Front Matter

Apostolic Constitutions

ΔΙΑΤΑΓΑΙ ΤΩΝ ΑΓΙΩΝ ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΩΝ

Anonymous

Translated by Rick Brannan
with assistance from AI techniques

APPIAN WAY PRESS

APOSTOLIC CONSTITUTIONS ΔΙΑΤΑΓΑΙ ΤΩΝ ΑΓΙΩΝ ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΩΝ

Copyright 2025 by Rick Brannan

Published 2025 by Appian Way Press

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About This Translation

This translation was created on 2025-07-04 using the model gpt-4.1-mini from OpenAI. To ensure the translation is communicating the same meaning as the original, a sentence-level semantic similarity check was performed between the source text and translation using the model bowphs/SPhilBerta, which is available from HuggingFace. In addition to the sentence-level semantic similarity check, the text-to-translation length ratio was evaluated for each verse to locate and review possible hallucination.

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Please note, as indicated above, that this translation is a machine-generated translation. There are several older works that are either not available in English or only available in old and difficult to read translations. This translation is an attempt to provide a readable and fairly literal modern English translation of the source text. The process that created this translation has done its best to mitigate hallucinations, but there may still be translation issues.

PROLOGUES

J. B. COTELIER'S JUDGMENT ON THE APOSTOLIC CONSTITUTIONS

Teaching of the Apostles and the Constitutions differ, it still remains uncertain whether the corrupter of the first Constitutions compiled that Teaching; just as he seems to have copied the Epistle of Barnabas. I conclude from what was said before [PG 1.519] that it is more probable to consider that διδαχὴ lies between διδασκαλία and διάταξις without any difference.

( The Apostolic Fathers, vol. I, ed. Amsterdam 1724.)

Among the many things said by various scholars about the Apostolic Constitutions, some are true, others false, and the rest such that it is not possible to determine by clear argument whether they contain truth or falsehood. If we keep these at the beginning of these Notes, we know that we will have done a useful work.

Therefore, it is true that the eight-book Apostolic Constitutions are an apocryphal and pseudepigraphal work, not produced by the apostles nor by the apostolic Clement. Certainly, although the author of the last apostolic canon, if different from the one we discuss, may state otherwise; although later Greeks usually consider those apostolic canons genuine, but the apostolic διαταγάς (ordinances) as indeed Clement's but later corrupted; although the Ethiopians, taught by the Greeks, venerated the Apostolic Octabiblos as sacred and divine; although St. Epiphanius in heresy 80, chapter 7, and Cedrenus in two places, among the testimonies of the ancients, attribute a θεῖον λόγον (divine word) to the Diataxeis; nevertheless, it is clear that the σύνταγμα (constitution) does not belong to the apostles or Clement, that it was hidden in the earliest times of the Church, that it was unknown or neglected by so many holy Fathers, that it aroused suspicion of forgery in many and certainty of falsehood in many others; that the catholic Church excludes it from the canon of divine Scriptures; and finally, that it contains six hundred parts conflicting with truth and likelihood [PG 1.511] , being more recent than apostolic times and very far removed from apostolic character.

No less true is that the ancient constitutions called apostolic were subjected to interpolating hands after their composition. This is clearly shown by the passages cited by Blessed Epiphanius and by the author of the Unfinished Work on Matthew; most of these passages now partly do not exist, partly are read with great differences in words and meanings. And because of this reputation for interpolation, the Greeks gathered at Trullo confess, in canon 2, that the Apostolic Constitutions of Clement long ago were harmed by heretics through some bad and harmful additions. But what is rightly surprising is that Photius, the most diligent investigator of such matters, makes no mention of corruption or the Trullan judgment, being more lenient toward our διαταγαῖς, as do Nicetas Pectoratus and Georgius Cedrenus. Indeed, they seem to have rejected their sixth synod and recognized no corruption in the constitutions.

But the reason Photius favors the Διαταγαῖς τῶν ἀποστόλων διὰ Κλήμεντος is not hatred toward the Latins; for he does not appear unfair to them in the Myriobiblos, being orthodox and catholic at that time; whereas, on the other hand, the Trullan bishop, a clear enemy of the Latin Church, prefixed a black theta to those same διατάξεις. The reason is the excellence of the book, and perhaps the praise of Epiphanius. Certainly, if, as seems likely, Photius thought the Constitutions to be an old and reputable work, forged under the name of the apostles and Clement, subject to three criticisms, none of them insurmountable—bad fabrication, insults made to Deuteronomy, and Arianism—I do not understand why his judgment should be so blamed. Thus he could admit what is true, that these books were brought to light after the apostolic age by an ancient man not unlearned, but rather unskilled in forging, and not always truthful, full of many inconsistencies and carelessness, sprinkled with some errors, speaking rashly about Deuteronomy and dangerously about the holy and indivisible Trinity. That the Constitutions were not attributed by Photius to the Roman Clement is shown both by the high opinion of the great Master and by the fact that he no more rejects the apostolic Recognitions in the same place, which he shows to be full of absurdities and Arianism, than he does the Constitutions: but who would believe that such a most learned and prudent man thought that such a writing was not falsely given the author's title? Finally, because he speaks ambiguously about the apostles' canons in the Preface to the Nomocanon, as also in these very codices of the Library, 112 and 113. Therefore, according to our suspicion, those two writings were said by Photius to be Clement's because they were thought to be inscribed with Clement's name. Although, to speak frankly, the context of the speech and the judgment of both the later letter of Clement and the dispute of Peter with Apion create no small difficulty. For why did he not condemn the books of the Constitutions and Recognitions in the same way, unless perhaps because in those judgments [PG 1.512] he was not so much expressing his own opinion as that of Eusebius? But so much about Photius. Let each one use his own judgment.

The various names of this apocryphon rely on both truth and authority: διατάγματα ἀποστόλων or ἀποστολικά, τῶν ἀποστόλων or ἀποστολικαὶ διατάξεις or διαταγαί, διαταγαὶ or διατάξεις Κλήμεντος or διὰ Κλήμεντος, τῶν ἀποστόλων διὰ Κλήμεντος διατάξεις or διαταγαί, and ὀκτάβιβλος Κλήμεντος; likewise διάταξις, διδασκαλία, καθολικὴ διδασκαλία, and κανόνες or the books Canonum apostolorum. The mention of this last name also appears with Oecumenius, at Acts 9:10, in this way: καὶ οὗτος ὁ Ἀνανίας διάκονος ἦν ὡς αὐτὸς Παῦλος μαρτυρεῖ ἐν τοῖς κανόσι. But when the types of this edition were sent out with the testimonies of the ancients, that passage had not yet been found; see what I will note on book 7, chapter 46. However, whether John Damascene in Orthodox Faith book 4, chapter 18, when he counts the apostolic canons published by Clement among the divine volumes, means the Constitutions or only the canons appended to the Constitutions is open to question. I would prefer to take it as referring only to the canons; by which the holy and learned man is relieved of a greater part of error; and because this first meaning is rarer; and because of the Trullan Fathers, whose opinion he seems to have followed. Add that in the same book, chapter 13, he refers to the custom of worshiping toward the East as an unwritten tradition of the apostles; yet this custom is found written in the Constitutions.

Now indeed, besides the true opposites mentioned above, it is also false that the author of the Constitutions and the Recognitions is the same. We have the judgment of Photius, who grants the first work the privilege of sounder doctrine; but the latter, of greater eloquence and learning. And who does not see that the author of the former was a man most knowledgeable in the holy Scriptures and ecclesiastical rites; while the latter's author was a man more unskilled in these matters? Added to this is that the doctrines of the two do not always agree. For example, in Constitut., book 8, chapter 46, the sun, moon, and stars are counted among lifeless things; but in Recognit., book 5, chapter 16, they are not. Thus (passing over other differences) the Ebionite errors of the Recognitions are condemned in the καθολικὴ διδασκαλία.

The Constitutions are also wrongly confused with the Clementines. Indeed, Nicephorus clearly and explicitly distinguishes the two works in Ecclesiastical History book 3, chapter 18. Nor does the present edition allow hesitation, as it includes both σύγγραμμα, and now for the first time the latter as well. Cardinal Humbert also errs when he transfers the Ordinations or Constitutions, praised by Nicetas Pectoratus, to the Itinerarium of the apostle Peter, with which they have nothing in common, discussing matters far removed from Peter's journeys. The cause of Humbert's error was ignorance of both apocrypha, and only knowledge of this Gelasian decree, Itinerarium nomine Petri apostoli, quod appellatur sancti Clementis libri decem (thus more rightly excluding the doubtfully ancient editions, rather than the more recent eight or nine), as apocryphal. The Cardinal believed that the Greeks had nothing bearing the name of Clement except the Itinerarium Petri and the Canones apostolorum. [PG 1.513]

But it is also against the truth that the composer of the Apostolic Constitutions did not take upon himself the name of Clement of Rome. This name is seen prefixed on the front of the volume, and it has supporters among the canons, the last of the apostles, and the Trullan council 2, Photius, Nicetas Pectoratus, Zonaras, Alexius Aristinus, Balsamon, Matthew Blastares, Nicephorus Callistus, Nicetas Serronius, etc., while no one from the ancients opposes it. Nor is it surprising that one who wrote the Diataxes of the apostles would assume the person of the apostles; but as for Clement, that is, as he wished to be believed, he thought to hide himself in the body of the book.

But these things are doubtful to me: at what earliest time the books of the pseudo-apostolic Constitutions first saw the light, when they were interpolated, who was their parent, who their corrupter, and in which places they were corrupted. I know for certain that the first writer lived after apostolic times and before Epiphanius; but whether closer to those times or to him, I do not know at all. Certainly, the silence of the Fathers of the second and third centuries is not a clear sign that Diataxes did not exist in their age; since apocrypha are long unknown and longer despised, and so their beginnings are usually uncertain. Whether it also stuck in the mud of the same heresy as Arius, I cannot say. Saint Epiphanius grants it praise for orthodoxy; and those things that seem Arian in the work perhaps should be attributed to an interpolator, as the Trullan council judges; or perhaps they are ἀρχαῖκὰ, not heretical, and can be removed, though with difficulty, according to the mind of Photius. But what if the title deceived Epiphanius? If he thought it catholic, which he supposed apostolic, it would not seem inexcusable. Now the patches of interpolation were unknown to Epiphanius and the writer of the Work on Matthew; known to Anastasius of Antioch, author of Questions and Answers: but at what time they first came from the workshop of an idle man is likewise unclear. Furthermore, it is obscure what some say, that changes in Ignatius and in the Constitutions came from the same hand, while others say that pseudo-Ignatius is usually compiled by the patcher of Diataxes; for either the corrupter of Blessed Ignatius borrows many things from the Catholic Doctrine; or it is more believable that pseudo-Ignatius was nourished from the pseudo-Clementine Diataxes; whose interpolations the true Ignatius makes very clear; while the corruptions of the Constitutions, except for very few, are most hidden. I leave aside the guess of the learned man David Blondel in his judgment of the first decretal letter ascribed to Clement: that whoever wrote the διαταγὰς was by nation a Palestinian or Phoenician, since he prefers the throne of Jerusalem above the rest, book 8, chapter 10, and imposes month names found by the Tyrians. It is not about the eminence of the sees, where the Alexandrian bishop is passed over. Pseudo-Clement places James before him in that place, but in many others after him. Did those who used the same month names as our διαταγεῖς have a Phoenician homeland? [PG 1.514]

In addition to these things, I hesitate to agree with learned men that the τῶν ἀποστόλων διδαχάς or διδαχή, mentioned by Eusebius in History book 3, chapter 25, Athanasius in Festal Letter 39 and in the Synopsis of Sacred Scripture, if it is his, Nicephorus of Constantinople in Στιχομετρίᾳ (where it is commonly read as διδαχή, but if the manuscript codex is trusted according to John Croius, chapter 1 of Observations on the New Testament, it shows διαδοχαί, which I clearly consider a mistake for διδαχαί), and Nicephorus Callistus in Ecclesiastical History, book 2, chapter 46, is a different work from the Apostolic Constitutions or the Catholic Doctrine. For Zonaras, in the letter of Athanasius mentioned shortly, praised by the most learned and diligent Usserius in the Prolegomena to the Ignatian letters, chapter 7, and also found in manuscripts 277 and 507 of the Royal Library, speaks in this way: Τὴν δὲ διδαχὴν τῶν ἀποστόλων, τινὲς λέγουσιν εἶναι τὰς διὰ τοῦ Κλήμεντος γραφείσας τῶν ἀποστόλων διατάξεις, ἃς ἡ λεγομένη ἕκτη σύνοδος ἀναγινώσκεσθαι οὐ συγχωρεῖ, ὡς νοθευθείσας καὶ παραφθαρείσας ὑπὸ αἱρετικῶν. Matthew Blastares, an unpublished collector of canons, hidden in many libraries, letter β, chapter 11, agrees with this, where about the place of Saint Athanasius he says these words: Ἔξωθεν δὲ τῶν κανονιζομένων εἶναί φησι, τὴν Σοφίαν Σολομῶντος, etc., τὸν Ποιμένα, καὶ τὴν διδαχὴν τῶν ἁγίων ἀποστόλων· ταύτην δὲ ἡ ἕκτη σύνοδος ἠθέτησεν.

But on the other hand, they argue as follows. First, Athanasius counts the Διδαχὴν τῶν ἀποστόλων among those books that were to be read to catechumens; whereas the books of the Constitutions are addressed to bishops and deal with matters relating to the governance of the Church, and other things more secret, which is why they are forbidden by the last apostolic canon to be brought into the common people. Second, the διδαχή, according to Nicephorus of Constantinople and his interpreter Anastasius the Librarian in the στιχομετρία, consists of only 200 verses; but the Constitutions are much longer. Third, in the index of Scriptures attached to Anastasius of Nicaea's Questions, in the public library of Oxford University, Διδαχαὶ τῶν ἀποστόλων and Διδασκαλία Κλήμεντος are listed as distinct works, both apocryphal; but the title διδασκαλίας is preferred for the Diataxes; therefore the Διδαχαὶ must be separated from the Constitutions. Fourth, in the Athanasian Synopsis, Διδαχὴ ἀποστόλων and Κλημέντια are mentioned as two books; but the Constitutions are contained in the Clementines, since they bear the name of Clement. Fifth, when Eusebius discusses the works of Clement, he omits the Doctrines of the apostles. Sixth, the codex of the apostolic Constitutions contains many Arian elements, but neither the Arians brought it forward to confirm their error, nor did Athanasius consider it; so it happens that, at the time of Athanasius, the Apostolorum Doctrina existed, but our Constitutions had not yet seen the light. They conclude that the book of τῶν ἀποστολικῶν Διδαγμάτων, cited in the Questions, whose name is preferred by Anastasius of Nicaea in question 93, is to be held the same as ἀποστόλων Διδαχαῖς, a different book from the Diataxes; and that the present Constitutions were also compiled from the διδαχῇ of the apostles and the Epiphanian διατάξει. [PG 1.515]

Nevertheless, there is no lack of things to reply to all these; as follows. To point 1: The Diataxis and Catholic Doctrine are called not only to bishops but also to laypeople and all Christians; as the opening words of the book testify: Οἱ ἀπόστολοι καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι πᾶσι τοῖς ἐξ ἐθνῶν πιστεύσασιν εἰς τὸν Κύριον, etc. And indeed, who would dare to assert that the last apostolic canon applies only to that age and to the first edition of the Διατάξεων, which Saint Epiphanius used; or that the first corrupter wished to hide it? Then from the Athanasian Synopsis, a man of no small learning, John Dallæus, in De Pseudepigraphis Apostolicis book 1, chapter 4, observes that there were two bodies of the Apostolic Doctrine, one in which the whole book was contained, and another in which only those parts of the book were read which had been selected by the Fathers as useful. Hence it follows that, speaking in the last apostolic canon about the whole διαταγαῖς or διδαχαῖς, Blessed Athanasius can speak in the festal letter only about the selected parts. To point 2: Perhaps Nicephorus of Constantinople saw only a shortened διδαχὴ, and so it consists of only 200 verses. Or one ought to prefer the reading of Croius's manuscript, ς, 6000. To point 3: That index is also appended to Anastasius's Questions in manuscript 1789 of the Christian King's Library. It is indeed as follows:

On the 60 books, and which ones are outside of them.
Περὶ τῶν ξʹ βιβλίων, καὶ ὅσα τούτων ἐκτός.

1, Genesis. 2, Exodus. 3, Leviticus. 4, Numbers. 5, Deuteronomy. 6, Joshua. 7, Judges and Ruth. 8, First Book of Kings. 9, Second Book of Kings. 10, Third Book of Kings. 11, Fourth Book of Kings. 12, Paralipomena, fifth. 13, Job. 14, Psalms. 15, Proverbs. 16, Ecclesiastes. 17, Song of Songs, fifth. 18, Ezra. 19, Hosea. 20, Amos. 21, Micah. 22, Joel. 23, Jonah. 24, Obadiah. 25, Nahum. 26, Habakkuk. 27, Zephaniah. [PG 1.516] 28, Haggai. 29, Zechariah. 30, Malachi. 31, Isaiah. 32, Jeremiah. 33, Ezekiel. 34, Daniel. 35, Gospel according to Matthew. 36, according to Mark. 37, according to Luke. 38, according to John. 39, Acts of the Apostles. 40, Epistle of James. 41, Peter. 42, Peter. 43, John. 44, John. 45, John. 46, Jude. 47, Paul to the Romans. 48, to the Corinthians. 49, to the Corinthians. 50, to the Galatians. 51, to the Ephesians. 52, to the Philippians. 53, to the Colossians. 54, to the Thessalonians. 55, to the Thessalonians. 56, to Timothy. 57, to Timothy. 58, to Titus. 59, to Philemon. 60, to the Hebrews.
αʹ, Γένεσις. βʹ, Ἔξοδος. γʹ. Λευιτικόν. δʹ, Ἀριθμοί. εʹ, Δευτερονόμιον. ϛʹ, Ἰησοῦς. ζʹ, Κριταὶ καὶ Ῥούθ. ηʹ, Βασιλειῶν αʹ. θʹ, Βασιλειῶν βʹ. ιʹ, Βασιλειῶν γʹ. ιαʹ, Βασιλειῶν δʹ. ιβʹ, Παραλειπόμενα, εʹ. ιγʹ, Ἰώβ. ιδʹ, Ψαλτήριον. ιεʹ, Παροιμίαι. ιϛʹ. Ἐκκλησιαστής. ιζʹ, ᾌσματα (codex 1607 ejusdem bibliothecæ qui complectitur primam partem hujus catalogi, ᾎσμα) ᾀσμάτων εʹ. ιηʹ, Ἔσδρας. ιθʹ, Ὠσηέ. κʹ, Ἀμῶς. καʹ, Μιχαίας. κβʹ, Ἰωήλ. κγʹ, Ἰωνᾶς. κδʹ, Ἀβδίας. κεʹ, Ναούμ. κϛʹ, Ἀμβακούμ. κζʹ, Σοφονίας. κηʹ, Ἀγγαῖος. κθʹ, Ζαχαρίας. λʹ, Μαλαχίας. λαʹ, Ἡσαΐας. λβʹ, Ἱερεμίας. λγʹ, Ἰεζεκιήλ. λδʹ, Δανιήλ, λεʹ. Εὐαγγέλιον κατὰ Ματθαῖον. λϛʹ, κατὰ Μάρκον. λζʹ, κατὰ Λουκᾶν. ληʹ. κατὰ Ἰωάννην. λθʹ, Πράξεις τῶν ἀποστόλων. μʹ, Ἰακώβου ἐπιστολή. μαʹ, Πέτρου. μβʹ, Πέτρου. μγʹ, Ἰωάννου. μδʹ, Ἰωάννου. μεʹ, Ἰωάννου. μϛʹ, Ἰούδα. μζʹ, Παύλου πρὸς Ῥωμαίους. μηʹ, πρὸς Κορινθίους. μθʹ, πρὸς Κορινθίους. νʹ, πρὸς Γαλάτας. ναʹ, πρὸς Ἐφεσίους. νβʹ, πρὸς Φιλιππησίους. νγʹ, πρὸς Κολοσσαεῖς. νδʹ, πρὸς Θεσσαλονικεῖς. νεʹ, πρὸς Θεσσαλονικεῖς. νϛʹ, πρὸς Τιμόθεον. νζʹ, πρὸς Τιμόθεον. νηʹ, πρὸς Τίτον. νθʹ, πρὸς Φιλήμονα. ξʹ. πρὸς Ἑβραίους.

And those which are outside the 60: 1, Wisdom of Solomon. 2, Wisdom of Sirach. 3, Maccabees. 4, Maccabees. 5, Maccabees. 6, Maccabees. 7, Esther. 8, Judith. 9, Tobias.
Καὶ ὅσα ἔξω τῶν ξʹ, αʹ, Σοφία Σολομῶντος. βʹ, Σοφία Σιράχ. γʹ, Μακκαβαίων. δʹ, Μακκαβαίων. εʹ, Μακκαβαίων. ϛʹ, Μακκαβαίων. ζʹ, Ἐσθήρ. ηʹ, Ἰουδίθ. θʹ, Τωβίτ.

And those which are apocryphal:
Καὶ ὅσα ἀπόκρυφα·

1, Adam. 2, Enoch. 3, Lamech. 4, Patriarchs. 5, Prayer of Joseph. 6, Eldad and Medad. 7, Testament of Moses. … 9, Psalms of Solomon. 10, Revelation or Apocalypse of Elijah. 11, Vision of Isaiah. 12, Revelation of Zephaniah. 13, Revelation of Zechariah. 14, Revelation of Ezra. 15, History of James. 16, Apocalypse of Peter. 17, Periods or Circuits and Teachings of the Apostles. 18, Epistle of Barnabas. 19, Acts of Paul. 20, Apocalypse of Paul. 21, Teaching of Clement. 22, Teaching of Ignatius. [PG 1.517] 23, Teaching of Polycarp. 24, Gospel according to Barnabas. 25, Gospel according to Matthew.
αʹ, Ἀδάμ. βʹ, Ἐνώχ. γʹ, Λάμεχ. δʹ, Πατριάρχαι. εʹ, Ἰωσὴφ Προσευχή. ϛʹ, Ἐλδὰμ καὶ Μοδάμ. ζʹ, Διαθήκη Μωσέως … θʹ, Ψαλμοὶ Σολομῶντος. ιʹ, Ἠλιοῦ ἀποκάλυψις. ιαʹ, Ἡσαΐου ὅρασις. ιβʹ, Σοφονίου Ἀποκάλυψις, ιγʹ, Ζαχαρίου Ἀποκάλυψις. ιδʹ, Ἔσδρα Ἀποκάλυψις. ιεʹ, Ἰακώβου Ἱστορία. ιϛʹ, Πέτρου Ἀποκάλυψις. ιζʹ, Περίοδοι καὶ Διδαχαὶ τῶν ἀποστόλων. ιηʹ, Βαρνάβα Ἐπιστολή. ιθʹ, Παύλου Πρᾶξις. κʹ, Παύλου Ἀποκάλυψις. καʹ, Διδασκαλία Κλήμεντος. κβʹ, Ἰγνατίου διδασκαλία. κγʹ, Πολυκάρπου διδασκαλία. κδʹ, Εὐαγγέλιον κατὰ Βαρνάβα. κεʹ, Εὐαγγέλιον κατὰ Ματθαῖον.

Where I see Διδαχὰς τῶν ἀποστόλων and Διδασκαλίαν Κλήμεντος distinguished, I do not see by what reason they are distinguished. Why not as a Book, from a Summary of the Book? Besides, there were many διδασκαλίαι and Teachings. Those of Ignatius and Polycarp are here. The Teaching of Peter, according to Origen and Damascus. Διδασκαλίαι τῶν ἁγίων ἀποστόλων, book 5, of Greco-Roman law in the Question 2 of Mark of Alexandria and the Response of Theodorus Balsamon to it, as well as the Apostolic Didascalia, which is circulated among the Ethiopians. Why then would there not also have existed a Διδασκαλία Κλήμεντος, different from the Καθολικὴ διδασκαλία? To point 4. Well, two books are made in the Synopsis called by Athanasius. Διδαχὴ τῶν ἀποστόλων, and Κλημέντια, as in Nicephorus' History book 3, chapter 18, Διατάξεις ἀποστολικαί and τὰ Κλημέντια. To point 5. Perhaps in the same way Clementine Diataxes are omitted by Eusebius, which he mentions elsewhere under the name of Apostolic Doctrines, by which the Clementine Periods, which he recalls elsewhere, seem to be passed over, calling them Acts of Peter. To point 6. How many other things of the Ancients could be cited to the Arians, and left to Athanasius to dissolve? For example, to not depart from Clement, the books of Recognitions, full of Arianism. Yet we do not read that these were brought forth by them in the Writings of St. Athanasius. To the first conclusion. The place of Anastasius does not indeed exist in the Questions published by Jacobus Gretser; but it is presented in the Edition of Gentian Hervet. The manuscript book number 1789, of the Royal Treasury, after the hundred Questions of Anastasius, has written:

On the appearance of the Lord; from the Apostolic Constitutions.
Περὶ τῆς ἐπιφανείας τοῦ Κυρίου· ἐκ τῶν ἀποστολικῶν Διαταγμάτων.

For our Lord Jesus Christ was indeed born of the holy Virgin Mary, in Bethlehem, according to the Egyptians on Chæac 29, the tenth hour of the night; which is the 8th day before the Kalends of January. He was baptized in the thirtieth year of his age, by John, on the 11th of the month Tybi, January 6, at the seventh hour of the day, in the river Jordan. He remained with us in the world, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of heaven, and healing [PG 1.518] every disease and every sickness among the people, until he was born 32 years and three months old. In the thirty-third year of his age he was crucified, on Phamenoth 23, ( March 25), the sixth day, at the sixth hour of the day, and the 14th of the moon. He rose again on the third day, the first day of the month Pharmuthi 1, ( March 27) at the sixth hour of the night; and he was seen by all of us his disciples; and he revealed his glory for forty days, teaching us to preach in his name repentance and forgiveness of sins. He was taken up on Pachon the tenth ( May 5), at the ninth hour of the day.
Ἐτέχθη μὲν γὰρ ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς ἐκ τῆς ἁγίας παρθένου Μαρίας ἐν Βηθλεὲμ, ἐν μηνὶ κατὰ Αἰγυπτίους Χοιὰκ (al. Χυὰκ) κεʹ (f. κθʹ) [in marg. Δεκεμβρίῳ (f. add. κεʹ)], ὥρᾳ ἑβδόμῃ τῆς ἡμέρας (f. δεκάτῃ τῆς νυκτός), ὅ ἐστιν πρὸ ὀκτὼ Καλάνδων Ἰανουαρίων· ἐβαπτίσθη δὲ ἐν τῷ τριακοστῷ αὐτοῦ ἔτει, ὑπὸ Ἰωάννου, τοῦ Τυβὴ (al. Τυβὶ) ιαʹ, [in marg. Ἰαννουαρίῳ, ϛʹ.] ὥρᾳ δεκάτῃ τῆς νυκτὸς (f. ἑβδόμῃ τῆς ἡμέρας), ἐν τῷ Ἰορδάνῃ ποταμῷ. Ἔμεινεν δὲ σὺν ἡμῖν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, κηρύσσων τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν, καὶ θεραπεύων πᾶσαν νόσον καὶ πᾶσαν μαλακίαν ἐν τῷ λαῷ, ἕως ἐγένετο ἐτῶν λβʹ, καὶ μηνῶν τριῶν, ἐν δὲ τῷ τριακοστῷ τρίτῳ ἔτει αὐτοῦ ἐσταυρώθη, Φαμενὼθ κθʹ [in marg. Μαρτίῳ, κγʹ], ἡμέρᾳ ἕκτῃ, ὥρᾳ ἕκτῃ τῆς ἡμέρας, καὶ τῆς σελήνης ιδʹ· ἀνέστη δὲ ἐν τριημέρῳ, Ηαρμουθή (al. Φαρμουθί) (f. deest. αʹ) [in marg. Ἀπριλλίῳ] ἡμέρᾳ πρώτῃ, ὥρᾳ ἕκτῃ τῆς νυκτός· καὶ ὤφθη πᾶσιν ἡμῖν τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐφανέρωσεν τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ διʼ ἡμερῶν τεσσαράκοντα, διδάσκων ἡμᾶς κηρύσσειν ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ μετάνοιαν καὶ ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν. Ἀνελήφθη δὲ Παγὼν γʹ (f. ιʹ) [in marg. Μαΐῳ γʹ], ὥρᾳ θʹ τῆς ἡμέρας.

The same fragment from the Apostolic Constitutions is shown in codex 1067, with some variations; for example, it omits what is read in the margin of the previous text, and it does not give the days of the months Chœac, Tybi, and Phamenoth. However, it can be said that this excerpt belongs to the Teachings and Instructions of the Apostles, or to the first Constitutions, or to some unknown interpolation of them; similar to the Ethiopian version; which is partly like ours and partly different, as is gathered from what Goes reports about the Ethiopian religion from Damian. Indeed, in the Questions of Anastasius, question 60, p. 398, these are found, from the Apostolic Constitutions, ὅταν γὰρ καθίσῃ, etc., but they are not found in our copies. John of Nicaea also mentions in volume II of the Auctarium of Combefisianus an Apostolic Constitution of some unknown Jacob concerning the birth of the Lord. And the Iconoclasts, in opposition to sacred images, object to the Apostolic Constitution as fictitious and non-existent, according to the Catholic writer Nicephorus CP in his Antirrheticus 2, codex Reg. 781. See also below at book iii, chapter 14.

FRANCISCI PAGI ON THE JUDGMENT OF THE APOSTOLIC CONSTITUTIONS AND CANONS.

Library of Canon Law, and the same John, presbyter of the Church of Antioch from the order of the Scholastics, says in the preface: The holy Lord's disciples and apostles published eighty-five canons through the work of Clement. After this collection of John, the Trullan synod received and approved them, canon 2, and after that the general synod 7, which by action 1 agreed that from the Library of the patriarchate of Constantinople both the canons of the holy apostles and the books of the holy synods should be brought forward: And the venerable notary of the patriarchate read: Canon of the holy apostles fifty-three (now fifty-two). If any presbyter does not receive but rejects one who turns from sin, let him be deposed, etc. Up to seventy-seven, Alexius Aristenus, deacon of the Church of Constantinople, lists in the Synopsis of Canons, which was first published in volume II of the Library of Canon Law, where after Aristenus is added the Epitome of Canons of Simeon the Master and Logothete, in which eighty-two apostolic canons are shown. Also added is the Synopsis of Canons of Arlenius the monk, who at chapter 4 adds: the holy apostolic canons eighty-five, and elsewhere shows other apostolic canons so that it is clear that eighty-five canons were accepted by him; these were also long accepted before those collectors by Photius in the Nomocanon, to which a preface was published, writing: Canons which are called of the holy apostles, collected by the work of Clement eighty-five. And it can be seen that the Easterners everywhere admitted all eighty-five canons, which in fact, after the decree of Gratian, published by order of Gregory XIII, are found, as also everywhere in all editions of Councils. More is praised by Schelstratius and Natalis Alexander in dissertation 17 on the Church of the first century.
It was after the time of Dionysius Exiguus. Hence, what Pope Gelasius stated at the Roman synod of seventy bishops: The book of apostolic canons is apocryphal, is to be understood in a convenient sense. For besides the fact that these words are not found in the Justellus manuscript, it can be said that Pope Gelasius spoke this because these canons are not from the apostles but collected by others, whence Marca, praised at number 7, rightly says: There are various classes of apocrypha in [PG 1.521] the Notitia of Gelasius, as learned men have observed, since not only the fabrications of heretics come under this judgment, but also treatises in which there are certain blemishes. Nor do we need another example than Eusebius' History, which Gelasius calls apocryphal, although a little earlier he had decided it should be accepted; which, clearly, means those books of History are allowed with certain blemishes although, he says, because of their special knowledge of matters pertaining to instruction, we do not say they should be rejected altogether. The same, says the praised Schelstratius in chapter 1, must be said about the apostolic canons, which contain a certain singular teaching of the primitive Church, although elsewhere, because of certain blemishes, they are listed among the apocrypha by Gelasius. Nor were these canons rejected by the ancients, both Greek and Latin writers, as the same Schelstratius adds, as is clear from the one hundred canons once everywhere received, and confirmed after Gelasius by the collection of Dionysius Exiguus. After Dionysius, Cresconius, bishop of some city in Africa, in his collection counts up to the one hundred apostolic canons and cites them to confirm his titles. Anastasius the Librarian also mentions Stephen pope IV, or rather III, who at the Lateran synod in the year 769 established action IV: No more of the Apostolic canons presented by St. Clement shall be received except the one hundred chapters which the holy Catholic Roman Church has accepted. This council was published by Holstenius, and Humbert, legate of Leo IX, confirmed the praised decision from it in a response to the book of Nicetas, priest and monk, published against the Latins: The Fathers count the book of Clement, that is, the Itinerary of the Apostle Peter and the Apostolic canons, among the apocrypha, except the one hundred chapters which they decreed should be added to the orthodox faith. And this indeed concerns the Western Church not disapproving the one hundred apostolic canons, but finally approving them through popes and synods, and almost everywhere receiving them. [PG 1.522] Concordance of Priesthood and Empire, book iii, chapter 2, number 5, that it seems earlier than the Nicene synod but later than the year 258. The reason for the earlier date is that Emperor Constantine, in letter 2 to Eusebius and the Antiochenes, cites canon 13, from which it is clear that those canons were known before the Nicene synod. The reason for the later date, year 258, is drawn from the fact that Firmilian, bishop of Caesarea, used them to prove the custom prevailing in the East of rejecting the baptism of heretics, although they themselves openly favored it. For canon 45 is worded thus: We order that a bishop or presbyter who has accepted the baptism or sacrifice of heretics be deposed. For what agreement has Christ with Belial? Or what part has the faithful with the unfaithful? And canon 46: A bishop or presbyter who baptizes anew one who already has baptism, or who does not baptize one polluted by the impious, shall be deposed, as one who mocks the death and cross of the Lord and does not distinguish priests from false priests. Since Firmilian, in a letter to Cyprian opposing the baptism of heretics, praises the custom lauded by Pope Stephen with a sharper style than was proper for a Christian bishop, and since in the year 256 or 257 when he wrote it he did not cite the aforementioned canons, it must be gathered from his silence that the apostolic canons were unknown at that time. Canons commonly called apostolic are filled with a certain singular teaching of the Primitive Church. The Constitutions, indeed, contained in eight books, were published by Charles Bovius, bishop of Ostuni, in the year 1573, and translated from Greek into Latin. Afterwards, Francis Turrianus translated them into Latin and illustrated them with commentaries. But the author of these Constitutions is not Clement of Rome, because Eusebius, book iii, chapter 15, and Jerome On Ecclesiastical Writers, when discussing the writings of St. Clement, mention only one letter of his to the Corinthians. Furthermore, Humbert Cardinal, bishop of Silva Candida, legate of Leo IX at Constantinople, replying to Nicetas Pectoratus who objected to certain passages of the Apostolic Constitutions against the Sabbath fast, says these words: You try to assert this from apocryphal books and canons, rejected with the same judgment by the holy Fathers; and a little later: Therefore, we also, rejecting all apocrypha, disdain to hear their fabulous traditions, because they are not like the law of the Lord. Nicetas had cited the fifth and seventh books of the Ordinations, or Apostolic Constitutions. From Humbert's response, Christian Lupus, in volume ii, on Canon i: Trullan, concludes that those Constitutions are apocryphal and that it was the judgment of the apostolic see, whose legation Humbert held. Besides Lupus, one should also read Schelstratius in volume ii of Antiquities Illustrated, dissertation 2, chapter 2; Natalis Alexander, section 1, and others who have more to say about these constitutions.

( From the Breviary of the Roman Pontiffs' History, in the Life of Clement, § V and following)

ON THE APOSTOLIC CONSTITUTIONS CRITICAL AND CHRONOLOGICAL NOTE.

homoousion, although he never uses it even when the matter and occasion often required it. For this reason, I think it can be proven that the celebration of the Council of Nicaea was preceded by this work. If these conjectures are accepted, the place of the published constitutions must be set within the period concluded by the years 309 and 325. tolerance as better than vengeance (book vi, chapter 23). If you listen to this author, the custom of the Africans regarding the rebaptizing of heretics is far better than the Roman discipline, which admits and accepts that sacrament no matter who administered it. See book vi, chapter 15. The custom mentioned by the author in book ii, chapter 57, of temples specially built for Christians with a particular rite, shows an age much later than the apostolic one [PG 1.523] . For it is quite well established to me that temples were first built by Christians only in the second century. When he lists bishops sent to various churches of the world, he mentions those who lived long after the apostles. See book vii, chapter 47. Indeed, in the author's own time, the Church of Christ was spread throughout the world and rightly claimed the name catholic, a praise with which the same author honors it more than once. But no one fails to understand how undeservedly this is affirmed of the Church as it was in the age of the apostles. From all this I judge it proven that this composition neither belongs to the apostolic age nor should be preferred to it.

(Mansi, Councils, I, 254; Florence, 1759, in folio.)

ON THE APOSTOLIC CONSTITUTIONS PUBLISHED BY HIPPOLYTUS, BISHOP OF PORTUS

([On the Teachers,] Acts of the Martyrs at Ostia on the Tiber under Claudius Gothicus (Rome, 1795, in folio), in the Dissertation On the Life and Writings of Saint Hippolytus, Bishop of Portus, p. 134.)

Chapter 1

Whether the Constitutions rightly bear the name of Clement of Rome.—However, I do not see how anyone can deny that Clement of Rome was the first to put his hand to this work. Traces of the age in which they were first compiled still remain in the Constitutions, though somewhat corrupted. For when mention is made of several churches that had their own bishops appointed by the apostles, they do not go beyond the third succession; as when it is said of Smyrna: Σμύρνης δὲ Ἀρίστων πρῶτος, μεθʼ ὃν Στραταίας ὁ Λώϊδος, καὶ τρίτος Ἀρίστων: Ariston was the first of Smyrna, after whom Stratæas, son of Loïs, and third Ariston. There is no mention here of Polycarp or his successor Bucolus, so Cotelerius noted: After the second Ariston, one may count Bucolus, and then Polycarp, who, according to the ancients, was appointed over Smyrna by the apostle John, and who therefore could have been mentioned here; indeed, he could have been mentioned by someone other than Clement, since what Cotelerius wrote is clear. Therefore, Clement could not have gone beyond that succession and tradition which he had before his eyes, to use the words of Irenaeus. For the holy teacher, when using arguments taken from tradition against heretics, especially appeals to Clement: Τρίτῳ τόπῳ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀποστόλων τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν κληροῦται Κλήμης, ὁ καὶ ἑωρακὼς τοὺς μακαρίους ἀποστόλους, καὶ συμβεβληκὼς αὐτοῖς, καὶ ἔτι ἔναυλον τὸ κήρυγμα τῶν ἀποστόλων, καὶ τὴν παράδοσιν πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν ἔχων, κ. τ. λ. In the third place from the apostles the bishopric is inherited by Clement, who both saw the blessed apostles and was joined with them, and still had the preaching of the apostles ringing, and had the tradition before his eyes… announcing the tradition he had recently received from the apostles. Therefore, returning to the tradition which is from the apostles and remains with us, we turn to that which is shown from the Scriptures. The same argument derived from tradition is commended by Irenaeus in the preface to the third book addressed to a friend, whom we indicated above to be none other than Hippolytus: It happens that they no longer agree with either the Scriptures or tradition. Against such we have a contest, O most beloved. Thus, at the time of Irenaeus, there was in the Church a certain fixed tradition about which no one except a heretic would doubt. Irenaeus sufficiently indicates that this same tradition was collected by Clement, which Hippolytus published as deposited in the Archive of the Church of Rome or at least kept somewhere. Although we do not only act to claim the Constitutions for Clement, the cause is partly common to both him and Hippolytus, since the former outlined the construction of this excellent work and the latter completed it. Both wrote in Greek, but each used some Latin expression commonly used, as when he says: Ἔστω δὲ τῶν τόπων προνοῶν ὁ διάκονος, ἵνʼ ἕκαστος τῶν εἰσερχομένων εἰς τὸν ἴδιον τόπον ὁρμᾷ, καὶ μὴ παρὰ τὸ Ἰντρόϊτον καθέζωνται. But the deacon should provide for the places, so that each of those entering may go to his own place, and no one should sit by the Introïtus. Here the author reveals himself, having borrowed τὸ ἰντρόϊτον from the Latins among whom he lived, otherwise he would not have departed from the usual Greek expressions. Similar is πρόσρησις, Latin adlocutio, and προσλαλεῖν, to address, as the author wanted to express a Roman custom rather than a Greek one. But many things can also be found which suit the Roman Church, though it is uncertain whether they suit others at the beginning of the third century. And these remained despite the worst heretic, who adulterated the Constitutions, about whom something must be said. [PG 1.528] The representation and arrangement of the Absaltis of the Canons of our Lord. Here it appears that the Canons and their Collector are called by their proper name, which is nothing other than that of Hippolytus. But since they also use a plural number to signify that collection, namely [PG 1.527] አብጥሊሳት፡ Abtelisat, they understand it as the collected works or commands of Hippolytus. This book contains eighty-one canons, which they also call Apostolic. The Canons of Hippolytus, teacher and pope of Rome, number thirty-eight. Indeed, the name Hippolytus has become so established among the Ethiopians that it is accepted instead of the word Canon: for the words Abtelis, Abseltis, and Betelsat, by which they call the second collection, cannot be traced elsewhere. They say this second collection comes from Abulides, a name by which they call Hippolytus, variously altered and corrupted. Since in their own language they do not have the origin of those words which they use as titles, they say these titles Abtelis or Betelsat and Abseltis mean Canon in Greek, which no one sees to be true or appropriate. Ludolph prefers to attribute such corruptions to the Copts; indeed, since the Ethiopians received all their teaching from them, it is necessary that they also received the error, and more easily from the latter, if not from both. The title itself confirms that these things stand thus for this other Collection. These are the canons of the Church, the commands which Hippolytus wrote, through whom the [Church] speaks. But the Ethiopians, from ancient times, after the Canons of the apostles, which they number 127, include ሌየደሰ፡ዘእሲድለ፡ሌቀ፡ቋቋሳት፡ዘርሟ፡ሠፗ Constitutions of the apostles through Hippolytus. And in the sacred volumes of the Arabs, or rather of the Copts of the Alexandrian Church, who use their language In the East, the name of Hippolytus almost everywhere remained.—Therefore, in the East, where the corruption of Hippolytus' name did not take place, the opposite happened; namely, with the name of Clement erased, the name of Hippolytus almost remained among the Easterners, whom they regard as the founder of the laws of the whole Church. For in the very oldest Syriac manuscripts written before the eighth century occur Why the name of Hippolytus is preserved in the eighth book of the Constitutions.—The name of Hippolytus remained uncorrupted in the eighth book of the same Constitutions, either because that book was once the first; or because, separated from the others, it retained only the name of Hippolytus. The title of this eighth book is: Περὶ χειροτονιῶν διὰ Ἱππολύτου: On ordinations through Hippolytus, or even Ἱππολύτου κανόνες ἐκκλησιαστικοὶ περὶ ἀπαρχῶν: Hippolytus' ecclesiastical canons on first fruits, according as anyone had copied it for himself, either the fourth chapter which is on ordinations, or the thirtieth on first fruits from these Constitutions. Certainly this eighth book is torn into various fragments, from which other little books were made, such as Πέτρου καὶ Παύλου τῶν ἁγίων Ἀποστόλων διατάξεις, or κανόνες διάφοροι: Constitutions of Peter and Paul the holy Apostles or various canons. Nor is it by chance that the name of Hippolytus is usually placed before this eighth book, since it begins with the little work Περὶ χαρισμάτων, On Charisms, which the inscription on a marble chair most certainly attributes to Hippolytus, where it reads ΠΕΡΙ ΧΑΡΙϹΜΑΤΩΝ and then follows ΑΠΟϹΤΟΛΙΚΗ ΠΑΡΑΔΟϹΙϹ. This is indeed proof that the eighth book was the beginning of the Apostolic Tradition and so of the Constitutions which Clement collected, but Hippolytus published to the public. The other seven books contained ἡ Καθολικὴ διδασκαλία διʼ Ἱππολύτου: Catholic Doctrine through Hippolytus, in the gathering and arranging of which the author perhaps put more effort than in the other works, of which he made many and laborious. [PG 1.526] Apostolic Constitutions, although the author and their editor are unknown; just as the corrupter who interpolated them has so far remained hidden. For even if they prefer the name of Clement of Rome, they cannot be attributed to him, who lived before many of the things explained in the Constitutions had a place. But this criticism does not fall on the editor of the same Constitutions, who lived in the third century, since almost everything contained in these Constitutions fits that time. We will make it clear that this editor was Hippolytus, who not for a light reason, but a very serious one, was the first to lay hands on the edition of the Canons of the Church, and paved the way for others to enrich this excellent work with new additions; so that in this work, the institutions and customs the Church used from the beginning would appear. Still, the title of these same Constitutions reveals the name of their editor; it is as follows: Διαταγαὶ τῶν ἁγίων ἀποστόλων διὰ Κλήμεντος τοῦ Ῥωμαίων ἐπισκόπου τε καὶ πολίτου, ἢ κοθολικὴ διδασκαλία: Constitutions of the holy apostles through Clement, bishop and citizen of the Romans, or Catholic Doctrine. One might wonder how very sharp men, especially Cotelerius, Beveregius, Grabius, Clericus, who examined every little detail, did not notice that Clement is called not only bishop but also citizen of Rome: and this quite improperly, contrary to the custom of all antiquity. And indeed many have praised Clement of Rome, but no one calls him citizen of Rome. Added to this are the writings of Clement, partly genuine, partly falsely attributed to him, in which such a title never occurs except in the Homilies and Constitutions, and that with so little trust that scholars still debate the homeland of Clement. Therefore, the title of the Constitutions was as follows: Διαταγαὶ τῶν ἁγίων ἀποστόλων διὰ Κλήμεντος τοῦ Ῥωμαίων ἐπισκόπου, καὶ Ἱππολύτου, ἡ καθολικὴ διδασκαλία: Constitutions of the holy apostles through Clement, bishop of the Romans, and Hippolytus, Catholic Doctrine. Anyone can easily see how the name Ἱππολύτου was changed into τοῦ πολίτου, Hippolytus into citizen, and how important this correction is. For it clearly distinguishes in the title what is to be attributed to Clement and what to Hippolytus; indeed, the Apostolic Constitutions or their collection is ascribed to Clement: but to Hippolytus the Catholic Doctrine, opposed to heretics. And rightly Baronius and other very learned men judged that the Apostolic Constitutions and Doctrines, διαταγὰς καὶ διδασκαλίας, were contained in one and the same work, which otherwise the most skillful critics divided into two. For it was not noticed by them that from these Constitutions certain excerpts exist, shorter or longer as suited each one; and these excerpts were imposed by critics as if they belonged to another work.

