Lord hath spoken these things for a
testimony." And again he says, "Hear the word of the
Lord, ye rulers of this people." And again he says,
"Hear, O children, a voice of one crying in the
wilderness." So then he circumcised our hearing in
order that we should hear the word and believe.
 9:4  But moreover the circumcision in which they
trusted has been abolished. For he declared that
circumcision was not of the flesh, but they erred
because an evil angel was misleading them.
 9:5  He says to them, "Thus saith the Lord your God"
(here I find a commandment), "Sow not among thorns, be
circumcised to your Lord." And what does he say?
"Circumcise the hardness of your heart, and stiffen
not your neck." Take it again: "Behold, saith the
Lord, all the heathen are uncircumcised in the
foreskin, but this people is uncircumcised in heart."
 9:6  But you will say, surely the people has received
circumcision as a seal? Yes, but every Syrian and Arab
and all priests of the idols have been circumcised; are
then these also within their ^1 covenant? -- indeed
even the Egyptians belong to the circumcision.
 9:7  Learn fully then, children of love, concerning
all things, for Abraham, who first circumcised, did so
looking forward in the spirit to Jesus, and had
received the doctrines of three letters.
 9:8  For it says, "And Abraham circumcised from his
household eighteen men and three hundred." ^2 What
then was the knowledge that was given to him? Notice
that he first mentions the eighteen, and after a pause
the three hundred. The eighteen is I (=ten) and H (=8)
-- you have Jesus ^3 -- and because the cross was
destined to have grace in the T he says "and three
hundred." ^4 So he indicates Jesus in the two letters
and the cross in the other.
 9:9  He knows this who placed the gift of his
teaching in our hearts. No one has heard a more
excellent lesson from me, but I know that you are
worthy.

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 ^1  _i.e._ of the Jews.
 ^2  In Greek, which expresses numerals by letters, this is TIH.
 ^3  Because IH are in Greek the first letters of the word Jesus.
 ^4  The Greek symbol for 300 is T.
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CHAPTER 10
 10:0  The Food-law of the Jews -- The explanation in
the Psalter
 10:1  |Now, in that Moses said, "Ye shall not eat
swine, nor an eagle, nor a hawk, nor a crow, nor any
fish which has no scales on itself," he included three
doctrines in his understanding.
 10:2  Moreover he says to them in Deuteronomy, "And I
 will make a covenant of my ordinances with this
 people." So then the ordinance of God is not
 abstinence from eating, but Moses spoke in the spirit.
 10:3  He mentioned the swine for this reason: you
shall not consort, he means, with men who are like
swine, that is to say, when they have plenty they
forget the Lord, but when they are in want they
recognise the Lord, just as the swine when it eats does
not know its master, but when it is hungry it cries
out, and after receiving food is again silent.
 10:4  "Neither shalt thou eat the eagle nor the hawk
nor the kite nor the crow." Thou shalt not, he means,
join thyself or make thyself like to such men, as do
not know how to gain their food by their labour and
sweat, but plunder other people's property in their
iniquity, and lay wait for it, though they seem to
walk in innocence, and look round to see whom they may
plunder in their covetousness, just as these birds
alone provide no food for themselves, but sit idle,
and seek how they may devour the flesh of others, and
become pestilent in their iniquity.
 10:5  "Thou shalt not eat," he says, "the lamprey nor
the polypus nor the cuttlefish." Thou shalt not, he
means, consort with or become like such men who are
utterly ungodly and who are already condemned to
death, just as these fish alone are accursed, and
float in the deep water, not swimming like the others
but living on the ground at the bottom of the sea.
 10:6  Sed ^1 nec "leporem manducabis." Non eris,
inquit, corruptor puerorum nec similabis talibus. Quia
lepus singulis annis facit ad adsellandum singula
foramina; et quotquot annis vivit, totidem foramina
facit.
 10:7  Sed "nec beluam, inquit, manducabis"; ^2 hoc
est non eris moecus aut adulter, nec corruptor, nec
similabis talibus. Quia haec bestia alternis annis
mutat naturam et fit modo masculus, modo femina.
 10:8  Sed et quod dicit mustelam odibis. Non eris,
inquit, talis, qui audit iniquitatem et loquitur
immunditiam. Non inquit adhaerebis immundis qui
iniquitatem faciunt ore suo.
 10:9  Moses received three doctrines concerning food
and thus spoke of them in the Spirit; but they
received them as really referring to food, owing to
the lust of their flesh.
 10:10  But David received knowledge concerning the
same three doctrines, and says: "Blessed is the man
who has not gone in the counsel of the ungodly" as the
fishes go in darkness in the deep waters, "and has not
stood in the way of sinners" like those who seem to
fear the Lord, but sin like the swine, "and has not
sat in the seat of the scorners" like the birds who
sit and wait for their prey. Grasp fully the doctrines
concerning food.
 10:11  Moses says again, "Eat of every animal that is
cloven hoofed and ruminant." What does he mean? That
he who receives food knows him who feeds him, and
rests on him and seems to rejoice. Well did he speak
with regard to the commandment. What then does he
mean? Consort with those who fear the Lord, with those
who meditate in their heart on the meaning of the word
which they have received, with those who speak of and
observe the ordinances of the Lord, with those who
know that meditation is a work of gladness, and who
ruminate on the word of the Lord. But what does "the
cloven hoofed" mean? That the righteous both walks in
this world and looks forward to the holy age. See how
well Moses legislated.
 10:12  But how was it possible for them to understand
or comprehend these things? But we having a righteous
understanding of them announce the commandments as the
Lord wished. For this cause he circumcised our hearing
and our hearts that we should comprehend these things.