The corrupted title in the Apostolic Constitutions is restored. Clement of Rome and Hippolytus worked hard in collecting and publishing these. Paulus of Samosata was the corrupter of the Constitutions.

Chapter 2

Which indeed the canons of the apostles, transmitted through Hippolytus, command. The discussion was about the first canon of the apostles: A bishop is to be ordained by two or three bishops. Finally, Hippolytus himself confirms this opinion in another work that he composed in later years: Οἶκον Θεοῦ τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν, ἐπιστέλλων ὁ Παῦλος Τιμοθέῳ καλεῖ: Ἐὰν δὲ βραδύνω, ἵνα εἰδῇς πῶς δεῖ ἐν οἴκῳ Θεοῦ ἀναστρέφεσθαι, ἥτις ἐστὶν Ἐκκλησία τοῦ Θεοῦ ζῶντος. Τούτου τοῦ οἴκου ἀγαθὰ τὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος χαρίσματα, τά τε περὶ Τριάδος, καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ δόγματα, οἵτε παραδοθέντες ὑπὸ τῶν ἀποστόλων θεσμοὶ καὶ κανόνες. Ἐν δὲ τούτῳ θαυμαστῶς ἡ ἀρετὴ ἐπιτελεῖται, καλουμένη δικαιοσύνη. Paul, writing to Timothy, calls the Church the house of God: If I delay, that you may know how one ought to behave in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God. The good things of this house are the gifts of the Spirit, and those concerning the Trinity, and the other doctrines, both traditions, Constitutions, and Apostolic Canons. In these, virtue is wonderfully accomplished, which is called justice. This in a way challenges the very work we are discussing, and it lists individually not only gifts and apostolic traditions but also Canons, so it becomes clearer that these were also in Hippolytus's collection. Therefore, we are uncertain about the number of canons Hippolytus listed, but not about the collection itself. Just as the testimony above fits Hippolytus, who expressed the very title of his work and its contents, so no one afterward could have spoken in that way falsely. For shortly after, turning to the same third century, when Hippolytus's work was corrupted and interpolated in the East, and thus, as it now stands, is reported among the apocrypha: who then would have placed the chief praise of the Church in apocryphal or doubtful Constitutions? Indeed, it belongs to Hippolytus's praise that other very ancient collections, either forged or interpolated by heretics and marked with the great names of the Fathers, were rejected; yet his own collection, though interpolated, surpasses many others. Just as the teaching of the Shepherd was disapproved, so also the teaching of Ignatius, the teaching of Polycarp, and others of this kind, about which Athanasius rightly declared: Αἱρετικῶν ἐστιν ἐπίνοια, γραφόντων μὲν ὅτι θέλουσιν αὐτὰ, χαριζομένων δὲ καὶ προστιθέντων αὐτοῖς χρόνους, ἵνα ὡς παλαιὰ προφέροντες, πρόφασιν ἔχωσιν ἀπατᾷν ἐκ τούτου τοὺς ἀκεραίους. These are the inventions of heretics, who write what they want; and times are granted and added to them, so that, presenting them as ancient, they may have an excuse to deceive the innocent. On the Apostolic Canons. Whether collected by Hippolytus [PG 1.534] . — Since after the last book of the Constitutions, which is the eighth, the Canons of the Apostles follow by name in the manuscripts attributed to Hippolytus, something must be added about them. This collection is indeed very ancient, before the time of the Council of Nicaea, as stricter critics admit; nothing in it occurs that does not fit the age of Hippolytus: indeed, the canon on the Pascha reveals his genius, that it should not be celebrated πρὸ τῆς ἐαρινῆς ἰσημερίας μετὰ Ἰουδαίων, before the vernal equinox with the Jews; which certainly is owed to the synods gathered on this matter by Bishop Victor, from which Hippolytus took the argument to publish the book On the Pascha, and then the Paschal Canon. It has been shown that many of these canons were received by the Roman Church, which would hardly have happened if the Roman Church had kept other canons from two different sources. But from whom else would the Roman Church have received the canons except from itself? And this is so true that the name of Bishop Zephyrinus is prefixed to those same canons, which were approved by the Roman Church. However, no one has rashly assumed the name of Zephyrinus, although Hippolytus lived and wrote under him, even though a letter forged in his name exists. Nor could Hippolytus, without the knowledge or consent of the bishop, have entered the archives and been the first to bring hidden canons to light; so if the authority of Zephyrinus intervened, it may be supposed that Hippolytus somewhere commended Zephyrinus's name in his collection, or at least indicated the time of his work. Indeed, in the East the opinion prevailed that the canons of the apostles were collected by Hippolytus, whence they also cite the canons of the apostles through Hippolytus, as John of Damascus, who lived in the eighth and ninth centuries, shows that no one in his time doubted that Hippolytus was the editor of those same canons. The teaching and genius of Hippolytus still shine forth in the Constitutions. — Not only words, but other things of Hippolytus can be noticed in the Constitutions, as when he calls Jesus Christ ἀρχιερέα πάντων τῶν λογικῶν ταγμάτων, High Priest of all the rational orders, a phrase which Hippolytus repeated against the heresy of Beron, which Petavius does not entirely approve; whether justly or unjustly must be examined in its place. Moreover, the liturgy presented in the Constitutions is Roman, which is still observed in the main part of the Paschal vigil. For Justin Martyr also designates the same liturgy, and writing in Rome he would not have indicated another. Although scholars agree that the liturgy of Justin and the Constitutions is one and the same, nevertheless they deny it was Roman and derive it from the East. This is not necessary, since it was more likely in use in the West, and the Greeks mostly omitted it in their manuscripts. Added to this is the notable testimony of Saint Proclus of Constantinople, who lists it first among all liturgies: Ὅ τε μακάριος Κλήμης, ὁ τοῦ κορυφαίου τῶν ἀποστόλων μαθητὴς καὶ διάδοχος, αὐτῷ τῶν ἱερῶν ἀποστόλων ὑπαγορευσάντων: Blessed indeed is Clement, disciple and successor of the chief of the apostles, who, with the holy apostles dictating to him, published it. Those who are too ready to swear to the truth and deny Saint Proclus's testimony, and who refuse to use reason, must be dismissed. Since it is observed that Hippolytus delighted in wordplays or annominations, such genius also reveals itself in the Constitutions, where the author calls pagan sacrificers not priests, ἱερέας, but μηιερέας, profane and unclean, just as he called the Sibyl Ἄβυλλαν, as if ἀβούλην, unwise and mad. But the teaching of Hippolytus was the same in the Constitutions and his other works, namely catholic: Epiphanius certainly, speaking of the Constitutions manuscript, into which he had fallen not so corrupted, gave this judgment: Πᾶσα γὰρ ἐν αὐτῷ κανονικὴ τάξις ἐμφέρεται, καὶ οὐδὲ τῆς ἐκκλησιαστικῆς διοικήσεως, καὶ κανόνος καὶ πίστεως. For every canonical order is contained in it, and nothing alien or adulterated from the faith, nor from the confession, nor from the church administration, and canon, and faith. Indeed, he went even further, calling the same Constitutions θεῖον λόγον, divine word. What if Saint Epiphanius had seen the uncorrupted and sincere collection of Hippolytus? For he calls this perpetual διάταξιν or διατάξεις, Constitution and Apostolic Constitutions, because the apostles themselves were introduced by name in them, as legislators and teachers bringing forth doctrine and precepts. But Hippolytus had only set forth the παράδοσιν ἀποστολικήν, apostolic tradition, which did not need that fiction of speaking apostles. Hence the Constitutions were first suspected, and then also counted among the apocrypha, as if corrupted by heretics. The Symmachus version applied by Hippolytus at the beginning of the Constitutions. Ἀπονηστίζεσθαι in what sense it is to be understood. — For the other translators, both the Septuagint and Aquila and Theodotion, expressed the Hebrew שרק only with Greek letters as Σωρήκ. Only Symmachus interpreted it as chosen, says Jerome. Since, however, before Hippolytus no one mentioned Symmachus, no existing writer used his interpretation, nor could they before Hippolytus, when Symmachus flourished in this age; to these other proofs is added this one, so that we may defend the Apostolic Constitutions for Hippolytus. Moreover, throughout the third century, with Origen alone excepted, we know no one who produced the Symmachus version; this observation is not of little weight for investigating the time when the Constitutions were published. Hippolytus also cites the Symmachus interpretation more than once in the few works that remain. The phrase τὸ ἀπονηστίζεσθαι, to break the fast, is also Hippolytus's, just as on Hippolytus's marble seat it is read ἀπονηστίζεσθαι δὲ δεῖ οὗ ἂν ἐμπέσῃ Κυριακή. But the fast must be broken where the Lord's Day falls. The same meaning of the word occurs often in the Constitutions, although Hervetus translated it with the opposite sense to fast, as did the famous author who illustrated the hospitable Cluniac tablet. But Joseph Scaliger said it should be taken differently in the Constitutions and in interpreting Hippolytus's seat, wrongly translating it as to transfer the fast, which others followed. Before Hippolytus no one used this word, and so it is unknown to lexicographers; after Hippolytus Dionysius of Alexandria used it, but in such a way that it almost signifies he received it from Hippolytus; for he reports the custom of the Roman Church in breaking the fast, which also recurs in the Constitutions, to confirm that they were composed in Rome. Paul of Samosata is refuted by the very passages he left untouched. — But whatever violent hands have touched in the Constitutions is completely contrary to what the interpolator inserted. At the very beginning of the Constitutions, the divinity of Christ and also of the Holy Spirit is proclaimed; since this beginning fits no one better than Hippolytus, we ascribe it to him: Θεοῦ φυτεία ἡ καθολικὴ Ἐκκλησία, καὶ ἀμπελὼν αὐτοῦ ἐκλεκτὸς, οἱ πεπιστευκότες εἰς τὴν ἀπλανῆ θεοσέβειαν αὐτοῦ, οἱ τὴν αἰώνιον καρπούμενοι διὰ πίστεως βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ, οἱ δύναμιν αὐτοῦ εἰληφότες καὶ μετουσίαν τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος, ὡπλισμένοι διὰ Ἰησοῦ, καὶ ἐνστερνισμένοι τὸν φόβον αὐτοῦ, ῥαντίσματος μέτοχοι τοῦ τιμίου καὶ ἀθώου αἵματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ, οἱ παῤῥησίαν εἰληφότες τὸν παντοκράτορα Θεὸν, Πατέρα καλεῖν, συγκληρονόμοι καὶ συμμέτοχοι τοῦ ἠγαπημένου Παιδὸς αὐτοῦ· ἀκούσατε διδασκαλίαν ἱερὰν, οἱ ἀντεχόμενοι τῆς ἐπαγγελίας αὐτοῦ ἐκ προστάγματος τοῦ Σωτῆρος, ὁμόστοιχον ταῖς ἐνδόξοις φθογγαῖς αὐτοῦ. Φυλάσσεσθε οἱ Θεοῦ υἱοὶ ἅπαντα εἰς ὑπακοὴν Θεοῦ πράσσειν. Καὶ γένεσθε ἀρεστοὶ ἐν πᾶσι Χριστῷ τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν. The Catholic Church is the planting of God, and his chosen vineyard, those who have believed in his unwavering piety, those who reap his eternal kingdom through faith, those who have received his power and the participation of the Holy Spirit, armed through Jesus, and embracing his fear, sharers of the sprinkling of the precious and innocent blood of Christ, those who have received boldness to call God Almighty Father, coheirs and partakers of his beloved Son; listen to the sacred teaching, you who hold fast to his promise by the command of the Savior, in harmony with his glorious voices. Watch, sons of God, that you do all things in obedience to God. And be pleasing in all things to Christ our God. Here we have a sincere confession of God the Almighty Father, [PG 1.532] Christ our God, and the Holy Spirit, into which the forger did not venture, lest he be caught immediately at the very beginning. The Church is indeed called ἀμπελὼν ἐκλεκτός, the chosen vineyard of God from Isaiah according to the Symmachus version. Paul of Samosata reveals himself in more than one place in the Constitutions. — It is enough for us to point out the corrupter of the Constitutions, whom anyone willing to pay attention to these things can hear speaking and almost see before their eyes. Ὁ ἐπίσκοπος … οὗτος ἄρχων καὶ ἡγούμενος ὑμῶν. Οὗτος ὑμῶν βασιλεὺς καὶ δυνάστης. Οὗτος ὑμῶν ἐπίγειος Θεὸς μετὰ Θεὸν, ὃς ὀφείλει τῆς παρʼ ὑμῶν τιμῆς ἀπολαύειν … ὁ γὰρ ἐπίσκοπος προκαθεζέσθω ὑμῶν, ὡς Θεοῦ ἀξίᾳ τετιμημένος, ᾗ κρατεῖ τοῦ κλήρου, καὶ τοῦ λαοῦ παντὸς ἄρχει. Ὁ δὲ διάκονος τούτῳ παριστάσθω ὡς ὁ Χριστὸς τῷ Πατρὶ, καὶ λειτουργείτω αὐτῷ ἐν πᾶσιν ἀμέμπτως, ὡς ὁ Χριστὸς ἀφʼ ἑαυτοῦ ποιῶν οὐδὲν, τὰ ἀρεστὰ ποιεῖ τῷ Πατρὶ πάντοτε. Ἡ δὲ διάκονος εἰς τύπον τοῦ ἁγίου [PG 1.530] Πνεύματος τετιμήσθω ὑμῖν, μηδὲν ἅνευ τοῦ διακόνου πράττουσα, ἢ φθεγγομένη, ὡς οὐδὲ ὁ Παράκλητος ἀφʼ ἑαυτοῦ τι λαλεῖ, ἢ ποιεῖ, ἀλλὰ δοξάζων τὸν Χριστὸν περιμένει τὸ ἐκείνου θέλημα. Who is bishop … this one is your prince and leader: this one your king and ruler: this one to you is an earthly God after God, who ought to enjoy the honor from you.… Therefore let the bishop preside over you, honored with the dignity of God, by which he rules over the clergy and commands all the people. Let the deacon stand by him as Christ does by the Father, and serve him in all things blamelessly, just as Christ, doing nothing from himself, always does what is pleasing to the Father. And let the deaconess be honored by you as a figure of the Holy [PG 1.530] Spirit, doing or speaking nothing without the deacon, just as the Paraclete neither speaks nor acts from himself, but glorifying Christ waits for his will. Paul of Samosata wrote this impiously not without reason, since he carried out what he had in mind and left that equality to the Anomoeans: Ἡμεῖς λέγομεν Πατέρα καὶ Υἱὸν καὶ ἅγιον Πνεὖμα, ὡς ἐπίσκοπον, καὶ πρεσβύτερον, καὶ διάκονον: We say that the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit are like bishop, and elder, and deacon. And truly Paul of Samosata showed in himself the Antichrist, the man of sin, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or worshiped, so that he sits in the temple of God, showing himself as if he were God. Βῆμα μὲν καὶ θρόνον ὑψηλὸν ἑαυτῷ κατασκευασάμενος … τοῖς δὲ ὡς ἐν οἴκῳ Θεοῦ σεμνοπρεπῶς καὶ εὐτάκτως ἀκούουσιν, ἐπιτιμῶν καὶ ἐνυβρίζων … μεγαλοῤῥημονῶν περὶ ἑαυτοῦ καθάπερ οὐκ ἐπίσκοπος, ἀλλὰ σοφιστὴς καὶ γόης. Ψαλμοὺς δὲ τοὺς μὲν εἰς τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν παύσας … εἰς ἑαυτὸν δὲ ἐν μέσῃ τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ τῇ μεγάλῃ τοῦ Πάσχα ἡμέρᾳ ψαλμωδεῖν γυναῖκας παρασκευάζων, ὧν καὶ ἀκούσας ἄν τις φρίξειεν. For he built for himself a high tribunal and throne … and to those who listened with dignity and order as in the house of God, he rebuked and insulted them … boasting about himself not as a bishop but as a sophist and sorcerer. Moreover, he stopped the psalms to the Lord our Jesus Christ … and prepared women to sing psalms to himself in the great church in the middle of the day of Passover, which anyone hearing would shudder at. These things those most serious Fathers who condemned Paul of Samosata at the last Council of Antioch proceed to condemn, which, although worn out, were worth reporting here; so that the truth may be more clearly discovered and light received from the deliberate plan of Samosata, by which he hid his poison in the Apostolic Constitutions. For that flourishing Church after Demetrianus could hardly have been corrupted so much as to have many bishops also supporters of his wickedness, unless he had corrupted them by certain tricks: a trick indeed used by impostors most of all, so that they may gain support from falsehood since they cannot from truth. Therefore no one does not see how shamelessly Sandius, Whiston, and other new Arians provoke to the Apostolic Constitutions, to those places that are interpolated, so that they may assert their impiety. For while they provoke to the worst corrupter, they certainly do not follow the doctrine of the Church, but Paul of Samosata, whose author even the old Arians themselves did not boast of. [PG 1.531] Xanthici, Dystri, Gorpiæi, Hyperberetæi. It also indicates that there was a difference in Antioch or that region, as shown by the formal public prayer in which the bishop of Alexandria is omitted: Ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἐπισκόπου ἡμῶν Ἰακώβου καὶ τῶν παροικιῶν αὐτοῦ δεηθῶμεν. Ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἐπισκόπου ἡμῶν Κλήμεντος καὶ τῶν παροικιῶν αὐτοῦ δεηθῶμεν. Ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἐπισκόπου ἡμῶν Εὐοδίου καὶ τῶν παροικιῶν αὐτοῦ δεηθῶμεν. For our bishop Jacob and his flock let us pray. For our bishop Clement and his flock let us pray. For our bishop Evodius and his flock let us pray. This omission is to be referred to the old rivalry of the Church of Antioch with that of Alexandria, increased by recent hatred against Dionysius, bishop of Alexandria. Nothing forbids, indeed many things suggest, that the corrupter of the Constitutions was Paul of Samosata, since he promised himself support from that code of not insignificant authority. Hence those things that have the flavor of Arianism, which no one would think belong to Clement and Hippolytus, the highest defenders of the divinity of Christ. These can easily be attributed to Samosata or his followers, since they insert many things foreign to the Constitutions and entirely hostile to Catholic doctrine; about which Photius said: Καὶ ἔτι Ἀριανισμῷ, ὅπερ ἄν τις καὶ βιαίως διακρούσαιτό. [PG 1.529] They are still charged with Arianism, which no one could remove except by force. Since it is certain that the corrupter of the Constitutions lived in the East, we cannot assign another than Paul of Samosata. Everything fits him, especially those things that show Judaism, such as equating the Sabbath with the Lord's Day, since he was known to have Judaized for the favor of Queen Zenobia of Palmyra. Certainly the Fathers who took part in the last Council of Antioch against Samosata condemned not only his behavior but also his spurious and false doctrine: Ὅπου δὲ ἀποστὰς τοῦ κανόνος ἐπὶ κίβδηλα καὶ νόθα διδάγματα μετελήλυθεν, οὐδὲν δεῖ τοῦ ἔξω ὅντος τὰς πράξεις κρίνειν. But since he departed from the rule of faith and turned to spurious and adulterous teachings, it is not necessary to judge the acts of one outside the Church. Therefore, our accusation, which relies on such a distinguished testimony, is otherwise so light if compared with the other crimes of Samosata that it cannot be considered slander. Although that old custom of prefacing illustrious names to new works and setting authors to converse with each other is not so much to be blamed, the continuous fiction of introducing apostles as still living, which Photius called κακοπλαστίαν (a bad fabrication), and which made the accusations very light, immediately reveals a man who is foolish and inept, who did not perceive that by this way of telling absurd and often contradictory things he was admitting himself. This fault can easily be corrected if, removing that fiction, not a speech in some meeting of apostles as if living is reported, but the tradition itself; just as we do not doubt Clement and Hippolytus, very serious and very holy men, did. But whether, by applying the most careful critical examination, the false can be distinguished from the genuine, and so many genuine monuments of the apostles appear to us, as a man of this age advised himself, who praised the antiquity of the Constitutions beyond what was proper, is what such a most careful critic would have seen.

Who was the first corrupter of the Constitutions.

Chapter 3

Tertullian and the Montanists mentioned by name but refuted everywhere in the Constitutions. — And these things had to be explained necessarily, so that it would no longer be hidden that both the work of Hippolytus, On Charisms, and the Apostolic Tradition were opposed to the Montanists, especially to Tertullian who was leaning toward that sect: although his very name, so that he might more easily withdraw from heresy, was well suppressed by Hippolytus. For Tertullian would not have spared his own reputation if anything had been written about him by name. Therefore, in the Constitutions, any mention of Tertullian or Montanus would be sought in vain; especially since the corrupter removed many things that could not fit the age of the apostles, yet left many others carelessly, which must clearly be referred to later times. Almost all that is brought in the Constitutions relates to the Montanists and Tertullian. For in the very last chapter this is emphasized: Ἕκαστον ἐμμένειν τάξει τῇ δοθείσῃ αὐτῷ, καὶ μὴ ὑπερβαίνειν τοὺς ὅρους. Each one should remain in the order given to him and not exceed the limits of the rules. Then the author, more closely designating the Montanists, attacks their licentiousness: Εἰκότως τὸν ἐπηρτημένον κίνδυνον τοῖς τὰ τοιαῦτα πράττουσι προειδόμενοι, καὶ τὴν εἰς τὰς θυσίας, καὶ εὐχαριστίας ἀμέλειαν, ὑφʼ ὧν οὐκ ἐχρῆν προσαγομένας ἀσεβῶς, παίγνιον ἡγουμένων τὴν ἀρχιερατικὴν τιμὴν ἥτις μίμησιν περιέχει τοῦ μεγάλου ἀρχιερέως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ Βασιλέως ἡμῶν, ἀνάγκην ἔσχομεν καὶ τοῦτο παραινέσαι· ἤδη γάρ τινες ἐξετράπησαν ὀπίσω τῆς ἑαυτῶν ματαιότητος. Therefore, rightly foreseeing the imminent danger to those who do such things, and the neglect of sacrifices and thanksgivings [Eucharist], which are impiously offered by those who should not, and who consider the honor of the high priesthood, which contains the imitation of the great high priest Jesus Christ our King, as a game; it was necessary for us also to warn about this: for already some have turned back after their own vanity. These things, certainly attributed to Hippolytus in the manuscripts, strike the Montanists, among whom even women were bishops and presbyters, and were appointed to other ranks, with no distinction of sex preserved. Ἐπίσκοποί τε παρʼ αὐτοῖς γυναῖκες, καὶ πρεσβύτεροι γυναῖκες, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα, ὡς μηδὲν διαφέρειν. The last words were spoken about Tertullian, deceived by a vain prophecy; whom shortly before Hippolytus had also noted in his Commentaries on Daniel: Πάντες γὰρ σήμερον οἱ εἰς αὐτὸν πιστεύοντες, τὰ λόγια Χριστοῦ φθεγγόμεθα, ὡς διὰ στόματος αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντες τὰ ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ προτεταγμένα· τοῖς γὰρ ἁγίοις καὶ φοβουμένοις αὐτὸν, αὐτοῖς μόνοις ἑαυτὸν ἀποκαλύπτει. Εἰ γάρ τις δοκεῖ καὶ ἐν Ἐκκλησίᾳ νῦν πολιτεύεσθαι, φόβον δὲ Θεοῦ μὴ ἔχει, οὐδὲ τοῦτον ὠφελεῖ ἡ πρὸς τοὺς ἁγίους σύνοδος. For all who today believe in him, we speak the words of Christ, as proclaiming through his mouth what has been commanded by him; for to the holy and those who fear him, he reveals himself alone. For if anyone seems to live now even in the Church, but has no fear of God, even his coming together with the saints does not benefit him. And if these are the insults by which Jerome said Tertullian was moved to abandon the Church, it is clear that the man turned the cause of his fall, which he could have none, into the greatest injury against the Roman clergy. It is worthy of note that when he heaped the Catholics with the name of animals and many insults, there was no one at that time who refuted Tertullian by name. For Caius, a presbyter of the Roman Church, wrote excellently against Proclus, a pillar of Montanus; Hippolytus, of equal rank in the Roman Church, wrote against the Montanists: both with such moderation that Tertullian himself attacked neither, but rather stirred up Apollonius, an orthodox writer, though not from the Roman clergy, since he lived in the East. Moreover, it cannot be doubted that Hippolytus wrote against the Montanists and attacked them more fiercely than others, since the ancient author carefully inquired in those writings: Τίνας ὑπολήψ εἶς εἶχεν ὁ ἁγιώτατος Ἱππόλυτος περὶ τῆς τῶν Μοντανιστῶν αἱρέσεως, καὶ τίνας ὁ ἐν ἁγίοις τῆς Νύσσης Γρηγόριος. What opinion did the most holy Hippolytus hold about the Montanist heresy, and what did St. Gregory of Nyssa [think]? Errors peculiar to Tertullian refuted by Hippolytus. — In addition, Tertullian the Montanist drew certain consequences from the new sect's teachings, from which he privately gathered other errors. One such error is taught in his published book On Flight in Persecution, relying on the authority of his Paraclete, Montanus, that it is never lawful to redeem martyrdom by any means. Against this opinion, the author of the Constitutions presents: Εἰ δὲ καὶ οἷός τέ ἐστιν ἅπαντα τὸν βίον ἑαυτοῦ ἀποδόμενος ῥύσασθαι αὐτοὺς ἐκ τοῦ δεσμωτηρίου, μακάριος ἔσται καὶ φίλος τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Εἰ γὰρ ὁ τὰ ὑπάρχοντα πτωχοῖς δοὺς, τέλειος, μετὰ τὴν περὶ τῶν θείων γνῶσιν, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὁ ὑπὲρ μαρτύρων. Indeed, if someone is able by giving up all his life to rescue them from prison, he will be blessed and a friend of Christ. For just as the one who gives his possessions to the poor is perfect after gaining knowledge of divine things, much more perfect is the one who gives all for the martyrs. Tertullian declared that a Christian cannot serve faithfully while preserving his faith; Hippolytus, on the contrary, in those things preserved from the corrupter, says: Στρατιώτης προσιὼν διδασκέσθω μὴ ἀδικεῖν, μὴ συκοφαντεῖν, ἀρκεῖσθαι δὲ τοῖς διδομένοις ὀψωνίοις· πειθόμενος προσδεχέσθω, ἀντιλέγων δὲ ἀποβαλλέσθω. A soldier approaching should be taught not to do wrong, not to slander, to be content with the pay given; obeying, he should be accepted; opposing, he should be rejected. Ultimately, Tertullian fell into such madness that, deceived by the slightest woman and a messenger sent not only from the right faith but also from reason, he believed that a soul had been shown bodily, which seemed to be a spirit, but not empty and of no substance; indeed, one that would even promise to be held. But this story is also torn apart in the Constitutions: Ψυχὴν ἀσώματον ἐν ἡμῖν καὶ ἀθάνατον ὁμολογοῦμεν, ἀλλʼ οὐ φθαρτὴν ὡς τὰ σώματα, ἀλλʼ ἀθάνατον, ὡς λογικὴν καὶ αὐτεξούσιον. We confess our soul to be incorporeal and immortal, not perishable like bodies, but immortal, as rational and self-governing. Errors of the Montanists individually rejected by Hippolytus. — But no error peculiar to the Montanists is left unrefuted in the Constitutions. They denied the Church's power to forgive more serious sins; the Constitutions everywhere assert: Καὶ τοῖς μετανοοῦσιν ἄφεσιν διδόναι χρή … Γνώριζε οὖν, ὦ ἐπίσκοπε, τὸ ἀξίωμά σου, ὅτι ὡς τοῦ δεσμεῖν ἐκληρώσω τὴν ἐξουσίαν, οὕτω καὶ τοῦ λύειν. But pardon must be granted to penitents… Therefore, recognize, bishop, your dignity, that just as you have received the power to bind, so also to loose. The author points out the Montanists with a finger where he says: Δέξαι οὗν τὸν μετανοοῦντα μὴ διστάζων ὅλως, μηδὲ παρεμποδιζόμενος ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνηλεῶς λεγόντων, μὴ δεῖν τοιούτοις συμμολύνεσθαι, μήτε λόγου κοινωνεῖν. Therefore, receive the penitent without any hesitation, nor be hindered by those who mercilessly say that one must not associate with such people, nor even share speech with them. Cotelerius noted that these things were said against the Montanists or even older heretics, although Moshemius wrongly attributed them to the Novatians. So that no charge could be excepted, examples are brought from David and Manasseh, one guilty of adultery and murder, the other of idolatry: for these sins the Montanists excused themselves, whom the author of the Constitutions addresses when he says: Μείζων εἰδωλολατρείας οὐκ ἔστιν ἁμαρτία. Εἰς Θεὸν γάρ ἐστι δυσσέβεια. Ἀλλʼ ὅμως καὶ αὐτὴ διὰ γνησίας μετανοίας συγκεχώρηται. No sin is greater than idolatry. For it is impiety against God. Nevertheless, it too has been forgiven through sincere repentance. They condemned second marriages, which in the Constitutions are not disapproved so strongly as to clearly prove the opposite error: Λόγον ὑφέξει τῷ Θεῷ, οὐχ ὅτι δευτέρῳ γάμῳ συνήφθη, ἀλλʼ ὅτι τὴν ἑαυτῆς ἐπαγγελίαν οὐκ ἐφύλαξε. She will give an account to God, not because she entered into a second marriage, but because she did not keep her own promise: the reference was to widows who had promised chastity. But since Montanus had taught that marriages must be dissolved, this also is forbidden in the Constitutions, μήτε μὴν μετὰ γάμον ἐκβάλλειν ἀκατάγνωστον ἐξέστω. Therefore, it is not allowed to cast out a blameless woman after marriage. The Montanists strove especially by multiplying fasts, even during Lent, [PG 1.540] but the Constitutions mention fixed fasts and one Lent to be kept according to ancient custom: Ὑμῖν φυλακτέα ἡ νηστεία τῆς Τεσσαρακοστῆς, μνήμην περιέχουσα τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου πολιτείας τε καὶ νομοθεσίας. You must keep the fast of Lent, containing the remembrance of the Lord's conduct and law. Finally, the Montanists said it was wrong for a Christian to flee persecution; the Constitutions, on the contrary, from those things that bear Hippolytus' name, not only defend those fleeing persecution according to the command of the Gospel but also praise and commend them to the brothers: Τοὺς διωκομένους διὰ πίστιν, καὶ εἰς πόλιν ἐκ πόλεως φεύγοντας, διὰ τὸ μεμνῆσθαι τῶν λόγων τοῦ Κυρίου, προσλαμβάνεσθε. Ἐπιστάμενοι γὰρ, ὅτι τὸ μὲν πνεῦμα πρόθυμον, ἡ δὲ σὰρξ ἀσθενὴς, ἀποδιδράσκουσι, καὶ τὴν ἁρπαγὴν τῶν ὑπαρχόντων προΐενται, ἵνα ἀνεξάρνητον ἐν ἑαυτοῖς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Χριστοῦ διατηρήσωσιν. Ἐπικουρεῖτε οὖν αὐτοῖς τὰ πρὸς χρείαν, ἐντολὴν Κυριακὴν πληροῦντες. Receive those who are persecuted for their faith, and who flee from city to city because they remember the words of the Lord. For knowing that the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak, they flee and give up their possessions so that they may keep the name of Christ unashamed in themselves. Therefore, help them with what they need, fulfilling the Lord's command. Why the Apostolic Constitutions begin with condemning greed. — Therefore, no one should be surprised that the Apostolic Constitutions begin with condemning greed: Ἀπέχεσθε οὖν πάσης πλεονεξίας, Therefore, abstain from all greed. For Hippolytus, a contemporary of Montanus, strongly reproves this vice in Montanus and his women: Ὁ πρακτῆρας χρημάτων καταστήσας, ὁ ἐπʼ ὀνόματι προσφορῶν τὴν δωροληψίαν ἐπιτεχνώμενος. He who made himself a collector of money, cunningly practicing bribery under the name of offerings. Does it not seem to you that all Scripture forbids a prophet from receiving gifts and money? When then I see the prophetess having received gold and silver and costly clothes, how shall I not reject her? The following chapter of the Constitutions forbids cursing anyone: Ἀλλὰ καταρᾶταί σέ τις; σὺ εὐλόγησον αὐτόν: But if someone curses you, you bless him. This is because the Bacchic Montanists made no end of cursing: Τὴν δὲ καθόλου καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανὸν Ἐκκλησίαν βλασφημεῖν διδάσκοντος τοῦ ἀπηυθαδισμένου πνεύματος. That same most arrogant spirit taught them to blaspheme the whole universal Church spread under heaven. More surprising is that the compiler of the Constitutions begins with so much about the adornment of men, as if in the age of the apostles such disgrace had grown: Μὴ καλλωπιζόμενος εἰς τὸ ἀγρευθῆναί τινα … Πιστῷ γάρ σοι ὄντι καὶ ἀνθρώπῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ, οὐκ ἔξεστι τρέφειν τὰς τρίχας τῆς κεφαλῆς, καὶ ποιεῖν εἰς ἓν, ὅ ἐστι σπατάλιον· ἢ ἀπόχυμα, ἢ μεμερισμένην τηρεῖν· οὐδὲ μὲν ὀγκοποιεῖν, ἢ διαξαίνοντά τε καὶ πλάσσοντα οὔλην διατιθεῖν, ἢ ξανθοποιεῖν αὐτήν. Do not adorn yourself so that someone may catch you… For you, who are faithful and a man of God, it is not permitted to nourish the hair of your head and to make it into one, which is wasteful; or to pour it out, or to keep it divided; nor to puff it up, or to arrange and form a curled lock, or to make it blond. And indeed this style easily invaded the Cataphrygians or Montanists, flowing with Asiatic luxury: which Apollonius also objects to them: Προφήτης, εἰπέ μοι, βάπτεται; προφήτης στιβίζεται; προφήτης φιλοκοσμεῖ; Prophet, tell me, does he dye his hair? Does the prophet anoint his eyes with stibium? Does the prophet seek to adorn himself? [PG 1.539] Then, to restrain the excessive freedom of the women, which was great among the Montanists, many things are gathered in the first book of the Constitutions, and the same things are often repeated throughout the whole work. Certainly Maximilla, the prophetess of the Montanists, had no more bitter enemy than Hippolytus, who interpreted her as the new Jezebel mentioned in the Apocalypse. Tertullian, defender of traditions, is overcome by these weapons from Hippolytus. — For if any state had its own laws by which it governed and stood firm, certainly the Christian state was such, which from the beginning used the most holy laws and institutions and was spread everywhere throughout the lands. Hippolytus published these laws and institutions, which Clement had collected, while they were still religiously kept in the Church: and no heretic was so shameless as to deny the customs received in the Church. And Tertullian, indeed, the more learned he was, the more stubborn he became, easily despising every exhortation by which he might be brought back to soundness, and every refutation of the insane heresy which, having rejected the truth, he embraced. Only one argument remained, sought from tradition; that very one, indeed, by which he had fought most strongly for the Church. For E. Norisius rightly observed: No one of the ancients inculcated tradition so often or so strongly as Tertullian. Therefore, with this weapon, as if snatched from his own hands, Hippolytus restrained and nearly destroyed the raging followers of Montanus. But since he attacked one sect by going back to the laws of the Church from the beginning, he also dealt with many others afterward by the same effort. Certainly, Hippolytus' collection of canons was so well approved under the same title by which it was inscribed on his marble seat, Παράδοσις ἀποστολική, that Constantine the Great recommended it to bishops more than once and it was counted among the chief bulwarks of the Church against heretics; for terms were set for us, and foundations, and the structure of faith, and the traditions of the Apostles, and holy scriptures, and the succession of teaching, and the truth of God was secured from all sides, and no one should be deceived by new myths. For boundaries have been prescribed for us, and foundations laid, and the structure of faith, and the traditions of the Apostles, and the sacred writings, and the propagated succession of heavenly teaching, and finally divine truth is guarded and established on every side. Therefore, let no one allow himself to be led into error by empty fables. It is also pleasing to offer the judgment of one of the more recent scholars about this work: Those canons and Constitutions are very ancient, and they contain many excellent and weighty things. [PG 1.538] On Charisms (Περὶ χαρισμάτων); the other he called Apostolic Tradition (Ἀποστολικὴ παράδοσις). For he proved that the Montanists had gained strength by boasting false miracles, and that they invented these not to bring pagans or Jews to faith, but to corrupt the orthodox. Hippolytus says that charisms are given by God, not for the benefit of those who perform them, but for the assent of the unbelievers, so that those whom the word did not persuade, the power of signs might sway and shame them. For the signs are not given to us believers, but to the unbelievers, both Jews and Greeks. For casting out demons is not our gain, but of those who are cleansed by the operation of the Lord. And indeed, Tertullian called the dreams of women far too insolently charisms, as in that vision about the bodily soul he says: And God is witness and the Apostle, a suitable sponsor of future charisms in the Church: You should not believe, even if the matter itself persuades you individually. The Montanists, however, were gaining profit everywhere by their deceits, even though they claimed to have left the Church because of heavenly gifts. So what a charism is, Hippolytus teaches them: No one who believes in God through Christ has not received a spiritual gift. For this very thing, to be freed from the worship of many gods and to believe in God the Father through Christ, is a gift of God; and to have cast off the Jewish veil and to believe that the Only Begotten, who existed before the ages, was born in later times from a Virgin without the involvement of a man; and that he lived as a man without sin, fulfilling all the righteousness of the law; and that he endured the cross by God's permission, despising shame, the Word of God; and that he died, was buried, and rose again on the third day, and after the resurrection remained with the apostles for forty days, and having fulfilled every order, was taken up in their sight to God and the Father who sent him. Whoever believes these things, not simply or without reason, but with judgment and certainty, has received a gift from God. Likewise also one who has been freed from every heresy. Gifts, which are commonly said to be given freely, Hippolytus testifies are to be sought in the Church and have not been lacking in their time: We say these things not to despise true prophecies, for we know that they are worked by the inspiration of God in the holy ones, but to restrain the boldness of the arrogant. And this was like a preface to a greater work, which Hippolytus first devised to preserve the discipline of the Church carefully and securely.

What cause prompted Hippolytus to this work. The Constitutions chiefly opposed to Tertullian and the Montanists.

ANCIENT TESTIMONIES ABOUT THE APOSTOLIC CONSTITUTIONS

and 65. Nicholas of Methone, On the Body and Blood of Christ, in the Library of the Fathers, and others. Finally, it is reported by many that the Ethiopians consider these Constitutions truly apostolic. On this matter, we have dealt more than once in the notes. Garment of incorruption, is taken from the Octabiblos of Clement, where these words are found: That he may have them worthy of the washing of regeneration, which is the garment of incorruption. In Constitutions, book viii, chapter 6, where see the notes.

Τοῦτον συγγραφέα καὶ τῶν ἀποστολικῶν Διατάξεων, ἀλλὰ δὴ καὶ τῶν ἱερῶν κανόνων πιστεύομεν.
We believe this (Clement) to be the author both of the Apostolic Constitutions and also of the sacred apostolic Canons. Read book ii, chapter 46.

Nicetas Serronius, or, as others say, Serranus or Serrensis, on the Forty-second Oration of St. Gregory Nazianzen, number 26, page 1153. C. volume II. To these words of the Theologian, volume I, p. 685. A. Τοιοῦτον γὰρ τὸ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν σφάγιον, ἔνδυμα ἀφθαρσίας καὶ ὂν καὶ καλούμενον. For such is the victim slain for us, which is both the garment of incorruption and is called so.

Τοὺς πέντε καὶ ὀγδοήκοντα τῶν ἁγίων ἀποστόλων, φημὶ, πλὴν τῶν διὰ Κλήμεντος Διατάξεων, αὗται γὰρ πολὺ τὸ νόθον πρὸς τῶν κακοδόξεν δίκην ζιζανίων εἰσεδέξαντο, τὸ κῦρος ἕχειν κελεύει.
I say that the eighty-five canons of the holy apostles, except for the Constitutions written by Clement (for these themselves have received much corruption from men of perverse opinion, like weeds), are to be held as having authority. See note in Const. ap., book vi, chapter 8.

Nicephorus Callistus, Ecclesiastical History, book iii, chapter 18

Οὐ μόνον γὰρ οἱ περὶ πλείστου τὸ ψεῦδος ποιούμενοι, λόγοις οἰκείοις τὸ δυσσεβὲς αὐτῶν φρόνημα κρατύνειν πειρῶνται, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς τῶν εὐσεβῶν συγγράμμασιν τὰ σφέτερα παρενείρουσιν· ὡς ἐν ταῖς ῥηθείσαις ἐπιστολαῖς τοῦ ἱεροῦ Κλήμεντος, καὶ ταῖς Διατάξεσιν ἐσκαιώρηται.
For not only do those who make the greatest falsehood try to confirm their impious opinion with their own books; but they also insert their own into the writings of the pious; just as was wrongly done in the mentioned sacred letters and Constitutions of Clement.

In letter κʹ, chapter 5, where it is about the second Trullan canon.

Ἔξωθεν δὲ τῶν κανονιζομένων εἶναί φησιν (ὁ μέγας Ἀθανάσιος) τὴν Σοφίαν Σολομῶντος, etc. καὶ τὴν Διδαχὴν τῶν ἁγίων ἀποστόλων· ταύτην δὲ ἡ ἕκτη σύνοδος ἠθέτησεν, ὡς δεδήλωται.
But he says that there are extra canonical books, (the great Athanasius) the Wisdom of Solomon, etc., and the Doctrine of the holy apostles: but the sixth synod rejected this, as has already been explained.

And below, about the sixtieth canon of the apostles.

Ἂς δὲ προστίθησι διὰ τοῦ Κλήμεντος δύο ἐπιστολὰς, καὶ τὰς πονηθείσας τούτῳ Διατάξεις τῶν ἀποστόλων· ὕστερον ὁ τῆς ἕκτης συνόδου δεύτερος κανὼν διἑγραψεν, ὡς πολὺ τὸ νόθον πρὸς τῶν αἱρετικῶν καὶ παρέγγραπτον δεξαμένας.
But as for those (the eighty-fifth canon of the apostles), which adds two letters of Clement and the Constitutions of the apostles composed by the same, the second canon of the sixth synod later abolished them, as if they had received much adulteration and interpolation through heretics.

And a little later:

Φησὶ γὰρ (ἡ ἁγία καὶ οἰκουμενικὴ ἕκτη σύνοδος) τοὺς ὑπὸ τῶν πρὸ ἡμῶν ἁγίων Πατέρων καὶ δεχθέντας καὶ κυρωθέντας, ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ παραδοθέντας ἡμῖν ἐπʼ ὀνόματι τῶν ἁγίων καὶ ἐνδόξων ἀποστόλων, ὀγδοήκοντα πέντε κανόνας, τὸ κῦρος ἕχειν καὶ ἡμεῖς κελεύομεν· πλὴν τῶν τοῦ Κλήμεντος ἐπιστολῶν τε καἱ διατάξεων. Αὗται γὰρ πρὸς τῶν δυσσεβῶν πολὺ τὸ νόθον καὶ σφαλερὸν εἰσεδέξαντο.
For it says that (the holy and ecumenical sixth synod) eighty-five canons, received and confirmed by the holy Fathers who were before us, and also handed down to us in the name of the holy and glorious apostles, have authority, which we also command, except for the letters and constitutions of Clement: for those have received much adulteration and falsehood from the impious.

In the same place, letter βʹ, chapter 11.

But you should know that although it is written here that we should read the Constitutions of Clement, we should not spread them; however, the second canon of the sixth synod [PG 1.554] forbade their reading, because adulteration was made in them. Read the same Responses, to the Questions of Marcus Alexandrinus, chapters 1 and 2, in the Greek-Roman Law, vol. I, p. 363.
Σὺ δὲ γίνωσκε ὡς εἰ καὶ γέγραπται ἐνταυθοῖ ἀναγινώσκειν ἡμᾶς τὰς Διαταγὰς τοῦ Κλήμεντος, πλην μὴ δημοσιεύειν αὐτὰς, ἀλλʼ ὁ βʹ κανὼν τῆς ϛʹ συνόδου ἀπηγόρευσε τὴν τούτων ἀνάγνωσιν, διὰ τὸ γενἐσθαι παραποίησιν ἐν αὐταῖς.

Matthaeus Blastares, not yet published, at the beginning of the Collection of canons, arranged by titles in alphabetical order; where about the canons of the apostles.

Ἐν ταῖς λεγομέναις τῶν ἁγίων ἀποστόλων Διατάξεσι, ταῦτα διείληπται· Διακόνισσα οὐδὲν ὧν οἱ πρεσβύτεροι, etc.
In the book called the Constitutions of the holy apostles, these things are handed down: A deaconess nothing of those things which the presbyters, etc., book 8, chapter 28.

Theodorus Balsamon, on the last apostolic canon.

The second canon of the sixth synod held in Trullo completely rejects these Constitutions; because some things were added to them by heretics that are false and foreign to piety.
Ὁ δεύτερος κανὼν τῆς ἐν τῷ Τρούλλῳ γενομένης ἕκτης συνόδου, παντελῶς ἀποβάλλεται τὰς τοιαύτας Διαταγὰς διὰ τὸ ἐν αὐταῖς ὑπὸ τῶν ἑτεροδόξων προστεθῆναί τινα νόθα καὶ ξένα τῆς εὐσεβείας.

Constantinus Harmenopulus, in the Epitome of canons, section 2, title 4, volume I of the Greek-Roman Law, p. 28.

Those things secretly inserted by heretics into the Constitutions of the apostles published by Clement must be rejected. The same words are used by Simeon the Master and Logothete, in the Epitome of canons, ibid., p. 742.
Τὰ παρὰ τῶν ἑτεροδόξων κλοπιμαίως ἐμβεβλημένα ταῖς διὰ Κλήμεντος τῶν ἀποστόλων Διατάξεσιν, ἀποκήρυκτα.

From the same writer's manuscript scholia, on the last apostolic canon, these things are cited by Usserius, in the dissertation on St. Ignatius, etc., chapter 15.

But some say that the teaching of the apostles is the Constitutions written by Clement; which the synod called the sixth does not allow to be read, as if adulterated and corrupted by heretics.
Τὴν Διδαχὴν δὲ τῶν ἀποστόλων, τινὲς λέγουσιν εἶναι τὰς διὰ τοῦ Κλήμεντος γραφείσας Διατάξεις, ἃς ἡ λεγομένη ἕκτη σύνοδος ἀναγινώσκεσθαι οὐ συγχωρεῖ, ὡς νοθευθείσας καὶ παραφθαρείσας ὑπὸ αἱρετικῶν.

Alexius Aristinus, in the Synopsis of canons; from the Trullan Council of Constantinople, number 7, in the Library of ancient canon law, volume II, p. 698.

Many books have been corrupted by wicked men, to the harm of the simple: just like the apostolic Constitutions written to bishops by Saint Clement, which for that reason were rejected by the synod.
Πολλὰ βιβλία παρὰ τῶν ἀσεβῶν ἐνοθεύθησαν εἰς βλάβην τῶν ἁπλουστέρων· ὥσπερ καὶ αἱ διὰ τοῦ Κλήμεντος γραφεῖσαι τοῖς ἐπισκόποις ἀποστολικαὶ Διαταγαὶ, αἳ διὰ τοῦτο καὶ συνοδικῶς ἀπεβλήθησαν.

Read the same, on the last apostolic canon, and on the sixtieth Laodicean canon. From his also unpublished scholia, on the festal letter of Saint Athanasius, James Usher cites these, in the dissertation on the writings of Ignatius, Polycarp, and Romanus Clement, chapter 7. Joannes Zonaras, on the sixtieth apostolic canon. But let the judge not be a respecter of persons, etc. Book 2, chapters 5, 37, 42, 9, 49. Καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἀποστολικαῖς Διατάξεσιν ὁ θεῖος λόγος οὕτως φησίν· Ἔστω δὲ ὁ κριτὴς ἀπροσωπόληπτος, etc.

About whom indeed the divine word also says in the Apostolic Constitutions: Now indeed also, etc. Book 6, chapters 22, 20; book 5, chapter 12.
Περὶ ὧν μέντοι κὰν ταῖς ἀποστολικαῖς Διατάξεσί φησιν ὁ θεῖος λόγος· Ἤδη δὲ καὶ, etc.

The same, edition of the former, p. 238, line 1, etc., of the latter volume I, p. 289, B, etc.

Περὶ οὗ ἐν ταῖς ἀποστολικαῖς Διατάξεσιν ὁ μέγας ἀπόστολος Πέτρος οὕτω φάσκει· Ἡ δὲ καταρχὴ τῶν νέων αἱρέσεων γέγονεν ἀπὸ Σίμωνος τοῦ Μάγου· ὃς καὶ ἐν Συρίᾳ πολλά διαπραξάμενος ἄτοπα, καὶ ἐν Ῥώμῃ γενόμενος, πολὺ τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν ἔσκυλε διὰ μαγείας καὶ διαβολικῆς ἐνεργείας καὶ ἐμπειρίας. Ἐν μὲν γὰρ Καισαρείᾳ τῇ Στράτωνος ἐμοὶ Πέτρῳ συντυχὼν, ἐπειρᾶτο, etc.
About whom in the Apostolic Constitutions the great apostle Peter thus speaks: New heresies indeed had their beginning [PG 1.551] from Simon Magus; who, having done many absurd and marvelous things in Syria, upon coming to Rome greatly troubled the Church, through magic, and diabolical operation and skill. For when in Caesarea of Straton he had met me, Peter, he was trying, etc. Book 6, chapters 7, 8, 9.

The same, Basel edition, p. 195, line 42, etc. Royal volume I, p. 237, D, etc. George Cedrenus, in the Compendium of Histories; in Xylander's edition, page 173, line 52, etc. In the royal edition, volume I, page 211, A, etc. One must fast continually on the fourth and sixth days; one because of tradition, the other because of the Lord's passion; but never on the Sabbath, except once. And you try to assert this from apocryphal books and canons, rejecting the agreement of the holy Fathers. For the book of Clement, that is, the Journey of the Apostle Peter, and the Canons of the Apostles are counted among the apocrypha, except for fifty chapters, which they decided should be added to the orthodox rules. Therefore, we also reject every apocryphon, and disdain to hear their fabled traditions, because they are not like the law of the Lord. Bishop Humbert of Silva Candida, in a response to the book of Nicetas, much later; in the same place. For we know, he says, that those who wrote books in the name of Christ and his disciples around Simon, and Cleobius, and Judas, carry them about to lead you and those who love Christ and us, his servants, into error. And in earlier times some wrote apocryphal books of Moses, and Enoch, and Adam, Isaiah, and David, and Elijah, and the three patriarchs, making corruptions and books hostile to the truth. About the end: We say that a bishop and a presbyter and a deacon, who have one wife, are to be ordained, and that their wives should live, even if they have died: it is not allowed for them to be unmarried after the laying on of hands, nor moreover to go to marriage; or if they marry, to take another, but to be content with the one they had when they came to ordination. Much later: The Lord commanded us to fast on the fourth and sixth days: one indeed because of tradition; the other because of the passion: but the Sabbath itself he did not command us to fast, since it is not fitting, except for that one alone, on which the Creator of all was under the earth. Hence, according to the end of the same book, he speaks again thus: We say that every Sabbath and every Lord's Day must be celebrated. For we ought to rejoice in these, and not mourn. Indeed, in the seventh book of those Constitutions, according to the twenty-fourth chapter, they say this: For we celebrate the Sabbath and the Lord's Day; because the former is a remembrance of divine work, but the latter of the resurrection. Only one Sabbath must be kept in the whole year, the Burial of the Lord; on which it is necessary to fast. For when Christ lay in the tomb, the disciples had a stronger weeping around him than joy from the memory of the divine work, etc. Nicetas Pectoratus, Book against the Latins, after the middle. In the sixth volume of the Ancient Reading, by Henry Canisius; and in the Library of the Fathers, volume IV, part ii; as well as with Baronius, Annals volume II, in the Appendix. Apostolic Constitutions through Clement; in which are also contained [PG 1.550] those canons that are attributed among the synodal assemblies of the apostles. And below: Furthermore, the Constitutions seem liable to criticism from only three chapters: from a bad fiction, which is not difficult to expose; and because they bring certain accusations against Deuteronomy, which can also be very easily refuted; and still from Arianism, which someone, though with difficulty, can drive out. However, the book of the Acts of Peter, by its splendor and majesty, in addition to this purity and force, and other gifts of speech, and manifold teaching, surpasses the Constitutions so much that no comparison should be made between these books, as far as style is concerned, etc.

From the version of Anastasius the Librarian. |
And those that are apocryphal of the New (Testament), etc. The teaching of the apostles, about 200 verses, etc. | Καὶ ὅσα τῆς Νέας εἰσὶν ἀπόκρυφα, etc. Διδαχὴ ἀποστόλων· στίχοι σʹ, etc.

Photius, Library codex 112, 113.

Hear the words of the apostles: See, etc. Constitutions, book 6, chapter 16.
Ἄκουε τῶν ἀποστολικῶν· Ὁρᾶτε τὰ ἐπʼ ὀνόματι, etc.

Second Trullan Canon.

Furthermore, he calls the blessed apostle Paul the teacher in sacred matters, as the one who ordained him to the priesthood of the Church of Athens, as it is written in the sacred Constitutions of the Apostles. Book 7, chapter 46.
Ἱεροθέτην δὲ καλεῖ τὸν ἅγιον ἀπόστολον Παῦλον, ὡς χειροτονήσαντα αὐτῷ τὴν ἀρχιερωσύνην τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τῶν Ἀθηνῶν, καθὼς ἐν ταῖς ἱεραῖς τῶν ἀποστόλων γέγραπται διαταγαῖς. Lege ad cap. 2, De Ecles. hierarch., et in Prologo.

Timothy the presbyter, in the treatise concerning those who approach the Church, in the Auctarium of the Combefisian Library of the Fathers, volume II, page 453 D. Maximus, in epistolam octavam Dionysii, post medium. Constitutions, book 8, chapter 2. Ad Matth. xxv, 18. See Note on the Apostolic Constitutions, book 3, chapter 14.

Καὶ περὶ μὲν οὖν τοῦ γενείου ἐν ταῖς Διατάξεσι τῶν ἀποστόλων φάσκει ὁ θεῖος λόγος καὶ ἡ διδασκαλία μὴ φθείρειν, τουτέστι μὴ τέμνειν τρίχας γενείου, μηδὲ ἑταιρισμῷ κατακομεῖσθαι, μήτε ὑπερηφανίας ὑπόδειγμα δικαιοσύνης τὴν προσέλευσιν ἔχειν.
And indeed about the beard, the divine word and teaching say in the apostles' Constitutions: that it must not be damaged, that is, the beard hairs must not be cut, [PG 1.547] nor must the adornment of prostitutes be used, nor should the walk of justice have the appearance of pride. Constit., book 1, chapter 3.

Auctor Operis imperfecti in Matthæum, apud S. Chrysostomum. Ad Matth. vi, 3.

Εἰ δὲ καὶ χρὴ τὸ τῆς Διατάξεως τῶν ἀποστόλων λέγειν, πῶς ἐκεῖ ὡρίζοντο τετράδα καὶ Προσάββατον νηστείαν (Usserius corrigit, νηστεύειν) διὰ παντὸς, χωρὶς Πεντηκοστῆς· καὶ περὶ τῶν ἓξ ἡμερῶν τοῦ Πάσχα, πῶς παραγγέλλουσι μηδὲν ὅλως λαμβάνειν, ἢ ἄρτου καὶ ἁλὸς καὶ ὕδατος, ποίαν τε ἡμέραν ἄγειν, πῶς τε ἀπολύειν εἰς ἐπιφώσκουσαν Κυριακὴν, φανερόν ἐστι. Et infra: Εἶτα δὲ εἰ μὴ περὶ τῆς αὐτῆς ὑποθέσεως τετράδων καὶ Προσαββάτων οἱ αὐτοὶ ἀπόστολοι ἐν τῇ Διατάξει ἔλεγον, καὶ ἄλλως ἐκ πανταχόθεν εἴχομεν ἀποδεῖξαι· ὅμως περὶ τούτου ἀκριβῶς γράφουσι.
But if it is also necessary to speak from the apostles' Constitution; how there they defined that fasting must be done always on Wednesday and Prosabbaton, except Pentecost; and about the six days of Pascha, how they command to take nothing at all, except bread and salt and water, what kind of day to observe, and how to break the fast on the dawning Lord's Day; it is clear. And a little later: Then indeed, if concerning the same matter of Wednesdays and Prosabbatons the same apostles had not said in the Constitution; we could also prove it otherwise from everywhere: yet they write carefully about this matter. See Constit., book 5, chapter 15, 20; book 7, chapter 23; book 5, chapter 13, 15, 18, 19.

Hæresi 80, num. 7.

Παρατηρεῖται δὲ ἡ Ἐκκλησία ἄγειν τὴν ἑορτὴν τοῦ Πάσχα, τουτέστι τὴν ἑβδομάδα τὴν ὡρισμένην καὶ ἀπʼ αὐτῶν τῶν ἀποστόλων ἐν τῇ Διατάξει, ἀπὸ δευτέρας Σαββάτων, ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἀγορασμὸς τοῦ προβάτου.
Moreover, the Church observes to celebrate the feast of Easter, that is, the appointed week also decreed by the apostles themselves in the Constitution, from the second day of the Sabbaths, which is the purchase of the lamb. Const. apost., book 5, chapter 13, 15, 18, 19.

Heresy 75, number 6.

Αὖθις αὐτῶν ἀκούοντες ἐν τῇ Διατάξει, ὅτι ὁ κακῶν ἑαυτοῦ τὴν ψυχὴν ἐν Κυριακῇ, ἐπικατάρατός ἐστι τῷ θεῷ.
When again we hear the same apostles saying in the Constitution: Whoever afflicts his soul on the Lord's Day is cursed by God. Read Const., book 5, chapter 20.

Number 12.

Λέγουσι γὰρ οἱ αὐτοὶ ἀπόστολοι, ὅτι ὅταν ἐκεῖνοι εὐωχῶνται, ὑμεῖς νηστεύοντες ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν πενθεῖτε, ὅτι ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς ἑορτῆς τὸν Χριστὸν ἐσταύρωσαν· καὶ ὅταν αὐτοὶ πενθῶσι, τὰ ἄζυμα ἐσθίοντες ἐν πικρίσιν, ὑμεῖς εὐωχεῖσθε.
For the same apostles say: when they feast, you fast and mourn for them, because on the day of the festival they crucified Christ; and when they mourn, eating unleavened bread with wild lettuce, you feast. Read Constitutions, book 5, chapter 15.

In the same place.

Moreover, the same Audiani twist the apostles' Constitution; this book, although rejected by many and doubted, is nevertheless not to be condemned. For every canonical order is contained in it; and nothing is corrupted in faith, neither in confession, nor [PG 1.546] in ecclesiastical administration, canon, or faith. Furthermore, the statement from which they take their opinion about the Passover is badly interpreted by the aforementioned, and through ignorance they take it with a foreign meaning. For in that constitution the apostles define: You should not calculate or decide, but celebrate only when your brothers who are of the circumcision: celebrate together with them. And they did not say: When your brothers who are in circumcision, but: Who are of the circumcision; to show that those who have come to the Church from circumcision will be leaders and authors after that time, etc. Indeed, among the apostles, that statement was placed for harmony, as they testify with these words: And even if they stray, it should not be a concern for you. But from the very words spoken there, opposition and contradiction will appear. For they say that the vigil must be kept in the middle of Unleavened Bread. But this, in the ecclesiastical reckoning of times, cannot be done perpetually. Read what I will note in the Apostolic Constitutions, book V, chapter 17, and chapter 19.
Εἰς τοῦτο δὲ οἱ αὐτοὶ Αὐδιανοὶ παραφέρουσι τὴν τῶν ἀποστόλων Διάταξιν, οὖσαν μὲν τοῖς πολλοῖς ἐν ἀμφιλέκτῳ, ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἀδόκιμον. Πᾶσα γὰρ ἐν αὐτῇ κανονικὴ τάξις ἐμφέρεται, καὶ οὐδὲν παρακεχαραγ· μένον τῆς πίστεως, οὐδὲ τῆς ὁμολογίας, οὐδὲ τῆς ἐκκλησιαστικῆς [PG 1.545] διοικήσεως, καὶ κανόνος, καὶ πίστεως. Τὸ δὲ ῥητὸν, ἀφʼ οὗ γνώμην λαμβάνοντες περὶ τοῦ Πάσχα, κακῶς παρερμηνεύουσιν οἱ προειρημένοι, καὶ ἀγνοοῦντες ἑτέρως ὑπολαμβάνουσιν. Ὁρίζουσι γὰρ ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ διατάξει οἱ ἀπόστολοι, ὅτι ὑμεῖς μὴ ψηφίζητε, ἀλλὰ ποιεῖτε ὅταν οἱ ἀδελφοὶ ὑμῶν οἱ ἐκ περιτομῆς· μετʼ αὐτῶν ἅμα ποιεῖτε. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπαν· Ὅταν οἱ ἀδελφοὶ ὑμῶν, οἱ ἐν περιτομῇ· ἀλλά· οἱ ἐκ περιτομῆς· ἵνα δείξωσι τοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς περιτομῆς εἰς τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν μετελθόντας, ἀρχηγοὺς εἶναι μετʼ ἐκεῖνον τὸν χρόνον, etc. Παρὰ τοῖς ἀποστόλοις δὲ τὸ ῥητὸν διʼ ὁμόνοιαν ἐμφέρεται, ὡς ἐπιμαρτυροῦσι, λέγοντες, ὅτι κἄν τε πλανηθῶσι, μηδὲ ὑμῖν μελέτω. Ἐξ αὐτῶν δὲ τῶν ἐκεῖσε εἰρημένων ῥητῶν ἡ ἀντίθεσις ὀφθήσεται. Φάσκουσι γὰρ τὴν ἀγρυπνίαν φέρειν, μεσαζόντων τῶν Ἀζύμων. Οὐ δύναται δὲ τοῦτο πάντοτε γενέσθαι ἑν τῇ ψήφῳ τῇ ἐκκλησιαστικῇ.

Number 11.

Indeed, the apostles also say in the book called Constitution: The Catholic Church is the planting and vineyard of God. The passage exists at the beginning of the Constitutions.
Ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ ἀπόστολοί φασιν ἐν τῇ Διατάξει τῇ καλουμένῃ, ὅτι φυτεία Θεοῦ καὶ ἀμπελὼν ἡ καθολικὴ Ἐκκλησία.

Heresy 70, number 10.

Again, the books of the New Testament that are disputed are these, etc. The Teaching of the Apostles, Clementina: from which the truer and God-inspired ones have been chosen and translated. These are the ones that are read, etc.
Τῆς νέας πάλιν Διαθήκης ἀντιλεγόμενα ταῦτα, etc. Διδαχὴ ἀποστόλων, Κλημέντια· ἐξ ὧν μετεφράσθησαν ἐκλεγέντα τὰ ἀληθέστερα καὶ θεόπνευστα· Ταῦτα τὰ ἀναγινωσκόμενα, etc.

Saint Epiphanius, Heresy 45, number 5. In the Synopsis of Sacred Scripture.

Let the venerable and holy books be to all of you, both clergy and laity, etc. The two Letters of Clement; and the Constitutions, called by me Clement to you, Bishops, in eight books; which ought not to be made public before all, because of the mysteries contained in them. |  | Ἔστω δὲ ὑμῖν πᾶσι κληρικοῖς, καὶ λαϊκοῖς βιβλία σεβάσμια καὶ ἅγια, etc. Κλήμεντος ἐπιστολαὶ δύο· καὶ αἱ Διαταγαὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς ἐπισκόποις διʼ ἐμοῦ Κλήμεντος, ἐν ὀκτὼ βιβλίοις προσπεφωνημέναι· ἃς οὐχρὴ δημοσιεύειν ἐπὶ πάντων διὰ τὰ ἐν αὐταῖς μυστικά. |
| Eusebius, Church History, book III, chapter 25. |  | From Rufinus, translator.
Among the spurious books should be placed the Scripture of the Acts of Paul, the book called the Pastor, and the Revelation of Peter, as well as the Epistle attributed to Barnabas, and the so-called Teachings of the Apostles. | Among the spurious writings should be placed also the Scripture of the Acts of Paul, the one called the Pastor, and the Revelation of Peter; and in addition to these, the Epistle attributed to Barnabas, and the so-called Teachings of the Apostles. See Nicephorus, book 2, chapter 46. |  | After these comes the writing called the Acts of Paul; also the little book called the Pastor, and the Revelation of Peter: about which there is very great doubt. The Epistle of Barnabas is also said to exist, and the Teaching called that of the Apostles.

Saint Athanasius in the Festal Letter, volume II, Paris edition, pages 39, 40.

The last apostolic canon.

APOSTOLIC CONSTITUTIONS

BY CLEMENT, BISHOP OF THE ROMANS AND CITIZEN, THE CATHOLIC TEACHING

[PG 1.556]

Chapters of the First Book

1. About Greed.

2. About Not Retaliating, or Defending Against the Wrongdoer.

3. About Adornment, and the Sin That Comes From It

4. That One Should Not Meddle with Those Who Live Badly, but Should Attend to One's Own Work.

5. Which Books of Scripture One Should Read.

6. About Abstaining from All External Books.

[PG 1.557]

7. About a Bad Woman.

8. About the Submission of a Wife to Her Husband and Being Loving and Temperate.

9. About a Woman Not Being Joined to Men.

10. About a Quarrelsome and Talkative Woman.

Book One.

About the Laity.

The apostles and the elders to all who have believed from the nations in the Lord Jesus Christ, grace to you and peace from God the Almighty, through our Lord Jesus Christ, may it increase in your knowledge of him.

The universal Church is the planting of God, and his chosen vineyard, those who have believed in his unwavering godliness, those who through faith enjoy his eternal kingdom, those who have received his power and the participation of the Holy Spirit, armed through Jesus, and who have embraced his fear, sharers in the sprinkling of the precious and innocent blood of Christ, those who have received the boldness to call God the Almighty Father, co-heirs and sharers with his beloved Son; hear the holy teaching, you who hold fast to his promise by the command of the Savior, aligned with his glorious words. Guard yourselves, sons of God, to do everything in obedience to God; and be pleasing in all things to Christ our God. For if anyone pursues lawlessness [PG 1.560] and does what is against the will of God, as an unlawful people, such a one will be reckoned by God.

Chapter 1

About greed.

Therefore, keep away from all greed and injustice. For it is also written in the law. "You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his field, nor his servant boy, nor his servant girl, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that belongs to your neighbor." Because all desire for these things comes from evil. For whoever desires the wife, or the servant boy, or the servant girl of the neighbor, is already in mind an adulterer and a thief. If he does not repent, he is judged by our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the glory belongs to God forever. Amen For he says in the Gospel, summing up, confirming, and fulfilling the Ten Commandments of the law. "For it is written in the law You shall not commit adultery But I say to you: That is, I spoke to you through Moses in the law, but now I say the same to you "Everyone who looks at a neighbor's wife with desire has already committed adultery with her in his heart; This one is judged an adulterer in thought, the one who has desired. But the one who desires a ox or a donkey does not intend to steal it, take it for himself, or even carry it away. Or the one who desires a field again, and remains in this kind of attitude, does not plan evil, like the one who, having engraved a false boundary, forces the owner to give up what is not his. For the prophet says somewhere "Woe to those who join house to house, and bring field to field, to take away something from their neighbor; Therefore he says "Do not live alone on the earth For these things were heard by the ears of the Lord of Hosts. And elsewhere "Cursed is the one who moves the boundary of his neighbor, and all the people shall say, 'May it be so.'" Therefore Moses also says "You shall not move the boundaries of your neighbor, which your fathers set. Therefore, for this reason, fears, deaths, trials, and condemnations from God follow such people. But for those who obey God, one simple, true, living law of God exists within them. "What you hate to happen to you from another, you shall not do to another. You do not want to look upon your wife with evil intent to harm her, nor should you look with ill will upon your neighbor's wife. You do not want your cloak to be taken from you, nor should you take another's cloak. You do not want to be struck, insulted, or abused, nor should you do these things to another.

Chapter 2

On not insulting back, or defending oneself against the wrongdoer

But someone curses you? Bless him; for it is written in the book of Numbers: "The one who blesses you is blessed; and the one who curses you is cursed." Likewise, it is written in the Gospel: "Bless those who curse you." When wronged, do not take revenge, but endure; for Scripture says: "Do not say, 'I will repay the enemy who wronged me,' but endure, so that the Lord will repay you, and bring justice to the one who wrongs you." And again in the Gospel it says: "Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat and persecute you; and you will be children of our Father in heaven, for he makes his sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust."

Therefore, let us pay attention, beloved, to these commands, so that by practicing them we may be found children of light. So bear with one another, servants and sons of God. Let a husband not be proud or arrogant toward his own wife, [PG 1.564] but compassionate and generous, wishing to please only his own wife, and honoring her with flattery, eagerly striving to be gentle with her.

Chapter 3

On adornment, and the sin that comes from it.

Do not adorn yourself in order to attract someone else to you. For if, being compelled by her, you sin against her, eternal death from God will come upon you, punished bitterly in feeling. Whether you do not commit the sin itself, but shake it off, reject it, and even this you have sinned, if you do not commit it, yet only by your adornment you trap a woman into desiring you. For you have made the one who suffered this, through desire, to be unfaithful to you. But you do not exist in this way, because you have not sent away the one who is trapped by desire for you. For it was not you who desired her. Not withholding yourself from her, you will be shown mercy by the Lord God who said "You shall not commit adultery, and, "You shall not covet. For if she, having looked at you or met you at an unseasonable time, was struck in her mind and sent for you, and you, as one who fears God, denied her , yet her heart was wounded, because you were a younger and more handsome man, so that she came to desire you, you will be found guilty of her sin, as the cause of her stumbling, and will inherit the woe. Therefore, pray to the Lord God that no harm may come to you because of this. For you must not please people by sinning, but God by living in holiness and enduring eternal rest. Do not add extra beauty to the natural beauty given to you by God, but humbly keep it modest before people; do not let your hair grow too long, but rather cut and clean it. So that when your head is shaved and kept unwashed, or when it is full of bad smell, you do not bring upon yourself the women who are thus attracted or who seek to attract. Do not use your clothing to deceive, nor wear an unshaven face, or poorly sew your hems to your feet. But only what is necessary for modesty and need. Do not put a gold ring on your fingers, because all these are signs of companionship, which you will not rightly do if you practice beyond what is proper. For being faithful to yourself and a person of God, it is not allowed for you to grow the hair of your head and to make it into one, which is wasteful. Either to keep it poured out, or divided. Nor to make it bulky, or to cut it and shape it with a scar, or to dye it blonde. Since the law also forbids, saying in Deuteronomy "You shall not make yourselves bald spots, nor shave around. It is also necessary not to destroy the hair of the beard [PG 1.568] , nor to change the form of a person against nature. "For you shall not completely shave off, the law says, your beards. For this, the Creator God made it proper for women. But for men, he declared it improper. But you, doing these things to please yourself, opposing the law, will become hateful before God who created you in his own image. If then you want to please God, abstain from all that he hates, and do nothing that is displeasing to him.

[PG 1.569]

Chapter 4

That one should not be overly concerned with those who live badly, but should focus on one's own work.

You will not be like one flying and walking around and wandering in the gutters, a careless observer of those living badly; but paying attention to your craft and your work, seek to do what is pleasing to God, and constantly remember and study the words of Christ. For the Scripture says to you, "In his law you will meditate day and night, walking in the field, and sitting at home, looking carefully, and rising up; so that you may understand in all things." But even if you are rich, having no need of skill to support yourself, do not become idle, nor a careless wanderer; but whether you come to the faithful and those of the same faith, join in sharing the life-giving words.

Chapter 5

Which books of Scripture one should read.

But if not, sitting inside, read the Law, the Books of the Kings, the Prophets; sing the hymns of David; carefully go through the Gospel, which completes these.

Chapter 6

About avoiding all external books.

Avoid all books of the Gentiles What [PG 1.572] are foreign words, or laws, or false prophets, to you, which indeed also lead the weak away from the faith? For what lack do you have in the law of God, that you rush toward those myths of the nations? For if you want to go through historical matters, you have the Basil texts Whether you want sophistic and poetic works, you have the Prophets, Job, and the Proverbs, in whom you will find a clearer understanding of every kind of poetry and wisdom, because their words are those of the Lord, the only wise God. If you desire songs, you have the Psalms. If you want ancient origins, you have Genesis. If you want laws and commandments, [you have] the glorious law of the Lord God. Therefore, strongly keep away from all foreign and devilish things. But also, when reading the law, keep away from the things introduced into it. Even if not all, but some, of those in Deuteronomy. But read only for history, so that you may know, and praise God, because he saved you from such and so many bonds. Let it be before your eyes to know what the natural law is, and what those of Deuteronomy are, as well as the added commands given to those who made incense in the wilderness. For the law is what the Lord God spoke before the people worshiped idols and made incense to Apis among the Egyptians, that is, the Decalogue. The bonds were added for those who sinned against them; do not bring them upon yourself. For our Savior did not come for any other reason than to rescue those under sentence of the coming wrath, [PG 1.576] and to fulfill the law and the prophets, and either to end or change the bonds of the added commands of Deuteronomy. For for this reason, calling us, he said "Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Therefore, you who read the law, which agrees with the Gospel and the prophets, also read the Basilian [laws], so that you may know how many righteous men became kings, and were increased by God, and the promise of eternal life remained with them from him. But as for the kings who prostituted themselves away from God, in their rebellion they were quickly destroyed by the righteous judgment of God, and they were deprived of his life, receiving eternal punishment instead of rest. Therefore, reading these things, you will grow greatly in faith and be built up in Christ, of whom you are a body and a member. When walking in the marketplace and wanting to bathe, use a strong bathhouse, so that you do not reveal your body in an improper way to women, or show a sight not fitting for men to see, or so that you yourself are not trapped, or do not trap those women who are so vulnerable because of you. Therefore, guard against such things, so that you do not take traps for your own soul.

Chapter 7

About a bad woman.

For let us learn what the holy word says in Wisdom. "Son, keep my words, and hide my commands within yourself. Say that wisdom is your sister, and keep understanding as a close friend to yourself, so that it may protect you from a strange and evil woman, if she tries to win you over with flattering words. For from the window of her house, she looks out into the streets; whoever she sees among the foolish children, a young man lacking sense, passing through the marketplace, in the paths near her house, and speaking in the darkness of evening, when the night is quiet and gloomy, [PG 1.577] The woman meets him, having the appearance of a prostitute, who makes the hearts of young men leap out. She is winged and reckless, and in her house her feet do not rest. For she wanders outside for a time, and for a time she waits in the broad streets by every corner. Then, having seized him, she kissed him, and shamelessly spoke to him face to face. A peace offering is mine; today I pay back my vows. Because of this, I went out to meet you, longing for your face; I have found you. I have spread my bed with sheets, and I have covered it with a carpet from Egypt. I have spread my couch with saffron, and my house with cinnamon. Come, let us enjoy love until morning; come, and let us be wrapped in desire, And the following things, with which he brings forth, "He led him astray with much talk, and with snares from his lips he caught him," But he followed her, being blinded. And again he says "Do not pay attention to a worthless woman "For honey drips from the lips of a prostitute woman, who for a time smooths your throat, but later you will find it more bitter than gall, and sharper than a double-edged sword." And again "But jump away, and do not delay, nor fix your eye on her." For having bitten many, she has brought them down, and they are countless whom she has killed. But if, he says, you do not regret at your end, when the flesh of your body is being worn away, and you say "How I hated discipline, and my heart turned away from the reproof of the righteous." I did not listen to the voice of the one disciplining and teaching me; I did not incline my ear, and I almost became completely corrupt. But so that we do not prolong the testimonies too much, And if we have said anything wrong, the wise, choosing the good for themselves, are deprived of it from the sacred Scriptures, refusing all evil so that you may be found holy in eternal life before God.

Chapter 8

On the submission of a wife to her husband and on being loving and sensible.

Let the wife be submissive to her own husband because [PG 1.580] the husband is the head of the wife. But the head of the man who walks in the way of righteousness is Christ. And the head of Christ is God and his Father. After our almighty God and Father, the Lord of the present and the coming age, the creator of all breath and power, and his beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory with God, fear your husband, woman, and be ashamed, pleasing only him, being agreeable to him in his services, so that the husband may also be blessed through you by the wisdom that says these things through Solomon. "Who can find a woman of strength?" "Such a one is more precious than costly stones." "The heart of her husband trusts in her." "Such a woman will not lack for dogs." For she works good for her husband in every way all her life. Having spun wool and flax, she made useful things with her hands. She became like a ship trading, gathering his livelihood from afar. And she rises while it is still night, and gives food to the household, and tasks to the servants. Having looked at a field, she bought it, and from the fruit of her hands she planted an estate. Girding up her loins, she raised her own arms. And she tasted that working is good, and her lamp does not go out all night long. She stretches out her arms to the tasks, and her hands grasp the spindle. She opened her hands to the poor, and extended her fruit to the needy. Her husband does not worry about things at home, for all those with her are dressed in double garments. And she made cloaks for her husband, garments of fine linen and purple. Her husband becomes well known at the city gates, whenever he sits in the council with the elders of the land. [PG 1.581] She made fine linen garments and gave them to the Phoenicians, and belts to the Canaanites. She put on glory and honor, and was glad in her later days. Her mouth opened wisely and fittingly, and she set order for her tongue. Her household tasks were done diligently, and she did not eat the bread of idleness. Her mouth opened wisely and properly, and laws of mercy were on her tongue. Her children rose up and praised her as one who had grown rich, and her husband praised her. Many daughters have gained wealth, many have shown strength. But you surpass and excel all. False charms and empty beauty of a woman shall not be yours. For a godly woman is blessed, and she praises the fear of the Lord. Give her from the fruit of her lips, and let her husband be praised at the gates. And again "A brave wife is a crown to her husband. And again "Many women have built a house. You have learned what praises a sensible and loving wife receives from the Lord God. If you want to be faithful and pleasing to the Lord, woman, do not dress up to please other men, nor wear the entanglements of companionship, such as clothes or shoes, as if imitating those who are caught up in such things. For even if you do not do these things to sin, but only to adorn yourself, you will not escape punishment for what follows, having forced someone to be drawn to you because of your desire, and not having guarded yourself so that you neither fall into sin nor become a stumbling block to others. But if you sin by dressing yourself this way, you are also at fault, and you become responsible for the soul of that person. Then, having sinned once, as if having cut off completely, you will turn again to others, hardened once more. As the divine word says "When the wicked person comes to the depths of evils, he despises Dishonor and disgrace come upon him. For such a wound, carelessly inflicted, traps the souls of the foolish. Let us then learn how the divine word triumphs over such things, claiming "I hated her more than death, along with the woman, who is a prey and a snare to the heart, and whose hands are chains. And in other places "As a golden earring in a pig's snout, so is beauty to a foolish woman. And again "As a worm in wood, so a wicked woman destroys her husband." And again "It is better to live on a street corner outdoors than with a wife who is talkative and quarrelsome." Therefore, do not imitate such women, you who are Christians. But if you want to be faithful to your husband, focus on pleasing him alone. And when you are in the public squares, cover your head, for by the covering you will block the view of those who are too curious. Do not paint over the face made by God. For there is nothing in you that needs decoration, since everything God made is very beautiful. Excessive decoration on beauty is shameful; it insults the skill of the artist. Looking down on your journey, you cover yourself, as is proper for women.

[PG 1.585]

Chapter 9

On the prohibition of a woman being gathered with men.

Avoid also the disorderly practice of bathing with men in the bathhouse; for the traps of the evil one are many. A faithful woman should not bathe with her husband. For if she covers her face, hiding from the eyes of other men with modesty, how could such a woman enter the bath naked among men? Since it is a woman's bathhouse, she should bathe properly, with modesty and restraint. She should not bathe too often, nor in the middle of the day, [PG 1.588] but if possible, not every day. Let the proper time for her monthly flow be the tenth day; for you must, being faithful, always avoid the many-eyed curiosity.

Chapter 10

On a quarrelsome and talkative woman.

Be strong against everyone, but especially against your husband, being faithful, so that if your husband is unbelieving or a pagan, he will not, being scandalized because of you, blaspheme God, and you will not be found a heir of woe before God. "Woe, he says, through whom my name is blasphemed among the nations." But if your husband is faithful, he will be compelled, knowing the Scriptures, to say the written word in Wisdom: "Better to live in a desert than with a talkative and quarrelsome woman." Therefore, women, show your godliness through modesty and gentleness, for turning and encouragement to faith, both to those outside, whether women or men. And if by a few admonitions we have corrected and taught you, sisters and daughters and members of ours, so that you yourselves live wisely and without reproach, seek to learn lessons by which you will be able to approach the kingdom of our Lord pleasingly, and to rest in the ages of ages. Amen.

Chapters of the Second Book

1. That the bishop must be educated and experienced in speech.

2. What kind of person the bishop and the other clergy must be.

3. What kind of person the bishop chosen must be tested for.

4. That not every widow should be given support, but sometimes the unmarried woman is preferred, and that one who is a glutton, drunkard, or lazy should not be given support.

5. That the bishop must be impartial in judging, of moderate character, and disciplined in conduct.

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6. About the bishop not being greedy for gain, nor giving guarantees, nor acting as a surety.

7. What kind of person the initiated one must be.

8. About one who is accused, or rather examined.

9. That the bishop must be free from bribery.

10. That the bishop, being strictly sparing of the one who has sinned, becomes responsible.

11. How the bishop must judge those who sin.

12. Teaching on how to be offered to those who repent.

13. That one must avoid the occasion of sins.

14. About those who say not to accept a repentant person, and that a righteous person, even if he is kind to a sinner, is not destroyed along with him.

15. That the priest must never overlook sins, nor be quick to punish.

16. About repentance, what its nature is, and how it is accomplished.

17. That the bishop must be blameless, as a model for those who lead.

18. That the bishop must take care so that the people do not sin, because he is their overseer.

19. That the shepherd who is careless about the sheep suffers punishment, and the sheep that do not obey the shepherd are also punished.

20. How those who are ruled must obey the ruling bishops.

21. That it is dangerous to make a one-sided judgment and to set punishment against one who has not yet been examined.

22. That David, the Ninevites, Hezekiah, and his son Manasseh offer a great example of repentance.

23. Let Amon be an example for those who sin out of contempt.

24. That Christ Jesus the Lord came to save sinners through repentance.

25. About firstfruits and tithes, and how the bishop ought either to partake of them himself or to distribute them to others.

26. To what pattern and worth each of those in the clergy is appointed by God.

27. That it is terrible to throw oneself into some priestly office unworthily; as the Koreites, as Saul, as Uzziah.

28. About the reception, and how each order of the clergy must be honored by those who call them.

29. What is the worth of the bishop, and of the deacon.

30. How the laypeople must obey the deacons.

31. That the deacon must not act without the bishop.

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32. That the deacon must not give anything to anyone without the bishop's approval, for this would be an act of slander against the bishop.

33. How the priests must be honored and regarded as venerable, being spiritual parents.

34. That the priests are superior to rulers and kings.

35. That the laws urge to bear fruit; likewise, so does the Gospel.

36. A reminder of the ten sayings of God, and how they are explained here.

37. About accusers and slanderers; and how one must not quickly believe or disbelieve the judge, but examine carefully.

36. That it is necessary to specifically rebuke those who sin, and to accept those who repent, according to the Lord's command.

39. Examples concerning repentance.

40. That one should not be harshly disposed toward the one who sins once or twice.

41. How one must forgive the one who repents, how to deal with those who sin, and when to cut off from the church.

42. That the judge must be impartial.

43. How one must punish slanderers.

44. That one must lighten the burden of the bishops by helping the deacon, and manage the lighter tasks.

45. That disputes and quarrels are not fitting for Christians.

46. That the faithful should not be judged by unbelievers, nor should any of them be called as witnesses against Christians.

47. That trials should be held on the second day of the week.

48. That punishment should not be applied the same way for every offense, but should differ according to the difference of the one who sinned.

49. Who the accusers and witnesses should be.

50. That it is allowed not to distrust later faults because of earlier ones.

51. That judgments should not be made one-sidedly.

52. The security of decisions by outside judges as an example of just judgment.

53. That the faithful should not be suspicious of one another.

54. That the bishops must remind the people about peace through the deacon.

55. A listing of various providences, and how from the beginning God called every generation to repentance.

56. That it is God's will for people to be of one mind about piety, similar to the powers in heaven.

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57. The arrangement of the church and clergy, and what each must do among the gathered clergy or laity in the assembly.

58. About the members, that is, strangers, laity, clergy, bishops; and how there is no need for difference.

59. That each person must be diligent about the assemblies both morning and evening.

60. I offer an example to encourage zeal. The futile attendance of Greeks and Jews at temples and synagogues.

61. That it is not pious to prefer worldly matters over divine ones.

62. That all the impieties of the Greeks must be turned away from.

63. That it is not right for any of the faithful to be idle; as those around Peter were fishermen, and the other apostles likewise, those around Paul and Aquila were tentmakers, and those around Jude and James were laborers of the land.

Book Two.

On Bishops, Elders, and Deacons

Chapter 1

That the bishop must be educated and experienced in the word.

Concerning bishops, we have heard from our Lord that the shepherd appointed as bishop over the churches in every community must be blameless, without reproach, free from all human wrongdoing, not less than fifty years old; [PG 1.596] for in some way he must have escaped youthful disorders and external slanders, which are brought against many false brothers with blasphemies, not knowing the word of God in the Gospel : "Whoever speaks an idle word will give account for it to the Lord on the day of judgment." And again: "By your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." Therefore, let him be educated and experienced in the word, fitting his age. But if he is found in a small community, having advanced in years but not yet reaching fifty, proven by those living with him as worthy of the episcopate, showing old age through gentleness and good order, tested and attested by such witnesses, let him be appointed in peace. For Solomon reigned over Israel at twelve years old, and Josiah reigned in righteousness at eight years old, and likewise Joash began to rule the people at seven years old. So even if young, let him be gentle, timid, and quiet; for the Lord God says through Isaiah, "On whom shall I look, if not on the humble, the quiet, and those who tremble at my words forever?" Similarly, in the Gospel it is said: "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." Let him also be merciful, for it is said again: "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy." Let him be conscientious, cleansed from all evil, wickedness, and injustice; for it is said again: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

Chapter 2

What kind of person the bishop must be, and the other clergy.

Let him also be sober, sensible, respectable, steady, calm, not a drunkard, not a brawler, but gentle, uncontentious, free from love of money, not a recent convert; so that, not being blinded, he may not fall into judgment and the devil's trap; for "everyone who exalts himself will be humbled." Such a one the bishop must be, a man of one wife, well ruling his own household. Let him be tested in this way when he receives ordination and takes his place in the bishopric, whether he is dignified, trustworthy, and respectable; whether he has a dignified and faithful wife, or has had one; whether he has brought up his children in the fear of God and trained them in the Lord's discipline; whether all those in his household respect him and obey him. For if his own flesh and blood rebel against him and disobey, how will those outside his household, who have become his own, obey him?

Chapter 3

What kind of person the bishop to be appointed must be tested.

Let him be tested, then, to see if he is blameless in his daily needs. For it is written: "Examine the one who is about to be appointed to the priesthood." Let him also be slow to anger; for Wisdom says: "Anger destroys the wise." Let him be compassionate, gentle, and loving; for the Lord says: "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." Let him also be generous, cheerful, hospitable, helpful, ready to serve, easy to speak with, without shame, knowing who is truly worthy of respect.

Chapter 4

That not every widow must be given support, but there are times when even a married woman is preferred, and that one who is gluttonous, drunk, or lazy should not be given support.

For if there is a widow who is able to provide for her daily needs, and another who is not a widow but is in need because of illness, or caring for children, or weakness of the hands, she should stretch out her hand to this one rather. But if someone suffers in life as a glutton, or a drunkard, or lazy, she is not worthy of help, not even from the Church of God. For Scripture says about these, declaring, "The lazy one hides his hand under his bosom; he will not be able to bring it to his mouth." And again: "The lazy one has caught his hands, and he ate his own flesh. For every drunkard and fornicator will become poor, and will clothe himself with torn and ragged clothes, every sleepy one." And elsewhere: "But if you give your eyes to the cups and the goblets, later you will walk more naked than before." Truly, idleness is the mother of hunger.

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Chapter 5

That the bishop must be impartial in judging, and have a moderate character, and a restrained way of life.

Let the bishop be impartial, neither fearing nor flattering the rich beyond what is proper, nor overlooking the poor, nor oppressing them. For God says to Moses, "You shall not show partiality to a rich man, nor honor a poor man in judgment. For the judgment belongs to the Lord." And again, "You shall pursue justice rightly." Let the bishop be useful and self-sufficient in food and drink, so that he may be able to be sober in order to admonish the uneducated. Let him not be wasteful, nor luxurious, nor fond of pleasure, nor a glutton. Let him be patient, long-suffering in admonitions, well taught, studying and applying himself to the Lord's books, much in reading, so that he may carefully interpret the Scriptures, explaining the Gospel in harmony with the prophets and the law; likewise, let the interpretations from the law and the prophets correspond to the Gospel. For the Lord Jesus says, "Search the Scriptures; for these are they that testify about me." And again, "Moses wrote about me." Above all, let him be a good discerner, distinguishing the law and the second law, and showing what is the law for the faithful and what are the bonds for the unbelievers, so that no one may fall under the bonds. Therefore, take care of the word, bishop, so that you may be able to interpret everything word for word, and richly nourish and enlighten your people with the light of the law through much teaching. For God says, "Give yourselves the light of knowledge, while there is still time."

Chapter 6

On the bishop not being greedy for gain, nor acting as a guarantor, nor supporting others.