===== small type on =====
 ^1  The Latin here given is that of the Old Latin version, and does
not in all places correspond quite accurately to the Greek.
 ^2  This prohibition is not in the O.T.
===== small type off =====

CHAPTER 11
 11:0  Baptism -- The Cross
 11:1  |But let us enquire if the Lord took pains to
foretell the water of baptism and the cross.
Concerning the water it has been written with regard
to Israel that they will not receive the baptism that
brings the remission of sins, but will build for
themselves.
 11:2  For the Prophet says, "Be astonished O heaven,
and let the earth tremble the more at this, that this
people hath committed two evils: they have deserted
me, the spring of life, and they have dug for
themselves a cistern of death.
 11:3  Is my holy mountain Sinai a desert rock? For ye
shall be as the fledgling birds, fluttering about when
they are taken away from the nest."
 11:4  And again the Prophet says, "I will go before
you and I will make mountains level, and I will break
gates of brass, and I will shatter bars of iron, and I
will give thee treasures of darkness, secret,
invisible, that they may know that I am the Lord God."
 11:5  And, "Thou shalt dwell in a lofty cave of a
strong rock." And, "His water is sure, ye shall see
the King in his glory, and your soul shall meditate on
the fear of the Lord."
 11:6  And again he says in another Prophet, "And he
who does these things shall be as the tree, which is
planted at the partings of the waters, which shall
give its fruit in its season, and its leaf shall not
fade, and all things, whatsoever he doeth, shall
prosper.
 11:7  It is not so with the wicked, it is not so; but
they are even as the chaff which the wind driveth away
from the face of the earth. Therefore the wicked shall
not rise up in judgment, nor sinners in the counsel of
the righteous, for the Lord knoweth the way of the
righteous, and the way of the ungodly shall perish."
 11:8  Mark how he described the water and the cross
together. For he means this: blessed are those who
hoped on the cross, and descended into the water. For
he speaks of their reward "in his season"; at that
time, he says, I will repay. But now when he says,
"Their leaves shall not fade," he means that every
word which shall come forth from your mouth in faith
and love, shall be for conversion and hope for many.
 11:9  And again another Prophet says, "And the land
of Jacob was praised above every land." He means to
say that he is glorifying the vessel of his Spirit.
 11:10  What does he say next? "And there was a river
flowing on the right hand, and beautiful trees grew
out of it, and whosoever shall eat of them shall live
for ever."
 11:11  He means to say that we go down into the water
full of sins and foulness, and we come up bearing the
fruit of fear in our hearts, and having hope on Jesus
in the Spirit. "And whosoever shall eat of them shall
live for ever." He means that whosoever hears and
believes these things spoken shall live for ever.