Let the bishop not be greedy for gain, especially toward the Gentiles, being harmed rather than harming. Not greedy, not a grabber, not a taker away, not a lover of wealth, not hating the poor, not a slanderer, not a false witness, not quick-tempered, not quarrelsome, not entangled in worldly affairs, not acting as a guarantor for anyone, nor supporting just financial claims, [PG 1.604] not fond of power, not double-minded, not double-tongued, not listening to slander or gossip, not a hypocrite, not participating in the festivals of the Gentiles, not using empty deceits, nor being lustful, nor loving money. Because all such things are enemies of God and are loved by demons. The bishop must also firmly command all these things to the laypeople, urging them to become imitators of his own way. "Reverent For, he says, "Make the sons of Israel. Let him be wise, humble, instructive in the Lord's teachings, discerning, appointed over all the evil practices in life, and over all the desires of the nations. Let him be well-ordered, sharp to recognize the wicked and to guard against them, a friend to all, just, discerning, and whatever good there is or exists in people, let the bishop possess these within himself. Because being a shepherd without blame in wrongdoing, he will compel his own disciples and, through his conduct, encourage them to become worthy imitators of his own actions. As the prophet also says somewhere "And the people will be like the priest." For even our Lord and teacher Jesus Christ, the Son of God, began first by acting, and then by teaching. As Luke somewhat says "Which Jesus began to do and to teach. Therefore he says "Whoever does and teaches these things will be called great in the kingdom of God. For you must be overseers for the people, because you yourselves have Christ as your overseer. And so you too become good overseers for the people of God. For the Lord says through Ezekiel to each one of you, saying "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel, so that you may hear a word from my mouth and keep it, and declare it to them from me. in the matter of speaking to the wicked person If the wicked person dies, and you did not speak to warn the wicked to turn away from their wickedness, that wicked person will die in their wickedness, and I will require their blood from your hand. But if you warn the wicked person to turn away from their way and they do not turn away, they will die in their wickedness, and you will save your own life. Likewise, if a sword of war is coming, and the people set a watch as a guard, and the watchman sees the sword coming but does not warn, and someone's life is taken, that life is taken because of their own sin, but the blood will be required from the hand of the watchman, because he did not sound the trumpet. But if the watchman sounds the horn, and the one who hears it does not keep watch, and the sword comes and takes him, his blood will be on his own head, because he did not keep watch after hearing the horn. But the one who kept watch will save his life, and the watchman who sounded the alarm will live. The sword is judgment. The trumpet is the holy Gospel. The watchman is the bishop appointed over the Church, who must preach, bear witness, and confirm the judgment. If you do not announce and bear witness to the people, the sin of those who are ignorant will be found on you. Therefore, you must admonish those living in ignorance, and rebuke with boldness, teach those who are unaware, support those who understand, and turn back those who have gone astray. Saying the same things about the same people, brothers, we will not sin. For from hearing many times, it is likely that some become discouraged, even if they do good once and avoid evil. For God says through the prophet "He warns them of these things, perhaps they will listen to your voice. And again "If then they listen, if then they obey. And Moses says to the people "If you listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is good and right in his eyes." And again "Listen, Israel, the Lord your God, the Lord is one." And the Lord is often mentioned in the Gospel, saying [PG 1.608] "Let anyone who has ears to hear, listen." And the wise Solomon says "Listen, son, to the instruction of your father, and do not reject the laws of your mother." And even to this day they have not listened And for they seem to have heard, but they have disobeyed, leaving behind having rejected the one and only true God, and being dragged into destructive and terrible heresies, about which we will speak again.

Chapter 7

What the initiated person ought to be like.

Let it be known to you, beloved, that those who have been baptized into the death of the Lord Jesus no longer owe to sin. Just as those who have died are inactive toward sin, so also those who have died with Christ are powerless toward sin. Therefore, we do not believe, brothers, that anyone who has been washed in the bath of life still practices the lustful acts of the wicked. But whoever sins after baptism, if he does not repent and stop doing wrong, will be condemned to Gehenna.

Chapter 8

About being accused, or rather, being corrected.

If someone is accused by unbelievers because they no longer join in their evil deeds, let them know that such a person is blessed before God; just as the Lord says in the Gospel: "Blessed are you when they insult you, or persecute you, or say every evil word against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven." Therefore, if someone is slandered with falsehood, that person is blessed. For Scripture says, "A worthless man is tested by God." But if someone is convicted of doing something unlawful, that person has not only harmed themselves but has also brought disgrace upon the common body of the Church and its teaching, as if those things we say are good are not actually done. And we too will be reproached by the Lord, because "They say, but do not do." Therefore, the bishop will truly rebuke such people openly, unless they change their ways.

Chapter 9

That the bishop must be free from bribery .

For the bishop must be not only without fault but also impartial, correcting sinners with kindness. But if he himself is not conscientious, becoming partial through some greedy bribery, and spares the one who has sinned unlawfully, allowing him to remain in the Church, he disobeys the divine and Lordly voice that says: "You shall rightly judge the righteous. You shall not show partiality in judgment. You shall not justify the wicked. You shall not accept a bribe, for bribes blind the eyes of the wise and pervert the words of the righteous." And elsewhere it says: "Remove the wicked from among you." And Solomon says in Proverbs: "Drive out the plague from the council, and quarrels will cease with him." [PG 1.609]

Chapter 10

That the bishop who is sparing without judgment toward the sinner becomes responsible.

But the one who does not pay attention to these things will spare without judgment the one who deserves punishment, like Saul with Agag, and Eli with his sons who did not know the Lord. For this person has dishonored both his own dignity and the Church of God in his community; therefore, he is unjust both to God and to holy people, being the cause of scandal to many newly baptized and catechumens, and even to young men and young women of that age, for whom the woe awaits, and he is a millstone around the neck, and a deep pit in which he stands condemned. Because of the lawlessness of his lack of judgment, when they see such a leader among them, they will be divided among themselves, and, sharing the same disease, they will be forced to perish together with him, just as the people did with Jeroboam, and those who were caught up with Kore. But if the sinner sees the bishop and the deacons innocent of blame, and the flock pure, first of all he will not dare, despising, to enter the Church of God, being struck by his own conscience; but if he enters without regard for anything, he will immediately be rebuked, like Uzzah who touched the ark to steady it, and like Achan for stealing the devoted things, [PG 1.612] and like Gehazi for the money of Naaman, and he will be punished at once, or, being admonished by the shepherd, he will be led to repentance. For looking carefully at each one, and finding no fault either with the bishop or with the people assigned under him, ashamed, he will leave peacefully with shame and many tears, softened, and the flock will remain cleansed; he will weep before God and repent for his sins; and he will have hope, and the whole flock, seeing his tears, will have instruction, that one who sins through repentance is not lost.

Chapter 11

How the bishop must judge those who sin.

Therefore, bishop, strive to be pure in your actions, knowing your role and your worth, as one who holds the image of God among people, who rules over all people—priests, kings, rulers, fathers, sons, teachers, and all the subjects together. And so, sit in the church, speaking as one who has the authority to judge those who have sinned; for it has been said to you bishops: "Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." [PG 1.613]

Chapter 12

Teaching on how one must offer to those who repent.

Judge then, bishop, with authority, as God does, but receive those who repent. For God is a God of mercy. Rebuke those who sin, warn those who do not turn back, encourage those who stand firm to hold to what is good, and welcome those who repent; because the Lord God has promised by oath to grant forgiveness to those who repent for the sins they have committed. For he says through Ezekiel: "I said to them, 'As surely as I live,' says the Lord Adonai, 'I do not want the death of the sinner, but rather that the wicked turn away from their evil way and live. Turn back, then, from your evil ways, and why should the house of Israel die?'" [PG 1.616]

Here the word gave hope to those who had sinned, that if they repent, they will have hope of salvation; so that they might not, as if abandoned, be handed over to lawlessness, but having hope of salvation, turn back and weep before God over their sins, and receive from him forgiveness, as from a good father.

Chapter 13

That one must flee from the occasion of sins.

The blameless must remain as such, and have no need for the occasion of sins, so that they do not lack the pain, sorrow, and tears of forgiveness. For what do you know, man, if you sin, whether you will live days in this life to repent? Because your departure from life is uncertain, and if you die in sin, there will be no repentance; as David says: "Who will confess to you in Hades?" Therefore, we must be ready in good things, so that we may take that path without sorrow. For this reason, the divine word encourages through Solomon the wise, saying to you: "Prepare your works for your departure, and make ready for the field," so that none of the good things may be lacking to us; just as the five virgins in the Gospel lacked the oil of piety through foolishness, and having extinguished the lamps of divine knowledge, they were cast out of the bridal chamber. For this reason, everyone who spares their own life remains safe and blameless, so that he may also preserve for himself the righteousnesses he has already gained. Therefore, judge in this way, as judging God. "For the Lord's is the judgment," he says. First, condemn the guilty by authority; then, with mercy and compassion and a personal acceptance, promising him salvation if he changes his way and turns to repentance. Receive the one who is sorry with eagerness, remembering the Lord's saying, "There is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents." [PG 1.617]

Chapter 14

On those who say not to accept a repentant person, and that the righteous, even if he is with a sinner, is not destroyed along with him.

But if you do not accept the repentant person, you hand him over to his enemies, forgetting what David says: "Do not give up to the beasts a soul that confesses to you. Therefore, urging toward repentance, Jeremiah says: "Does not the one who falls rise again? Or does the one who turns away not return? What then, because my people have turned away with shameless rebellion, and have been held fast in their own choice, Return, you sons who have rebelled, and I will heal your brokenness. Therefore, accept the one who repents, not hesitating at all, nor being stopped by those who cruelly say that one must not be defiled by such people, nor share in their words. For these counsels come from those who do not know God, nor his providence, but are merciless judges like irrational beasts. For they do not understand that one must avoid fellowship not in words with sinners, but in deeds. "For the righteousness of the righteous will be upon him, and the lawlessness of the lawless will be upon him. And again "If the earth sins against me by an injustice, and I stretch out my hand against it, and break the support of bread upon it, and send famine into it, and destroy from it both man and beast, And if there are three men in its midst, Noah, Job, and Daniel, these by their righteousness will save their souls, says the Lord Adonai. The Scripture has clearly shown that a righteous person living with a wicked one does not perish together with him. For in this world, both the righteous and the wicked gather together in the fellowship of life, and indeed also in holiness. And in this, those who love God do not sin. For they are imitators of their Father in heaven, who causes his sun to rise on both the righteous and the wicked, and sends rain on the evil and the good. And the righteous will suffer no harm from this. For in the race there are both winners and those defeated, but in the crown only those who have fought bravely; no one is crowned unless he competes according to the rules. For each will give an account for himself, and God will not destroy the righteous along with the wicked, since with him the blameless is not left unpunished. For neither did he flood Noah, nor burn Lot, nor destroy Rahab completely. But if you want to know what happened to us, Judas, being with us, took the lot of the ministry, which both we and Simon the Magician received, the seal in the Lord. But each of them, having been shown to be worthless, one hanged himself, and the other, flying against nature, was destroyed. And in the ark, Noah and his sons were present. But Ham was found to be wicked alone, and he received punishment from his son. If even fathers are not punished for the sake of their children, nor sons for the sake of their fathers, it is clear that neither wives for their husbands, nor servants for their masters, nor relatives for relatives, nor friends for friends, nor the just for the unjust, are punished. But each one will be held accountable for their own actions. For neither Noah was punished for the world, nor Lot burned for Sodom, nor Rahab slaughtered for the people of Jericho, nor Israel for the Egyptians. For it is not living together that condemns the just along with the unjust, but the agreement of the mind. Therefore, it is not right to pay attention to those ready to die, and those who hate people, and those who are cruel, and those who kill under false pretenses. For one will not die for another. But "each one is bound by the chains of his own sins." And "Behold a man, and his work is before his face." We must help those who are with us [PG 1.621] and in danger, and those who stumble, and as much as possible, by the encouragement of the word, make them well, and rescue them from death. "For those who are strong do not need a doctor, but those who are sick do." Since "it is not the will of the Father that one of the little ones should perish. For it is not right to stand by the will of hard-hearted men, but rather the will of God and Father of all, through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom be glory forever. Amen For it is not right, since you are a leader, bishop, to pay attention to a rebellious layperson, causing the ruin of another, but only to God. For it is necessary for you to rule over your subjects, but not to be ruled by them. For neither is a son master over his father, according to the order of birth, nor is a slave master over his lord, according to the order of authority, nor is a student over his teacher, nor a soldier over the king, nor, indeed, a layperson over a bishop. About not seeming to join in the teaching of the word with those who come near unjustly, or to share in their sins, Ezekiel, cutting off the suspicion of the evil-minded, says "What do you say to them this parable upon the land of Israel?" The fathers ate sour grapes, and the teeth of the children were set on edge. "As I live," says the Lord Adonai, "if this parable is still spoken among you in Israel." For all souls are mine. Just as the soul of the father is mine, so also the soul of the son is mine. The soul that sins, it itself will die. But the person who will be righteous, doing judgment and justice, And afterward choosing the remaining virtues, is sealed by saying "This kind of righteous person exists; he will live by life, says Adonai the Lord. And if he should beget a son who is a plague, shedding blood, he did not walk in the way of his righteous father; And bringing forward the following things, he leads to the last ones. "He will not live by life He committed all these lawless acts; he will die by death. His blood will be upon him. And it will be said. Because the son did not receive the injustice of the father, nor his righteousness, having done righteousness and mercy. And you will say to them. The soul that sins shall die. The son will not receive the injustice of the father, nor will the father receive the injustice of the son. The righteousness of the righteous will be upon him, and the lawlessness of the lawless will be upon him. And after a little, he says "When he turns away the righteous from his righteousness and does injustice, all his righteousnesses, according to all his lawlessnesses which he has done, will not be remembered; in his injustice, by which he wronged, and in his sin, by which he sinned, he will die." And after a little, he brings forward "When the lawless one turns away from his lawlessness which he has done, and does judgment and righteousness, he has kept his soul, and turned away from all his wickedness which he has done; he will live by life, and will not die." And next "Each one according to your ways I judge you, house of Israel, says the Lord Adonai."

Chapter 15

That the priest must never overlook sins, nor be quick to punish.

See, beloved children of ours, how merciful with justice the Lord our God is, good and loving, "and he will not acquit the guilty," and how he welcomes and gives life to the one who turns back, not leaving a place for suspicion to those harshly willing to judge, and completely turning away sinners, and not sharing with them words of encouragement that can lead to repentance. To these, God says through Isaiah to the bishops: "Comfort, comfort my people, priests, speak to the heart of Jerusalem." Therefore, it is necessary for you who hear him to encourage those who have sinned, and to urge them to repentance, to give hope, and not to suspect that you become partners in the faults committed by them, because of your love for them.

Joyfully welcome those who repent, rejoicing over them, judging sinners with mercy and compassion. For if you push the one walking by the river and about to slip into the river with sticks or rods instead of reaching out your hand, you have killed your brother; rather, you must give your right hand to the one slipping, so that he may not be completely lost, so that the people may be admonished, and the sinner may not be lost utterly.

It is necessary for you, bishop, neither to overlook the sins of the people nor to turn away from those who repent, so that you do not destroy, as inexperienced, the flock [PG 1.625] of the Lord, and spoil his new name given to his people, and be reproached, just as the old shepherds were, about whom God said to Jeremiah: "Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard, they have defiled my inheritance." And elsewhere: "My anger is kindled against the shepherds, and I will punish the lambs." And in another place: "You priests who defile my name."

Chapter 16

On repentance, what its way is, and how it is accomplished.

When you see someone who has sinned, and you are grieved, order him to be put outside, and when he goes out, let the deacons be grieved as well, and seeking him, hold him outside the church, and when they come in, let them ask you about him. For the Savior also pleaded with the Father on behalf of sinners, as it is written in the Gospel: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." Then you will order him to come in, and question whether he repents, and if he is worthy to be fully accepted into the church, having made him fast for days according to the sin—two weeks, or three, or five, or seven—then release him, telling him whatever is fitting for one who has sinned, to admonish, rebuke, teach, and encourage him, so that he may remain humble before himself, and pray to God to find favor with him, and say: "If iniquity is noticed, Lord, Lord, who will stand? For with you is forgiveness." For such a thing is also implied in what was said to Cain in Genesis: "Have you sinned? Be still," that is, do not add to it. For the sinner must be ashamed of his own fault; enough is the word said by Moses about Mary, when he ordered her to be forgiven: For God said to him, "If her father had spit in her face, would she not be ashamed? Let her be separated outside the camp for seven days, and after that she shall enter." So we too must do this: to those who say they repent of their sins, set a fixed time according to the measure of the sin, then accept those who repent, as fathers accept sons. [PG 1.628]

Chapter 17

That the bishop must be blameless, as a model for those who lead.

If the bishop himself is involved in a fault, how can he still go out to investigate some wrongdoing or to rebuke someone, without showing favoritism or taking bribes, whether he himself or the deacons, not having a clear conscience? For when the ruler asks, and the judge accepts, the judgment does not reach a proper conclusion. "Partners with thieves and not paying attention to the judgment of widows, Those under the bishop will not be able to defend the bishop alongside him. For they will say to him what is written in the Gospel, "Why do you see the speck in your brother's eye, but do not notice the beam in your own eye? Let the bishop, together with his deacons, be careful to hear such a saying. That is, let him not give cause for it. For when a sinner sees someone doing the same thing as himself, he will be encouraged to do the same. Then the evil one, taking advantage of one opportunity, works upon others. May this never happen And thus the flock will be led astray. For since there are more who sin, the evil carried out through them will also be greater. For sin, when unchecked, becomes worse than itself, and it spreads to others, since even "a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough" , And one thief brought disgrace upon an entire nation, "and flies that kill corrupt the containers of sweet oil, and a king who listens to an unjust word, all his servants are lawless under him; Just so, a scabby sheep passes its disease to others, not separated from the healthy sheep, and a man who spreads infection is a danger to many, and a dog mad with rabies is dangerous to everyone it attacks. If then we do not separate an unlawful person from the Church of God, we will make the house of the Lord a den of robbers. For it is necessary not to remain silent about those who sin, but to rebuke, admonish, [PG 1.629] press upon them, and tread upon them with fasting, so that it may also instill reverence in others. "For you must be careful," he says, "to treat the sons of Israel with reverence." For the bishop must become both a restrainer of sinners through admonition, a guardian of justice, a preacher of the goods prepared by God, and a herald of the coming wrath in judgment. So that, not despising the work of God, he may not hear through neglect what is said in Hosea. "Why did you overlook wickedness, and reap its fruit?"

Chapter 18

That the bishop must take care so that the people do not sin, because he is their guardian.

Therefore, the bishop must take care of everyone, both those who have not sinned, so that they remain without sin, and those who have sinned, so that they repent. For the Lord says to you "See that you do not despise one of these little ones. And it is necessary to grant forgiveness to those who repent. For at the same time as saying something to one who has sinned, with genuine intention, "I have sinned against the Lord; the Holy Spirit answers, "And the Lord has forgiven you the sin; be confident, you will not die." Know then, bishop, your dignity, that just as I have given you the authority to bind, so also to loose. Therefore, having the authority to loose, know yourself, and live worthily of your position in this life, knowing that you yourself will be held more accountable. "For to whom much is given, more will be demanded from him." For no one among humans is without sin except the one who became a human for us. Since it is written "No one is pure from defilement, not even for one day is his life." For this reason, the lives and conduct of the righteous and patriarchs who came before were also recorded not so that by reading about them we may blame them, but so that we may repent, and become hopeful that we will receive forgiveness. For their stains are our security and encouragement, showing that even we, having sinned, if we repent, will receive forgiveness. since it is written "Who will boast of having a pure heart, or who will speak boldly of being free from sin? Therefore, no one is without sin So then, do your best, as far as you can, to be blameless. And take care above all else, that no one is lost because of you through stumbling. For the layperson cares only for himself, but you care for all, as one who carries a greater burden and bears a heavier load. For it is written "And the Lord said to Moses "You and Aaron will take on the sins of the priesthood. Therefore, as one defending many, take care of all, and preserve the healthy ones, but correct those who have sinned, and by pressing them with fasting, lighten their burden with forgiveness and receive them when they repent, while the whole Church prays for him, and after laying hands on him, allow him to remain in the flock. Turn back those who are sleepy and absent, support them, encourage them, heal them, knowing how great a reward you have for doing these things. Therefore, just as you would face danger if you neglect these, For Ezekiel says to the bishops who neglect the people, "Woe to the shepherds of Israel, because (3-4) they have fed themselves for the shepherds do not feed the sheep, but themselves You eat the milk, and you clothe yourselves with the wool; you slaughter the strong, but you do not feed the sheep. You have not strengthened the weak, nor healed the sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back the strayed, nor sought the lost. And you have ruled over them harshly with mockery. And they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the beasts of the forest. And again "And my shepherds did not seek out my sheep, but the shepherds cared for themselves, and they did not care for my sheep. And after a little while "Behold, I myself will go to the shepherds, and I will seek out my sheep from their hands, and I will stop them from feeding my sheep. The shepherds will no longer feed themselves, and I will rescue my sheep from their hands, and they will no longer be food for them. And he also brings it before the people, saying "Behold, I will judge between sheep and sheep, and between ram and ram Was it not enough for you that you have fed on the good pasture, but you trampled down the rest of the pasture with your feet, and you ate the sheep that were trampled by your feet? And after a little while he brings forward "And [PG 1.633] you will know that I am the Lord, and you are the sheep of my pasture, you are my people, and I am your God, says Adonai the Lord."

Chapter 19

That even the shepherd, if careless about the sheep, suffers loss, and the flock, not obeying the shepherd, is punished.

Listen, you bishops, and listen, you laypeople, as God says: "I will judge a ram against a ram, and a sheep against a sheep." And he says this to the shepherds: You will be judged because of their neglect and the destruction of the sheep; that is, I judge bishop against bishop, layperson against layperson, and ruler against ruler. For the sheep are reasonable, and these rams are not without reason; so that the layperson will never say, "I am a sheep, not a shepherd, and I have made no account for myself," but the shepherd will see, and he alone will be held accountable for the judgment concerning me. Just as for a good shepherd, a sheep that does not follow is exposed to destruction by wolves, so for an evil shepherd, the one who follows him clearly faces death, because he will be devoured. Therefore, one must flee from destructive shepherds.

Chapter 20

How those who are ruled must obey the ruling bishops.

But the layperson should honor, love, and fear the good shepherd as lord, as master, as high priest of God, as teacher of piety. For the one who listens to him listens to Christ, and the one who rejects him rejects Christ, and the one who does not accept Christ does not accept his God and Father. "For the one who listens to you listens to me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects the one who sent me." Likewise, let the bishop love the laypeople as his children, warming and cherishing them with the eagerness of love, like eggs, for the care of the sick, or like a mother bird, embracing them for the care of her young. Admonishing all, reprimanding all who need correction, but not striking, pressing gently toward shame, but not toward overthrow, advising toward turning back, rebuking for improvement, and upright conduct. Guarding the strong thing, that is, holding securely the firm foundation of faith. Shepherding the people peacefully. Strengthening the one who is troubled, that is, making firm the one being tested through admonition. Healing the one who is sick, that is, curing the one suffering from the faith through discord, by means of teaching. Binding up the broken, that is, the one who has gone astray, or the one who is shattered, [PG 1.636] or the one weighed down by sins into a lame path, healing through comforting admonition, easing from faults, and giving hope, thus restoring him strong in the Church, bringing him back into the flock. Turn back the one who has been cast out, that is, the one who has fallen into sin and has been thrown out as a punishment, not allowing him to remain outside, but receiving him and restoring him by turning him back into the flock, that is, into the people of the pure Church. Seek out the lost, that is, the one who has lost hope of salvation because of many faults, not allowing him to be completely destroyed. The one who has become spiritually cold and sluggish, fallen asleep through great laziness, and forgotten his own life because of a heavy sleep, and having strayed far from his own flock, so as to fall into the jaws of wolves, you must seek out, and by admonishing turn him back, and urge him to be sober, and plant hope in him, not allowing him to say what some have said, that "Our sins are upon us, and we are melting away in them, so how can we live?" If it is possible, let the bishop take the fault upon himself, and say to the one who has sinned, "You alone turn back, and I will take upon myself the death for you, just as the Lord took upon himself death for me and for all." "For the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." But the hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees the wolf coming, that is, the devil, , "and he leaves the sheep, and flees, and the wolf seizes them. It is fitting, then, to know that God, being merciful to those who have sinned, promised repentance with an oath But the one who has sinned and does not know God's promise about repentance, and not knowing his patience and forgiveness, and still not knowing the holy Scriptures that proclaim this—because he has not learned from you—perishes. But you, as a loving shepherd and a diligent herdsman, seek him out, counting the flock. Seek out the one who is missing, just as the Lord God, our good Father, sent his own Son, a good shepherd and Savior, our teacher Jesus, allowing him to leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the lost one. And when he finds him, he lifts him onto his own shoulders and carries him back to the flock, rejoicing over the finding of the lost one. So then, be obedient yourself, bishop, seeking out the lost one, guiding the one who has gone astray, and bringing back the one who has departed [PG 1.637] . For you have the authority to bring back, and to send away those who are broken with forgiveness. Through you the Savior says to the one who has fallen into sins, "Your sins are forgiven you." "Your faith has saved you." "Go in peace." Peace and full calm is the Church of Christ. Into which, by forgiving those who have sinned, he restores them healthy and blameless, hopeful, eager, and hardworking in good works. Like an experienced and compassionate doctor, he heals all who have been struck by sin. "For those who are strong do not need a doctor, but those who are sick do." For the Son of Man came to save and to seek the lost. Being then a doctor of the Lord's Church, he brought suitable healing to each of the sick, in every way he treated, made healthy, and restored the Church's members to safety. He shepherded the flock, not with force and mockery, as one who rules by power, but as a good shepherd gathering the lambs in his arms, and gently encouraging those who were with child.

Chapter 21

That it is dangerous to make a one-sided judgment and to set punishment against one who has not yet been proven guilty.

Be kind, good, gentle, sincere, truthful, not harsh, not stubborn, not abrupt, not arrogant, not merciless, not blinded, not a people-pleaser, not cowardly, not double-minded, not mocking those under your care, not hiding from them the lawful things of God and the words about repentance, not quick to cast out and expel, but steady, not eager for honor, not rash, not accepting the testimony of one person without three faithful witnesses, and these witnesses whose character has long been proven, and not moved by hatred or envy. For there are many who are glad at others' misfortune, quick to speak, having a third tongue, hateful toward their brothers, working to scatter the sheep of Christ. If you are willing to accept their words without careful judgment, you will scatter your flock and hand them over to wolves for devouring, that is, to demons, and to wicked men, but rather not men, but to man-like beasts, to pagans, to Judaizers, and to godless heretics. For when one is cast out from the Church, the attacking wolves immediately come near, and they treat him as a lamb for food, considering his loss their own gain. For the father of these is the devil, a murderer of men. And the one who, through your lack of judgment, is unjustly cut off, and discouraged, and faint-hearted, will either be led astray to the Gentiles, or be trapped by heresies, and will be completely alienated from the Church and the hope in God, and will be trampled underfoot by godlessness, and you will become responsible for his destruction. For it is not right to be ready to cast out the one who has sinned, but lazy in receiving the one who turns back, and quick to cut off, but merciless in healing the one who is suffering. For concerning such people, the divine Scripture says "Their feet run to evil they are quick to shed blood destruction and misery are in their paths, and they have not known the way of peace. There is no fear of God before their eyes. The way of peace is our Savior Jesus Christ, who also taught us saying "Give, and it will be given to you; forgive, and you will be forgiven; That is, give forgiveness of sins, and your offenses will be forgiven. Just as he also taught us to pray to God by saying "Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. If then you do not forgive those who have sinned, how will you receive the forgiveness of your own sins? Are you not rather binding yourselves, saying you forgive, and yet not forgiving? Will you not oppose yourselves with your own mouth, saying you forgive, and yet not forgiving? For you know that the one who drives out someone who has not wronged him, or who does not accept the one who turns back, is a murderer of his brother, and sheds blood, like Cain did Abel his brother, and his blood will cry out to God for justice. For the righteous man who is unjustly killed by someone will be at rest with God forever. In the same way, the one who is vainly excommunicated by the bishop will also be at rest. The one who drives out the innocent as if a plague is more bitter than a murderer, not looking to the mercy of God, nor remembering his goodness toward those who repent, nor taking into account the purposes of such people who, having received forgiveness for many sins through repentance, are granted pardon. Therefore, the one who casts out the innocent is more cruel than a physical murderer. In the same way, the one who does not accept those who repent scatters the things of Christ, becoming an enemy to him. For just as God is righteous in judging sinners, so he is merciful in accepting those who turn back. For mercy and judgment, the God-loving David sang to him.

Chapter 22

That David, the Ninevites, Hezekiah, and his son Manasseh provide a great example of repentance.

It is necessary, bishop, to keep before your eyes even those who have gone ahead, and to use them skillfully for the purpose of admonishing with harsh or comforting words as needed. Also, when you judge, it is right to follow the will of God, and just as God judges sinners or those who repent, so you should judge in a similar way. For did not Nathan rebuke David when he slipped, and tell him to repent, and immediately he was freed from death, saying "Take heart; you will not die." Jonah, unwilling to preach to the Ninevites, was swallowed by the sea and a sea monster. While praying in the belly, he was brought up from destruction to life. Hezekiah, who was blind for a short time, prayed with tears, and his sin was forgiven. Listen, bishops, to a useful example for such matters. For it is written in the Fourth Book of Kings, and in the Second Book of Chronicles, in the Book of Days, as follows. "And Hezekiah died and his son Manasseh reigned, being twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. and the name of his mother was Hephzibah. And he did evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not turn away [PG 1.644] from the abominations of the nations which the Lord had destroyed before the face of the sons of Israel. And Manasseh returned, and he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down. And he set up pillars for Baal, and he raised an altar for Baal. And he made groves, just as Ahab king of Israel did, and he made altars in the house of the Lord, where the Lord said to David, and to Solomon his son, saying, "In this place I will put my name." And Manasseh set up altars, and in them he served Baal. And he said My name will be forever. And he built altars in the two courtyards of the house of the Lord, for the army of heaven. And he himself led his children through fire in Geba in the name of And he was practicing witchcraft and using poison. And he made soothsayers, and charmers, and diviners, and healers. And he increased doing evil in the sight of the Lord, to anger him. And he set up the molten and carved image of the grove, the figure which he made in the house of the Lord, where the Lord chose to put his name, there in Jerusalem, the holy city, forever, and he said I will not put my foot to shake the land of Israel, which I gave to their fathers, only if they keep all that I commanded them, according to every command that my servant Moses commanded. And they did not listen, and Manasseh led them astray to do evil in the sight of the Lord, more than the nations whom the Lord had destroyed from before the children of Israel. And the Lord spoke against Manasseh and against his people, through the hands of his servants the prophets, saying Because of all the evil detestable things that Manasseh, king of Judah, did—more than all that the Amorite did before him—and he sinned against Judah with his idols, the Lord God of Israel says this: Behold, I am bringing evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, so that everyone who hears of it will have both ears ringing.

I will measure out to Jerusalem the measure of Samaria and the weight of the house of Ahab.

I will wipe out Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it clean. (47-19)

I will overthrow it face down [PG 1.645] , and I will give over the remnant of my inheritance.

I will deliver them into the hands of their enemies, and they will become a spoil and a prey to all their enemies,

because of all the evil they have done in my sight, and because they have angered me,

since the day their ancestors were brought out of the land of Egypt until this day. And indeed, Manasseh shed much innocent blood, until he filled Jerusalem from end to end. Besides his sins by which he sinned against Judah, he did evil in the sight of the Lord. And the Lord brought against him the commanders of the king of Assyria's army, and they captured Manasseh in chains, bound him with bronze fetters, and took him to Babylon. And he was bound and completely ironed in a prison house, and he was given a small amount of bread made from bran by measure, and a little water with vinegar in a measure, just enough for him to live, and he was constantly suffering and in great pain. And when he was severely oppressed, he sought the face of the Lord his God, [PG 1.648] and he humbled himself greatly before the Lord God of his fathers, and he prayed to the Lord, saying Lord Almighty, God of our fathers, of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and of their righteous offspring He who made the heaven and the earth, along with all their world, who bound the sea by the word of your command, who closed the abyss, and sealed it with your fearful and glorious name Before whom all shudder and tremble at the face of your power, because the majesty of your glory is unshakable, and the anger of your threat against sinners is unstoppable Your mercy of the promise is both immeasurable and unfathomable. For you alone are Lord, compassionate, patient, full of mercy, and repentant concerning the evils of men. For you, God, according to the kindness of your goodness, promised repentance and forgiveness to those who have sinned, and by the abundance of your mercies you have appointed repentance for sinners unto salvation. You, then, Lord God of the righteous, did not grant repentance to the righteous, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who did not sin against you. But you granted repentance to me, the sinner, because I have sinned beyond number, like the sand of the sea. My sins have multiplied, Lord, my sins have multiplied, and I am no longer worthy to look up and see the height of heaven, bowed down by the weight of my many wrongs, bound by heavy iron chains. For I have provoked your anger, and I have done evil before you, setting up abominations and increasing offenses. [PG 1.649] And now I bend the knee of my heart, begging for your kindness. I have sinned, Lord, I have sinned, and I know my lawlessness. But I ask, begging you. Have mercy on me, Lord, have mercy on me, and do not destroy me along with my lawlessness, nor keep your anger against me forever, nor condemn me to the lowest parts of the earth. For you are God, God of those who repent, and you will show your goodness to me. For, being unworthy, you will save me according to your great mercy. And I will praise you forever in all the days of my life. For all the power of the heavens praises you, and the glory is yours forever. Amen And the Lord heard his voice and had compassion on him. And a flame of fire appeared around him, and all the iron around him melted. And the Lord healed Manasseh from his distress, and brought him back to Jerusalem to his kingdom. And Manasseh knew that the Lord alone is God, and he worshiped only the Lord God with all his heart and with all his soul all the days of his life, and he was counted righteous. And he removed the foreign gods, and the carved image from the house of the Lord, and all the altars that he had built in the house of the Lord, and all the altars in Jerusalem, and he threw them outside the city, and he repaired the altar, and offered on it a sacrifice of salvation and praise. And Manasseh said to Judah, to serve the Lord God of Israel. And he fell asleep in peace with his ancestors. And Amon, his son, reigned in his place. And he did evil before the Lord, in all things just as Manasseh his father had done at first, and he provoked the Lord his God. Listen, dear children of ours, how the Lord God, after enduring idols and killing many innocent people, quickly punished, then changed his mind and received him back, and after forgiving his faults, restored him to the kingdom. For he not only forgives those who repent, but also restores them to their former status.

Chapter 23

Let Amon be an example for those who sin out of contempt.

There is no greater sin than idolatry; for it is impiety against God. Yet even this is forgiven through genuine repentance. But if someone sins out of stubbornness, testing God as if He will not punish the wicked, such a person will not receive forgiveness, even if he says to himself, "May I be made holy, for I will walk in the way of my evil heart." For such a person was Amon, the son of Manasseh. Scripture says : "And Amon thought an evil plan of rebellion, and he said, 'My father sinned greatly in his youth, and repented in old age; but now I will walk as my soul desires, and afterward I will return to the Lord.' And he did evil before the Lord, more than all who came before him. And the Lord God quickly destroyed him from his good land. And his own children conspired against him and killed him in his house; and he reigned only two years." [PG 1.652]

Chapter 24

That Christ Jesus the Lord came to save sinners through repentance.

Pay attention then, you common people, lest any of you fix the thought of Amon firmly in your heart, and will soon be destroyed. Likewise, let the bishop keep, as he is able, those who have not sinned to remain without sin. And let him receive those who turn back from sins, healing them. But if he does not accept the one who has repented, being merciless, he will sin against the Lord his God, justifying himself above that righteousness, and not accepting the one whom he accepted through Christ, through whom he sent his Son to earth to men as a man, through whom he was pleased to be born from a woman, the creator of man and woman, for whose sake, sparing no expense, he endured the cross and death and burial, allowing to suffer the one naturally impassible, the beloved Son, the Word of God, the angel of his great counsel, so that he might save those subject to death from death. They anger this one, those who do not accept the repentant. For he did not shame Matthew, who was a tax collector before, and Peter, who denied him three times out of fear, but through repentance was forgiven and wept bitterly, he accepted him and made him shepherd of his own sheep. And Paul, our fellow apostle, who before troubled us greatly and blasphemed the holy name, he appointed as an apostle instead of a persecutor, choosing him as a vessel of election. And to another sinful woman he says, "Your many sins are forgiven you, because you loved much." And they brought another woman who had sinned before him, and setting the judgment on her, the elders went out. But the Lord, who knows the heart, asked her if the elders had condemned her, and when she said no, he said to her, "Go then, and I do not condemn you either." This Savior, king, and God of ours, Jesus, bishops, you must keep in view; you must be his imitators, gentle, calm, compassionate, merciful, peaceful, patient, teachable, repentant, welcoming, comforting, not harsh, not quick-tempered, not insulting, not arrogant, not proud, not drunkards, not wasteful, not indulgent, not extravagant, not using what belongs to others but as your own the possessions of God, standing as good stewards, as those who will have to give an account to God. Let the bishop have sufficient food and clothing, suitable for his need and dignity. Let him not use the Lord's things as if they were someone else's, but with moderation. "For the worker is worthy of his wages." Do not be wasteful, nor showy, but only eager for what is necessary for support.

Chapter 25

On first fruits and tithes, and how the bishop ought either to partake of them himself or to distribute them to others.

Let the tithes and first fruits given by God's command be used as by a man of God. Let what is brought voluntarily under the pretense of the poor be well managed for orphans, widows, those in distress, and strangers in need, as one who has God as the accountant of these things, the one who has entrusted him with this stewardship. To all those in need, distribute with justice, and you yourselves also use from the Lord's gifts, but do not misuse them, eating from them but not consuming them alone, sharing with those who need, so that you may be blameless before God. For if you consume them alone, you will be reproached by God, who says this to the greedy and those who eat alone. "You eat the milk, and you wear the wool. And in other places "Will you not live alone on the earth? Therefore, it is also commanded to you in the law "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." And we say these things, not so that you will not share in your sufferings, for it is written "You shall not muzzle an ox while it is threshing; but so that with fairness and righteousness measured out In the same way, then, just as the ox works tirelessly in the threshing floor, it does eat, but it does not eat everything. In the same way, you who work in the threshing floor—that is, in the Church of God—eat from the church. Just as the Levites who served at the tent of testimony, which was a type of the Church in every way, did likewise. Moreover, [PG 1.661] even from the name "testimony," the tent of the church was prefigured. Here, then, the Levites serving at the tent shared freely in the offerings given to God by all the people—gifts, firstfruits, tithes, sacrifices, and offerings—along with their wives, sons, and daughters. Since their work was the service of the tent, for this reason they did not receive a land inheritance among the sons of Israel. Because the contributions of the people were the inheritance of Levi and the possession of their tribe. You then, today, bishops, are priests to your people, Levites, serving the holy tent, the holy catholic Church, and standing before the altar of the Lord our God, offering to him the reasonable and bloodless sacrifices through Jesus, the great high priest. You are prophets, rulers, leaders, and kings to the laypeople among you, mediators between God and his faithful, bearers of the word and messengers, those who know the Scriptures, and voices of God, and witnesses to his will. Bearing the sins of all, and making defense for all. To whom, as you have heard, the word strictly threatens if you hide from people the key of knowledge. To whom there is deadly danger if you do not announce his will to the people under your care. To whom from God comes an unfailing reward and an unspeakable glory, for having served well the holy tabernacle. For just as your burden, so also the duties of the caretakers and the other needs you reap. [PG 1.664] For you are imitators of Christ the Lord. And likewise he bore all the sins on the wood, the blameless one being crucified for those worthy of punishment; so also it is necessary for you to take away the sins of the people. For it is said about the Savior in Isaiah, that "He bears our sins, and suffers for us." And again "He himself carried the sins of many, and was handed over because of their lawlessness." Just as you are watchmen, so also have Christ as your watchman. Just as he is the one for all of you, so also you are for the people under your care. Do not think, that the office of bishop is an easy or light burden. Therefore, just as you bear the burden, so also you must be the first to share in the fruits, and to give to those in need, giving an account to the one who will judge you without favor. For those who serve the Church must be supported by the Church, as they are priests, Levites, elders, ministers of God. Just as it is written in the book of Numbers concerning the priests. "And the Lord said to Aaron "You, and your sons, and the house of your father's family will bear the sins of the holy ones, your priesthood. Behold, I have given you the charge of keeping the firstfruits. From all the things consecrated to me by the sons of Israel, I have given them to you as a gift, and to your sons after you, as an eternal law. And this shall be for you from the consecrated things, from the fruits, and from the gifts, and from all the sacrifices, and from every mistake, and concerning sins. And whatever is given to me from all the holy things will be yours and your sons'. Eat them in the holy place. And after a little while "Every first fruit of oil and wine and grain, whatever they give to the Lord, I have given to you. and all the firstborn I have given to you. And every curse gathered together Every firstborn of man and beast, both clean and unclean, and sacrifices, and the breast and right arm belong to the priests, and to the rest who remain with them, the Levites. Hear these things, you also, the laypeople, the chosen Church of God. For indeed the people formerly were called "the people of God and a holy nation". was called and so you also are a holy and sacred Church of God, registered in heaven, "a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for possession, a bride adorned for the Lord God A great Church, a faithful Church, what was said before, now listen carefully. tithes and offerings, first fruits to the high priest Christ and to those serving him, tithes of salvation, the beginning of the name Jesus Listen, holy catholic Church, [PG 1.665] who has escaped the ten plagues, and has received the Decalogue, and has learned the law, and has believed in Jesus, and is called by his name, and is established and shining in the completion of his glory. The sacrifices then, now prayers, and petitions, and thanksgivings The first fruits then, and tithes, and deductions, and gifts, now offerings, which are offered to the Lord God through the holy bishops through Jesus Christ, who died for them. For these are your high priests. But your priests are the elders. And your Levites, who now serve as deacons, and those who read to you, and the singers, and the gatekeepers, your deacons, and the widows, and the virgins, and your orphans. But the chief priest is above all these.

Chapter 26

To what type and worth each one appointed in the clergy by God corresponds.

The bishop, he is the servant of the word, the guardian of knowledge, the mediator between God and you in the services offered to him [PG 1.668] ; he is the teacher of piety; he is, after God, your father, having reborn you through water and spirit into sonship; he is your ruler and leader, your king and lord; he is your earthly god after God, who must enjoy the honor given by you. For concerning this and those like him, God said: "I said, You are gods, and all of you are sons of the Most High." And "You shall not blaspheme gods." Therefore, the bishop must be seated above you, honored as worthy of God, who holds authority over the clergy and rules over all the people. The deacon must stand by him, as Christ stands by the Father, and serve him in all things blamelessly, just as Christ, doing nothing from himself, always does what pleases the Father. The deaconess should be honored by you as a type of the Holy Spirit, doing nothing without the deacon or speaking without him, just as the Paraclete neither speaks nor acts from himself, but glorifies Christ and waits for his will; and just as it is impossible to believe in Christ without the teaching of the Spirit, so no woman should approach the deacon or the bishop without the deaconess. The elders, appointed to you as types of us the apostles, should be teachers of the knowledge of God; since the Lord, sending us, said: "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you." Widows and orphans should be considered by you as types of the altar, and virgins should be honored as types of the censer and of the incense.

Chapter 27

That it is dreadful to cast oneself into some priestly office; like the Koreites, like Saul, like Uzziah.

Just as it was not allowed for a foreigner, not being a Levite, to offer anything or to approach the altar without the priest, so you must do nothing without the bishop. If anyone does something without the bishop, he does it in vain; for it will not be counted as a work for him. Just as Saul, offering a sacrifice without Samuel, heard that "it is in vain for you," so every layperson who does something without the priest works in vain. And just as King Uzziah, not being a priest, performed the duties of the priests and was struck with leprosy for his lawlessness, so every layperson will not go unpunished who despises God and his priests, and seizes honor for himself without imitating Christ, who "did not glorify himself to be made high priest," but remained to hear the Father: "The Lord swore and will not change his mind, You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." If Christ does not glorify himself without the Father, how can a man cast himself into priesthood without receiving the office from a superior, and do those things which only priests are allowed to do? Were not the Koreites, though of the tribe of Levi, consumed by fire, because they rebelled against Moses and Aaron and contended over things not proper for them? And Dathan and Abiram, while alive, went down to Hades; and the rod that budded sent many into madness and showed who was appointed high priest by God. Therefore, it is fitting for you also, brothers, to offer your sacrifices or offerings to the bishop as high priest, either through yourselves or through the deacons; and also bring to him your first fruits, tithes, and freewill offerings. For he knows those who are in need and gives to each what is fitting, so that no one receives twice or many times on the same day or in the same week, while another receives nothing at all. It is just that those who are truly in need be sufficiently helped rather than those who are only thought to be in need be burdened.

Chapter 28

On the chalice, and how each rank of the clergy must be honored by those who call them.

To those invited to the love feast, or chalice, as the Lord called it, when they choose to call the presbyters, whom the deacons know are troubled, let them send many to her often [PG 1.673] . Let it be set apart in the chalice what is customary for the shepherd, I mean the first fruits, as a priest, even if he is not present at the chalice, as an honor to God who entrusted him with the priesthood. And as much as is given to each of the presbyters, let twice as much be given to the deacons as a gift of Christ. To the presbyters, as much as they labor continuously in the word of teaching, let their portion also be set apart double, as a grace for the apostles of the Lord, whose place they also keep, as counselors of the bishop and as the crown of the Church. For they are the council and the assembly of the Church. But if he is also a reader, let him receive one portion as well, in honor of the prophets. Likewise, the psalmist and the doorkeeper. Therefore, let the laypeople receive the honor fitting to each rank in the houses and in their proper conduct throughout life. But let them not easily trouble the ruler, but let them make known what they want through the servants, that is, through the deacons, to whom they should speak more freely. For no one can come to the Almighty God except through Christ. In the same way, the laypeople should make known to the bishop everything they want through the deacon, and thus it should be carried out according to what seems right to him. For nothing was ever offered or made holy in the temple before without the priest. "For the lips of a priest will guard knowledge, and they will seek the law from his mouth, The prophet says somewhere, "For the angel of the Lord is almighty." For if the healers of demons, by their foul, detestable, and unclean sacrifices, have so far imitated the holy things, and let the abomination be kept far away from the holy things by comparison, but in their mockeries, without the mehereus, they offer nothing and accomplish nothing. Instead, they consider the mehereus of the stones to be a mouth, waiting to see what command it will give them. Whatever it commands, they carry out, and without it they do nothing. They honor the mehereus and regard its name as sacred, as a tribute to lifeless idols and as worship of evil spirits. of spirits. If then those people, vainly and falsely boasting, and having no sure hope for themselves, practice imitating the holy things, How much more just is it for you, who have the clearest faith and unfailing hope, and who await a glorious, eternal, and unbreakable promise, to honor the Lord God through your leaders, considering the bishops to be the mouth of God?

Chapter 29

What is the worth of the bishop and the deacon?

For if Aaron, when he announced to Pharaoh the words from Moses, is called a prophet, and Moses is called God to Pharaoh, as both king and high priest, as God says to him: "I have made you a god to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother will be your prophet," why would you not also consider your mediators of the word to be prophets, and honor them as gods?

Chapter 30

How the laypeople must obey the deacons.

Now for you, Aaron is the deacon, and Moses is the bishop; therefore, if Moses is called God by the Lord, then let your bishop be honored as God, and the deacon as his prophet. Just as Christ does nothing without the Father, so the deacon does nothing without the bishop; and just as the Son is not without the Father, so the deacon is not without the bishop; and just as the Son is subject to the Father, so every deacon is subject to the bishop; and just as the Son is the angel and prophet of the Father, so the deacon is the angel and prophet of the bishop. Therefore, let all things done by him be made clear to the bishop, and be completed through him.

Chapter 31

That the deacon must not do anything without the bishop.

Let the whole group do nothing without the bishop, nor give anything to anyone without his approval; for if, as someone is suffering, he secretly gives something to someone without the bishop, he will bring disgrace on the bishop and slander him as neglecting those who suffer. But whoever speaks badly of the bishop, either in word or deed, sins against God, not having listened to what was said: "You shall not speak evil of gods." For this law was not made about stones or wood, which are detestable because of false names, but about priests and judges, to whom it was also said, "You are gods and sons of the Most High."

Chapter 32

That the deacon must not give anything to anyone without the bishop's approval, for this would cause slander against the bishop.

If then you know, deacon, that someone is suffering, remind the bishop, and give accordingly; but do not secretly do anything that would bring insult on him, so that you do not raise a complaint against him. For the complaint will not be against him [PG 1.680] , but against the Lord God, and the deacon and the others will hear it, just as Aaron and Miriam heard when they spoke against Moses: "How is it that you did not fear to speak against Moses, my servant?" And again Moses himself says to those gathered with him: "Your complaint is not against us, but against the Lord our God." For if a layperson, having spoken a harsh or foolish word, is not unpunished, as if insulting the name of Christ, what would someone say against the bishop? Through him the holy Spirit, the Lord, gave to you by the laying on of hands, through whom you have learned holy teachings, and have known God, and have trusted in Christ, through whom you were recognized by God, through whom you were sealed with the oil of joy and the myrrh of understanding, through whom you were shown to be sons of light, through whom the Lord, in your enlightenment by the bishop's laying on of hands, testified with a voice for each of you, saying: "You are my son; today I have begotten you." Through your bishop God makes you a son, man; know, son, your mother's right hand, love the father who became your father after God, and honor him.

Chapter 33

How priests must be honored and regarded as sacred, spiritual parents.

For if the divine Scripture says about parents according to the flesh, "Honor your father and your mother, so that it may go well with you," and, "Let the one who speaks evil of father or mother die," how much more will the word encourage you to honor and love your spiritual parents as benefactors and intercessors before God? They are the ones who have reborn you through water, filled you with the holy Spirit, nourished you with the word like milk, raised you in teaching, supported you with admonitions, made you worthy of the saving body and precious blood, freed you from sins, made you sharers in the holy and sacred Eucharist, and made you partners and co-heirs of the promise of God. Revering these, honor them with all kinds of respect. For they have received from God the authority over life and death in judging those who have sinned and condemning them to the fire of eternal punishment, and in forgiving the sins of those who turn back, and in giving them new life.

Chapter 34

That priests are greater than rulers and kings.

You think of these as your rulers and kings, and you pay taxes to them as to kings; for they must be supported by you and their household. Just as Samuel gave instructions to the people about the king, in the first book of Kings, and Moses about the priests, in Leviticus, so we also give you orders concerning the bishops. For if there there the king received a large amount according to his services, how much more now ought the bishop to receive from you what God has appointed for him for the support of himself and the clergy with him? And if anything should be added to the word, let him receive more than that former king; for the one dealt only with military matters, war and peace, guarding the bodies, but the other holds the priesthood toward God, offering his body and soul to dangers. Since the soul is better than the body, so much greater is the priesthood than the kingdom; for it binds and loosens those worthy of punishment or forgiveness. Therefore you owe love to the bishop as to a father, fear as to a king, honor as to a lord, offering him the fruits of your labor and the works of your hands for your blessing [PG 1.684] , giving him your firstfruits, your tithes, your deductions, and your gifts as a priest of God, the firstfruits of grain, wine, oil, fruit, cattle, and all that the Lord God provides to you; and your offering will be acceptable to you as a pleasing aroma to the Lord your God, and the Lord will bless the works of your hands and will increase the good things of your land; since "a blessing is on the head of the one who gives."

Chapter 35

That the laws encourage bearing fruit; likewise the Gospel.

You must know that even though the Lord has saved you from the slavery of imposed bonds and has brought you out to refreshment, no longer allowing you to offer sacrifices of irrational animals for sins, and no longer requiring purification, sending away, constant baths, and sprinklings; surely he has not freed you from the contributions you owe to the priests, and from the acts of kindness owed to those in need. For the Lord says to you in the Gospel: "Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." Therefore, your righteousness will increase by your greater care for the priests and for orphans and widows and all in need; as it is written: "He has scattered, he has given to the poor; his righteousness remains forever." And again: "Through almsgiving and faith sins are cleansed." And again: "A blessed soul, simple in all things." So you will act as the Lord commanded; [PG 1.685] and you will give to the priest what is owed to him, the firstfruits of the threshing floor and the winepress, and for sins, as a mediator of God and of those needing cleansing and forgiveness. It is fitting for you to give, and for him to manage, since he is the steward and administrator of the church's affairs. Yet do not judge your bishop, nor watch over his management—how he performs, or when, or with whom, or where, or whether well or badly, or properly. For the Lord God, who entrusted this stewardship into his hands and made him worthy of the priesthood of such a place, is the true accountant.

Chapter 36

A summary of the ten sayings of God, and how they are explained here.

Keep before your eyes the fear of God, always remembering the ten sayings of God. Love the Lord God, the one and only, with all your strength. Do not tolerate idols, or any others, as lifeless gods, or irrational beings, or demons. Know that creation is different from God, having its origin through Christ, and observe the Sabbaths because of the one who rested from making, but did not rest from caring; the Sabbath is a rest for studying the laws, not idleness of the hands. Reject every unlawful desire, every sorrow caused by the corruption of people, every anger. Honor your parents as the causes of your birth. "Love your neighbor as yourself." Share your life with those in need. Avoid false oath-taking and many oaths; for you will not be acquitted. Do not appear empty before the priests, and offer your voluntary gifts without fail; and do not neglect the church of Christ, going to it early in the morning before any work, and again in the evening, giving thanks to God for the life granted to you. Work hard, persevere, toil, offer your voluntary gifts to the Lord. "Honor, for he says, the Lord with your rightful labors." If you cannot give to the treasury, even sharing one, or two, or five small coins with strangers is enough. Store up for yourself the heavenly wealth, which neither moth nor thieves destroy. And doing this, do not judge your bishop or your fellow believer; for if you judge your brother, you become a judge, though no one appointed you; for it has been entrusted to the priests alone to judge, because it is said to them: "Judge justly." And again: "Be proven stewards." For you have not been permitted (to judge). [PG 1.689] On the contrary, it has been said to those outside the office of judge or teacher : "Do not judge, and you will not be judged."

Chapter 37

About accusers and slanderers; and how one must not quickly believe or disbelieve these before the judge, but rather with careful examination.

The bishop, however, must judge rightly, as it is written: "Judge with righteous judgment." And elsewhere: "Why do you not judge what is right among yourselves?" Therefore, become like skilled assayers of silver. Just as they reject counterfeit coins and keep the genuine ones, so too must the bishop hold what is without fault, and either heal what is faulty or cast away what is hopelessly diseased; and not strike quickly, nor believe just anything. For some may act out of jealousy, which is envy against a brother, and bring false accusations—like the two elders against Susanna in Babylon, and the Egyptian against Joseph. So you, as a man of God, do not accept such things lightly, lest you remove the innocent and kill the just. For one who wishes to accept such things is more a father of anger than of peace; and where there is anger, the Lord is not there. For anger is a friend of Satan, I mean the anger that moves unjustly through false brothers; it never allows unity to be in the Church. Therefore, knowing such foolish, quarrelsome, jealous, and spiteful people, do not believe them; but also watch such people carefully, listening to what they say about a brother; for there is no murder in their eyes, and where no one suspects it, they bring down a man. So you pay attention to the accused, wisely observing his behavior, who and what he is; and if you find him truthful, act according to the Lord's teaching, and having only taken the accused, rebuke him so that he may repent, with no one else present. But if he is not persuaded, becoming the second or third time, thus show him his fault, admonishing him with gentleness and instruction; for "wisdom rests in a good heart, but is not discerned in a heart of fools."

[PG 1.692]

Chapter 38

That it is necessary to rebuke sinners privately, and to welcome those who repent, according to the Lord's command.

If he listens to the three of you, that would be good; but if someone becomes stubborn, tell it to the church. If he disobeys the church as well, let him be to you like a Gentile and a tax collector; and no longer accept him as a Christian in the church, but as a Gentile, reject him. But if he wishes to repent, receive him. For the church does not accept even the Gentile or the tax collector into fellowship before each of them changes from their former sins; for to those who regret, our Lord Jesus Christ, the Christ of God, has appointed a place for repentance.

Chapter 39

Examples concerning repentance.

For I, Matthew, one of the twelve who speak to you in this teaching, am an apostle; and I myself, being a tax collector before, now through believing have been shown mercy, having repented of my former actions, and have been made worthy to be an apostle and preacher of the word. And Zacchaeus, whom the Lord took to himself after he asked for repentance, was also a tax collector before. Already, a crowd of soldiers and tax collectors, having come to the Lord concerning the word of repentance, hear from the prophet John after baptism: "Do nothing more than what has been commanded to you." Likewise, life has not been lost even to the Gentiles, if after repenting they put away their unbelief.

Therefore, regard the one who is rebuked for evil deeds as a tax collector or a Gentile, and who does not repent. But if later he repents and turns back from error, just as we receive the Gentiles whenever they wish to repent into the church, so that they may hear the word, yet we do not share fellowship with them until, having received the seal, they are perfected. In the same way, we allow such people to enter only when they show the fruit of repentance, so that, hearing the word, they are not completely lost. But let them not join in prayer; rather, let them leave after the reading of the law and the prophets and the Gospel, so that through going out they may improve their way of life, eagerly attending the gatherings every day and devoting themselves to prayer, so that they themselves may be able to be received, and those who see them may be moved, and they may become more secure, fearing to fall into similar faults.

Chapter 40

That it is not right to be harshly disposed toward one who sins once or twice.

Do not, however, reject the one who has fallen into one or two sins, bishop, nor prevent him from the Lord's word, nor cast him out from the common way of life; for even the Lord did not refuse to eat with tax collectors and sinners, and when accused by the Pharisees about this, he said, "Those who are well do not need a doctor, but those who are sick." Therefore, those of you who have been separated because of sins, associate with them and gather with them, caring for them, encouraging them, supporting them, saying to them, "Be strong, hands that are weak, and knees that have been loosened." For it is necessary to encourage those who mourn and to give eagerness to the faint-hearted, so that they do not fall into foolishness through excessive grief; for "the faint-hearted is very foolish."

[PG 1.695]

Chapter 41

How one should receive the one who repents, and how to deal with those who sin, and when to cut off from the Church.

If someone turns back and shows the fruit of repentance, then also receive him into prayer. like the son who was lost, the prodigal, who after living with prostitutes wasted his father's wealth, feeding pigs and longing to fill himself with pods but not finding any, having changed his mind and returned to his father, and saying "I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son, the loving father welcomed him with music, and gave him back the old robe, the ring, and the sandals, and after slaughtering the fattened calf, he rejoiced with his friends. So then, do likewise, bishop, But just as you receive the pagan after washing him and teaching him, so also, having laid hands on this one, who has been cleansed by repentance and for whom all are praying, you will restore him to his former position. And the laying on of hands will be to him instead of the washing. For indeed, through the laying on of our hands, the Holy Spirit was given to those who believe. And if one of his brothers who has not been shaken accuses you, saying that you have been reconciled to him, say to him "You are always with me, and all that is mine is yours." But it was necessary to be glad and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come back to life, and was lost and has been found. For God not only welcomes those who repent, but also restores them to their former worth. A sufficient witness is the holy David, who, after the sin concerning Uriah, prayed to God saying [PG 1.697] "Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. And again "Turn your face away from my sins, and erase all my lawlessness. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within my inmost being. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. And you, therefore, like a compassionate doctor, heal all who have sinned, using saving remedies to help them, not only cutting, or burning, or applying dry treatments, but also using bandages, and ointments, and sometimes applying sweet healing medicines, and sprinkling with comforting words. But if the wound is hollow, nourish it with a sweet plaster, so that, being filled, it may heal evenly with the healthy tissue. But if it becomes infected, then cleanse it with a dry treatment, that is, with a rebuking word. But if it becomes swollen, smooth it with a sharp eye-salve, threatening it with the judgment of punishment. And if it becomes gangrenous, cauterize it, and cut away the rotten flesh, treating it with fasting. But if you do these things, and realize that there is no ointment to apply from head to foot, neither oil nor bandages, but that the gangrene spreads and prevents all healing, like gangrene rotting an entire limb, Then, after much thought and advice and consultation with other experienced doctors, cut off the decayed limb, so that the whole body of the Church may not be destroyed. Therefore, do not be quick to cut off, nor rush to the many-toothed saw. But first use a chisel to separate the pus, so that the cause lying inside, which produces the pain, may be drained, and the body may be kept free from pain. But if you see someone who is unrepentant and hardened, then with sorrow and mourning, holding them as incurable [PG 1.700] , cut them off from the Church. For Scripture says "For remove the wicked person from among you." And "You shall treat the sons of Israel with reverence." And again "You shall not show partiality to the rich in judgment, nor shall you show mercy to the poor in judgment, because the judgment belongs to the Lord."

Chapter 42

That the judge must be impartial.

If the accusation of slander is false, and you shepherds together with the deacons accept the falsehood as truth, either through partiality or through bribery, wanting to please the slanderer, you will give an account before the Church on the day of the Lord for rejecting the accused, who is innocent of the charge. For it is written: "You shall not kill the innocent and righteous; you shall not accept bribes to strike down a soul; for bribes blind the eyes of the wise and pervert the words of the righteous." And again: "Those who justify the wicked because of gifts, and take away the right of the righteous." Therefore, be careful lest, by becoming partial, you fall under this word of the Lord. Guard yourselves against condemning anyone unjustly and siding with the wicked. "Woe to the one who calls evil good, and good evil; bitter sweet, and sweet bitter; who puts light for darkness, and darkness for light." For if you judge others unjustly, you condemn yourselves; for the Lord says: "With the judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you measure, it will be measured to you." But if you judge impartially, you will recognize the accuser against his neighbor as bearing false witness, and you will show him to be a slanderer, a malicious person, a murderer, disturbing with evil arguments, unstable in his words, speaking against himself by what he utters, and caught by the words of his own mouth; for a strong trap has been set for him by his own lips. After exposing the falsehood, if you judge him sharply and hand him over to the sword of fire, you will do to him as he wickedly intended to do to his neighbor. For as much as he spoke against him, he murdered his brother, having anticipated the ears of the judge. It is written that "Whoever sheds the blood of a man, by man shall his blood be shed; and you will take away innocent blood from yourself, which was shed in vain."

[PG 1.701]

Chapter 43

How the slanderers must be punished.

You shall then treat him as one cut off from the assembly, like a murderer of a brother. Then, after some time has passed, if he says he repents, press him with fasting. And after that, having appointed him by laying on hands, receive him back, but keep him guarded so that he does not cause any trouble again. But if he enters again and causes the same trouble, not stopping from disturbing and mocking his brother, practicing fault-finding out of quarrelsomeness, cast him out like a plague, so that he does not harm the Church of God. For such a person causes disturbances like wars in cities. For even if he is inside, he is unworthy of the Church, becoming excessive and useless, defiling, as much as the body of Christ is on him. For if some people are born with extra parts of the body, like fingers or extra flesh, they cut these off because of their unseemliness, and no unseemliness attaches to them when the person receives natural order through the skill of the craftsman. How much more should you, the shepherds of the Church, with a complete body and healthy members, trusting in God with the fear of the Lord and love, when one extra member is found, thinking evil, and causing unseemliness to the rest of the body, and troubling it with division, battle, and slander, bringing it fears, troubles, faults, slanders, crimes, disorder, and such works of the devil, as if appointed by the devil to defile the Church through blasphemies and much disorder and strife and division. This one, therefore, having been cast out a second time from the Church, was rightly cut off from the assembly of the Lord. And now the Church of the Lord is more adorned than before, when it had gained an extra and inappropriate member for itself. Therefore, from now on it is without blasphemy and without reproach, [PG 1.704] having been freed from the evil, the deceitful, the slanderers, the unholy, the traitors, the hating-good, the pleasure-lovers, the vain-glorious, the deceitful, the glory-wise, who make it their work to scatter, and even more to scatter abroad the Lord's lambs. Therefore, you, bishop, be eager together with the clergy under you to rightly divide the word of truth. because the Lord says "If you come to me by a crooked way, I will also come to you by a crooked way. And elsewhere "After the holy one has been made holy, and with the innocent you will be innocent, and with the crooked you will twist." Therefore, walk in holiness, so that you may be more worthy of praise from the Lord, rather than blame from the opponent.

Chapter 44

That the deacon must lighten the burden of the bishops and manage the lighter matters.

Being of one mind toward each other, therefore, bishops, live in peace with one another, compassionate, loving brothers, shepherd the people carefully, teaching those under you to be of one mind, and to honor the same thing about the same matters, so that "there may be no divisions among you," but you may be "one body and one spirit, prepared with the same mind and the same judgment" according to the Lord's will. And let the deacon bring everything to the bishop, as Christ to the Father; but whatever he can, let him manage on his own, having received authority from the bishop, as the Lord received to create and to provide from the Father. But the bishop should judge the excessive matters. Let the deacon be the bishop's hearing, and eyes, and mouth, and also heart and soul, so that the bishop does not have to worry about many things, but only the most important ones; just as Jethro ordered Moses, and accepted his advice. [PG 1.705]

Chapter 45

That disputes and quarrels are not fitting for Christians.

It is good, then, for a Christian to have praise for holding no disputes with anyone; but if by some action or trial a matter comes up, let him be eager to resolve it, even if it means suffering some loss, and let him not go to a pagan court. Yet do not tolerate secular rulers judging against you; for through them the devil schemes against the servants of God and raises up shame, as if we did not have one wise person able to judge rightly among us or to settle disputes.

Chapter 46

That the faithful should not be judged by the unfaithful, nor call any of them as witnesses against Christians.

Let the nations not know the disputes among you, nor accept the unfaithful as witnesses against one another, nor be judged by them; nor owe them anything for payment or fear. But "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's," such as tax, tribute, or a two-drachma coin, just as our Lord, giving the statēr, was freed from such matters. Therefore, choose rather to suffer loss and strive for peace, not only with brothers but also with the unfaithful. For if you lose something of this life, you will not be harmed in what concerns God, since you live in reverence and according to the command of Christ.

But if brothers have disputes with one another—which may never happen—you who are ahead must understand that such people are not working as brothers in the Lord, but rather as enemies and opponents. One of them may be gentle, fair, a child of light; another may be wild, stubborn, greedy. Let the one who is found guilty be rebuked, separated, and punished with the penalty of hatred among brothers [PG 1.708] ; then, if he repents, let him be received back. In this way, by being corrected, your judges will be helped.

It is also necessary to forgive offenses against one another—not those who judge, but those who hold grudges—just as the Lord showed when Peter asked him, "How many times shall I forgive my brother who sins against me? Seven times?" And he said, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven." For thus the Lord truly wants his disciples to be, never holding anything against anyone, such as uncontrolled anger, wild rage, unjust desire, or relentless hatred. So reconcile those who are angry to friendship, and those who are enemies to harmony; for the Lord says, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."

Chapter 47

That it is necessary to hold trials on the second day of the week.

Let our courts be held on the second day of the week, so that if there is a dispute against your decision, having permission until the Sabbath, you may be able to answer the dispute and bring peace to those who differ with one another by the Lord's day. Let the deacons and the elders also be present at the court, judging without partiality, as men of God, with justice. When both parties have come, as the law also says, each will stand in the middle of the court, those who have the dispute; and having heard them, you shall reverently cast your votes, striving to make both friends before the decision of the bishop, so that judgment does not go against the one who has sinned on earth; since in the court Christ of God holds the unanimous vote and is the witness of the trial.

But if some are accused by someone of blasphemies for not walking rightly in the Lord, similarly, having heard both parties, both the accuser and the accused, do not take sides or act unilaterally, but with justice, as if giving a decision about eternal life or death. For God says, "The just will be rightly pursued." For the one who is justly punished and excommunicated by you has become rejected from eternal life and glory, dishonored among holy men, and condemned before God.

Chapter 48

That it is not necessary to bring this punishment upon every fault, but a different one, according to the difference of the sinner.

Do not make the same decision for every sin, [PG 1.709] but a different one for each; judging each fault with much thought, both the small and the great, and also differently for actions and words, and according to intention, or insult, or suspicion in different ways; and some who bring accusations only with threats, others with aid to the poor, others with fasting and strict discipline, and others with exclusion, according to the seriousness of their offense. For even the law did not impose the same punishment for every sin, but differently for offenses against God, the priest, the temple, and the priesthood; differently for offenses against the king, ruler, soldier, subject, equal, servant, property, or irrational creature; and again differently for offenses against parents and relatives; differently for offenses done by attack and those done unwillingly. Some were punished with death by crucifixion or by stoning, others with fines, lashes, or suffering the same harm they caused. Therefore, you too should assign different punishments for different sins, so that no injustice leads God to anger. For if you become an agent of unjust judgment, you will receive the reward from God for it: "By the judgment you give, you will be judged."

Chapter 49

Who the accusers and witnesses must be.

Having sat down at the judgment seat, with both parties present — for we will not call them brothers until they have restored peace among themselves — examine carefully the matters involved. First, concerning the accuser: if this person accuses first, or has brought charges against others, and if the accusation is not based on envy but on genuine fault, and what kind of conduct this person has; and if such a person is conscientious, do not believe them alone. For this is unlawful. Let them also have other witnesses, similar in character to themselves, as the law says: "On the testimony of two or three witnesses every word shall be established." Why do we say that their character must be sought, whatever it may be? Because often even two or more can bear false witness, agreeing together in falsehood — as the two elders against Susanna in Babylon, and the sons of the lawless against Naboth in Samaria, and the crowd of Jews against the Lord in Jerusalem, and against Stephen, his first martyr.

Therefore, let the witnesses be gentle, not angry, fair, loving, sensible, self-controlled, without malice, trustworthy, and God-fearing. For the testimony of such people is reliable both by their manner and by their conduct; but do not accept the testimony of those who are not such, even if they seem to agree in their accusation. The law commands: "You shall not side with many in wrongdoing; you shall not accept a worthless report; you shall not bend justice by siding with the crowd."

In part, you must also know the one being judged — what sort of person they are by their way of life and conduct, if their life has been testified to, if they are blameless, if they have shown zeal for piety, if they are hospitable, and loving toward others, and kind to the poor, and brotherly; if they are not greedy, nor a glutton or money-grubber; if they are sensible and not wasteful, nor drunkards, nor lazy; if they are compassionate and generous.

Chapter 50

That it is possible, and one should not disbelieve later faults because of earlier ones.

If a person has previously committed bad deeds, the accusations now brought against them might partly be true, unless justice is actively defending them. It is possible for someone to have sinned once but to be innocent of this particular charge. Therefore, be careful and sober in such matters, making your decisions about the accused both safe and certain. And if, after being condemned, the person asks for forgiveness, and comes to the bishop, and admits their fault, accept them.

Do not leave the slanderer unpunished, so that they do not blaspheme another who lives rightly, or encourage someone else to do the same wrong. Nor should you let the one who has been accused go without rebuke, so that another person does not fall into the same fault. For "a witness of evil will not go unpunished," nor will one who fails in justice be left outside judgment.

Chapter 51

That one should not make one-sided judgments.

We have said that it is not just to make one-sided judgments. For if you hear only one person, without the other being present or defending themselves against the charge brought, and you rashly pass a verdict of condemnation, you will be guilty of destruction and counted as partners with the slanderer before God the righteous judge: "For just as one who holds a dog by the neck, so is the one who leads a judgment that belongs to another." But if you become imitators of the elders in Babylon, who, after giving false testimony, unjustly condemned Susanna to death, you will be guilty of their judgment and condemnation. For the Lord saved Susanna through Daniel from the hands of the lawless, but condemned the elders guilty of her blood to fire, and reproved you through him, saying: "So foolish are the sons of Israel, who did not investigate nor understand the clear truth, yet condemned the daughter of Israel; therefore, return to the judgment, for these have given false testimony against her." [PG 1.713]

Chapter 52

An example of just judgment is the certainty of decisions made by outside judges.

Look also at the secular courts, before whose authority we see murderers, adulterers, poisoners, grave robbers, and robbers brought. And after taking their interrogations from those brought before them, the leaders ask the wrongdoer if these things are so. And with his agreement, they do not immediately send him to punishment, but for many days they conduct his examination with much counsel, and behind a curtain in the middle. Finally, the one about to bring the death sentence against him, raising his hands to the sun, declares that he is innocent of the blood of the man. And although they are pagans, and do not know godliness, or the defense from God for those unjustly condemned, they avoid it. [PG 1.716]

Chapter 53

That the faithful should not hold grudges against one another.

But you, knowing who our God is and what his judgments are, how could you possibly make a decision out of anger, when your judgment is immediately known to God? And if you have judged justly, you will be deemed worthy of rewards both now and again in the future. But if unjustly, you will receive the same in return. Therefore, brothers, we advise you to seek to be praised by God rather than blamed. For the praise of God is eternal life for people, just as blame is eternal death. Therefore, be just judges, peacemakers, and slow to anger. "For anyone who is angry with his brother without cause will be subject to judgment. But if it happens by someone's action that you become angry with someone, "let not the sun go down on your anger. For David says, "Be angry, and do not sin." That is, be reconciled quickly, so that persistent anger does not become resentment and work sin. "For the souls of the resentful lead to death," Solomon says, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ says in the Gospels "If you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar, and first go and be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. But a gift to God is each person's prayer and thanksgiving. If then you have something against your brother, or he has something against you, neither your prayers will be heard, nor your thanksgivings accepted, because of the underlying anger. But you must pray continually, brothers. But since God does not listen to those who unjustly hate their brothers in anger, even if they pray three times a day, it is necessary to remove all hatred and pettiness, so that we may be able to pray with a pure and undefiled heart. And yet the Lord commanded us to love even our enemies, not to hate our friends. And the lawgiver says "You shall not hate any person at all You shall not hate your brother in your mind You shall rebuke your brother with correction, and you will not be guilty because of him. You shall not hate an Egyptian, because you were a stranger living with him. You shall not hate an Edomite, because he is your brother. And David says "If I have repaid those who repay me evil, Therefore, if you want to be a Christian, follow the law of the Lord. "Break every bond of injustice. For the Lord has given you the authority to forgive the sins done against you by your brother, up to seventy times seven. That is, four hundred ninety. How many times then have you already forgiven your brother, so that you do not wish to forgive him even now? And yet, having heard Jeremiah saying, "Do not hold the evil of your neighbor in your hearts." But you hold a grudge, and keep hatred, and come to judgment, and harbor anger, and your prayer is blocked. But even if you have forgiven your brother four hundred and ninety times, increase your lack of anger even more for your own good. And even if that person does not do so, still, for the sake of God, be eager to forgive your neighbor, so that you may become a son of your Father in heaven, and when you pray, you may be heard, as a friend of God.

Chapter 54

That it is necessary for the bishops to remind the people about matters of peace through the deacon.

Therefore, bishops, when you are about to lead the prayer, after the reading and the psalmody, and the teaching on the Scriptures, let the deacon, standing near you, say in a loud voice: "Is there anyone against anyone? Is there anyone acting hypocritically?" [PG 1.720] So that if any disagreement is found among some, having been struck in their conscience, they may pray to God and be reconciled with their brothers. For when entering a certain house, one must first say, "Peace to this house," as children of peace granting peace to those who deserve it, just as it is written: "To those near and to those far," whom the Lord knew to be his. Much more, those entering the church of God must first of all pray for the peace of God. And if one prays this for others, much more should he himself have it within, as a child of light. For he who does not have it within himself is not trustworthy to grant it to others. Therefore, above all, he must make peace with himself. For he who does not quarrel against himself will not fight against another; instead, he will be peaceful, friendly, gathering the things of the Lord, and becoming his coworker to increase the number of those saved in harmony. For those who plan enmities and battles, disputes and judgments, turn out to be evil and strangers to God.

Chapter 55

A listing of various providences, and how from the beginning God called every generation to repentance.

For God, being a God of mercy, from the beginning called every generation to repentance through the righteous and the prophets. And before the flood, through Abel, and Shem, and Seth, and still Enoch, and the translated Enoch, he warned them; those during the flood, through Noah; those in Sodom, through the hospitable Lot; those after the flood, through Melchizedek, and the patriarchs, and the God-loving Job; those in Egypt, through Moses; the Israelites, through him, and Joshua, and Caleb, and Phinehas, and the others; those after the law, through angels and prophets; the same ones through the very incarnation made from the Virgin; those shortly before his bodily manifestation, through John the Forerunner; and the same, through him, and after [PG 1.721] his birth, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near"; those after his passion, through us the twelve, and through Paul, the chosen vessel.

Therefore, we who have been deemed worthy to be witnesses of his presence, together with James, the brother of the Lord, and the other seventy-two disciples, and his seven deacons, from the mouth of our Lord Jesus Christ we have heard, and knowing exactly we say: "What is the good and pleasing and perfect will of God?" This was made known to us through Jesus, so that no one may perish, but offering him harmonious praise, they may live forever.

Chapter 56

That the will of God is for people to be united in piety, like the powers in heaven.

For this is what the Lord taught us to say when praying to his Father: "Let your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." Just as all the heavenly beings of the incorporeal powers praise God in harmony, so also on earth all people with one mouth and one mind praise the one and only true God through the only-begotten Christ. Therefore, his will is that we praise him with one mind and worship him in agreement. For this is his will in Christ, that many be saved in him, but that he not be harmed, nor that you reduce the Church, or shrink its number, because of one human soul lost among you, which could have been saved through repentance, but was lost not only by its own anger, but also by your plotting; and you fulfilled the scripture: "Whoever is not with me scatters." Such a one, being a scatterer, an opponent of the sheep, an enemy of God, a destroyer of the lambs, of whom the Lord was the shepherd. And we, gathered from various nations and languages, with much toil and danger, and continual labor, sleeplessness, hunger, thirst, beatings, imprisonments, so that by doing the will of God we might complete the threefold couch of those reclining, that is, the holy and universal Church, rejoicing in the called, and exulting, praising and glorifying the one who called them through us to life in God. You have scattered as far as it was in your power. And you, the laypeople, be at peace with one another, striving as wise ones to increase the Church, and to turn back the things considered wild to it, to tame and restore them. And this is the greatest reward promised by God : "If you bring out from the unworthy the worthy and honorable, you will be as my mouth."

Chapter 57

The arrangement of the Church and clergy, and what each one must do among the gathered clergy or laity in the assembly.

But you, the bishop, be holy, blameless, not a striker, not angry, not harsh but a builder, one who turns others back, instructive, patient, gentle-tempered, meek, long-suffering, encouraging, comforting, like a man of God Whenever you gather the Church of God, as the captain of a large ship, with all knowledge command the meetings, ordering the deacons like sailors to assign places to the brothers, as passengers, with all care and dignity. And first, let the house be long, facing east, with the seats on each side facing east, like a ship. Let the bishop's throne be placed in the middle, and let the presbytery sit on each side of him, and let the deacons stand nearby, steady in their best clothing (37, 38). For they resemble sailors and officers of the ship. By arrangement of these, let the laypeople sit on the other side with all calm and order. And let the women also sit separately, keeping silence. [PG 1.728] In the middle, the reader, standing on something high, should read the books of Moses and Joshua, those of the Judges and the Kings, those of the Chronicles, and those of the Return. Along with these, the books of Job and Solomon, and those of the twelve prophets. When two readings have been made, someone should sing the hymns of David, and the people should sing the acrostics along with him. After this, our Acts should be read, and the Epistles of Paul [PG 1.729] our coworker, which he sent to the Churches under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. And after these, a deacon or elder should read the Gospels (41·), which I, Matthew, and John have handed down to you, and which Luke and Mark, having received them from Paul's coworkers, have left to you. And when the Gospel is being read, all the elders, and the deacons, and all the people should stand with much silence, for it is written "Be silent, and listen, Israel, and again "You, however, stand there yourself, and listen; And next, let the elders each one of them, but not all together, exhort the people [PG 1.732] And last of all, the bishop, who is like a pilot, Let the doorkeepers stand at the entrances for the men, guarding them, and the deacons at the entrances for the women, like shipmasters. For even in the tent of the testimony, the same word and pattern followed, and in the temple of God If anyone is found sitting in the wrong place, let him be reprimanded by the deacon, as the one in charge, and let him move to the place assigned to him. For the Church is like not only a ship but also a flock. For just as the shepherds arrange each of the irrational animals—goats, I say, and sheep—according to their kind and age, and each of them gathers the similar with the similar, Just so in the church, let the younger ones sit separately, if there is a place; if not, let them stand. But those who have already advanced in age should sit in order. Let the children, standing, be received by their fathers and mothers. The younger women, again, if there is a place, should be separate; if not, let them stand behind the women. But those already married and with children should stand separately. The virgins, widows, and elderly women should stand first of all, or let them sit down. Let the deacon be in charge of the places, so that each one entering the place goes to his own spot, and does not sit beside the entrance. [PG 1.52] Likewise, let the deacon watch over the people, so that no one whispers, or dozes off, or laughs, or nods. For it is necessary in the church to stand with knowledge, sobriety, and alertness, holding one's hearing fully focused on the word of the Lord. And after this, all standing up together in agreement, and facing east attentively [PG 1.736] , after the dismissal of the catechumens and the penitents, let them pray to God, "to the one who has ascended above the heaven of heavens, toward the east, remembering also the ancient law of the paradise toward the east, from which the first man, having broken the commandment and persuaded by the counsel of the serpent, was cast out, The deacons, after the prayer, some should attend to the offering of the Eucharist, serving the body of the Lord with reverence, while others should watch over the crowds and bring them to quiet. Let the deacon standing by say to the high priest to the people Let no one be against anyone. Let no one act in hypocrisy. Then let the men greet one another, and the women greet one another, with the kiss of the Lord [PG 1.737] . But let no one do so deceitfully, as Judas handed over the Lord with a kiss. And after this, the deacon shall pray for the whole Church, and for all the world, and for the parts and regions within it, for the priests and rulers, for the high priest and the king, for peace in general. And after this, the high priest, praying for peace to the people, shall bless them. Just as Moses commanded the priests to bless the people with these words. "May the Lord bless you and keep you "May the Lord make his face shine upon you, and give you peace." Let the bishop also pray, then, and say "Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance, which you have acquired and preserved by the precious blood of your Christ, and called a royal priesthood, and a holy nation. After these things, let the sacrifice take place, with all the people standing and praying quietly. And when it is brought forward, let each order partake in turn of the Lord's body and precious blood, in order, with reverence and devotion, as approaching the king with the body. And the women, with their heads covered, as is fitting for the order of women, should come forward. Let the doors be guarded, so that no unbeliever or uninitiated person may enter.

Chapter 58

Concerning members, that is, strangers, laypeople, clerics, bishops; and that there is no need for distinction.

If a brother or sister comes from a neighboring community, bringing a letter of introduction Let a deacon examine ( [PG 1.740] ) the matters concerning them, investigating whether they are trustworthy, whether they belong to the church, and whether they are not tainted by heresy. And again, whether they are unmarried, or a widow. And having learned about them in this way, that they are truly trustworthy and in agreement in the Lord's matters, let each one be sent to the place appropriate for him. But if an elder comes from another community, let him be received by the elders as a fellow member. But if a deacon, let him be received by the deacons. But if a bishop, let him sit with the bishop, being considered worthy of the same honor by him. And you will ask him, O bishop, to speak to the people words of teaching. For the encouragement and admonition of strangers is very welcome and most beneficial. "For no prophet," he says, "is accepted in his own country." And you will also allow him to begin the thanksgiving. But if, out of reverence, as a wise man, he keeps the honor for you and does not want to offer it, even if you force him to give a blessing to the people, But if, at the time of sitting down, some other respectable and honorable person in life comes forward, either a stranger or a local, [PG 1.741] You, the bishop who is speaking the word about God, or the one listening to the one singing, or the one reading, do not show partiality by leaving the ministry of the word, so that you may arrange a place of honor for him. But remain calm, not interrupting your own speech or the hearing. But let the brothers receive him through the deacons. But if there is no place, the deacon should raise the younger one more, with words, but not with anger, and have him sit there. This is just and right for the brotherly-loving one to do on his own initiative. But if he nods in refusal, forcibly raise him and make him stand behind everyone, so that the others may be taught to give way to those who are more honored. If a poor person, or someone of low birth, or a stranger comes, whether an old man or a young one by age, and there is no place, the deacon should make a place for them with all his heart, so that the service may be pleasing not to a person by showing favoritism, but to God. Let the deaconess do the same for the women who come, whether poor or rich.

Chapter 59

That everyone must be diligent about the gatherings both morning and evening.

Teaching, then, bishop, command and encourage the people to attend the church gatherings diligently every morning and evening of each day, and not to miss the assembly, but to come together continually, and not to cut themselves off from the Church or make themselves a part apart from the body of Christ. For it was said not only about the priests, but also let each of the laity listen for himself, considering that the Lord said: "Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters." Therefore, do not be members of Christ and scatter yourselves by not gathering. Having Christ as head, according to his promise, coming together and sharing with you, do not neglect yourselves, nor deprive the Savior of his own members, nor divide his body, nor scatter his members, nor prefer worldly needs over the divine word. But gather every day in the morning and evening, singing and praying in the Lord's house; in the morning saying Psalm 22, in the evening Psalm 140. Especially on the day of the Sabbath, and on the Lord's resurrection day, the Lord's day, meet more eagerly, offering praise to God who made all things through Jesus, and sent him to us, who allowed himself to suffer, and rose from the dead. For what excuse will the one who does not come together on this day have before God to hear the saving word about the resurrection? On this day we also perform three prayers standing, in memory of the one who rose after three days; on this day there is reading of the prophets, preaching of the gospel, offering of sacrifice, and the gift of holy food.

[PG 1.745]

Chapter 60

An example to encourage zeal: the vain attendance of Greeks and Jews at the temples and synagogues.

How can he not be an enemy of God who busies himself day and night with things that are temporary, but neglects the eternal? And changing baths and temporary food each time, but not turning to what always remains. And how will the Lord not even now say to such a person The Gentiles have been justified because of you. Just as he was reproaching Jerusalem, he said "Sodom has been justified because of you. For if the Gentiles, waking up from their sleep every day, run to the idols to worship them, and before every work and every action they first pray to them, and during their festivals and celebrations they do not fail to do so, but they take time off not only the locals, but also those living far away. And in their theaters, just like in a gathering place, they all come together. Likewise, the so-called Jews, resting for six days, on the seventh day gather in their synagogue, never neglecting or ignoring either their day of rest or their assembly. Those who, in their unbelief, have been emptied of the power of the Word, moreover, even call themselves by that name, Judas. Judas is interpreted as confession . But these are not confessing to God, having unlawfully caused the suffering of Christ, so that even by changing their mind they might be saved. If then those who are not saved, in whom they do not benefit, increase So what will you answer to the Lord God, you who are abandoned by his Church, and do not even follow the nations, but through being abandoned become lazy, or turn away, or do evil? To whom the Lord says through Jeremiah "You did not keep my laws, nor did you follow the laws of the nations; in some ways, you almost even went beyond them. And again "Israel justified his soul against the unfaithful Judah. And next "If nations change their gods, and these are not gods, for go through the islands of the Hittites, and see, and send to Kedar, and consider carefully if such things have happened; because there they do not change their own customs "My people," he says, "have changed their glory, from which they will not benefit. How then will anyone defend himself who has neglected or left the assembly of God?

Chapter 61

That it is not right to prefer worldly things over divine things.

But if someone, bringing forward the excuse of his own work, neglects, "making excuses as excuses in sins, Let such a person know that the skills of the faithful are secondary tasks. But the work is godliness. Therefore, do your skills as a side task, for your support. But in work, practice godliness. Just as the Lord also said, "Work not for the food that perishes, but for the food that remains for eternal life. And again "And this is the work of God, that you believe in the one whom he has sent." Therefore, always strive never to abandon the Church of God. But if anyone looks down on it, or enters into a defiled assembly of the Gentiles, or [PG 1.749] into a synagogue of the Jews, or of heretics, What will such a person say in defense before God on the day of judgment? Having left behind the words of the living God, who is living and life-giving and able to save from eternal punishment, and having gone into the house of demons, or into a synagogue of those who kill Christ, or into a church of evildoers, not having listened to the one who spoke "I hated the church of evildoers, and I will not enter with those who do wrong." I did not sit with a council of emptiness, and I will not sit with the godless. And again "Blessed is the man who did not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat on the seat of pestilence. But his desire is in the law of the Lord, and in his law he meditates day and night. But you, leaving the gathering of the faithful, the Church of God, you look toward the caves of robbers, considering holy what he called profane there, and sharing what he rejected. And not only this, but you also join in the processions of the Greeks, and hasten to the theaters, desiring to be counted among those who enter there, and to share in shameful spectacles, not to mention disgusting ones. Not having heard Jeremiah saying "Lord, I did not sit in the council of those who mock, but I was careful to stay away from your hand." and Job saying similar things "But even if I once walked among mockers" For I stood in a just balance. But what do you want to share in Greek words, since they come from dead men, revealed by the breath of the devil as death-bringing, and are destructive of faith, and lead those who accept them toward polytheism? You, then, who devote yourselves to the laws of God, consider these things more honorable than the needs of daily life. And giving them greater honor, you come together in the Church of the Lord. Which he preserved by the blood of Christ, the beloved, the firstborn of all creation. For this is the daughter of the Most High, who gave birth to you through the word of grace, and who formed Christ within us. Having become partakers of it, you are holy members, and chosen, without spot, or wrinkle, or anything like these. But you are holy and blameless, perfected in faith in him, according to the image of the God who created you.

Chapter 62

That all the impieties of the Greeks must be turned away from.

Therefore, be careful not to associate with those who are perishing, which is the gathering of the nations, leading to deception and destruction; for there is no fellowship with God for those who are with the devil. For whoever gathers with those who think like the devil will be counted as one of them and will inherit the woe. So flee even the improper parts of the shows: I mean the theaters, the Greek processions, songs, rumors, divinations, purifications, omens, bird-watchings, necromancies, and cries; because it is written, "For there is no omen in Jacob, nor divination in Israel." And again, "An omen is sin." And elsewhere, "Do not practice divination, nor follow omens, rumors, or spells; do not keep sorcerers." Therefore, Jeremiah also advises, saying, "Do not walk in the ways of the nations, and do not fear the signs of the sky."

For this reason, the faithful must avoid the gatherings of the impious Greeks, Jews, and other heretics, so that by associating with them we do not trap our own souls; so that by joining their feasts, which are performed in honor of demons, we do not share in their impiety. Avoid their festivals and the things done in them. It is not right for the faithful to join a festival, to buy more than the body needs, to guard the soul, or to associate with others in things proper for fellowship. Therefore, keep away from every procession, image, festival, banquet, contest, and all demonic shows.

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Chapter 63

That it is not right for any of the faithful to eat while idle; just as those around Peter were fishermen, and the other apostles, but those around Paul and Aquila were tentmakers, and those around Jude and James were workers of the land.

But the younger members of the Church, in all their needs, should work tirelessly; with all dignity, you should give attention to your tasks, so that at all times you may be enough for yourselves and for those in need, so as not to burden the Church of God. For even we, while devoted [PG 1.756] to the word of the Gospel, do not neglect our labors; some of us are fishermen, others tentmakers, others workers of the land, so that we may never be idle. Solomon also says somewhere: "Go to the ant, you sluggard, and observe its ways, and become wiser than it. For it has no commander, no overseer, no ruler, yet it prepares its food in summer and gathers its provision in harvest. Or go to the bee, and learn how it is a worker; it carries out its work with dignity; kings and commoners alike benefit from its toil for their health; it is desirable and respected; though weak in strength, it honors wisdom and advances." And again: "How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man. But if you are diligent, your harvest will be like a spring, and want will desert you like a bad man fleeing." And again: "The one who works his own land will have plenty of bread." And elsewhere it says: "The sluggard buries his hands in his own body and eats his own flesh." And again: "A sluggard hides his hand and cannot bring it to his mouth." And again: "Because of laziness of the hands, honor will be brought low." Therefore, work diligently; the fault of idleness is incurable. And if anyone does not work, let him not eat among you. For even the Lord our God hates the idle; no one who belongs to God ought to be idle.

Chapters of the Third Book

1. The age at which widows should be appointed.

2. That it is necessary to refuse to appoint a younger widow, because of suspicion.

3. What kind of widows are necessary, and how they should be supported by the bishop.

4. That it is necessary to do good to anyone in need.

5. That the character of the widow must also be cared for.

6. That it is not proper to teach women, for it is inappropriate; and what kind of women followed the Lord.

7. What kind of women are false widows.

8. That it is not right to receive a widow from those who are unworthy, whether the bishop or another trustworthy person.

9. That it is not right to baptize women; for it is impious, and foreign to the teaching of Christ.

10. That it is not right to make a layperson perform a priestly task: baptism, or sacrifice, or laying on of hands, or blessing.

11. That except for the bishop or the presbyter, none of the other clergy are allowed to perform the duties of priests; and the laying on of hands belongs only to the bishop, and to no one else.