CHAPTER 12
 12:0  The Cross -- Joshua
 12:1  |Similarly, again, he describes the cross in
another Prophet, who says, "And when shall all these
things be accomplished? saith the Lord. When the tree
shall fall and rise, and when blood shall flow from
the tree." Here again you have a reference to the
cross, and to him who should he crucified.
 12:2  And he says again to Moses, when Israel was
warred upon by strangers, and in order to remind those
who were warred upon that they were delivered unto
death by reason of their sins -- the Spirit speaks to
the heart of Moses to make a representation of the
cross, and of him who should suffer, because, he says,
unless they put their trust in him, they shall suffer
war for ever. Moses therefore placed one shield upon
another in the midst of the fight, and standing there
raised above them all kept stretching out his hands,
and so Israel again began to be victorious: then,
whenever he let them drop they began to perish.
 12:3  Why? That they may know that they cannot be
saved if they do not hope on him.
 12:4  And again he says in another Prophet, "I
stretched out my hands the whole day to a disobedient
people and one that refuses my righteous way."
 12:5  Again Moses makes a representation of Jesus,
showing that he must suffer, and shall himself give
life, though they will believe that he has been put to
death, by the sign given when Israel was falling
(for the Lord made every serpent bite them, and they
were perishing, for the fall ^1 took place in Eve
through the serpent), in order to convince them that
they will be delivered over to the affliction of death
because of their transgression.
 12:6  Moreover, though Moses commanded them: -- "You
shall have neither graven nor molten image for your
God," yet he makes one himself to show a type of Jesus.
Moses therefore makes a graven serpent, and places it
in honour and calls the people by a proclamation.
 12:7  So they came together and besought Moses that
he would offer prayer on their behalf for their
healing. But Moses said to them, "Whenever one of
you," he said, "be bitten, let him come to the serpent
that is placed upon the tree, and let him hope, in
faith that it though dead is able to give life, and he
shall straightway be saved." And they did so. In this
also you have again the glory of Jesus, for all things
are in him and for him.
 12:8  Again, why does Moses say to Jesus, the son of
Naue, ^2 when he gives him, prophet as he is, this
name, that the whole people should listen to him
alone? Because the Father was revealing everything
concerning his Son Jesus.
 12:9  Moses therefore says to Jesus the son of Naue,
after giving him this name, when he sent him to spy
out the land, "Take a book in thy hands and write what
the Lord saith, that the Son of God shall in the last
day tear up by the roots the whole house of Amalek."
 12:10  See again Jesus, not as son of man, but as Son
of God, but manifested in a type in the flesh. Since
therefore they are going to say that the Christ is
David's son, David himself prophesies, fearing and
understanding the error of the sinners, "The Lord said
to my Lord sit thou on my right hand until I make thy
enemies thy footstool."
 12:11  And again Isaiah speaks thus, "The Lord said
to Christ my Lord, whose right hand I held, that the
nations should obey before him, and I will shatter the
strength of Kings." See how "David calls him Lord" and
does not say Son.

===== small type on =====
 ^1  Literally the "transgression."
 ^2  _i.e._ Joshua the son of Nun, of which names Jesus and Naue are
the Greek forms.
===== small type off =====

CHAPTER 13
 13:0  Jews and Christians as heirs of the covenant
 13:1  |Now let us see whether this people or the
former people is the heir, and whether the covenant is
for us or for them.
 13:2  Hear then what the Scripture says concerning
the people: "And Isaac prayed concerning Rebecca his
wife, because she was barren, and she conceived. Then
Rebecca went forth to enquire of the Lord and the Lord
said to her: two nations are in thy womb, and two
peoples in thy belly, and one people shall overcome a
people, and the greater shall serve the less."
 13:3  You ought to understand who is Isaac and who is
Rebecca, and of whom he has shown that this people is
greater than that people.
 13:4  And in another prophecy Jacob speaks more
plainly to Joseph his son, saying, "Behold the Lord
hath not deprived me of thy presence; bring me thy
sons, that I may bless them."
 13:5  And he brought Ephraim and Manasses, and wished
that Manasses should be blessed, because he was the
elder; for Joseph brought him to the right hand of his
father Jacob. But Jacob saw in the spirit a type of
the people of the future. And what does he say? "And
Jacob crossed his hands, and placed his right hand on
the head of Ephraim, the second and younger son, and
blessed him; and Joseph said to Jacob, Change thy
right hand on to the head of Manasses, for he is my
first-born son. And Jacob said to Joseph, I know it,
my child, I know it; but the greater shall serve the
less, and this one shall indeed be blessed."
 13:6  See who it is of whom he ordained that this
people is the first and heir of the covenant.
 13:7  If then besides this he remembered it also in
the case of Abraham, we reach the perfection of our
knowledge. What then does he say to Abraham, when he
alone was faithful, and it was counted him for
righteousness? "Behold I have made thee, Abraham, the
father of the Gentiles who believe in God in
uncircumcision."