12. A warning against the evil eye.

13. How widows should pray for those who give what is needed.

14. That it is not right to boast or to announce one's own name when giving fruit, according to the Lord's command.

15. That it is improper to insult one's neighbor; for cursing belongs to those outside the Christians.

16. About the initiation of the holy divine baptism.

17. What reason baptism into Christ has; and why each thing in it is spoken of and performed.

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18. What kind of person the initiated ought to be.

19. What kind of person the deacon ought to be.

20. That a bishop ought to be ordained by three or two bishops, but not by one alone; for that is uncertain.

Book Three.

On Widows .

Chapter 1

The age at which widows should be appointed.

You should appoint widows no younger than sixty years old, so that in some way their age will give you sure proof that their avoidance of remarriage is genuine. But if you appoint a younger widow, and she does not bear her widowhood in youth well, but remarries, she will bring disgrace to the reputation of widowhood and will have to give an account to God—not because she married a second time, but because she did not keep her own promise, having grown cold toward Christ. For she did not come with faith and fear of God to keep the promise; therefore, the promise must not be made rashly, but with certainty. It is better for her not to make the promise than to make it and not keep it.

If someone younger has lived with her husband only a short time, and then lost him either by death or some other cause, and remains on her own, having the gift of widowhood, she will be found blessed, like the widow of Sarepta in Sidon, to whom the holy prophet of God, Elijah, was sent. Such a one will be like Anna, daughter of Phanuel, from the tribe of Asher, who did not leave the temple but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. She was eighty-four years old, having lived with her husband seven years from her virginity, and she praised the glorious presence of Christ, confessing him to the Lord and speaking about him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Israel. Such a one, having received this testimony, will be honored, having glory both among people on earth and before God in heaven with eternal praise.

Chapter 2

That younger widows must be refused because of suspicion.

Younger widows must not be appointed to the order of widows, lest, using the excuse that they cannot control their prime years, they actually become second-time wives. They should be helped and supported so that, not having the excuse of being left alone, they do not fall into disgrace by remarrying. And you ought to know this: [PG 1.764] monogamy, done according to the law, is just, as it is in accordance with God's will; bigamy, however, after a promise, is unlawful, not because of the union itself, but because of the falsehood; trigamy is a sign of lack of self-control; and anything beyond trigamy is obvious fornication and undeniable licentiousness. For God gave one woman to one man in creation: "The two shall become one flesh." Younger women, after the death of the first husband, may be allowed a second, so that they do not fall into the judgment of the devil, nor into many traps, foolish desires, and harmful passions that bring punishment rather than relief.

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Chapter 3

What kind of widows are necessary, and how they are to be supported by the bishop.

True widows are those who live alone, proven by many good works, truly pure, sensible, chaste, faithful, devout, having raised children well, and having shown hospitality without blame; these must be supported as those dedicated to God. But also remember the poor, bishop, reaching out a helping hand to them as well, and caring for them as the steward of God, distributing the proper things to each in due time—widows, orphans, the helpless, and those being tested in trouble.

Chapter 4

That in every case it is necessary to do good to those in need.

For what if some are not widows or widowers, but are in need of help because of poverty, or illness, or raising children? You must look after all of them and take care of all. Those who give the gifts do not give them to widows carelessly, but they contribute simply, calling them voluntary gifts; so that you, who know those in trouble, may distribute to them from the gift exactly as a good steward. For God knows the one who gave, and even if he is absent, through you the gifts are distributed to those in need; and the one who has the reward of doing good, you have the blessing of conscientious stewardship. Tell them also who gave, so that they may pray for him by name. For it is necessary to do good to all people, not judging who this one or that one is. For the Lord says, "Give to everyone who asks you;" it is clear that the one in need, whether friend or enemy, relative or stranger, unmarried or married, should be helped. For in every Scripture the Lord encourages care for the poor, saying through Isaiah: "Break your bread to the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house. If you see someone naked, clothe him; and do not despise your own family seed" [PG 1.768] ; and through Daniel he says to the ruler: "Therefore, king, may my counsel please you, and redeem your sins with charity, and your wrongs with mercy for the poor;" and through Solomon he says: "With charity and faith sins are cleansed;" and again through David: "Blessed is he who considers the poor and needy; on a bad day the Lord will rescue him;" and again: "He has scattered, he has given to the poor, his righteousness remains forever;" and Solomon says: "He who shows mercy to the poor lends to the Lord; and according to his gift it will be repaid to him;" and further: "He who shuts his ears not to hear the cry of the needy will also call and not be heard."

Chapter 5

That the character of the widow must also be cared for.

Let every widow be gentle, quiet, reasonable, blameless, not quick to anger, not talkative, not loud, not a gossip, not forgetful of words, not a double-tongued person, not meddlesome. If she sees something wrong or hears something happening, let her be as if she neither sees nor hears it. Let her care for nothing else except to pray for those who give and for the whole Church. If asked anything by someone, let her not answer easily, except about matters of faith, justice, and hope in God; sending those who want to be instructed to the leaders for the teachings of piety. Let her only answer about correcting the error of many-gods belief, showing the word about the one God who rules; but about the following things, let her not answer rashly, so that she does not foolishly add blasphemy to the word. For the Lord has declared that the word is like a grain of mustard seed. This is fiery, and whoever uses it without experience will find it bitter. It is necessary not to be a betrayer in secret matters, but safe; for the Lord advises us saying, "Do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them with their feet, and turning, tear you to pieces." When unbelievers hear the word about Christ, not properly but poorly, especially about his incarnation or his passion, they will mock and scorn it as false rather than honor it. And the old woman will be guilty of rashness and blasphemy, and woe will be hers to inherit: "Woe, says the Lord, through whom my name is blasphemed among the nations."

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Chapter 6

That women should not teach, for it is improper; and what kind of women followed the Lord.

We do not allow women to teach in the church, but only to pray and to listen to the teachers. For even our teacher and Lord Jesus, having sent the twelve to make disciples of the people and the nations, did not send women anywhere for preaching; and yet he was not lacking in women followers. For we had with us the mother of the Lord and his sisters; also Mary Magdalene [PG 1.772] , and Mary the mother of James, and Martha and Mary, the sisters of Lazarus, Salome, and some others. If it had been necessary for women to teach, he himself would have first commanded them to instruct the people along with us. For if the husband is the head of the wife, it is not right for the rest of the body to rule over the head.

Let the widow know, then, that she is the altar of God, and let her remain in her own house; not entering the houses of the faithful under any pretext to receive support. For the altar of God never moves, but is fixed in one place. So let the virgin and the widow also not wander about, nor roam through the houses of others; for wanderers and shameless women, and such as these do not keep their feet quiet in one place, because they are not widows but have a purse, ready to receive, talkative, slanderers, quarrelsome advisers, shameless, and shameless women. Such women, being present, do not deserve the one who called them. For they do not come to the common rest of the assembly on the Lord's day like the watchful ones [PG 1.777] , but either they doze off, or chatter, or act as pimps, or beg, or capture others, bringing them to the evil one, not allowing them to be sober in the Lord, but preparing them to go out as they came in, empty because they do not listen to the teachers or to those reading the word of the Lord.

About such people the prophet Isaiah says: "You will hear but not understand; you will look but not see; for the heart of this people has grown dull" .

Chapter 7

What kind of women are false widows.

In the same way, then, the ears of the heart of such widows are closed, so that they do not sit quietly inside their homes to speak to the Lord, but run around, seeking gain through chatter, doing the desires of what opposes them. Such widows, then, are not attached to the altar of Christ. For there are some widows who consider work to be their business. And from those things they shamelessly ask for and receive greedily, they have already made most people more reluctant to give. For they ought to be satisfied with what the church provides, with moderation of mind; but on the contrary, running around, they disturb the houses of their neighbors, gathering wealth for themselves, and borrowing at harsh interest, caring only for money. The God of the wallet They who prefer eating and drinking over every virtue, saying "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die; They who thought of these things as standing firm, and not as fleeing, For the habit of chasing after wealth, instead of serving God, serves mammon—that is, it serves gain. But it cannot be pleasing to God, nor obedient to his worship, since it is never able to meet him, having its mind and disposition fixed on money-making. Since where the treasure is, there also is its heart. For it keeps in mind where it should go to gain profit, or that it has forgotten that dear one, and what reason it ought to offer her. But thinking such things, it no longer pays attention to prayer, but to the distracting thought that comes upon it. Therefore, even if it ever wishes to pray for someone, it will not be heard. For it does not offer the petition to the Lord with a whole heart, but with a divided mind. But the one willing to offer to God, sitting within, thinks about the things of the Lord, offering prayer with a sincere mouth night and day without ceasing. Just as the most wise Judith, praised for her self-control, prayed to God night and day on behalf of Israel, So then, the widow like her will offer unceasing prayer on behalf of the Church to God, and she will be heard, because her mind is fixed on this alone, and she is not given over to greed or to costly desire. When her eyes are pure, and her hearing clean, and her hands undefiled, and her feet calm, and her mouth is ready neither for gluttony nor for foolish talk, but speaks what is proper, and shares only what is fitting because of her self-control alone, Being thus reverent and calm, she will be pleasing to God. And at the same time as asking for something, the gift will come before her request. "For I will love you even while you are still speaking," he says. "Behold, I am present." Being such, let her be without love of money, without stain, not greedy, not greedy for more, not a glutton. but self-controlled, gentle, calm, reverent, modest, staying at her home, singing, praying, reading, staying awake, fasting, always speaking to God with songs and hymns. Let her also take wool, and provide it to others more than she herself needs. Remembering the widow testified of by the Lord in the Gospel, who, coming into the temple, put two small coins into the treasury, which is a quadrans. And seeing her, Christ our Lord and teacher, the knower of hearts, said, "Amen, I say to you, this widow has put in more than all the others into the treasury. Because all of them put in out of their surplus, but she out of her lack put in all the life she had. Widows must be honorable, then, obedient to the bishops and the elders and the deacons, and especially to the deaconesses, reverent, modest, and respectful, not acting on their own authority, nor wanting to do anything outside the deacon's direction, such as going to someone to eat and drink with him, or to receive something from someone. But if she does any one of these things without being told, let her be reprimanded with fasting, or be put under discipline, as being reckless.

Chapter 8

That it is not right to receive the widow from unworthy persons, neither the bishop, nor another trustworthy person.

For what does one know about the kind of person from whom one receives, or from what low service the support is taken—whether it comes from robbery or from some other bad behavior? The widow does not realize that she will give an account to God for each one of these, receiving unworthily from God. For neither do the priests ever accept such voluntary offerings from someone like a robber or a prostitute. It is written: "You shall not covet what belongs to your neighbor," and also: "You shall not offer the wages of a prostitute to the Lord your God." Therefore, it is not right to accept from such people, nor even from those who are excommunicated. Let the widows be ready to obey those appointed over them by the better ones, and let them act according to the bishop's arrangement, as obeying God. For the one who receives from such a cursed or excommunicated person, and even prays for them because of this, chooses to remain in evil and never wants to repent. He shares in their prayer and grieves Christ, who turns away from the unjust, and builds them up through the unworthy gift, and becomes defiled with them, not allowing them to come to repentance, to mourn, and to pray to God.

Chapter 9

That it is not right for women to baptize; for it is impious and foreign to the teaching of Christ.

Concerning women baptizing, we make clear to you that the danger is not small for those who attempt this. Therefore, we do not advise it; for it is risky, and even more so unlawful and impious. For if the head of a woman is the man, and he is appointed to the priesthood, it is not right to set aside creation and to leave the principle, reaching the extreme. For a woman is the body of a man, being from his side and subject to him, from whom also the birth of children was divided; "He shall rule over you," it says; for the man is the beginning of the woman, since he is also the head. And if we do not allow them to teach in the earlier cases, how would anyone permit them to serve as priests against nature? For this is the ignorance of the impiety of the Greeks, to appoint female goddesses as priestesses, but not according to the order of Christ. And if it were necessary to be baptized by women, certainly the Lord himself would have been baptized by his own mother, and not by John; or when sending us to baptize, he would also have sent women for this; but now nowhere does he command or hand down in writing this, knowing both the order of nature and the propriety of the matter, as the creator of nature and the lawgiver of the order.

Chapter 10

That it is not right to make a layperson perform priestly work, whether baptism, sacrifice, laying on of hands, or blessing.

But we do not allow laypeople to perform any of the priestly works, such as sacrifice, baptism, laying on of hands, or blessing, whether small or great. "No one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God." For through the laying on of the bishop's hands, such authority is given; but whoever has not been appointed in this way, and instead seizes it for himself, will suffer the punishment of Uzziah.

Chapter 11

That, besides the bishop or presbyter, none of the other clergy are allowed to perform the works of priests; and that the laying on of hands belongs only to the bishop, and to no one else.

But we do not allow the other clergy to baptize; for example, readers, or singers, or door-keepers, or servers; only bishops and presbyters, with the deacons serving them. Those who dare to do this will suffer the punishment of the Koreites. We do not allow presbyters to ordain deacons, or deaconesses, or readers, or servers, or singers, or door-keepers, but only the bishops. For this is the order and harmony of the church. [PG 1.789]

Chapter 12

Prevention of the evil eye.

About envy, or jealousy, or gossip, or quarrels, or strife, it has already been said to you that these are foreign to a Christian, especially toward widows. Since the devil, who works in many ways and is varied, attacks those who are not widows, just as once he did Cain. For some say that they are widows, but they do not follow the worthy commands of widowhood, just as Cain did not keep brotherly rights. They do not understand that it is not the name of widowhood that will bring them into the kingdom, but true faith and holy works. If someone has only the name of widowhood but carries out the deeds of the opposite, her widowhood will not be counted; driven out of the kingdom, she will be handed over to eternal punishment. For we hear of some widows who are jealous, envious, slanderers, and who cast the evil eye on the comforts of others; such women are not of Christ, nor are they disciples of his teaching. It is necessary, when these women, clothed with some confusion, or having received money, or food, or drink, or clothing, are seen refreshing their sister, to say:

Chapter 13

How widows should pray for those who give for their needs.

Blessed is the one, God, who has refreshed the widow; bless, Lord, and glorify the one who served her, and may his work rise in truth before you; and may you remember him for good on the day of his visitation. And my bishop, who has served you well, and taught timely mercy to my widow who was naked; add to him glory, and give him a crown of boasting on the day of the revelation of your visitation. Likewise, let the widow who has received mercy pray together for the one who gave her the service.

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Chapter 14

That it is not right to boast and proclaim one's own name, the one who bears fruit, according to the Lord's command.

But the one who does well should hide her own name, as wise; not blowing a trumpet before herself, so that the almsgiving may be to God in secret; just as the Lord says, "But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be in secret." And let the widow pray for the one who gave, whoever he may be, having a holy altar of Christ present: "And the Father who sees in secret will repay" the one who does well "in public." But widows who do not want to live according to God's command think to boast much about who is served and who has received; and having learned this, they blame the one who served, saying, "Do you not see that I suffer more than she does? Why then did you prefer her over me?" But she says these things foolishly, not understanding that this is not the will of a human, but the command of God. For if this one testifies that she was nearer and was examined in greater need, and was more naked than that one, she ought to consider the one who arranged this, and, keeping silent and not blaming the one who served, enter her own house, and throwing herself down on her face, beg God to forgive her fault. For God commanded the one who does well not to make a show of her good deed; but she blamed her because she did not proclaim her name, so that she herself, having learned, might run to receive; and not only did she blame her, but she even cursed her, forgetting what was said: "Blessed is the one who blesses you, and cursed is the one who curses you." The Lord says, "When you enter a house, say, 'Peace to this house.' [PG 1.793] And if there is a son of peace there, your peace will rest on him; but if he is not worthy, your peace will return to you."

Chapter 15

That it is improper to insult one's neighbor; for cursing a fellow Christian is foreign to us.

If then peace returns to those who sent it because it did not find those worthy of it, much more will the curse return to the head of the one who unjustly sent it, since the one to whom it was sent was not worthy to receive it. For everyone who insults in vain curses himself, as Solomon says. "Just as birds and sparrows fly, so a vain curse will not come upon anyone. And again he says "But those who utter insults are the most foolish. Just as the bee, though weak in its power, when it stings someone, loses its sting and becomes sterile, in the same way, whatever wrong you do to others, you will bring this upon yourselves. "For he dug a pit and hollowed it out, and he will fall into the pit that he made." And again "He who digs a pit for his neighbor will fall into it." Therefore, the one who flees a curse should not curse another. For what you hate to happen to yourself, do not do to another. Therefore, warn the disobedient, rebuke the shameless, encourage the faint-hearted, strengthen the weak, praise those who walk in holiness. Let them rather be blessed, and not insulted. Let them be peacemakers, and not bring about war. Therefore, neither bishop, nor elder, nor deacon, nor anyone else from the list of the clergy should stain their tongue with insult, so that instead of a blessing they do not inherit a curse. Let there be diligence and care on the part of the bishop, so that not even a layperson may utter a curse. For he must be concerned about everything: about the clergy, about virgins, about widows, about laypeople. Therefore, bishop, appoint as your coworkers in life and righteousness workers, servants pleasing to God, whom you test from all the people to be worthy, and well-trained for the needs of the ministry. [PG 1.796] Also appoint a faithful and holy deaconess for the service of the women. For there are times when in some households a man cannot send a servant to the women, because of the unbelievers. Therefore, send a woman servant, because of the evil thoughts. For indeed, in many needs, we require a woman servant. And first, when women are being baptized, the servant will anoint only their foreheads with the holy oil, and after him the [PG 1.797] woman servant will anoint them. For it is not necessary for women to be examined by men. But only at the laying on of hands, the bishop will anoint her head, in the way that priests and kings were anointed before. Not that those who are now being baptized are also ordained priests, but as Christians from Christ, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, the Church of God, a pillar and foundation of the bridegroom. Those who once were not a people, but now are beloved and chosen. To whom his new name was given. As Isaiah the prophet also testifies, saying "And they will call the people by his new name, which the Lord will name them."

Chapter 16

On the initiation of the divine holy baptism.

Therefore, bishop, you will anoint the head of those being baptized, whether men or women, with holy oil, as a sign of spiritual baptism. Then either you, the bishop, or the priest under you, after saying the sacred invocation and naming the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit over them, will baptize them in the water. The man is to be received by the deacon; the woman by the deaconess, so that the giving of the unbreakable seal may be done with reverence. And after this, the bishop will anoint those baptized with the chrism.

[PG 1.800]

Chapter 17

What is the reason for baptism into Christ, and why is each thing in it both named and performed?

Baptism, then, is given into the death of Jesus; the water stands for burial; the oil, for the Holy Spirit; the seal, for the cross; the chrism, a confirmation of the confession; the memory of the Father, as the cause and sender; the assistance of the Spirit, as a witness; the immersion, dying together; the rising up, rising together; the Father is God over all; Christ is the only-begotten God, the beloved Son, the Lord of glory. The Holy Spirit is the Advocate, sent by Christ, taught by him, and preaching him.

Chapter 18

What kind of person the initiated ought to be.

The one being baptized should be alien to all ungodliness, inactive toward sin, a friend of God, an enemy of the devil, an heir of God the Father, and a co-heir with the Son, assigned to Satan and the demons and their deceits; pure, clean, holy, God-loving, a son of God; praying as a son to the father, and saying together with the gathered assembly of the faithful as follows: "Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name; your kingdom come; your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; for yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen."

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Chapter 19

What kind of person the deacon ought to be.

Let the deacons also be blameless in all things, just as the bishop is. Only let them be more gentle. Proportionate to the size of the Church. So that they may also serve the weak, as workers without shame. And the woman, eager to care for women. But both attend to matters of message, travel, service, and labor. Just as Isaiah also spoke about the Lord, saying "To justify the righteous who serves well for many. Therefore, let each one know his own place, and carry it out diligently, with one mind, and with one spirit. Knowing the reward of the ministry. Let them also be unashamed in serving those in need. Just as our Lord Jesus Christ did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. Therefore, they too must do the same. And if it is necessary to lay down their life for a brother, let them not hesitate. For neither did our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ hesitate to lay down his life, as he himself said, for his friends. If then the Lord of heaven and earth endured everything for us, how could you hesitate to serve those in need? You ought to be imitators of him, who also endured slavery, poverty, wounds, and the cross for us. Therefore, we too must serve the brothers, as imitators of Christ. "For whoever wants to be great among you, let him be your servant," he says. And whoever wants to be first among you, let him be your slave. For in this way he himself fulfilled by deed what it means to serve well many, and not just by word. For having taken a towel, he tied it around himself. Then he puts water into the basin. And coming to us who were reclining, he washed the feet of all of us, and wiped them with the towel. By doing this, he showed us the loving kindness of brotherly love, so that we too might do the same for one another. If then our Lord and teacher humbled himself in this way, how could you be ashamed to do this for the weak and sick among the brothers, being workers of truth and leaders of piety? Serve then with love, not grumbling, [PG 1.804] nor arguing, for you do not serve a human, but serve God. And you will receive the reward of your service from him on the day of your inspection. It is necessary then for you, the servants, to visit all those who need a visit. And concerning those who are suffering, report to your bishop. For you owe your soul to him, and you must have compassion. Be obedient and attentive in all things to him, as your bishop, and father, and teacher.

Chapter 20

That a bishop must be ordained by three or two bishops, but not by one alone; for that is uncertain.

We order that a bishop be ordained by three bishops; or at least by two, but not to be established by one alone among you. For the testimony of two or three is more certain and secure. A presbyter and a deacon are to be ordained by one bishop, along with the other clergy; but neither a presbyter nor a deacon should ordain clergy from among the laity. Instead, the presbyter alone is to teach, baptize, and bless the people; and the deacon [PG 1.805] is to serve the bishop and the presbyters—that is, to minister—but not to perform the other functions.

Chapters of the Fourth Book

1. Those who have no children should adopt orphans.

2. How a bishop must take care of orphans.

3. Who ought to be helped, according to the Lord's command.

4. About love of money.

5. With what kind of fear one must take part in the Lord's contributions.

6. Whose fruits are acceptable, and whose are not.

7. That the fruits of the unworthy, as long as they remain such, not only do not appease God, but also move him toward anger because of their opposites.

8. That it is better to give from one's own hard work to widows, even if it is small and humble, than to receive from the impious, even if it is much and great; for it is better to die of hunger than to accept contributions from the impious.

9. That the people must be encouraged by the priest to do good to the poor; just as Solomon the wise did.

10. A rule that if any of the impious forcibly give money to the priests, they should spend it on wood and charcoal, but not on food.

11. Concerning parents and children.

12. Concerning servants and masters.

13. In what matters it is necessary to obey the secular rulers.

14. Concerning virgins.

[PG 1.808]

Book Four.

Concerning Orphans.

Chapter 1

Those who have no children should adopt orphans.

When a Christian becomes an orphan, whether a child or a virgin, it is good that one of the brothers who has no child should take this one in and have them as a child. And the virgin, if someone has a son who can be of the same age for marriage, should marry her. For those who do this accomplish a great work, becoming fathers of orphans, and from the Lord God they will receive the reward for this service. But if someone walks according to human favor, being rich, he should be ashamed of the care of the orphan's affairs. The Father of orphans and judge of widows will take care of the orphan; and such a one will fall under this saying: "What the holy ones did not eat, the Assyrians will eat," just as Isaiah says: "Strangers will consume your land before your very eyes."

Chapter 2

How the bishop must take care of the orphans.

Therefore, you, bishops, take care of their upbringing, leaving nothing lacking for them: to the orphans provide what belongs to their parents, to the widows what belongs to their husbands, to the young adults marriage, to the skilled worker work, to the weak mercy, to strangers shelter, to the hungry bread, to the thirsty drink, to the naked clothing, to the sick care, to prisoners help. In addition, have even greater concern for those in orphanhood, so that nothing is lacking for them. For the virgin, until the time of marriage comes, give her in marriage to a brother; for the child, provide support so that he may learn a craft and be maintained from the support; so that when he has rightly mastered the craft, he can then buy the tools of the craft for himself, so that he no longer burdens any of the brothers, but loves them sincerely and supports himself. For truly blessed is the one who, being able to help himself, does not oppress the place of an orphan, a stranger, or a widow.

Chapter 3

Who must be helped, according to the Lord's command.

Since the Lord also said that the one who gives is more blessed than the one who receives; for he also said again: Woe to those who have, and receive with hypocrisy, or to those able to help themselves but want to receive from others. Each will give an account to the Lord God on the day of judgment. For the one who receives because of age and orphanhood, or weakness from old age, or illness, or the many children he supports—such a person will not only not be blamed but will be praised; for he is considered an offering to God, honored by God, tirelessly praying continually for those who give to him. He does not receive idly, but gives back the reward through prayer as much as he is able. Such a one will be blessed by God in eternal life. But the one who has, and receives with hypocrisy, or through laziness instead of working to help others, will owe a debt to God, because he has taken the bread of the poor.

Chapter 4

On love of money.

For the one who has money and does not share it with others, nor even uses it himself, has gained a place for a serpent, which they say sleeps in treasures; and the Scripture is true about him, which says: "He gathered wealth from which he will not taste;" and it is of no benefit to him, for he is lost by justice. "For it will not help, he says, to have it on the day of wrath." For such a person has not trusted in God, but in his own gold, thinking this to be God, and relying on it. Such a one is a hypocrite of truth, a respecter of persons, unbelieving, a liar, cowardly, unmanly, shallow, easy to deceive, a fault-finder, painful, an enemy of himself and a friend to no one. His money will be lost; and a stranger will take it, either while he lives by stealing it, or after he dies by enjoying it. "For wealth gathered unjustly will be vomited up."

Chapter 5

With what fear one must take part in the Lord's contributions.

We encourage widows and orphans, with all fear and reverence, to partake of what is given to them, and to give thanks to God, who provides food for the hungry, and to lift their eyes to him. "Who among you will eat or drink apart from him?" For he [PG 1.812] opens his hand and fills every living thing with good will: bread for young men, wine for virgins, and oil for the joy of those who live; grass for cattle, and green plants for the work of humans, meat for wild animals, seeds for birds, and all suitable food. Therefore the Lord also says : "Consider the birds of the sky, that they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your Father feeds them. Are you not more valuable than they? So do not worry, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' For your Father knows that you need all these things." Since you enjoy such care from him and partake of the goods from him, you owe praise to God the almighty, who takes up the orphan and widow, through his beloved Son Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom glory is to God, in spirit and truth, forever. Amen.

Chapter 6

Whose fruits are acceptable, and whose are not.

It is necessary for the bishop to know whose fruits he ought to accept, and whose he ought not. For he is like a guard against giving to peddlers. "For a peddler will not be justified concerning sin; For about them, perhaps even Isaiah, reproaching Israel, said "Your peddlers mix wine with water. Fleeing from him are also the prostitutes "For you shall not offer the wages of a prostitute to the Lord; and robbers, and lovers of what belongs to others, and adulterers, for the sacrifices of these are detestable before God. But also those who oppress widows, and tyrannize over orphans, and fill the prisons with the innocent, or who treat their own servants badly—I say they are struck by blows, famine, and hard labor; or even those who ravage whole cities, let them be fugitives before you, bishop, and the offerings of these are filthy. Let him also reject tricksters, and speakers competing through injustice, and idol makers, and thieves, and unjust tax collectors, and extortioners, [PG 1.813] and deceivers. And a soldier who is a slanderer, not content with his pay, but shaking down the poor. A murderer and an executioner, and an unlawful judge, a disruptor of affairs, a plotter against people, a worker of evil deeds, a drunkard, a blasphemer, a corrupter, a usurer. And anyone else who is evil in any way and opposes the will of God. Because Scripture says that all such people are detestable before God. For those who receive and care for widows and orphans from such people will be held responsible before the judgment of God. Just as Adonijah, the prophet in the royal palace, [PG 1.816] disobeyed God, and ate bread and drank water in the place where the Lord had forbidden him, because of the wickedness of Jeroboam, was killed by a lion. For the bread earned by hard work, served to widows and orphans, is more just, even if it is little and small, than that gained by injustice and slander, even if it is much and well-practiced. For the Scripture says "It is better for the righteous to have little than for sinners to have great wealth. But if a widow eats from the wealth of the ungodly and is filled, she will pray for them, but her prayer will not be heard. For the God who knows hearts has declared judgment concerning the ungodly, saying "If Moses and Samuel stand before me and pray for them, I will not listen to them. And you, do not pray for this people, and do not expect to be shown mercy for them, and do not come before me on their behalf, for I will not listen to you." [PG 1.817]

Chapter 7

That the fruit of the unworthy, as long as they remain such, not only does not appease God, but rather moves him to anger because of their opposite actions.

Not only that, but even those who have fallen into sins and have not repented will not only fail to be heard when they pray, but also provoke God, reminding him of their wickedness. Therefore, avoid such services, like the payment of a dog or the wage of a prostitute; for both are forbidden by the laws. For neither Elisha accepted what was brought from Ahab, nor Ahijah what came from Jeroboam. If the prophets of God did not accept gifts from the ungodly, it is right that you, bishops, should not either.

Moreover, Simon the Magus, offering money to me, Peter, and John, tried to buy the priceless grace; which, since it was not fitting, we bound him with eternal curses; because he thought to gain the gift of God not by goodwill toward God, but by the exchange of money. Therefore, flee from conscienceless offerings brought to the altar of God. "Keep away from the unjust," it says, "and you will not fear; and terror will not come near you." [PG 1.820]

Chapter 8

That it is better to provide for widows through one's own hard work, even if it is humble and small, than to accept the wealth of the ungodly, even if it is much and great; for it is better to perish by hunger than to receive contributions from the ungodly.

But if you say, "Those who give alms are these very people; and if we do not receive from them, how will the widows be cared for by us, and the needy among the people be supported?" Hear from us that for this reason you received the portion of the Levites, the fruit of the people among you, so that you may be sufficient both for yourselves and for those in need, and not, being in want, take from the wicked.

And if the churches are in such need, it is better to perish than to receive anything from the enemies of God, to the insult and mockery of his own friends. For about such things the Prophet also says, "Let not the oil of the sinner anoint my head."

Therefore, be tested in such matters, and receive from those who walk in holiness, and provide for those who are suffering. But do not receive from outsiders before they are deemed members of the Church.

If there is any leftover portion, report it to the brothers, and after gathering it from them, serve the orphans and widows in righteousness.

Chapter 9

That the people must be urged by the priest to do good to the poor; as Solomon the wise also taught.

Say to the people under your care, as Solomon the wise also said: [PG 1.821] "Honor the Lord with your righteous work; and give him the first fruits of your acts of justice; so that your storehouses may be filled with plenty of grain, and your vats overflow with wine."

From the righteous labor of the faithful, then, feed and clothe those who are in need; and from what remains, as we said before, gather money and arrange it to serve the purchases of the holy ones; rescuing slaves, captives, prisoners, those who are oppressed, who have come out of punishment because of the name of Christ, under tyrants, facing combat and death.

For Scripture says, "Rescue those being led to death, and ransom those being killed; do not spare."

Chapter 10

Regulation, so that if any of the ungodly forcibly give money to the priests, they may spend it on wood and charcoal, but not on food.

If ever there is a need to accept money unwillingly from someone ungodly, spend it on wood and charcoal; so that the widow does not take anything from it, or the orphan be forced to buy food or drink beyond what is proper. For these things from the ungodly are rightly consumed by fire, not as food for the devout. The law also declares this, calling a late sacrifice unfit to eat, and ordering it to be consumed by fire. It is not by nature that what is offered is bad, but by the intention of those who bring it.

We command this so that you do not turn away those who come to you, knowing that often association has been helpful to the ungodly, but harmful only to the fellowship according to religion with the devout.

These things then, beloved, let be said to you for your safety.

Chapter 11

About parents and children.

Fathers, then, educate your children, raising them in the Lord with the training and instruction of the Lord, and teach them skills useful and fitting to the word, so that they do not, through opportunity, become stubborn and remain uncorrected by their parents, and so, before the time of relief, they may not lose their sense of what is good. Therefore, do not be afraid to rebuke them, disciplining them with severity; for you do not kill them by disciplining, but rather save them. As Solomon says in Wisdom: "Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; for he will be your hope. For you will strike him with a rod, but you will save his soul from death." And again he says : "He who spares his rod hates his own son." And further : "Break his ribs while he is still a child, lest when hardened he disobeys you." Therefore, whoever spares to advise and discipline his own son hates his own child.

Teach then your children the word of the Lord; restrain them also with blows, and make them obedient; from infancy teach them sacred letters, both yours and divine, and hand down all the holy Scripture; do not give them freedom to rule over you against your will; do not allow them to join in feasts with peers; for thus they will be led into disorder and fall into fornication. And if, through the neglect of the parents, they suffer this, those who gave birth to them will be guilty of their souls. For if through the laziness of those born they join with the unchaste, the children who sin will not be punished alone, but their parents will also be judged on their behalf. Therefore, be eager to join them in marriage at the right time and to arrange their affairs, so that in the prime of their youth, when passion is boiling, they do not become addicted to immoral habits, and you will be required to give an account on the day of judgment before the Lord God.

Chapter 12

About servants and masters.

As for servants, what more can we say than that the slave should show goodwill toward the master, with the fear of God, even if he is irreligious or wicked? Yet not only should there be harmony according to religion; the master should also love the servant. Even if he is different, he should judge him equally, or as a fellow human being. And the servant who has a faithful master, as long as his authority is preserved, should love him both as master, and as a fellow believer, and as a father; not as a sycophant, but as one who loves his master, knowing that God will repay him the reward for his service. Likewise, the master who has a faithful servant, as long as the service is preserved, should love him as a son or as a brother, because of the fellowship of faith.

[PG 1.825]

Chapter 13

In what ways one must submit to the earthly rulers.

Submit to every authority and power in what pleases God, as servants of God and punishers of the ungodly. Pay them all the fear that is owed, every tax, every tribute, every honor, gift, and custom. For this is God's command, that no one should owe anything except the bond of friendship, which God established through Christ.

Chapter 14

About virgins.

About virginity, we have not received a command, but we leave it to the choice of those who wish it, as a vow. Therefore, we encourage them not to promise anything lightly. For Solomon says, "It is better not to vow than to vow and not pay." Let this virgin be holy in body and soul, as a temple of God, as a house of Christ, as a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. For she must show by worthy works the promise she has made, proving that her vow is true, and that it is made through devotion, not by the temptation of marriage. Let her not be careless, nor a wanderer at the wrong time, nor doubtful; but solemn, self-controlled, sensible, pure, avoiding the company of many, especially the unseemly.

Chapters of the Fifth Book

1. That it is right for the faithful to provide what is necessary to those who suffer for Christ from unbelievers, according to the Lord's command.

2. That the company of false brothers must be avoided when they persist in wickedness.

3. That it is necessary to reach out a hand to those who are suffering for Christ, even if danger is present.

4. That it is dreadful and ruinous to deny Christ.

5. That Christ must be imitated in suffering, and his patience must be eagerly sought.

6. That the faithful must be neither reckless for the sake of safety, nor fearful because of cowardice; but they must also flee out of reverence, and when fallen, struggle for the crown that awaits.

7. Various proofs concerning the resurrection; concerning the Sibyl; and what the Stoics say about the phoenix bird;

[PG 1.828]

8. Concerning James, the brother of the Lord, and Stephen, the first martyr.

9. Concerning false witnesses.

10. Ethical exhortation, that one must avoid vanity, foul language, wit, drunkenness, lust, and quarrels.

11. Exhortation instructing to avoid the filth of idolatry.

12. That it is not proper to sing a pagan or immoral song, nor to swear by an idol; for this is impious and hostile to the knowledge of God.

13. A list of the Lord's feasts that must be observed; and when each of these ought to be celebrated.

14. About the passion of the Lord; and what was done each day during the passion; and about Judas; and that Judas was not present when the Lord gave the mysteries to the disciples.

15. About the Great Week; and why fasting is allowed on Thursday and Friday.

16. A list of prophetic predictions proclaiming Christ, by which the Jews, seeing the outcome, out of malice disbelieved that he was the Christ of God, and condemned the Lord of glory to the cross.

17. How the Passover ought to be observed.

18. Regulation concerning the great week of Passover.

19. About the all-night vigil of the great Sabbath, and about the day of the Resurrection.

20. A prophecy announcement concerning Christ Jesus.

Book Five

About the Witnesses

Chapter 1

That it is right for the faithful to provide what is due to those who are troubled for Christ by unbelievers, according to the Lord's command.

If any Christian, because of the name of Christ and love and faith toward God, is condemned by the ungodly to the lions, or to wild beasts, or to the mines, do not ignore him, but from your labor and your sweat send to him for his support, [PG 1.829] and as a reward for the soldiers. so that he may be relieved and receive care. So that, as far as it depends on you, your blessed brother may not be troubled. For the one condemned because of the name of the Lord God is a holy martyr, a brother of the Lord, a son of the Most High, a vessel of the holy Spirit, through whom each of the faithful has received the enlightenment of the glory of the holy Gospel. In being deemed worthy of the imperishable crown, and of the testimony of his sufferings, and of the fellowship of his blood, to be conformed to the death of Christ unto adoption as sons. For this reason, then, all the faithful, through your bishop, from among you and through your hard work, serve the saints. But if anyone does not have, having fasted, the portion of the day and has divided it, let him give this to the saints. But if anyone is wealthy, let him serve them with something more according to the measure of his ability. But if anyone is able to give his whole life to save them from prison, he will be blessed and a friend of Christ. For he who, giving what he has to the poor, is perfect, after the knowledge of divine things much more so the one who suffers for the sake of the martyrs For such a one, being worthy of God, will fulfill his will by providing for those who confessed him before the nations, and kings, and the sons of Israel, concerning whom the Lord declared, saying "Whoever confesses me before men, I will also confess him before my Father. And if they are such, as they are also testified to by Christ before the Father, you are not to be ashamed to go to them in prison. For if you do this, it will be counted as a testimony for you. For to them the testimony was a trial, but to you it is different, eagerness, as partners in their struggle. For the Lord says somewhere to such people, saying "Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me drink; I was a stranger, and you welcomed me; I was naked, and you clothed me; I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to me. Then the righteous will answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When then did we see you naked and clothe you? Or sick, and we visited you? When then did we see you a stranger, and we welcomed you? Or in prison, and we came to you? And answering, he will say to them For as much as you did it to one of these least brothers of mine, you did it to me. And these will go away into eternal life. Then he will say also to those on the right side [PG 1.832] . "Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels." "For I was hungry, and you did not give me anything to eat." "I was thirsty, and you did not give me anything to drink." "I was a stranger, and you did not welcome me." "I was naked, and you did not clothe me." "I was sick and in prison, and you did not visit me." Then they themselves will answer, saying Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not serve you? Then he will answer them, saying Truly I tell you, as much as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me. And these will go away into eternal punishment."

Chapter 2

That one must avoid [f. the] associations with false brothers, whenever they persist in wickedness.

If someone, calling himself a brother, is deceived by the evil one and does wrong, and after being corrected is condemned to death as an adulterer or a murderer, separate yourselves from him, so that you may be safe, and so that no one among you may be suspected as a partner in the crime, and so that blasphemy may not be poured out against you, as if all Christians rejoice in unlawful deeds. Therefore, keep far away from them. But to those who, for Christ's sake, are shut up in prison by the ungodly, or handed over to death, or to chains and exile, help with all eagerness, saving your members from the hands of lawless men. And if anyone is caught together with them and suffers insults, he is blessed, because he has become a partner of a martyr and a follower of the sufferings of Christ. For we too, for Christ's sake, have often received blows from Caiaphas, Alexander, and Annas, and went away rejoicing, because we were considered worthy to suffer such things for our Savior. And you also rejoice in suffering these things; for you will be blessed on that day.

Chapter 3

That one must reach out a hand to those who are suffering for Christ, even if danger is present.

And those who are persecuted for their faith, fleeing from city to city because of the Lord's command, receive them, taking their part and welcoming them as witnesses. Rejoice that you have become sharers in their persecution, knowing that they are blessed by the Lord. For he says: "Blessed are you when they insult you, and persecute you, and say every evil word against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because your reward is great in heaven. For in this way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." And again: "If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you." And again: "If they persecute you in this city, flee to another, for in the world you will have tribulation. They will hand you over to synagogues, and before rulers and kings you will be brought because of me, as a testimony to them. And the one who endures to the end will be saved." For the one who is persecuted because of faith, who has witnessed about it, and has endured, this one is truly a man of God.

Chapter 4

That it is dreadful and destructive to deny Christ.

But the one who denies that he belongs to Christ, because he does not want to be hated by people, loving his own soul more than the Lord, whose breath is in his hand—this one is pitiful, miserable, like a slave and detestable; wanting to be a friend of people, but an enemy of God; having taken a share no longer with the saints, but with the cursed; instead of the kingdom of the blessed, desiring the eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels; no longer hated by people, but rejected by God, and cast out from his presence. For about this the Lord declared, saying: "Whoever denies me before people, and my name is shamed, I will deny him also and will be ashamed before my Father who is in heaven." And again he says to his disciples, to us ourselves, thus: "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take up his own cross and follow me is not worthy of me. The one who finds his soul will lose it; and the one who loses his soul for my sake will find it. For what will a man gain if he wins the whole world but loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" And again: "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; but rather fear the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."

Chapter 5

That Christ must be imitated in suffering, and his patience must be eagerly pursued.

Everyone who learns some craft, watching his teacher, completes his skill through practice and experience, and he himself desires to make what he is taught like his teacher. If he cannot do this, he is not perfected in the work.

So we, having as our teacher the Lord Jesus Christ, why do we not imitate his teaching? For he rejected ease, luxury, glory, wealth, honor, defensive power, mother and brothers, and even his own life, for the sake of piety toward the Father and love for us. He endured not only persecution and lashes, insult and mockery, but also the nailing to the cross, so that he might save Jews and Greeks who repent.

If he himself rejected rest for us, not ashamed of the cross, not dishonoring death, then why do we not imitate his sufferings, and why do we not even give up our own lives for him, who gives us patience? For he suffered for us, but we suffer for ourselves. He does not need us, but we need his mercy.

Only he seeks the genuine and free will of our faith. As Scripture says: "If you are righteous, what will you give him, or what will he receive from your hand? Your wickedness is against a man like yourself, and your righteousness is against the son of man." [PG 1.836]

Chapter 6

That the faithful must be neither reckless out of boldness, nor fearful out of cowardice; but must also flee out of reverence, and when fallen, struggle for the crown that awaits.

Let us then renounce even parents, and relatives, and friends, and wife, [children], and possessions, and all of life, whenever any of these become a hindrance to piety. For we must pray that we do not enter into temptation. But if we are called to witness, we must confess the precious name with conviction. And if for this reason we are punished, let us rejoice as if hurrying toward immortality. Being persecuted, let us not become strangers. Let us not love the present age, nor the praise of men, nor the glory and honor of rulers, just as some of the Jews, admiring the works of the Lord, did not believe in him because of fear of the chief priests and the other rulers. "For they loved the glory of men more than the glory of God. By confessing the good confession, we not only save ourselves, but also strengthen the newly baptized, and we bear witness to those being taught. But if we despise the confession, denying godliness through a weak mind and fear of a brief punishment, we not only deprive ourselves [PG 1.837] of eternal glory, but we will also become the cause of destruction for others, and we will receive a double punishment, because we gave the suspicion that the truth once glorified by us was a teaching of error through our denial. Therefore, let us be neither careless nor reckless. For the Lord says "Pray that you do not fall into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. And let us not, having fallen, disgrace the confession by cowardice. For if someone denies his own hope, who is Jesus, the Son of God, and is freed from temporary death, but tomorrow falls ill on his bed with a sharp disease of the belly, or stomach, or head, or some incurable suffering—decay, or gangrene, or separation, or ileus, or dropsy, or paralysis—then destruction will come quickly, and he will pass away from life. Will he not also be deprived of those here, and fall away from the eternal things? Even more, he will be placed inside eternal punishment, going into "outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth"? But he who is deemed worthy of martyrdom, let him rejoice in the joy in the Lord, as one who has gained so great a crown, and by confession makes the departure from life. And even if he is being instructed, let him be without pain or grief. For the suffering for Christ will be to him a more genuine baptism. Because he himself dies together with the Lord through trial, but the others, through punishment. Therefore, let him rejoice, imitating the teacher. Since it has also been commanded. "Let everyone be trained, just like their teacher. His teacher and ours, Jesus the Lord, was wounded for us, endured blasphemy and insults patiently, was spat upon, was struck, was slapped, was nailed to the cross after being whipped, and was given vinegar and gall to drink. Having completed all things written, he said to God and the Father "I commit my spirit into your hands. Therefore, whoever wishes to be his disciple should eagerly follow his struggles, imitate his patience, knowing that even if he is burned by fire from people, he will not give in, like the three children; or even if he suffers something, he will receive a reward from the Lord. Believing in the one and only true God and Father, through Jesus Christ, the great high priest, and redeemer of souls, and rewarder of struggles. To whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Chapter 7

Various proofs concerning the resurrection; about the Sibyl; and what the Stoics say about the phoenix bird.