CHAPTER 14
 14:0  The fulfilment of the promise to the Jews
 14:1  |So it is. But let us see whether the covenant
which he sware to the fathers to give to the people --
whether he has given it. He has given it. But they
were not worthy to receive it because of their sins.
 14:2  For the Prophet says, "And Moses was fasting on
Mount Sinai, to receive the covenant of the Lord for
the people, forty days and forty nights. And Moses
received from the Lord the two tables, written by the
finger of the hand of the Lord in the Spirit"; and
Moses took them, and carried them down to give them to
the people.
 14:3  And the Lord said to Moses, "Moses, Moses, go
down quickly, for thy people whom thou didst bring out
of the land of Egypt have broken the Law. And Moses
perceived that they had made themselves again molten
images, and he cast them out of his hands, and the
tables of the covenant of the Lord were broken."
 14:4  Moses received it, but they were not worthy.
But learn how we received it. Moses received it when
he was a servant, but the Lord himself gave it to us,
as the people of the inheritance, by suffering for our
sakes.
 14:5  And it was made manifest both that the tale of
their sins should be completed in their sins, and that
we through Jesus, the Lord who inherits the covenant,
should receive it, for he was prepared for this
purpose, that when he appeared he might redeem from
darkness our hearts which were already paid over to
death, and given over to the iniquity of error, and by
his word might make a covenant with us.
 14:6  For it is written that the Father enjoins on
him that he should redeem us from darkness and prepare
a holy people for himself.
 14:7  The Prophet therefore says, "I the Lord thy God
did call thee in righteousness, and I will hold thy
hands, and I will give thee strength, and I have given
thee for a covenant of the people, for a light to the
Gentiles, to open the eyes of the blind, and to bring
forth from their fetters those that are bound and
those that sit in darkness out of the prison house."
We know then whence we have been redeemed.
 14:8  Again the Prophet says, "Lo, I have made thee a
light for the Gentiles, to be for salvation unto the
ends of the earth, thus saith the Lord the God who did
redeem thee."
 14:9  And again the Prophet saith, "The Spirit of the
Lord is upon me, because he anointed me to preach the
Gospel of grace to the humble, he sent me to heal the
brokenhearted, to proclaim delivery to the captives,
and sight to the blind, to announce a year acceptable
to the Lord, and a day of recompense, to comfort all
who mourn."

CHAPTER 15
 15:0  The Sabbath
 15:1  |Furthermore it was written concerning the
Sabbath in the ten words which he spake on Mount Sinai
face to face to Moses. "Sanctify also the Sabbath of
the Lord with pure hands and a pure heart."
 15:2  And in another place he says, "If my sons keep
the Sabbath, then will I bestow my mercy upon them."
 15:3  He speaks of the Sabbath at the beginning of
the Creation, "And God made in six days the works of
his hands and on the seventh day he made an end, and
rested in it and sanctified it."
 15:4  Notice, children, what is the meaning of "He
made an end in six days"? He means this: that the Lord
will make an end of everything in six thousand years,
for a day with him means a thousand years. And he
himself is my witness when he says, "Lo, the day of
the Lord shall be as a thousand years." So then,
children, in six days, that is in six thousand years,
everything will be completed.
 15:5  "And he rested on the seventh day." This means,
when his Son comes he will destroy the time of the
wicked one, and will judge the godless, and will
change the sun and the moon and the stars, and then he
will truly rest on the seventh day.
 15:6  Furthermore he says, "Thou shalt sanctify it
with clean hands and a pure heart." If, then, anyone
has at present the power to keep holy the day which
God made holy, by being pure in heart, we are
altogether deceived.
 15:7  See that we shall indeed keep it holy at that
time, when we enjoy true rest, when we shall be able
to do so because we have been made righteous ourselves
and have received the promise, when there is no more
sin, but all things have been made new by the Lord:
then we shall be able to keep it holy because we
ourselves have first been made holy.
 15:8  Furthermore he says to them, "Your new moons
and the sabbaths I cannot away with." Do you see what
he means? The present sabbaths are not acceptable to
me, but that which I have made, in which I will give
rest to all things and make the beginning of an eighth
day, that is the beginning of another world.
 15:9  Wherefore we also celebrate with gladness the
eighth day in which Jesus also rose from the dead, and
was made manifest, and ascended into Heaven.