For the almighty God himself will raise us up, through [PG 1.840] our Lord Jesus Christ, according to his unfailing promise. and he will raise us up along with all those who have fallen asleep from eternity, in the same kind of form as we now have, lacking nothing, nor subject to decay. Since we will be raised incorruptible. For even if we die at sea, or are scattered on land, or are torn apart by wild beasts or birds, he will raise us up by his own power. Because the whole world is held together by the hand of God. "Not a hair from your head will be lost," he says. Therefore he encourages, saying "In your endurance, gain your souls." Concerning the resurrection of the dead, and the reward of the martyrs, Gabriel says to Daniel "And many of those who have fallen asleep in the dust of the earth will rise some to eternal life, and others to eternal shame and disgrace. And those who have insight will shine like the sun, and like the firmament and the stars. Therefore, the all-holy Gabriel foretold that the saints will shine like lights. For to them, understanding the truth and his holy name testified. But the resurrection is promised not only to the martyrs, but also to all people, both just and unjust, pious and impious. So that each one may give what is due according to their worth "For God will bring every work into judgment, in every hidden thing, whether good or evil." The Jews, not believing in this resurrection, spoke of the old (way). "Our bones have dried up; we have lost all hope." To them God answered and said "Behold, I open your tombs, and I will bring you up from them. And I will put my spirit in you, and you will live, and you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will do it. And through Isaiah he says "They will rise, the dead, and those who are in the tombs will be raised, and those who rest in the earth will rejoice. because the dew from you is a healing for them. Many other things, then, have been said about the resurrection, and about the righteous living in glory, and about the punishment, downfall, rejection, condemnation, disgrace, eternal fire, and unending worm of the wicked. And that if he wished all people to be immortal, he could have done so; he showed Enoch and Elijah, not allowing them to experience death. But if he wanted to raise up those who die in each generation, he made this clear both through himself and through others. He raised up the widow's son through Elijah, and the son of the Shunammite woman through Elisha. We are convinced that death is not a punishment, since even the holy ones suffered it, including the Lord Jesus Christ himself, who is the life of the faithful and the resurrection of the dead. Therefore, as long as they live in a great city, after their struggles, he brings their release for a short time, so that having raised each one, he may proclaim or crown them. For the one from Adam made the body from the earth, and he will raise the bodies of the rest and of the first one after their dissolution, in order to repay [PG 1.844] this to the rational nature of humans; indeed, we call this eternal life. Therefore, the one who brings dissolution also brings resurrection. And the one saying "Because the Lord took dust from the earth, and formed man, and breathed into his face the breath of life, and the man became a living soul; who also, after the unheard-of event, said "You are dust, and to dust you shall return; He himself also promised us the resurrection after these things. "For, he says, all who are in the tombs will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. Besides these things, we believe that the resurrection will happen, and from the Lord's resurrection For he is the one who raised Lazarus after four days, and the daughter of Jairus, and the son of the widow, and himself by the command of the Father after three days, the pledge of our resurrection. "For I say, I am the resurrection and the life. He who brought Jonah out alive and unharmed from the belly of the whale after three days, and the three children from the furnace of Babylon, and Daniel from the mouths of lions, will not lack the power to raise us as well. But if the Greeks mock, doubting our Scriptures, let them believe, even if their own prophetess, the Sibyl, Thus also the manuscript Vindobonensis, somewhat speaking to them word for word:

But when everything has already become ashes and dust,

And God will put to rest the imperishable fire, just as he kindled it,

God himself will restore to them bones and ashes again

Then he will shape them, and will set up mortals again as they were before,

And then indeed there will be judgment, on which God himself will judge,

Judging the world again; but those who are under impiety

Mortals have sinned, but again the earth will cover them.

But all who live piously will live again in the world,

By the Spirit of God given, and life along with grace to them

To the pious. And then all will see themselves.

If then it also confesses the resurrection and does not deny the rebirth, but distinguishes the pious from the impious, then those who do not believe in our teaching do so in vain. And yet they say that the resurrection is shown in a special way, but they do not believe what they themselves declare. For they say there is a certain unique bird, providing a rich proof of the resurrection. They say it exists without mating, and only in creation. [PG 1.845] They call this a phoenix. They also record that every five hundred years it comes to Egypt to the so-called Altar of the Sun, bringing a large amount of cinnamon, cassia, and balsam wood. And standing facing east, as they say, praying to the sun, it is said to burn itself up spontaneously and turn into dust. From the ashes, a worm is said to come forth, and after being warmed, it is formed into a newly born phoenix, and having become a bird, it is sent to Arabia, which lies beyond the Egyptian territory. If then, as they themselves say, resurrection is shown through the irrational bird, why do they slander us in vain, when we admit that the one who by power brings what is not into being does have the power to also raise up after dissolution? For because of this teaching, we endure both punishments, and persecutions, and deaths. Since we accepted such things in vain, not having the teaching of those things which we proclaim as heralds. Just as we were convinced by Moses saying, "In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth; And we know that it was not lacking in matter, but by will alone, which Christ commanded, these things were brought forth. [PG 1.848] So we say heaven, earth, sea, light, night, day, lights, stars, birds, fish, [PG 1.849] four-footed animals, creeping things, plants, and herbs. In the same way, he will raise all by his will, needing no cooperation. For it is the work of the same power both to create the world and to raise the dead. And then, when man did not exist, he made man from various things, giving him a soul out of non-existence. But now he will restore the bodies that have been dissolved to the souls that exist. For resurrection belongs to those who are laid to rest, not to those who do not exist. Therefore, the one who made the first bodies out of non-existence, and created various kinds from them, will also raise the dead by giving them life. For the one who forms a person in the womb from a tiny seed, and creates a soul for him that did not exist, And as he himself says somewhere to Jeremiah, "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; and elsewhere "I am the Lord, who established the heavens, and founded the earth, and formed the spirit of man within him; He himself will also raise all men, being his own creations. Just as the divine Scripture also testifies, saying that God to the only-begotten Christ "Let us make man in our image and according to our likeness. And God made man He made him in the image of God. He made them male and female. And the most godly and strong Job, about whom the Scripture says, "It is written that he will rise again with those whom the Lord raises; He says this to God: "Have you not milked me like milk, and curdled me like cheese, making me equal to curds? You have clothed me with skin and flesh. And you have woven me with bones and nerves. But you have put life and mercy within me. But your watchfulness has kept my spirit safe. Having these things within myself, I know that you are able to do all things, and nothing is impossible for you. Therefore, our Savior and teacher Jesus Christ also says "For what is impossible with men is possible with God. And the God-loving David also says "Your hands made me and formed me; and again "You knew our frame; and furthermore "You formed me, and you laid your hand upon me Your knowledge amazed me beyond myself; it was strengthened, and I am not able to grasp it. My unformed self [PG 1.852] your eyes saw, and all will be written in your book. But Isaiah also says, praying to him, that "We are the clay, and you are our potter." If then man is indeed his creation, having been made through Christ, certainly even if he dies, he will be raised through him. to be either crowned for his achievements, or punished for his faults. But if he judges by righteousness, as a lawgiver, Just as he punishes the ungodly, so he saves the faithful by doing good, and the saints who have been killed by people because of him. Some he brightens like stars, others he makes shine like lights. Just as Gabriel said to Daniel Since all the faithful are disciples of Christ, we believe in his promises. For the one who made the promise is unchanging. But the blessed prophet David says, "The Lord is faithful in all his words, and holy in all his works." For the one who made a body for himself from a virgin is also the creator of all other humans. And having raised himself from the dead, he himself will also raise all those who lie dead. He who raises fire from a single spark scattered on the ground, he who makes a cut-down tree sprout again into a branch, he who caused Aaron's dry rod to sprout into a shoot— he himself will also raise us in glory. He who raised the paralytic to health, and healed the one with the withered hand, and restored the missing part in the man born lame by using earth and saliva— he himself will also raise us. He who fed five thousand with five loaves and two fish, and had twelve baskets left over, and turned water into wine, and from the mouth of a fish sent a coin through me, Peter, to those who demanded the tax— he also raises the dead. For we all bear witness about him to these things. But the other things, the prophets [bear witness to]. We who have eaten and drunk with him And having become witnesses of his mighty works, and of his life, and of his conduct, and of his words, and of his sufferings, and of his death, and of his resurrection from the dead, and having lived with him for forty days after his resurrection, and having received a command from him to preach the gospel to the whole world, and to make disciples of all nations, and to baptize into his death, by the authority of the God of all, who is his Father, and by the testimony of the Spirit, who is the Advocate, we teach you all these things, which, having commanded us, he was taken up before our eyes into heaven to the one who sent him. And if you believe, you will be blessed. But if you do not believe, we will be found innocent and pure of your unbelief.

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Chapter 8

About James, the brother of the Lord, and Stephen the first martyr.

About the martyrs, we say that they should be honored by you in every way, just as they have been honored by us: the blessed James the bishop, and our holy fellow deacon Stephen. For these are both blessed by God and honored by holy men, pure from every fault, unshaken toward sin, unchanging in good things, and unbending toward praise. About them David said, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints," and Solomon said, "The memory of the righteous is with praise." About them the prophet also said, "The righteous are taken away."

Chapter 9

About false witnesses.

These things have been said about those who truly bore witness for Christ, but not about false witnesses, about whom the Scripture says: "The name of the wicked will be erased. For a faithful witness does not lie; but a false witness will be burned unjustly." For the one who goes forth in testimony truthfully for the sake of the truth is a true witness, trustworthy in the things in which he contended with the word of piety through his own blood.

Chapter 10

Moral Exhortation, that one must avoid vain talk, foul language, wit, drunkenness, lust, and quarrels.

We exhort you, brothers and fellow servants, to avoid vain talk, foul language, wit, drunkenness, lust, quarrels, and uncontrolled anger, along with foolish talk; for not even on the Lord's days of celebration do we allow you to say or do anything indecent. For Scripture says somewhere, "Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice in him with trembling." Therefore, your rejoicing must be done with fear and trembling. For the faithful Christian ought not to sing a pagan song, nor a lascivious hymn; because by singing such a song, he will end up calling to mind the names of demons, and instead of the Holy Spirit, the evil one will enter into him.

Chapter 11

Exhortation instructing to avoid the filth of idolatry.

Swearing by them is also forbidden, as is speaking their detestable names with the mouth, or worshiping them, or fearing them as gods. For they are not gods, but either evil demons or cursed works. For God says somewhere about the [PG 1.856] Israelites: "They abandoned me and swore by gods that are not gods." And again : "I will remove the names of the idols from their mouths." And elsewhere: "They have provoked me with what is not gods; they have angered me with their idols." And in all the Scriptures, these things are forbidden by the Lord God.

Chapter 12

That it is not proper to sing a pagan or immoral song, nor to swear by an idol; for this is impious and hostile to the knowledge of God.

They forbid not only swearing by idols but also by stars, laying down the law and urging not to swear by them nor to worship them. For they say "Do not, having seen the sun and the moon and the stars, be led astray and worship them. And elsewhere "Do not learn according to the ways of the nations, and do not be afraid of the signs of the sky. For the stars and the lights were given to people for light, but not for worship. Even if the Israelites, through a wicked way, worship the creation instead of the Creator, insulting the creator, but admiring the creation more than is proper. And sometimes making incense, as if in the wilderness, and sometimes worshiping Beelzebul. At other times, they worship Baal, and Thammuz, and the Sidonian Astarte, and again Moloch, and Chemosh, and at other times the sun, as is written in Ezekiel. Already also irrational animals, as among the Egyptians, Apis, and the Mendesian goat, and gods of silver and gold, as in Judea. For which reason he warned them all through the prophet. "Is it a small thing for the house of Judah to do these detestable acts, which they have done, filling the land with lawlessness, to anger me?" and behold, they are like those who sneer. And I will act with anger; my eyes will not spare, nor will I have mercy. and they will cry out with a loud voice in my ears, and I will not listen to them. See, beloved, how much the Lord reveals against the idolaters and those who worship the sun and the moon. Therefore, the man of God, as a Christian, must neither swear by the sun, nor by the moon, nor by the stars, nor by the sky, nor the earth, nor by any of the elements, whether small or great. For if the Teacher commanded us concerning the one true God not to swear, so that our word might be more trustworthy than an oath, then neither should we swear by the sky itself, for that is a Greek form of impiety, nor by Jerusalem, nor by the holy things of God, nor by the altar, nor by the gift, nor by the gold of the temple, nor by one's own head. For this is a habit of Jewish corruption, and so it has been forbidden. But the "yes, yes" and the "no, no" are entrusted to the faithful, and anything beyond these, it says, comes from evil. How much more are those who swear by false names as if they were oaths, and who honor what is thought to be true instead of the real truth, held accountable—those whom God has handed over to foolishness because of their wickedness to do what is not right.

Chapter 13

List of the Lord's feasts, which must be observed; and when each of these ought to be celebrated.

Keep the days of the feasts, brothers, and first of all the birthday, which among you should be celebrated on the twentieth day of the ninth month, after which the Epiphany will be most honored for you, on which the Lord made a revelation to you of his own divinity; let this also take place on the sixth day of the tenth month. After these, you must observe the fast of the Forty Days, which holds the memory of the Lord's conduct and law; let this fast be completed before the fast of Passover, beginning on Monday and ending on Friday. After you have finished this fast, begin the holy week of Passover, fasting all together with fear and trembling, praying during these days for those who are perishing.

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Chapter 14

About the passion of the Lord; and what was done on each day during the passion; and about Judas; and that Judas did not share in the mysteries when the Lord was handing them over to the disciples.

For they began to make the plan against the Lord on the second day of the week, the first month, which is Xanthicus, and on the third day of the week the plot was extended. And on the fourth day they decided to kill him by the cross. And Judas, knowing this, was greatly turned away, and then, also struck by the devil because of greed, although long ago he had been pierced in the tongue, and stealing from the poor, was not cast out by the Lord because of patience. But also once, when we were eating with him, wishing both to correct him and to discipline us by his foreknowledge, he said [PG 1.873] "Truly, truly I say to you, that one of you will betray me; and each one of us saying "Surely not I?" And while the Lord was silent, I, one of the twelve, who was loved more than the others by him, having leaned close, begged him to say who it would be that would betray him. And even so, the good Lord did not tell us his name. But he gave two signs of the betrayer. One indeed, saying "The one who dips with me in the dish; But he gave two signs of the betrayer.

One indeed, saying

"The one who dips with me in the dish;

And a second, "I, the one who dips the bread, will give it to him; and indeed, as he was saying this to him, "Surely it is not I, Rabbi?" The Lord did not say, "Yes, but rather, "You have said it." And wishing that he fear him for this reason, he says "Woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for him if he had never been born; and hearing these things having gone away, he said to the priests "What do you want to give me, and I will hand him over to you?" But they set thirty pieces of silver before him. And the Scripture was fulfilled that says "And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of the one valued, whom they valued from the sons of Israel, and they gave them into the house of the potter; And on the fifth day, after eating the Passover with him, when he had dipped his hand into the dish, and taken the bread, and gone out at night, the Lord said to us "The hour has come for you to be scattered, and to leave me alone; and when each one was insisting that he would not leave him, Peter promising to die with me, he said "Truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times. And after giving us the symbolic mysteries of his precious body and blood, with Judas not present with us, he went out to the Mount of Olives near the torrent of Cedron, where there was a garden. We also gathered together and sang hymns according to custom. And after separating from us, he prayed to the Father for a long time, saying "Father, take this cup away from me. but not my will, but yours be done." And having done this, a third time, when we had fallen asleep from sadness into sleep, he came and said "The hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners; and behold, Judas, and with him a crowd of the wicked, and he shows them the sign of betrayal, a deceitful kiss. But those who received the sign seized the Lord. And having bound him, they led him to the house of Caiaphas the high priest, where a great crowd had gathered—not a people, but a mob; not a sacred council of elders, but a council of lawless men and a meeting place of the ungodly. They also did many things against him, leaving no kind of insult undone: spitting, mocking, striking, slapping, abusing, testing him, seeking divination instead of prophecy. They called him a trickster, a blasphemer, a breaker of Moses' law, a destroyer of the temple, an enemy of the Romans, and opposed to Caesar. And having mocked him with these things until deep dawn, the bulls and dogs led him to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas. And there, having done similar things, on the day before the Sabbath, they handed him over to Pilate, the Roman governor, accusing him of many serious charges, none of which they were able to prove. On these charges, the governor, displeased, said "I find no charge against him. But they brought two false witnesses, who wanted to slander the Lord. When they were found to disagree, they brought the matter to the council, saying "This man says that he is a king himself, and he stops paying taxes to Caesar. And they themselves become accusers, witnesses, judges, and those in authority to decide, saying "Crucify him, crucify him; "so that what has been written about him in the prophets may be fulfilled." "Unjust witnesses gathered against me, and injustice lied to itself." [PG 1.877] and again "Many dogs surrounded me; a band of evildoers enclosed me." and in other places "My inheritance became mine, like a lion in the forest; it gave its voice upon me." Therefore, Pilate, having disgraced his authority through cowardice, exposed his own wickedness, after having examined the crowds before justice, and although witnesses declared him innocent, he handed him over to punishment by crucifixion as guilty, even though Roman laws established that no one should die without trial. The executioners, having taken the Lord of glory, nailed him to the wood. They crucified him at the sixth hour, and at the third hour they received the decision concerning him. Then they gave him vinegar to drink mixed with gall. Then they divided his clothes by casting lots. Then they crucified two criminals with him, one on each side. so that what was written might be fulfilled. "They gave me gall for my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink; and again "They divided my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots; and in other things "And I was counted among the wicked." Then there was darkness for three hours, from the sixth to the ninth. and again light until evening. just as it is written. "And it will not be day, nor night, but there will be light toward evening. Which all the criminals crucified with him saw. One of them blasphemed, as if unable to defend himself because of weakness. But the other rebuked him for his ignorance, and turning to the Lord, as if enlightened by him and knowing who the one suffering was, he asked to be remembered by him in the kingdom to come. And he immediately granted him forgiveness for his past sins and led him into paradise, where he would enjoy the mysteries. Who, also, crying out around the ninth hour, said to the Father "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? and after a little while crying out with a loud voice "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." and bringing forward "To your hands I commit [PG 1.880] my spirit; he breathed his last and he will be buried before sunset in a new tomb. When the first day of the week was dawning, having risen from the dead, he fulfilled those things which he had foretold to us before his suffering, saying that the Son of Man must remain in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. And having risen from the dead, he first appears to Mary Magdalene, and to Mary the mother of James. Then to Cleopas on the road. And after this, to us his disciples, who were fleeing because of fear of the Jews, but secretly investigating the things concerning him. These things were also written in the Gospel.

Chapter 15

About the Great Week; and why they allow fasting on Thursday and Friday.

He himself commanded us to fast on these six days, because of the impiety and lawlessness of the Jews, urging us to mourn and grieve over their destruction. For he himself wept over them, because they did not recognize the time of their visitation. He commanded us to fast on Thursday and Friday as well. The one because of the betrayal, the other because of the suffering. He commanded to fast on the seventh day, when the rooster crowed, but to fast on the Sabbath itself. Not that it is necessary to fast on the Sabbath [PG 1.881] , since it is a time of rest for creation, but because that day alone must be fasted, since the creator [PG 1.884] was still on earth then. For on that very feast they seized the Lord, so that that saying might be fulfilled. "They placed their signs in the middle of their feast, and they did not recognize them. Therefore, it is necessary to mourn for them, because when the Lord came, they did not believe in him, but they shook off his teaching, judging themselves unworthy of salvation. Therefore, you are blessed, who once were not a people, but now are a holy nation, saved from the error of idols, from ignorance, from impiety. Those who were not shown mercy, but now have been shown mercy because of the obedience of your hearts. For to you the gate of life has been opened to those from the nations, who once were not loved, but now are beloved. A people appointed for the possession of God, to proclaim his virtues. About whom the Savior said "I was found by those who did not seek me. I became visible to those who did not ask for me. I said Behold, I am here, to the nation that did not call my name. For not having sought him then, you were sought by him. And you, having believed in him, obeyed his call, leaving behind the many-god madness, and fleeing to the true monarchy, to the almighty God, through Jesus Christ. Becoming the full number of those saved. "Ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; as it is written in David "Thousands will fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; and again "The chariot of God is ten thousand times ten thousand, with thousands of saints attending." But to Israel, the unbelieving, he says "All day long I have stretched out my hands to a disobedient people, who oppose those walking in a bad way, but turn back to their sins, a people who provoke me before my face."

Chapter 16

A listing of prophetic predictions proclaiming Christ, which the Jews, seeing their outcome, out of malice refused to believe that he was the Christ of God, and condemned the Lord of glory to the cross.

See how the people provoked the Lord by not [PG 1.885] believing in him Therefore he says They provoked the Holy Spirit, and he turned against them in anger For blindness was poured out on them because of their wickedness, since, though they saw Jesus, they did not believe that he was the Christ of God, the one born from him before all ages, the only-begotten Son, the Word of God, whom they did not recognize because of unbelief, neither through his works, nor indeed through the prophecies written about him. For they read that he would be born of a virgin, "Behold, the virgin will conceive in her womb and will bear a son, and they will call his name Emmanuel. For a child has been born to us, a son has been given to us; the authority rests on his shoulder, and his name is called, "Messenger of great counsel, wonderful, counselor, God, mighty, ruler, prince of peace, father of the coming age." But because of great wickedness they will disobey him, he says "The Lord, who has believed our report?" and to whom was the arm of the Lord revealed? And next "You will hear with your ears, but you will not understand" and seeing you will see, but you will not perceive For the heart of this people has grown dull. Therefore, knowledge was taken away from them, because when they saw, they ignored, and when they heard, they did not listen. But for you, who are from the nations, the kingdom was given, because though you did not know God, you believed through the preaching and came to know him; and even more, you were known by him through Jesus the Savior and Redeemer of those who hope in him. For having turned away from your former futile customs, and having looked down on lifeless idols, and having despised the demons who are in darkness, and having run to the true light, and having come to know through it the one and only true God and Father, you appeared as heirs of his kingdom. For having been baptized into the death of the Lord, and into his resurrection, you ought to be like newborn infants inactive toward all sin, for you are not your own, but belong to the one who bought you with his own blood. For concerning Israel once, the Lord said, because of their unbelief, that the kingdom of God will be taken away from them and given to a nation producing its fruits. That is to say, that to you, who were once far away and separated from him, having given the kingdom, he now expects the fruits of gratitude. [PG 1.888] For you are those who were once sent into the vineyard and did not obey. But those who obeyed But you, having repented from your opposition, now work in it. But those who were unwilling because of their own conditions not only left the vineyard inactive, but also killed the stewards of the Lord of the vineyard. Some with stones, others with swords. And one they sawed in two, another they killed inside the temple, between the sanctuary and the altar. Later, they also threw out and killed the heir himself outside the vineyard. And by them he was rejected as a worthless stone. But by you he was accepted as the cornerstone. Therefore he says concerning you "A people who did not know me served me; they listened to me with obedient ear."

Chapter 17

How the Passover should be observed.

Therefore, it is necessary for you, brothers, who have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, to observe the days of the Passover exactly, with all care, following the equinox; so that you do not commemorate one suffering twice in the year, but only once in the year of the one who died once; and no longer observe the feast together with the Jews. For we now have no fellowship with them; for they are mistaken even about the very date which they think they fulfill. So that they may be mistaken everywhere and separated from the truth. But you keep carefully the equinoctial turning of the spring hour, which falls on the second and twentieth day of the twelfth month, which is called Dystros; watching until the twentieth day of the first moon, so that the fourteenth day of the moon does not fall in another week; and if there is error, through ignorance we will not celebrate the Passover twice in the year; or celebrate the resurrection day of our Lord Jesus on another day, but only on Sunday.

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Chapter 18

Order concerning the great week of Passover.

During the days of Passover, you should fast, beginning from Monday until Friday, and on Saturday, six days, using only bread, salt, and vegetables, and drinking water; abstain from wine and meat during these days. For these are days of mourning, not of celebration. On Friday and Saturday, fast completely, if you have the strength, tasting nothing until the cock crows at night; but if someone is unable to join the two days together, let them at least keep the fast on Saturday. For the Lord somewhere says about himself, "When the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast on those days." During these days, therefore, he was taken from us by the false Jews, was nailed to the cross, and was counted among the lawless.

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Chapter 19

About the all-night vigil of the great Sabbath; and about the day of the resurrection.

Therefore, we encourage you also to fast on these days, just as we fasted when he was taken up from us, until evening. But on the other days before the preparation, let each one eat at the ninth hour or evening, or whenever one is able. But on the Sabbath, extending until the cockcrow, you should break your fast at the dawn of one of the Sabbaths, which is the Lord's Day, staying awake from evening until the cockcrow, and gathering together in the church at the same time [PG 1.893] , watchful, praying, and asking God during your night vigil, reading the law, the prophets, and the psalms until the cock's crow, and baptizing those of you who are being instructed, and reading the gospel in fear and trembling, and speaking to the people about salvation. Then cease your mourning, and pray to God to turn Israel back, and to grant it a place for repentance and forgiveness of ungodliness. Because the foreign judge, having washed his hands, said "I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man; you will see to it. But Israel shouted out "The blood is on us and on our children." and when Pilate said "Shall I crucify your king?" they shouted back "We have no king but Caesar." "Crucify him, crucify him." For everyone who makes himself king opposes Caesar. And if you release this one, you are not a friend of Caesar. And Pilate the governor and Herod the king ordered him to be crucified. and the saying was fulfilled "Why did the nations rage, and the peoples plot in vain?" The kings of the earth stood by, and the rulers gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ. And they rejected the beloved one, as a dead and detested man. And when he was crucified on Friday, and rose on the shining Sunday, the Scripture was fulfilled that says "Arise, O God, judge the earth because you will inherit among all the nations." And again "I will arise," says the Lord, "I will place myself in salvation, I will speak boldly in it; and "You, Lord, have mercy on me, and raise me up, and I will repay them." Therefore, since the Lord has risen, offer your sacrifice, concerning which he commanded you through us, saying "Do this in remembrance of me." And then continue your fast, rejoicing and celebrating, because Jesus Christ, the guarantee of your resurrection, has risen from the dead. And let this be a lawful, eternal practice for you, until the end of the age, until the Lord comes. For the Lord had still died for the Jews. But for Christians, he has risen. For some, because of unbelief, and for others, because of full assurance, that hope in him is immortal life and eternal. And after eight days [PG 1.896] let there be for you again a precious feast, the very eighth day, on which Thomas, doubting me about the resurrection, was fully assured, showing me the marks of the nails and the wound of the spear in the side. And again, counting forty days from the first Sunday, from Sunday to Thursday, you celebrate the feast of the Lord's Ascension, on which, having completed all the plan and order, he ascended to the God and Father who sent him, sitting at the right hand of power, and waiting until his enemies are placed under his feet. Who will also come at the end of the age with great power and glory, to judge the living and the dead, and to give to each according to their works. And then they will see the beloved Son of God, whom they pierced, and recognizing him, they will mourn for themselves, tribe by tribe, and their women separately.

Chapter 20

Introduction to the prophecy concerning Christ Jesus.

For even now, on the tenth day of the month Gorpiaeus, when they gather, they read the Lamentations of Jeremiah, in which it is said "The Spirit before our face, Christ the Lord, was conceived in their destructions; and Baruch, in whom it is written "This God of ours will not be reckoned another beside him; He found every path of knowledge, and showed it to Jacob his child, and to Israel his beloved. After this, he appeared on the earth and lived among men. And when they read, they beat their breasts and mourn, thinking that it is the desolation caused by Nebuchadnezzar; but as the truth is, they unwillingly make a prelude to the sorrow that is about to come upon them. And after ten days from the Ascension, which takes place on the first Sunday of Pentecost, may there be a great feast for you. For at the third hour on that day, the Lord Jesus sent to us the gift of the Holy Spirit, and we were filled with his power, and we spoke in new tongues, just as that was within us. And we preached to both Jews and Gentiles that he is the Christ of God, the one appointed by him as judge of the living and the dead. To this one, Moses bearing witness said: "The Lord took fire from the Lord, and rained it down. Jacob saw this one as a man and said: "I have seen God face to face, and my soul was saved. Abraham welcomed this one as a guest, acknowledging him as judge and as Lord of himself. Moses saw this one on the bush. About this one, he spoke in Deuteronomy. "The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet from among your brothers like me. You shall listen to him in everything he tells you. But every soul that does not listen to that prophet will be destroyed from among its people. Jesus, the son of Nun, saw this commander of the Lord's army, armed and ready, as an ally at Jericho. To whom, falling down, he also worshiped, as a servant does his master. Samuel, knowing this one as the Christ of God, called the priests and kings anointed ones. David, knowing this one, sang the song about him, saying "A song about the beloved; and bringing it before him, he said "Gird your sword upon your thigh, mighty one, according to your beauty and your splendor; draw it and prosper, and reign for the sake of truth, gentleness, and righteousness. and your right hand will lead you wonderfully. Your arrows are sharpened, mighty one; peoples will fall under you in the hearts of the king's enemies. Therefore God has anointed you, your God has anointed you with the oil of gladness, above your companions. About him, Solomon also spoke as if face to face. "The Lord created me as the beginning of his ways for his works. Before the age, he founded me, in the beginning, before he made the earth, before the springs of water came, before the mountains were set, before all the hills, he brought me forth. and again "Wisdom built a house for herself. About him Isaiah also said "A rod shall come forth from the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise from the root. And the root of Jesse shall be, and the one who rises shall rule over the nations. Upon him the nations will hope. But Zechariah "Behold your king is coming, righteous and saving, he is gentle, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the son of a donkey." This one Daniel calls the Son of Man, [PG 1.900] coming to the Father, receiving all judgment and honor from him, and a stone cut from a mountain without hands, becoming a great mountain, and filling the whole earth, crushing many kingdoms and many local rulers, and the many gods, proclaiming the one God, and appointing the Roman monarchy. About this one, Jeremiah the prophet also said "The Spirit before our face, Christ the Lord, was conceived in their corruptions" of whom we said, "In his shadow we will live among the nations." And Ezekiel and the prophets in order all say that this one is Christ, Lord, king, judge, lawgiver, angel of the Father, only-begotten God. Therefore, we also proclaim this one to you and bring good news: the Word of God, serving his God and Father in the creation of all things. If you believe in this one, you will live; but if you do not believe, you will be punished. "For the one who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. Therefore, after you have celebrated Pentecost, celebrate one week and after that one, fast for one [PG 1.901] For it is right both to rejoice over the gift from God and to fast after the relaxation. For both Moses and Elijah fasted for forty days. And Daniel fasted for three weeks, not eating the bread he desired, and neither meat nor wine entered his mouth. And the blessed Anna, praying for Samuel, says "I have not drunk wine or strong drink, and I pour out my soul before the Lord; And the Ninevites, fasting for three days and three nights, escaped the trial of wrath. And Esther, and Mordecai, and Judith, [PG 1.904] fasting from the rebellion of the wicked, escaped the destruction of Holofernes. And Haman And David says "My knees grew weak from fasting, and my flesh was changed because of oil. And you, therefore, fasting, ask God for your requests. After the week of fasting, we order you to fast every Wednesday and Friday, and to give the extra from your fasting to the poor. Every Saturday, except for one, and every [PG 1.905] Sunday, celebrating gatherings, rejoice. For whoever fasts on Sunday, the day of resurrection, or on Pentecost, or at all on the day of the Lord's feast, will be guilty of sin. For one must rejoice on these days, but not mourn.

Chapters of the Sixth Book

1. Those who dared to cause schisms did not escape punishment.

2. That it is not lawful to rebel against either the kingdom or the priesthood.

3. About the virtue of Moses, the unbelief of the Jewish nation, and the wonders God performed through them [l. through him].

4. That the one who separates is not the one separated from the ungodly, but the one who departs from the godly.

5. For whose sake the false-named Israel was cast off, a proof from prophetic predictions.

6. That even among the Jews there arose a god-hated teaching of various heresies.

7. From where the heresies sprang up, and who among them became the leader of impiety.

8. Who were the successors of Simon's impiety, and what kinds of heresies they began.

9. How Simon, trying to fly by some magic, was brought down from above by the prayers of Peter, breaking his feet and ankles.

10. How the heresies disagree both among themselves and with the truth.

11. Explanation of the apostolic preaching.

12. To those who confess. But to those wanting to Judaize.

13. How one must separate from heretics.

14. Who are the ones preaching the catholic teaching, and what are the commands given through them.

15. That one must neither rebaptize, nor accept the baptism given by the ungodly, which is not baptism but a defilement.

16. About the falsely titled books

17. About clerical marriage commands

18. Exhortation urging to avoid fellowship with the impious heretics

19. Against those who corrupt the law

[PG 1.909]

20. What is the natural law, what is the introduced law, and for what reason it was introduced

21. That those who believe in Christ are under grace, but not under the slavery of the introduced law

22. That the law concerning sacrifices is introduced, which Christ abolished by coming

23. How Christ became the fulfiller of the law; and which part of it he ended, replaced, or changed

24. That the Lord also pleased to show the law of righteousness through the Romans

25. How God made the Jews captives because of their ungodliness toward Christ, and subjected them to tribute

26. That heretics must be avoided as destroyers of souls

27. About Jewish and Greek observances

28. About pederasty, adultery, and fornication

29. How women must submit to their own husbands, and men must love their own wives

30. That it is the custom of both Jews and Greeks to observe natural purifications and to detest the remains of the dead; but for Christians, this is foreign

Book Six

On Schisms

Chapter 1

Those who dared to cause schisms did not escape punishment.

First of all, be on guard, bishops, against terrible, difficult, and unholy heresies, fleeing them like fire that burns those who come near it. Also flee from schisms; for it is neither right to turn the mind toward impious heresies, nor is it right to separate from those who agree in faith out of love of power. For some in the past who dared to do these things did not escape punishment. For Dathan and Abiram, who became opponents of Moses, were swallowed up into the earth; and Korah and the two hundred fifty with him, who caused division against Aaron, were consumed by fire. Miriam, who insulted Moses, was cast outside the camp for seven days. For she said, "Because Moses has married an Ethiopian woman." [PG 1.912] Not only that, but also Azariah and Uzziah, the king of Judah, dared to take the priesthood and wanted to burn incense that was not his to burn. He was stopped by Azariah the high priest and the eighty priests, but not obeying, leprosy broke out on his forehead, and he hurried to go out when the Lord rebuked him.

Chapter 2

That it is not lawful to rebel against either kingship or priesthood.

Let us pay attention, then, beloved, to the disgrace of those who rebel, and how shameful their end is. For if one who rises up against kings is worthy of punishment, even if he is a son or a friend, how much more so is one who rebels against priests? For priesthood is better than kingship, holding the struggle over souls; and so the punishment is heavier for the one who dares to oppose it than for kingship. Yet not one of them went unpunished. Neither Absalom nor Abed-Edan escaped punishment; nor did Korah and Dathan. The former rebelled against David over kingship, the latter against Moses over the priesthood. And they were spoken ill of: Absalom called David his father an unjust judge, saying to each one, "Your words are good, but there is no one who will listen to you and justify you. Who will make me ruler?" Abed-Edan said, "I have no share in David, nor any inheritance in the son of Jesse," clearly showing that he suffered under David's rule, about whom God said, "I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will do all my will." Dathan and Abiram and the followers of Korah said to Moses, "Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of the land of Egypt, a land flowing with milk and honey? And why have you cut off our eyes, and do you rule over us?" They gathered a great assembly against him. And the followers of Korah said, "Did God speak only to Moses? Why then did he give the priesthood only to Aaron? Is not the whole assembly of the Lord holy? Why then does Aaron alone serve as priest?" And before these, someone else said, "Who made you ruler and judge over us?"

[PG 1.913]

Chapter 3

Concerning the virtue of Moses, the unbelief of the Jewish nation, and the wonders God performed through them.

And they rose up against Moses, the servant of God, the meekest and most faithful of all, and the most ungrateful people dishonored such a great man: the lawgiver, the guardian, the high priest and king, the initiator of divine mysteries, the one who showed the works of the Creator as if he were a creator himself; the meekest, the most humble; the strong, the most loving; the one who freed them from many dangers and saved them from various deaths by his own holiness; the one who performed so many signs and wonders for the people by God's power; the one who completed glorious and marvelous works for their benefit; the one who brought ten plagues upon the Egyptians; the one who divided the Red Sea and made the waters stand like walls on both sides, and led the people through the desert on dry land, and drowned Pharaoh and the Egyptians and all who were with them; the one who made a spring flow for them from wood, and brought water from a rock that was cut open for those who were thirsty; the one who fed them with manna from heaven and meat from the air; the one who gave them a pillar of fire at night for light and guidance, and a pillar of cloud for shade during the day from the sun's heat; the one who gave them the law of God, engraved by God's hand and writing on stone tablets, the perfect Ten Commandments; with whom God spoke face to face, as if speaking to a friend; about whom it was said, "No prophet has risen like Moses."

Against him rose up the Korahites and the Reubenites, and they threw stones at Moses while he was praying and saying, "Do not pay attention to their sacrifice." And when the glory of God appeared, it carried some of them to the ground and burned others with fire; and so the leaders of the rebellion who said, "Let us have a leader for ourselves," the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, their tents, and their belongings, and they went down alive into Hades; but the Korahites perished by fire.

Chapter 4

That it is not the ungodly who are separated, but the godly who depart.

If then God immediately brought punishment on those who separated themselves out of love of power, how much more on those who lead ungodly heresies? Will not his providence bring a harsher punishment on those who blaspheme his creation? But you, brothers, being taught by the Scriptures, be careful not to make divisions of opinion, nor to break your unity; for leaders of unlawful glory become causes of destruction for the people. Likewise, ordinary people, do not approach those who teach doctrines against the mind of God, nor become partners in their ungodliness; for God says, "Separate yourselves from among these men, so that you do not perish with them;" and again, "Come out from among them, be separate, says the Lord, and do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you." [PG 1.916]

Chapter 5

Why the False Israel Was Rejected, a Proof from Prophetic Predictions.

For those who blaspheme God are truly fugitives. For most of the wicked are ignorant of God. But these suffer from evil intent as enemies of God. For from the wickedness of the heretics "a pollution went out over the whole earth, as the prophet Jeremiah says. For when the evil assembly was rejected by the Lord God, and the house was cast off by him, as it is said somewhere, "I have abandoned my house, I have left my inheritance; and again Isaiah says "I will level my vineyard, and it shall not be pruned, nor shall it be dug; and thorns will grow up against it like on a wasteland." and I will command the clouds not to rain on it; Abandoning the people, like a tent in a vineyard, and like a watchtower in a fig orchard, and like a city under siege, and taking away from them both the Holy Spirit and the prophetic rain, he filled his Church with spiritual grace, like the river of Egypt in the days of youth, and raised it up like a house on a mountain, or like a lofty mountain, like a mountain covered with dew, and a fertile mountain. "in which God was pleased to dwell." For the Lord will dwell forever; and in Jeremiah he says "A throne of glory exalted, our sanctuary; and in Isaiah he says "And it will be in the last days that the mountain of the Lord will appear, and the house of God will be on the highest of the mountains, and it will be raised above the hills. Since then he also abandoned the people, and left the temple deserted, tearing the curtain of the temple, and taking from them the Holy Spirit, "For, he says, your house is left to you desolate; [PG 1.917] and giving upon you from the nations the spiritual gift, as Joel says, "And it will happen afterward, says God, that I will pour out from my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons will prophesy, and your daughters will see visions, and your elders will dream dreams; For every power of word and action, and what kind of oversight God took away from the people, he placed upon you who are from the nations. For this reason, the devil, jealous of the holy Church of God, turned against you, stirring up troubles for you—persecutions, unrest, blasphemies, divisions, heresies. For he was leading that people to himself through the killing of Christ. But you, having turned away from him into emptiness, he tests in different ways at different times, just as he did the blessed Job. For even to the great high priest Jesus, the son of Josedek, he opposed himself. And he often demanded that we be tested, so that our faith might fail. But our Lord and teacher, having put him in his place justly, said to him "The Lord rebuke you, devil, and the Lord rebuke you, you who chose Jerusalem. Is this not torn out, like a torch? And he who then said to those present to the high priest: "Take away the filthy clothes from him; and having said "Behold, I have taken away your sins from you; he will also say now, just as he said long ago when we were gathered together, concerning us, that "I prayed that your faith might not fail."

Chapter 6

That even among the Jews there exists a god-hating teaching of various heresies.

The Jewish crowd also had heresies of evil. For there were Sadducees among them, who did not confess the resurrection of the dead; and Pharisees, who attributed the actions of sinners to chance and fate; and Basmothites, who denied providence and said that things came about by chance, cutting off the immortality of the soul; and the Hemerobaptists, who, if they did not baptize themselves every day, would not eat, and also would not use couches, tables, bowls, cups, or seats unless they had been cleansed with water. They did not use these things. And now among us appeared the Ebionites, who wanted the Son of God to be a mere man, born from the pleasure and union of Joseph and Mary. Those who separated themselves from all these and kept the ancestral customs are the Essenes. These things were among the earlier people. And now the evil one, being wise in doing harm and ignorant of what is truly good, having cast some out from among us, worked heresies and divisions among them.

Chapter 7

Where the heresies (93-94) arose from, and who among them became the leader of impiety.

The beginning of the new heresies happened as follows: A certain Simon from the town called Gitta, Samaria, a magician by trade, the devil clothed himself with him and made him a servant of his evil purpose. When Philip, our fellow apostle, by the gift of the Lord and the power of his Spirit, was performing healing miracles in Samaria, so that the Samaritans were amazed and came to faith in the God of all and the Lord Jesus, and were baptized in his name, and when they saw signs and wonders performed by Simon himself, without any trickery of magic, they were amazed and believed, and were baptized, and devoted themselves to fasting and prayer. When we heard of the grace of God that had come to the Samaritans through Philip, we went to them, and greatly helping with the word of teaching, we laid hands on all who had been baptized and gave them the gift of the Spirit through prayers. But when Simon saw that the Spirit was given to those who believed through the laying on of our hands, he offered us money, saying, "Give me also this power, so that whoever I lay my hand on may receive the Holy Spirit; wishing, just as Adam by tasting the tree was deprived of the promised immortality, [PG 1.924] so also by receiving money to enchant us, to buy the gift of God, so that by exchanging we might give back to him money for the priceless gift of the Spirit for free. When all of us were disturbed by this, I, Peter, looking intently at the evil serpent in him, said to Simon, "May your silver go with you into destruction, because you thought the gift of God could be bought with money. You have no share in this word, nor a part in this faith. For your heart is not right before God. Repent then from this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord, if indeed the thought of your heart will be forgiven you. For I see you as full of bitter gall and bound by injustice. But then Simon, becoming afraid, said "I beg you, pray to the Lord on my behalf, so that nothing may come upon me of what you have spoken."

Chapter 8

What kind of impiety Simon's followers inherited, and what kinds of heresies they began.

When we went out among the nations to preach the word of life, then the devil worked to send false apostles after us to defile the word; and they put forward a certain Cleobius, and they joined him to Simon; these made disciples of a certain Dositheus, whom, after he was also rejected, they drove out of the leadership. Then others began other strange [PG 1.925] doctrines, Cerinthus, and Mark, and Menander, and Basilides, and Saturninus. Of these, some worship many gods, others three [PG 1.928] opposing, rulerless, always keeping themselves together; others worship countless and unknown ones; and some reject marriage, thinking it is not the work of God; others detest certain foods; and some shamelessly commit fornication, like those now falsely called Nicolaitans. But Simon first tried to twist the word of God against me Peter in Caesarea of Straton, where Cornelius the faithful, being a Gentile, believed in the Lord Jesus through me, while the holy children were present with me—Zacchaeus, once a tax collector, and Barnabas, and Nicetas, and Aquila, brothers of Clement, bishop and citizen of the Romans, who was also discipled by Paul, our fellow apostle and coworker in the Gospel; and a third time I spoke with him about the word concerning the prophet and about the monarchy of God, having defeated him by the power of the Lord and silenced him, I made him a fugitive to Italy.

Chapter 9

How Simon, wanting to fly by certain magic arts, was brought down by Peter's prayers from on high, breaking both his feet and his ankles .

When he came to Rome, he greatly harmed the Church, overturning many, and taking care of himself, while confusing the Gentiles with magical skill. Once, in the middle of the day, he went out to their theater, ordering the crowds to seize me also in the theater, and he promised to fly through the air. Since everyone was amazed at this display, I prayed quietly to myself. Then, lifted up by demons, he flew backward into the air, saying he would go up to the heavens and from there grant them good things. The crowds cheered him as a god. Stretching out my hands toward heaven with the same intention, I begged God through Jesus the Lord to break the destroyer and cut off the power of the demons, who deceive and ruin people by their lies. I struck him, not to kill, but to break him. Then, looking up, I said to Simon: If I am a man of God, a true apostle of Jesus Christ, and a teacher of piety, not a deceiver like you, Simon, I command the evil powers of the one who has turned away from piety, on whom Simon the Magician rides, to release their hold so that he may be brought down from on high to the laughter of those he has deceived. When I said these things, Simon's powers were cut off, and he was brought down with a loud noise. Suddenly broken, his hip and the ankles of his feet were crushed. And the crowd shouted: "There is one God, whom Peter rightly proclaims in truth alone." Many turned away from him, but some, worthy of destruction, remained in his evil teaching. Thus, the most godless heresy of the Simonian sect first appeared in Rome, and through other false apostles the devil works.

[PG 1.933]

Chapter 10

How the heresies disagree both among themselves and with the truth.

To all these, the aim was also one and the same: denial of God. They blaspheme the almighty God, glorify him as unknown, and say he is not the Father of Christ, nor the creator of the world, but mute, unspeakable, unnameable, self-born; that the law and the prophets should not be used; that there is no providence; that resurrection should not be believed; that there is no judgment or reward; that the soul is not immortal; that pleasure alone should be enjoyed; and that one should turn away indifferently from all religion.

Some say there are many gods; others say there are three without a ruler; others say two unbegotten; others say infinite ages. Some of them teach celibacy, abstaining from meat and wine; calling marriage, the birth of children, and eating food detestable; so that some might accept their wicked opinion as credible by seeming respectable. Others among them make laws to abstain from meat not as from irrational animals, but as having a soul with reason, and that those who dare to kill these animals will receive the penalty of murder. Others said that one must only abstain from pork; that the foods allowed by law are clean; that circumcision should be done lawfully; and that one should believe in Jesus as a holy man and [PG 1.936] prophet.

Others shamelessly taught to commit fornication , and to indulge the flesh, and to go through every kind of wickedness, saying that this alone and only way would save the soul from the rulers of the world. All these are instruments of the devil and sons of wrath.

Chapter 11

Explanation of the apostolic preaching.