CHAPTER 16
 16:0  The Temple
 16:1  |I will also speak with you concerning the
Temple, and show how the wretched men erred by putting
their hope on the building, and not on the God who
made them, and is the true house of God.
 16:2  For they consecrated him in the Temple almost
like the heathen. But learn how the Lord speaks, in
bringing it to naught, "Who has measured the heaven
with a span, or the earth with his outstretched hand?
Have not I? saith the Lord. Heaven is my throne, and
the earth is my footstool, what house will ye build
for me, or what is the place of my rest?" You know
that their hope was vain.
 16:3  Furthermore he says again, "Lo, they who
destroyed this temple shall themselves build it."
 16:4  That is happening now. For owing to the war it
was destroyed by the enemy; at present even the
servants of the enemy will build it up again.
 16:5  Again, it was made manifest that the city and
the temple and the people of Israel were to be
delivered up. For the Scripture says, "And it shall
come to pass in the last days that the Lord shall
deliver the sheep of his pasture, and the sheep-fold,
and their tower to destruction." And it took place
according to what the Lord said.
 16:6  But let us inquire if a temple of God exists.
Yes, it exists, where he himself said that he makes
and perfects it. For it is written, "And it shall come
to pass when the week is ended that a temple of God
shall be built gloriously in the name of the Lord."
 16:7  I find then that a temple exists. Learn then
how it will be built in the name of the Lord. Before
we believed in God the habitation of our heart was
corrupt and weak, like a temple really built with
hands, because it was full of idolatry, and was the
house of demons through doing things which were
contrary to God.
 16:8  "But it shall be built in the name of the
Lord." Now give heed, in order that the temple of the
Lord may be built gloriously. Learn in what way. When
we received the remission of sins, and put our hope on
the Name, we became new, being created again from the
beginning; wherefore God truly dwells in us, in the
habitation which we are.
 16:9  How? His word of faith, the calling of his
promise, the wisdom of the ordinances, the commands of
the teaching, himself prophesying in us, himself
dwelling in us, by opening the door of the temple
(that is the mouth) to us, giving repentance to us,
and thus he leads us, who have been enslaved to death
into the incorruptible temple.
 16:10  For he who desires to be saved looks not at
the man, but at him who dwells and speaks in him, and
is amazed at him, for he has never either heard him
speak such words with his mouth, nor has he himself
ever desired to hear them. This is a spiritual temple
being built for the Lord.

CHAPTER 17
 17:0  Summary
 17:1  |So far as possibility and simplicity allow an
explanation to be given to you my soul hopes that none
of the things which are necessary for salvation have
been omitted, according to my desire.
 17:2  For if I write to you concerning things present
or things to come, you will not understand because
they are hid in parables. This then suffices.

CHAPTER 18
 18:0  The two Ways
 18:1  |Now ^1 let us pass on to another lesson and
teaching. There are two Ways of teaching and power,
one of Light and one of Darkness. And there is a great
difference between the two Ways. For over the one are
set light-bringing angels of God, but over the other
angels of Satan.
 18:2  And the one is Lord from eternity and to
eternity, and the other is the ruler of the present
time of iniquity.

===== small type on =====
 ^1  Here begins the section taken from the "Two Ways," Didache
1:1-5:2.
===== small type off =====

CHAPTER 19
 19:0  The Way of Light
 19:1  |The Way of Light is this: if any man desire to
journey to the appointed place, let him be zealous in
his works. Therefore the knowledge given to us of this
kind that we may walk in it is as follows: --
 19:2  Thou shalt love thy maker, thou shalt fear thy
Creator, thou shalt glorify Him who redeemed thee from
death, thou shalt be simple in heart, and rich in
spirit; thou shalt not join thyself to those who walk
in the way of death, thou shalt hate all that is not
pleasing to God, thou shalt hate all hypocrisy; thou
shalt not desert the commandments of the Lord.
 19:3  Thou shalt not exalt thyself, but shall be
humble-minded in all things; thou shalt not take glory
to thyself. Thou shalt form no evil plan against thy
neighbour, thou shalt not let thy soul be froward.
 19:4  Thou shalt not commit fornication, thou shalt
not commit adultery, thou shalt not commit sodomy.
Thou shalt not let the word of God depart from thee
among the impurity of any men. Thou shalt not respect
persons in the reproving of transgression. Thou shalt
be meek, thou shalt be quiet, thou shalt fear the
words which thou hast heard. Thou shalt not bear
malice against thy brother.
 19:5  Thou shalt not be in two minds whether it shall
be or not. "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord
in vain." Thou shalt love thy neighbour more than thy
own life. Thou shalt not procure abortion, thou shalt
not commit infanticide. Thou shalt not withhold thy
hand from thy son or from thy daughter, but shalt
teach them the fear of God from their youth up.
 19:6  Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's goods,
thou shalt not be avaricious. Thou shalt not be joined
in soul with the haughty but shalt converse with
humble and righteous men. Thou shalt receive the
trials that befall thee as good, knowing that nothing
happens without God.
 19:7  Thou shalt not be double-minded or talkative.
Thou shalt obey thy masters as a type of God in
modesty and fear; thou shalt not command in bitterness
thy slave or handmaid who hope on the same God, lest
they cease to fear the God who is over you both; for
he came not to call men with respect of persons, but
those whom the Spirit prepared.
 19:8  Thou shalt share all things with thy neighbour
and shall not say that they are thy own property; for
if you are sharers in that which is incorruptible,
how much more in that which is corruptible? Thou shalt
not be forward to speak, for the mouth is a snare of
death. So far as thou canst, thou shalt keep thy soul
pure.
 19:9  Be not one who stretches out the hands to take,
and shuts them when it comes to giving. Thou shalt
love "as the apple of thine eye" all who speak to thee
the word of the Lord.
 19:10  Thou shalt remember the day of judgment day
and night, and thou shalt seek each day the society of
the saints, either labouring by speech, and going out
to exhort, and striving to save souls by the word, or
working with thine hands for the ransom of thy sins.
 19:11  Thou shalt not hesitate to give, and when thou
givest thou shalt not grumble, but thou shalt know who
is the good paymaster of the reward. "Thou shalt keep
the precepts" which thou hast received, "adding
nothing and taking nothing away." Thou shalt utterly
hate evil. "Thou shalt give righteous judgment."
 19:12  Thou shalt not cause quarrels, but shalt bring
together and reconcile those that strive. Thou shalt
confess thy sins. Thou shalt not betake thyself to
prayer with an evil conscience. This is the Way of
Light.

CHAPTER 20
 20:0  The Way of Darkness
 20:1  |But the Way of the Black One is crooked and
full of cursing, for it is the way of death eternal
with punishment, and in it are the things that destroy
their soul: idolatry, frowardness, arrogance of power,
hypocrisy, double-heartedness, adultery, murder,
robbery, pride, transgression, fraud, malice,
self-sufficiency, enchantments, magic, covetousness,
the lack of the fear of God;
 20:2  persecutors of the good, haters of the truth,
lovers of lies, knowing not the reward of
righteousness, who "cleave not to the good," nor to
righteous judgment, who attend not to the cause of the
widow and orphan, spending wakeful nights not in the
fear of God, but in the pursuit of vice, from whom
meekness and patience are far and distant, "loving
vanity, seeking rewards," without pity for the poor,
working not for him who is oppressed with toil, prone
to evil speaking, without knowledge of their Maker,
murderers of children, corrupters of God's creation,
turning away the needy, oppressing the afflicted,
advocates of the rich, unjust judges of the poor,
altogether sinful.

CHAPTER 21
 21:0  Final exhortation
 21:1  |It is good therefore that he who has learned
the ordinances of the Lord as many as have been
written should walk in them. For he who does these
things shall be glorified in the kingdom of God, and
he who chooses the others shall perish with his works.
For this reason there is a resurrection, for this
reason there is a recompense.
 21:2  I beseech those who are in high positions, if
you will receive any counsel of my goodwill, have
among yourselves those to whom you may do good; fail
not.
 21:3  The day is at hand when all things shall perish
with the Evil one; "The Lord and his reward is at
hand."
 21:4  I beseech you again and again be good lawgivers
to each other, remain faithful counsellors of each
other, remove from yourselves all hypocrisy.
 21:5  Now may God, who is the Lord over all the
world, give you wisdom, understanding, prudence,
knowledge of his ordinances, patience.
 21:6  And be taught of God, seeking out what the Lord
requires from you, and see that ye be found faithful
in the day of Judgment.
 21:7  If there is any memory of good, meditate on
these things and remember me, that my desire and my
watchfulness may find some good end. I beseech you
asking it of your favour.
 21:8  While the fair vessel ^1 is with you fail not
in any of them, but seek these things diligently, and
fulfil every commandment; for these things are worthy.
 21:9  Wherefore I was the more zealous to write to
you of my ability, to give you gladness. May you gain
salvation, children of love and peace. The Lord of
glory and of all grace be with your spirit.

===== small type on =====
 ^1  _i.e._ while you are in the body.
===== small type off =====