But we, children of God and sons of peace, proclaiming the holy and straightforward word of piety, announce one God only, Lord of the law and the prophets, creator of all things, Father of Christ; not self-caused and self-born, as those think, but eternal and without beginning, and light dwelling inaccessible; not a second being, nor a third, nor a many-fold, but only one eternal; not unknown or mute, but proclaimed through the law and the prophets; almighty, ruler of all, possessing all power; God and Father of the Man of Sorrows, and firstborn of all creation; one God, one Son of the Father, not many, one Advocate through Christ, maker of the other orders [PG 1.937] , one creator, maker of a different creation through Christ, the same one who is the providential guide, lawgiver through him; cause of resurrection, judgment, and reward, all done through him; this same one was pleased to become man, and to live without sin, and to suffer, and to rise from the dead, and to ascend to the one who sent him; and we say that every creature of God is good, and nothing is detestable; all that is rightly used for sustenance is excellent; for all things, according to Scripture, are very good. We believe that marriage is lawful, and the birth of children honorable and undefiled; for through the increase of the human race, diversity of forms was formed in Adam and Eve. We confess an immaterial and immortal soul in us, not perishable like bodies, but immortal, as rational and self-governing; we detest every unlawful mixture, and that which is done against nature by some, as unlawful and impious. We confess a resurrection of both the just and the unjust, and a reward. We do not confess Christ as a mere man, but God the Word and man, mediator of God and men, high priest of the Father. Nor indeed do we undergo circumcision with the Jews, knowing that he has come, for whom it was appointed, and for whom the nations were kept, the hope of the Gentiles, Jesus Christ, who rose from Judah, the son from the shoot, the flower from Jesse; whose beginning is upon the shoulder.

[PG 1.940]

Chapter 12

To those who confess, but wish to Judaize.

But since at that time this heresy seemed stronger in leading to error, and the whole Church was in danger, we twelve gathered in Jerusalem (for instead of the traitor Matthias, who was voted to be an apostle with us, having taken the lot of Judas, as has been said) "Another should take his bishopric"), we were examining together with James, the brother of the Lord, what should be done. and it seemed good to him and to the elders to address words of teaching to the people. For some, having come down from Judea to Antioch, were teaching the brothers there, saying that "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, and walk according to the other customs which he commanded, you cannot be saved. So when there was a dispute and no small debate, the brothers in Antioch, knowing that we had all come together about this matter after seeking, sent men to us who were trustworthy and knowledgeable in the Scriptures, to learn about this issue. But when they arrived in Jerusalem, they reported to us what had been asked and also in the Church of the Antiochians, that some were saying that it was necessary to be circumcised and to observe the other rites strictly. While others were saying different things, I, Peter, stood up and said to them, "Brothers, you know that from ancient days God chose among you, through my mouth, to hear the word of the Gospel for the Gentiles and to believe. and the God who knows hearts bore witness to them. For once an angel appeared to Cornelius, a centurion of the Roman army. of the Lord, and he told him about me, that he should send for me, and hear a word of life from my mouth. And he sent for me from Joppa to Caesarea, to the house of Straton. But when I was about to go to him, I wanted to receive some food. And while they were preparing it, I was praying in the upper room. And I see the sky opened, and a certain vessel tied at the four corners, like a bright sheet, coming down to the earth, in which were all the four-footed animals, and the creeping things of the earth, and the birds of the sky. And a voice came from the sky saying to me, "Get up, Peter, kill and eat." And I said, "By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything common or unclean." And a voice came a second time, saying "What God has cleansed, do not consider common." This happened three times. and the vessel was taken up into heaven. And as I was wondering what the vision might be, the Spirit said to me, "Behold, men are seeking you. "But get up and go with them, without hesitation, because I have sent them." These were the men sent by the centurion. And thus reflecting, I understood the Lord's word that is written, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved; and again "He will remember, and all the ends of the earth will turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will worship before him." "Because the kingdom belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations." And since it has been said everywhere about the calling of the nations, understanding this, I rose and went with them, and entered the house of the man. And while I was still speaking the word, the holy Spirit fell upon him and upon those present with him, just as it did upon us at the beginning, and it made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. And I knew that God is not a respecter of persons, but in every nation the one who fears him and works righteousness will be accepted by him. And the believers from the circumcision were amazed at this. Now then, why do you test God by putting a heavy yoke on the neck of the disciples, a yoke that neither we nor our fathers were able to bear? But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord, in the same way as they were. For the Lord has freed us from the chains, and has lightened our burden, and has broken the yoke of the heavy load from us by gentleness. When I said these things, the whole crowd fell silent. But James, the brother of the Lord, answered, saying "Brothers, listen "Simon has explained how God first visited to take from the nations a people for his name And the words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written: —"After these things I will return and rebuild the fallen tent of David, and I will rebuild its ruined places, and I will restore it, so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the nations on whom my name is called," says the Lord who does these things. —All his works have been known to God from eternity. Therefore I judged not to trouble those turning to God from the nations. But to command them to abstain from the pollutions of the nations, from idol sacrifice, and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from sexual immorality; These things were also prescribed long ago [PG 1.944] to the natural people before the law, Enos, Enoch, Noah, Melchizedek, Job, and whoever else was such. Then it seemed good to us, the apostles, and to the bishop James, and to the elders together with the whole Church, to choose men from among us and send them with Barnabas and Paul, the apostle to the nations, the one from Tarsus, and Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, men who lead among the brothers, writing by their hands these things. "The apostles and the elders and the brothers, to the brothers from the nations in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia, greetings. Since we heard that some from among us troubled you with words, upsetting your souls, words to which we did not send you, It seemed good to us, having come together with one mind, to choose men and send them to you, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have given their lives for our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom you were instructed. We sent Judas and Silas along with them, and they also announced the same things by word of mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to place any greater burden on you than these necessary things: to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from what is strangled, and from sexual immorality. By keeping yourselves from these, you will do well. Be strong. Therefore, we have sent the letter. But we ourselves stayed in Jerusalem for many days, discussing together for the common good and correction.

Chapter 13

How one must separate from heretics.

After a sufficient time, having visited the brothers and strengthened them with the word of piety, and having warned them to flee from those who, in the name of Christ and Moses, fight against Christ and Moses, and hide the wolf in the sheep's clothing. For these are false christs, and false prophets, and false apostles, deceivers and corrupters, parts of foxes and destroyers of vineyards of the ground; because of whom "the love of many will grow cold; but the one who endures to the end without turning away, this one will be saved." About these, the Lord, securing us, commanded; saying, "Men will come to you in sheep's clothing; but inside they are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Watch out for them. For false christs and false prophets will arise and lead many astray." [PG 1.945]

Chapter 14

Who are the preachers of the catholic teaching, and what are the commands given through them.

Through whom we also now, being united in the same purpose, Peter and Andrew, James and John, sons of Zebedee, Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus and Lebbaeus called Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananean, and Matthias who was chosen to replace Judas, James, the brother of the Lord and bishop of Jerusalem, and Paul, the teacher of the Gentiles, the chosen vessel, all of us united in the same purpose, have written to you this catholic teaching, for your support, you who have been entrusted with the catholic oversight. In it we show you that there is only one almighty God, besides whom there is no other. And him alone to worship and bow down to, through Jesus Christ our Lord, in the Holy Spirit. And to use the sacred Scriptures, the law and the prophets. To honor parents. To avoid every unlawful action. To believe in the resurrection and the judgment. And to expect a repayment. And to approach all his creatures gladly, as works of God, and to have nothing evil in themselves. And to marry lawfully, for such a marriage is blameless. Because even "a wife is fitting for a husband by the Lord's arrangement." And the Lord says "The one who made them from the beginning, made them male and female, and said Because of this, a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. Nor indeed is it allowed to cast out an unrepentant one after marriage. "For you must guard your spirit," he says, and not abandon the wife of your youth. because she is your partner in life, and the remainder of your spirit. And I made her, and no one else. For the Lord says, "What God has joined together, let no one separate." For the woman is a partner in life, united into one body from two by God. But the one who divides what is one back into two is an enemy of God's creation and an opponent of his providence. Likewise, the one who holds to the corrupted, unlawful by the law of nature. Since "the one who holds a adulteress is foolish and godless" [PG 1.948] "For cut her off," he says, "from your flesh" . For she is not a helper, but a harmful one, turning the mind away toward another. Nor is it necessary to circumcise the flesh, but it is enough for the faithful to have the circumcision of the heart in spirit. "For you have been circumcised to your God," he says, "and you should circumcise the uncircumcision of your heart."

Chapter 15

That it is necessary neither to rebaptize nor to accept the baptism given by the ungodly, which is not baptism but a defilement.

Likewise, one baptism alone is enough, the one given into the death of the Lord; not that given by the ill-named heretics, but that given by blameless priests in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Neither let the baptism given by the ungodly be accepted by you, nor let that given by the holy be invalidated by a second baptism. Just as there is one God, one Christ, and one Advocate, and one death of the Lord in the body, so let there be one baptism given into him. Those who receive the defilement from the ungodly will become sharers of their opinion. For they are not priests. For God says to them: "Since you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being a priest to me." Nor are those baptized by them enlightened, but they are defiled, not receiving forgiveness of sins, but a bond of ungodliness. But those who, having been initiated, attempt to baptize again, crucify the Lord anew, destroy him a second time, mock the divine things, ridicule the holy things, insult the Spirit, dishonor the holy blood as common, act ungodly toward the one who sent, toward the one who suffered, toward the one who bore witness. And also the one who, out of contempt, does not want to be baptized will be judged as unbelieving and will be reproached as ungrateful and unknowing. For the Lord says: "Unless one is baptized with water and Spirit, he will not enter the kingdom of heaven." And again: "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who disbelieves will be condemned." The one who says, "When I die, I will be baptized, so that I do not sin and defile the baptism," has ignorance of God and is forgetful of his own nature. "Do not delay to return to the Lord, for you do not know what the coming day will bring." Baptize also your infants, and raise them in the discipline and instruction of God. "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them," he says.

Chapter 16

Concerning the falsely attributed books.

We have sent you all these things so that you may know our opinion, what it is, and not accept the books falsely attributed to us by the ungodly. For you should not pay attention to the names of the apostles, but to the nature of the matters and to the uncorrupted judgment. We know that those around Simon and Cleobius have composed foolish books in the name of Christ and his disciples, spreading them to deceive you who love Christ and us, his servants.

And in ancient times some wrote secret books of Moses, Enoch, Adam, Isaiah, David, Elijah, and the three patriarchs, which are destructive and hostile to the truth. Such things have also been done now by those with bad names, slandering creation, marriage, providence, procreation, the law, and the prophets; writing down some barbarous names, and, as they say, of angels—though to speak truly, of demons who serve them. Avoid their teaching, so that you do not share in the punishment of those who write such things to deceive and destroy the faithful and blameless disciples of the Lord Jesus.

Chapter 17

Concerning Marriage Instructions for Clergy.

We say that a bishop, a presbyter, and a deacon [PG 1.957] must be established as monogamous, whether their wives live or have died. After ordination, it is not allowed for those who are unmarried to enter into marriage, nor for those who are married to be joined to other women; rather, they should be content with the one they had when they came to ordination. We also command that servants, psalters, readers, and doorkeepers be monogamous; but if they enter the clergy before marriage, we permit them to marry, provided they have the proper qualifications, so that having sinned they do not suffer punishment. We command no one in the clergy to take a concubine, a servant, or a widow who has been cast out, as the law also says. A deaconess should be a pure virgin; if not, then a widow who is monogamous, faithful, and honorable.

Chapter 18

Exhortation Urging to Avoid Fellowship with the Impious Heretics.

But welcome those who repent. For this is the will of God in Christ. Baptize those who have been instructed and established. [PG 1.960] Send away the atheists and heretics who do not repent, and separate them from the faithful. Make them outcasts from the Church of God, and command the faithful in every way to keep away from them, neither sharing words nor prayers with them. For these are opponents and plotters against the Church, those who corrupt the flock and defile the inheritance, the proud in knowledge, and utterly wicked. About whom Solomon the wise spoke, saying that the ungodly pretend to be godly. "For there is," he says, "a way that seems right to some, but its end leads down to the depths of Hades. These are the ones about whom the Lord bitterly and sharply declared, saying that they are false Christs and false teachers. who have blasphemed the Spirit of grace, and have spit out the gift given by him after the grace. to whom forgiveness will not be granted, neither in this age nor in the one to come. who are even more impious than the Jews, and more godless than the Greeks those who blaspheme God who is over all, trample on his Son, and spit out the teaching of the Spirit those who deny the divine words, or pretend to accept them with hypocrisy, doing so in insult to God and deceiving those who come to them those who insult the holy Scriptures and are ignorant of what righteousness truly is those who corrupt the Church of God, like little foxes in the vineyard We urge you to flee from them, so that you do not take traps for your own souls. "He who walks with the wise will be wise, but he who walks with fools will be known." For one must neither run with a thief, nor share a portion with an adulterer. Since even the holy David says "Lord, I have hated those who hate you, and I have looked upon your enemies; I have hated them with complete hatred, and they have become enemies to me. And to Jehoshaphat God reproaches him for his friendship and alliance with Ahab, and for his alliance with Ahaziah, saying through Jonah the prophet "If you make friends with a sinner, [PG 1.961] or help one who is hated by the Lord, Therefore, suddenly the anger of the Lord came upon you, if it were not that your heart was found to be fully devoted to the Lord. Therefore the Lord spared you. Except that your works were broken off, and your ships were shattered. Therefore, flee from their fellowship, and be strangers to the peace with them. For concerning them the prophet declared, saying, "There is no joy for the wicked, says the Lord." For these are the hidden wolves, the savage dogs, who cannot bark, who now are few, but as time goes on and the end draws near, there will be more and more of them, and they will be more dangerous. Concerning whom the Lord was saying, that "Will the Son of Man, when he comes, find faith on the earth?" And because lawlessness will increase, the love of many will grow cold. And false christs and false prophets will come, and they will give signs in the sky, so that, if possible, they might deceive even the chosen. May God deliver us from their deception through Jesus Christ, our hope. And indeed, we too, traveling among the nations and strengthening the churches, having healed some with much instruction and healing words, we bring them back, as they are about to be deceived by a deception that does not yet die. But those who were incurably ill, we cast out from the flock, so that they would not spread a scabby disease to the healthy lambs, but that the pure and spotless ones might remain healthy and unblemished before the Lord God. And we have done these things everywhere, city by city, throughout the whole inhabited world, leaving behind for you, the bishops and the other priests, this catholic teaching, worthy and just, as a memorial of support for those who have trusted in God. Having sent through our fellow worker Clement, our most faithful and like-minded child in the Lord, along with Barnabas, and Timothy, our most beloved son, and Mark the genuine, with whom we also introduce to you Titus, and Luke, as well as Jason and Lucius, and Sosipater. Through them we also urge you in the Lord to keep away from old customs, empty bonds, anathemas, rules, appointed foods, and daily baptisms. "For the old things have passed away "Behold, all things have become new."

Chapter 19

Against those who corrupt the law.

For knowing God through Jesus Christ, and the whole plan of him established from the beginning, that he gave a simple law to help the natural man, pure, saving, holy, in which even his own name was placed, [PG 1.964] perfect, unbroken, full of ten precepts, blameless, turning souls back; of which even the forgetful Hebrews are reminded through the prophet Malachi, saying: "Remember the law of Moses, the man of God, who commanded you statutes and judgments."

This law is so holy and just that it once healed one leper by the Savior, and again nine, telling the first: "Go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded for their testimony;" and to the nine again: "Go, show yourselves to the priests."

For he did not destroy the law, as Simon boasts, but fulfilled it; for he says: "Not one iota, or one dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished." For he did not come, he says, to destroy the law, but to fulfill it.

And indeed Moses, the lawgiver, was also a high priest, and a prophet, and a king; and Elijah, the zealous one of the prophets, were present at the transfiguration of the Lord on the mountain, witnesses of his incarnation and sufferings, as friends of Christ and relatives, but not as enemies or strangers.

From these things it is shown that both the law is good and holy, and the prophets as well.

Chapter 20

What the natural law is, what the added law is, and for what reason it was introduced.

The law is the Decalogue, which God gave to them by audible voice before Apis, the idol among the Egyptians, made the people fragrant. This law is just, and so it is called law, because it makes judgments rightly by nature. Those around Simon speak badly of him, thinking that, because they have not been judged by him, they escape punishment. This law is good, holy, and not forced. For he says "But if you make me an altar, you shall make it of earth." He did not say, make , but, if you make; he did not impose a necessity, but allowed it by permission, as something free. [PG 1.965] For God does not need sacrifices, being self-sufficient by nature. But knowing, just as before the God-loving Abel, and Noah, and Abraham, and those in succession, did not ask, but moved by natural law from themselves, to offer a sacrifice to God from a willing mind, he allows even now to the Hebrews, not commanding, but if they wish, permitting, and if they offer with a right intention, he is pleased with their sacrifices. For this reason he says "If you desire to sacrifice, do not offer a sacrifice to me who do not need it." For I have not been made in need of anything. "For the world and all that is in it belong to me." But when the people of this nation became forgetful, and called a calf a god instead of God, and blamed this for the cause of the journey out of Egypt, saying "These are your gods, Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt; And having acted impiously toward the likeness of a calf eating grass, they denied the God who visited them through Moses in their distress. Who made the signs with his hand and rod, and struck the Egyptians with ten plagues, Who led through the Red Sea by dividing the waters into parts. Who brought them through the middle of the water, like a horse on a plain. Who drowned their enemies and those plotting against them. Who sweetened the bitter spring at Merra. Who brought water in abundance from the rock of the cliff. Who, as a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire, gave them boundless warmth, and who also gave light and guided those who did not know where to go. Who fed them with manna from heaven, and from the sea provided them with quail as meat. Who gave them the law on the mountain. Whose voice they were deemed worthy to hear. They rejected this one, saying to Aaron "Make for us gods who will go before us; and they made a molten calf and sacrificed to the idol Then God, being angry because he was shown no gratitude by them, bound them with unbreakable chains, crushing them with burdens and the hardness of iron. and he no longer spoke But if you do, then, "Build an altar, and sacrifice continually; for you happen to be forgetful and ungrateful Therefore, burn a whole offering continually, so that you may remember me. Since I have misused the authority badly, I now impose a necessity on you, and I withhold from you such foods, and I separate for you the differences of clean and unclean animals, and every kind of good animal that happens to be, as having been made by me. And I command such kinds of separations for you, cleansings, continuous baptisms, sprinklings, such kinds of purity, and various kinds of rest. And if you disobey any of these, I set a punishment, as seems fitting, for the disobedient one. So that, being pressed and strangled by the noose, you may come out of the many-god deception. And having come near, the "These are your gods, Israel," Remember the "Hear, Israel, the Lord your God, the Lord is one," And you will run back to that law, which by my nature was given to all people There is only one God in heaven and on earth And to love this one with all your heart, and with all your strength, and with all your mind And besides him, to fear no other Neither to take the name of other gods into your mind, nor to speak it with your tongue through your mouth Because of their hard-heartedness, he bound them so that through offering sacrifice, resting, being purified, and observing such things, they might come to an understanding of God, who commanded these things to them.

Chapter 21

That those who believe in Christ are under grace, not under the bondage of the imposed law.

But you, who have believed in the one God not out of necessity, but by a sound mind obeying the one who called you, blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For you have been freed from bonds and released from slavery. "No longer do I call you slaves, but friends, because I have made known to you everything I heard from my Father." For those who did not want to see or hear will not be deprived of their share, but of extreme evil, "I gave commands that were not good, and laws by which they will not live." These laws are not good for their purpose; just as burning irons, the sword, and poisons are harmful to those who are not healthy. They are unguarded because of their disobedience; therefore, death comes upon them because they do not guard themselves.

Chapter 22

That the law concerning sacrifices is obsolete, which Christ abolished by coming.

Therefore, you are blessed, those who have been freed from the curse For Christ came, the Son of God, confirming the law, and fulfilled it [PG 1.969] He removed the added parts, not all indeed, but the heavier ones, confirming some and abolishing others. And he left the free will of humans free again, not judging by a temporary death, but assigning it in a different condition. Therefore he says "If anyone wants to come after me, let him come." and again "Do you also want to go away?" Already even before his presence, he was refusing the sacrifices of the people, many times sinning against him, and thinking that he was being appeased through sacrifices but not through repentance. For he says this: "Why do you bring me frankincense from Sheba, and cinnamon from a distant land?" Your burnt offerings are not acceptable to me, and your sacrifices do not please me; and furthermore "Gather your burnt offerings along with your sacrifices, and eat the meat because I did not command you, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices. And through Isaiah he says "What is the multitude of your sacrifices to me, says the Lord I am full of the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of lambs, and the blood of bulls and goats I do not desire, nor would you come to appear before me. For who has asked these things from your hands? You will no longer walk in my courtyard. If you bring me fine flour, it is in vain. Incense is an abomination to me. I do not tolerate your new moons, your Sabbaths, or your solemn festivals. My soul hates your fasting, your rest days, and your festivals. You have become a burden to me. And he says elsewhere "Turn away from me the sound of your songs, and I will not listen to the melody of your instruments. And to Saul, Samuel says, "Offer the burnt offering." "A good hearing is better than a sacrifice. and listening is better than the fat of rams. For the Lord does not desire sacrifice as much as listening to him. And through David he says, "I will not accept bulls from your house, nor from your flocks will I accept male goats, If I am hungry, I will not tell you, For the world and all that is in it belong to me. I will not eat the flesh of bulls, nor drink the blood of goats. Offer to God a sacrifice of praise, and pay your vows to the Most High. And in all the Scriptures likewise their sacrifices are denied, because they sin against him. "For the sacrifices of the wicked are an abomination before the Lord." For they offer them unlawfully; and again "Their sacrifices are to them like bread of mourning, all who eat them will be defiled. If then even before his coming, he sought a pure heart for sacrifice, and a crushed spirit, much more when he came he put an end to these, we say those made through blood, he put an end to them by fulfilling beforehand For he was circumcised, and was sprinkled, and offered sacrifices and burnt offerings, and used the other customs. [PG 1.972] And he himself became the lawgiver, the fulfillment of the law. Not removing the natural law, but stopping the added rules through the Second Law, even if not all of them.

Chapter 23

How Christ became the fulfiller of the law; and what part of it he ended, changed, or removed.

For he did not remove the natural law, but confirmed it For the one who spoke in the Law "The Lord your God is one Lord; the same one says in the Gospel "so that they may know you, the only true God. And the one who said "Love your neighbor as yourself; in the Gospel, he says, renewing, "I give you a commandment, that you love one another. Having then forbidden murder, now he forbids rash anger He forbids adultery, and now also unlawful desire. He forbids robbery, and now he rather blesses the one who, through his own labor, provides for those in need. He forbids hatred, and now also love toward enemies. He forbids defense, and now patience, not because just defense is wrong, but because patience is better than defense. He did not order the natural passions to be cut off, but their excess. Having commanded children to honor their parents, he himself submitted to them. Having commanded to keep the Sabbath through rest because of studying the laws, now he orders us to give thanks to God every day, reflecting on the law of creation and providence. He ended circumcision, fulfilling it in himself. For he himself was the one to whom the hope of the nations was set. He who legislated against false swearing, and forbade perjury, commanded not to swear at all. He changed baptism, sacrifice, priesthood, and local worship in a different way. Instead of daily baptism, he gave only one, the baptism into his death. Instead of one tribe, he commanded that from each nation the best be appointed to the priesthood, and that not bodies be examined, but religion and lives. Instead of a sacrifice through blood, a spiritual and bloodless and mystical one, which is performed for the sake of the symbols of the Lord's death, his body and his blood, [PG 1.973] Instead of local worship, he commanded that from the east to the west, in every place of his dominion, he be glorified, and he justified So he did not take away the law from us, but bonds instead. For concerning the law, Moses says "Study the word that I command you, sitting at home, and rising up, and walking on the road. And David says "In the law of the Lord is his desire; and in his law he meditates day and night. For he wants us to be lawful everywhere, not lawless. "For blessed, he says, are the blameless in the way, those who walk in the law of the Lord." Blessed are those who search out his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart; And again "Blessed are we, Israel, because the things pleasing to God are known to us; And the Lord says "If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them."

Chapter 24

That the Lord also was pleased for the law of righteousness to be shown through the Romans.

Not only does he wish for the law of righteousness to be shown through us, but he was also pleased for it to appear and shine through the Romans. For they too, having believed in the Lord, turned away from polytheism and injustice; and they accept the good and punish the wicked. They keep the Jews as subjects and do not allow them to use their own laws.

Chapter 25

How God made the Jews captives because of their irreverence toward Christ, and subjected them to tribute.

Since they voluntarily accepted slavery, [PG 1.976] saying, "We have no king but Caesar," and, "If we do not kill Christ," he says, "all will believe in him; and the Romans will come and take from us both our land and our nation." Reluctantly, they prophesied this; for the Gentiles also believed in him, and they themselves were removed from power by the Romans, and from the legal worship. They are prevented both from killing whoever they want and from offering sacrifices whenever they want. Therefore, they are cursed, unable to do what is commanded: "Cursed is the one," it says, "who does not remain in all the things written in the book of the law to do them." But it is impossible for those scattered among the nations to fulfill all the law. For the divine Moses forbids them to set up an altar outside Jerusalem, and to read the law outside the borders of Judea. Therefore, following Christ, let us inherit the blessings; let us follow the law and the prophets through the Gospel; let us flee from polytheists, and from those who kill Christ and those who kill the prophets, and from the ill-named and godless heretics; let us obey the king, as one having authority to change various laws, and as one having, as lawgiver, the wisdom to order things differently, while everywhere preserving the unchanging laws of nature.

Chapter 26

That heretics must be avoided as destroyers of souls .

Therefore, keep away from all heretics, bishops and laypeople, those who corrupt the law and the prophets; for they are enemies of almighty God, disobedient; and they do not confess Christ as the Son of God; for they deny even his birth according to the flesh, [PG 1.977] they shame the cross, dishonor the suffering and death, ignore the resurrection, and cut off his birth before the ages. Some of them behave impiously in another way, imagining the Lord as a mere man, thinking that he is only soul and body. Others among them suspect that Jesus is God over all, glorifying him as their own Father, suspecting him as Son and Paraclete; what could be more absurd than this? Others again among them corrupt certain foods; and say that marriage is evil along with childbearing, a device of the devil; and because of their wickedness, being impious, they do not want to rise from the dead, and so they slander the resurrection; claiming that "we are respectable people," unwilling to eat and drink, imagining demons without bodies rising from the dead. These will be condemned forever in eternal fire. So flee from them, lest you be destroyed along with their impieties.

[PG 1.980]

Chapter 27

On Jewish and Greek Observances

If some, while observing, keep Jewish customs—such as gonorrhea, dreams, lawful sexual relations—let them tell you if at certain hours or days they continue any of these, if they observe praying or touching a book, and if they gather together, it is clear that they are empty of the holy Spirit, who always remains with the faithful. For Solomon speaks concerning what is holy. So that each one may prepare himself, so that when he sleeps, he guards himself, and when he wakes, he speaks with himself. For if you think, woman, that being in the bathroom for seven days means being empty of the holy Spirit, then suddenly dying, you will depart empty of the Spirit and without boldness in hope toward God. Or you have the spirit always inseparable, even when not in a place. But you need prayer and the coming of the holy Spirit, so that in this you do nothing unlawful. For neither lawful union, nor marriage bed, nor the flow of blood, nor a dream, can defile a person's nature, or separate the holy Spirit. But only impiety and unlawful action. For the holy Spirit always remains with those who have received it, as long as they are worthy. And from those from whom it is separated, it makes them desolate, and gives them over to the evil spirit. Every person is either filled with the holy Spirit or with the unclean spirit. And it is not possible to escape from either of them, unless one suffers something against them. For the Advocate hates every lie, and the devil hates all truth. Everyone who is truly baptized is separated from the devil's spirit and seated within the holy Spirit. And when one continues doing good, the holy Spirit remains, filling him with wisdom and understanding, and the evil spirit does not allow him to come near, watching his approaches. [PG 1.981] You then, woman, as you say, if during the days of your impurity you are empty of the holy Spirit, be filled with the unclean one. For not praying, nor reading, she calls him to herself unwillingly. For he loves the ungrateful, and even others, the lazy, the careless, the sleepy. Since he himself, sick with evil from ingratitude, was stripped by God of his rank, becoming a devil instead of an archangel, having chosen to be so. Therefore, avoid empty words, O woman. And always be mindful of God, who created you, and pray to him. For he is the Lord of you and of all. And study his laws, observing nothing that would harm natural purity, lawful union, childbirth or miscarriage, or any defect of the body. Since such observations are vain inventions of foolish people, and lack reason. Neither a human corpse, nor a bone of the dead, nor a tomb, nor such food, nor a dream, can defile a human soul. But only impiety toward God, lawlessness, and injustice toward one's neighbor. I mean robbery, or violence, or anything against his own righteousness, adultery, or fornication. Therefore, avoiding such surrounding sins, flee, beloved. For it happens to be Greek For we will not loathe the one who has died, as they do. hoping that he will live again. Nor do we criticize the lawful union. For it is their custom to act impiously in such matters. For by the will of God, the coming together of a man and a woman takes place, one that is with justice. "For the one who made them from the beginning made them male and female." and blessed them, and said "Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth." If then, by the will of God, there has been a change of forms, toward the origin of a multitude Then, according to his plan, also the union of the male with the female.

[PG 1.984]

Chapter 28

On pederasty, adultery, and fornication.

No longer is the unnatural and detestable union, or the unlawful act, acceptable, for it is hateful to God. For the sin of Sodom is unnatural, and also that toward irrational creatures. But adultery and fornication are unlawful. Of these, some are impieties, and others are injustices. and the last, a sin. And neither of them is without punishment, according to its own nature. For those first ones who plot the destruction of the world attempt to do what is against nature instead of according to nature. But the second ones, those who do wrong by destroying the marriages of others, divide into two what God made one, making the children suspicious and plotting harm against the natural husband. And fornication is the corruption of one's own flesh, not for the sake of having children, but giving all for pleasure. Which is a sign of lack of self-control, but not a mark of virtue. All these things are forbidden by the laws. For the words say this: "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman's bed. For such a one is accursed. And you shall stone them with stones. They made an abomination. Everyone sleeping with animals, kill him; he has committed lawlessness among the people. And if anyone defiles a married woman, kill both of them. They committed lawlessness; they are guilty; let them die. And next "No one who commits fornication will be among the children of Israel and no one who commits fornication will be among the daughters of Israel." You shall not bring the fee of a prostitute to the Lord your God as an offering on the altar, nor the price of a dog. For, he says, prayers from the fee of a prostitute are not pure. These things the laws forbade. But they honored marriage, calling it blessed. Since God also blessed the one who joined the female to the male in marriage. And the wise Solomon also says somewhere "From the Lord a wife is fitted to a man; and David says "Your wife is like a fruitful vine within the chambers of your house; your children are like olive shoots around your table; Behold, thus shall be blessed the man who fears the Lord. Therefore, marriage is honorable and respected, and the birth of children is pure. For nothing evil exists in what is good. Nor is natural purification detestable before God, who arranged it to happen to women in the thirtieth day, for the sake of restoration and health, while they are more inactive, [PG 1.985] as if mostly staying at home. Not at all; rather, even in the Gospel, the Lord was not displeased when the woman with the flow of blood touched the hem of salvation for healing, nor did he blame her in any way. On the contrary, he even healed her, saying "Your faith has saved you. And since natural things appear to women, let men not come together, for the sake of the offspring born For the law forbids it "For, he says, a man shall not approach a woman who is in her menstrual period." "Nor indeed shall they associate with those who are pregnant." "For they do not do this for the sake of the birth of children, but for the sake of pleasure." "But it is not necessary for the pleasure-loving to be God-loving."

Chapter 29

How women must submit to their own husbands, and how husbands must love their own wives.

Women, submit to your own husbands, and hold them in honor, serving them with fear and love; just as the holy Sarah honored Abraham, not even calling him by name, but addressing him as lord, saying, "But my lord is an old man." Likewise, husbands, love your own wives as your own members, as partners in life, and coworkers in bearing children. "Rejoice with the wife of your youth; let her be as a graceful deer and a lovely young doe. Let her breasts satisfy you at all times; always be intoxicated with her love. For in this love, you will prosper greatly." Therefore, love them as your own members, as your own bodies. For it is written: "The Lord has testified between you and the wife of your youth; she is your companion, and no one else made her; she is your spirit's remnant. Guard your spirit, and do not abandon the wife of your youth." Therefore, man and woman, coming together in lawful marriage, and rising from one another, should pray without neglect; and even if they have not bathed, they are clean. But whoever defiles another's wife, or joins with a prostitute, rising from her, even if the whole sea and all the rivers washed him, he could not be clean.

Chapter 30

That it is the custom for both Jews and Greeks to observe natural purifications carefully, and to detest the remains of the dead; but for Christians, this is foreign.

Do not then observe the legal and natural rites, thinking that you become defiled by them. Nor seek Jewish bans, or continuous baptisms, or purifications when touching a dead body. Gather without hesitation in the cemeteries, reading the holy books, and singing praises for the fallen martyrs and all the saints from all time, and for your brothers who have fallen asleep in the Lord. And offer the acceptable thanksgiving for the symbolic body of the kingdom of Christ both in your churches and in the cemeteries. [PG 1.989] And at the funerals of the fallen, sing and send them off, if they are faithful in the Lord. "For the death of his saints is precious in the sight of the Lord; and again "Return, my soul, to your rest, for the Lord has done good to you; and in other places "Memory of the righteous with praises; and "Souls of the righteous are in the hand of God." For those who have trusted in God, even if they die, are not dead. For the Savior says to the Sadducees "But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what is written, that I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?" Therefore, God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. For all live to him. Therefore, among those living with God, not even the remains are dishonored. For even Elisha the prophet, after he had fallen asleep, raised a dead man who had been killed by raiders from Syria. For he touched the body of Elisha's bones, and rising, he came back to life. But this would not have happened if the body of Elisha had not been holy. And Joseph the wise was wrapped with Jacob after he had died, while lying on the bed. And Moses and Joshua the son of Nun carried the remains of Joseph, not considering this a pollution. Therefore, you too, bishops, and the others, touching the dead without hesitation, do not think that you become defiled, nor be disgusted by their remains. Paying no attention to such observations, which are foolish. And honor them with holiness and self-control, so that you may become partakers of immortality and sharers in the kingdom of God, and receive the promise of God, resting through Jesus Christ [PG 1.992] the Savior, forever. To the one able to open the ears of your hearts to receive the words of God served through both the Gospel and the teaching of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate and Herod, and who died and rose from the dead, and who will come again at the end of the age with great glory and power, raising the dead and bringing the world to its end, and giving to each according to their worth. to the one who gave us a pledge of the resurrection in himself, and who was taken up into the heavens through the power of God and his Father, in the sight of those who ate and drank with him on the forty days after he rose from the dead, and who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the greatness of the almighty God over the cherubim, to the one who heard "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet; whom the most blessed Stephen saw standing at the right hand of the power, and crying out he said "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God, as the high priest of all the spiritual orders through whom reverence, and greatness, and glory belong to the almighty God, both now and forevermore Amen.

Chapters of the Seventh Book

1. That there are two paths, one of life, the natural, and one of death, the forced; and that the one is from God, the other from a turning toward the plot of another.

2. Moral exhortations of the Lord's commands, agreeing with the ancient encouragement of the divine laws. Prohibition of anger, envy, corruption, adultery, and every forbidden act.

3. Prohibition of sorcery, child-killing, perjury, and false testimony.

4. Prohibition of slander, wrath, deceitful character, idle talk, lying, greed, and hypocrisy.

5. Prohibition of malice, favoritism, anger, hatred of mankind, and envy.

6. On divination, incantations, etc.

[PG 1.993]

7. Prohibition of grumbling, stubbornness, pride, and boldness.

8. On patience, innocence, gentleness, and endurance.

9. That those who teach according to Christ should be considered more than parents; for the one group provides well-being, while the others provide only existence.

10. That one must not separate from the saints, but make peace among those who fight, judge justly, and not show favoritism.

11. About the double-minded, the one with little faith.

12. About kindness.

13. How masters should treat their servants, and how servants ought to submit.

14. About hypocrisy, and attention to laws, and confessions.

15. About the care owed to parents.

16. About submission to the king and rulers.

17. About the pure conscience of those who pray.

18. That the path introduced by the envy of others is filled with impiety and lawlessness.

19. That one must not turn away from piety to the right or to the left, the lawgiver advises.

20. That one must not spoil any of the offered foods, but partake of them gladly and in order.

21. That one must avoid eating food sacrificed to idols.

22. Instruction about the Lord's Day, how one must baptize, and into whose death.

23. Which days of the week must be fasted, and which must not; and for what reason.

24. What kind of people those who pray the prayer given by the Lord must be.

25. The secret thanksgiving.

26. Thanksgiving at the divine communion.

27. Thanksgiving concerning the sacred chrism.

28. That it is not right to be indifferent about communion.

29. Regulation concerning the bearing of fruit.

30. How we must celebrate the resurrection day of our Savior when gathered together.

31. What kind of persons those who are ordained must be.

32. A preface concerning those who are about to be ordained.

33. A prayer announcing a different kind of providence.

34. A prayer announcing a different kind of creation.

35. A prayer with thanksgiving announcing God's care for all things.

36. A prayer reminding of the incarnation of Christ, and the special care for the saints.

[PG 1.996]

37. A prayer containing a remembrance of care, and a listing of the various benefits granted by God's providence through Christ to the saints.

38. A prayer for the support of the righteous.

39. How those being catechized must be instructed in the basics.

40. Instruction on how those being catechized must be blessed by the priests during initiation, and what they must be taught.

41. Renunciation toward the adversary, and confession toward Christ God.

42. On the anointing with the sacred oil, a thanksgiving.

43. On the sacred water, a thanksgiving.

44. On the sacred myrrh, a thanksgiving.

45. Prayer of the newly baptized.

46. Whom the holy apostles sent and ordained.

47. Morning prayer.

48. Evening prayer.

49. Prayer at the last meal.

Book Seven

On the Constitution, and Thanksgiving, and the Initiation according to Christ.

Chapter 1

That there are two paths, one of life, the natural one, and one of death, the forced one; and that the one is from God, the other from a turning toward the plot of another.

The lawgiver Moses said to the Israelites: "Behold, I have set before you the way of life and the way of death;" and he added: "Choose life so that you may live." And the prophet Elijah said to the people: "How long will you waver on both your knees? If the Lord is God, follow him." Likewise, the Lord Jesus rightly said: "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other."

Necessarily, we also, following the teacher Christ, "who is the savior of all people, especially of those who believe," say that there are two paths, one of life and one of death; and they have no comparison to each other. For the difference is great, and they are entirely separate; and the path of life is natural, while the path of death is forced—not existing according to the will of God, but arising from the plot of another. [PG 1.997]

Chapter 2

Moral exhortations of the Lord's commands, agreeing with the ancient encouragement of the divine laws. Prohibition of anger, envy, corruption, adultery, and every forbidden action.

First, then, is the way of life and this is the one which the law also declares clearly. "Love the Lord God with all your mind, and with all your soul, the one and only, beside whom there is no other, and your neighbor as yourself; and "Do not do to others whatever you do not want to happen to you. Bless those who curse you Pray for those who mistreat you Love your enemies For what reward do you have if you love those who love you? For even the Gentiles do this. But you love those who hate you. And you will not have an enemy. "For you will not hate every person, he says, not the Egyptian, not the Edomite; For all are the works of God. But flee not the natures, but the intentions of the wicked. "Keep away from fleshly and worldly desires. If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him also the other. Not because the defense is weak, but because it is more honorable than not taking offense. For David says "If I have repaid those who repay me evil If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two, and to the one who wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And from the one who takes what is yours, do not demand it back. To the one who asks you, give. And from the one wanting to borrow from you, do not turn away but do not shut your hand. For a righteous man has compassion and gives. For the Father wants to give to all, who causes his sun to rise on the wicked and the good, and sends his rain on the just and the unjust. Therefore, it is right to give to all from one's own labors. "For, he says, honor the Lord from your own just labors; but the saints must be preferred. "You shall not kill; that is, you shall not destroy a man like yourself. For you are destroying what has been well made. Not like any common murder, but only of the innocent, who alone is rightly set apart for judgment. [PG 1.1000] "You shall not commit adultery; For you are dividing one flesh into two. "For the two," he says, "will become one flesh; For man and woman are one by nature, by breathing together, by union, by disposition, by life, by way of living but they are separated by form and by number. You shall not kill children For the evil that came from Sodom is against nature, which became a burning ruin by fire sent from heaven. Such a one is accursed. And all the people will say, Let it be so. You shall not commit adultery. "For there will not be, he says, a fornicator among the sons of Israel." — "You shall not steal; For Achan, having stolen in Israel in Jericho, was stoned and died. And Gehazi, having stolen and lied, inherited the leprosy of Naaman. And Judas, stealing from the poor, handed over the Lord of glory to the Jews, and, regretting it, hanged himself, and his bowels burst open, and all his entrails spilled out. And Ananias, and Sapphira his wife, having stolen from their own, and having tested the Spirit of the Lord, were immediately put to death by the judgment of Peter, our fellow apostle.

Chapter 3

Prohibition of sorcery, child-killing, perjury, and false testimony.

You shall not practice sorcery; you shall not use drugs to harm others. "For you will not live long if you do," it says. You shall not kill your child by abortion, nor shall you kill the one born; for every image made, having received a soul from God, if killed, will be avenged as one unjustly slain. "You shall not covet what belongs to your neighbor, such as his wife, or his child, or his ox, or his field." You shall not swear falsely; for it was said, do not swear at all; but if you do, even if you swear rightly, "Everyone who swears by him will be praised." — "You shall not bear false witness," because "the slanderer angers the one who made him poor."

Chapter 4

Prohibition of slander, anger, deceitful character, idle talk, lying, greed, and hypocrisy.

You shall not slander; "For do not love, it says, to slander, so that you will not be destroyed." You shall not bear grudges; "For the ways of those who bear grudges lead to death." You shall not be double-minded, nor double-tongued; "For strong traps are the lips of a man," and "A man with a double tongue will not succeed on the earth." Your speech shall not be empty; "For you will give an account for every idle word." You shall not lie; "For you will lose, it says, all who speak falsehood." You shall not be greedy, nor a robber; "Woe, it says, to the one who greedily takes from his neighbor evil gain." You shall not be a hypocrite, so that you do not share your portion with them.

Chapter 5

Prohibition of malice, favoritism, anger, hatred of mankind, and envy.

You shall not be malicious, nor proud; "For God opposes the proud."—"You shall not show partiality in judgment, because the judgment belongs to the Lord. You shall not hate any man. You shall rebuke your brother with correction, and you will not bear sin because of him;" and "Rebuke the wise, and he will love you." Flee from every evil, and from all that is like it; "Keep away, it says, from the unjust; and terror will not come near you." Do not be quick to anger, nor envious, nor jealous, nor mad, nor bold; do not suffer the passions of Cain, Saul, and Joab; for he (Cain) killed his brother Abel because he was preferred by God, and because his sacrifice was accepted; and he (Saul) persecuted the holy David, who had defeated Goliath the Philistine, out of jealousy over the praise given to the dancers; and he (Joab) killed the two commanders, Abner of Israel and Amasa of Judah.

Chapter 6

On divination by birds, incantations, etc. (28.)

Do not become a diviner by birds, for it leads to idolatry; "Divination, Samuel says, is a sin." And: "There will be no divination in Jacob, nor soothsaying in Israel." You shall not be one who sings spells or purifies your son by magic. You shall not use charms; nor shall you practice divination by birds; nor shall you learn evil arts; for all these things the law forbids. Do not become a lover of evil, for it will lead you to countless sins. You shall not be a foul speaker, nor a reckless swearer, nor a drunkard; for from these come fornications and adulteries. Do not be greedy for money, so that you do not serve mammon instead of God. Do not be vain, nor unstable, nor proud; for from all these come arrogance. Remember the one who said: "Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not walk in great matters, nor in wonders above me. If I had not been humble..."

Chapter 7

Prohibition of complaining, stubbornness, pride, and boldness.

Do not be a complainer, remembering the punishment suffered by those who complained against Moses. Do not be stubborn, nor evil-minded, nor hard-hearted, nor quick to anger, nor faint-hearted; for all these lead to blasphemy. Be gentle, like Moses and David; for "the meek shall inherit the earth." [PG 1.1005]

Chapter 8

On patience, innocence, gentleness, and endurance.

Be patient; for the patient person is "very wise," since "the faint-hearted is strong and foolish." Be merciful; "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." Be innocent, calm, good, trembling at the words of God. Do not lift yourself up like the Pharisee; "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled," and "The proud in heart is an abomination to God." Do not give your soul boldness; for "a bold man will fall into evil." Do not walk with fools, but with the wise and just; "For the companion of the wise will be wise, but the companion of fools will be known." Receive the sufferings that happen to you kindly, and the circumstances without grief; knowing that a reward will be given to you by God, as to Job and Lazarus.

Chapter 9

That those who teach according to Christ must be considered more than parents; for some provide what is good, while others provide only existence.

You will honor the one who speaks to you the word of God; you will remember him day and night; you will respect him, not as the cause of your birth, but as the one who has become the source of your well-being. For wherever there is teaching about God, there God is present. You will seek the face of the saints every day, so that you may find rest in their words.

Chapter 10

That it is necessary not to separate from the saints, but to make peace among those who fight, to judge justly, and not to show partiality.

You shall not make divisions against the saints, remembering the Koreites. You will make peace among those who fight, like Moses, reconciling them in friendship. You will judge justly: "For the Lord's is the judgment." You will not show partiality when rebuking for a fault, like Elijah and Micaiah with Ahab, and Abdemelech the Ethiopian with Zedekiah, and Nathan with David, and John with Herod.

Chapter 11

About the double-minded, or the little-faithful.

Do not be double-minded in your prayer, whether it will happen or not; for the Lord said to me, Peter, on the sea: [PG 1.1008] "Little-faithful, why did you hesitate?" Do not stretch out your hand to receive, but draw it back when it comes to giving.

Chapter 12

About Good Deeds.

If you have something, give it through your hands, so that you may work for the redemption of your sins: "For sins are cleansed by almsgiving and faith." Do not hesitate to give to the poor; nor, when giving, grumble, for you will know who is the one who repays the reward. "For he who shows mercy to the poor, says the Lord, lends to the Lord; and according to his gift, it will be repaid to him." Do not turn away from one in need. "For he who shuts his ears not to hear the one who begs, he himself will call out and will not be heard." Share with every brother, and do not say that something is your own; for communion has been prepared by God for all people. Do not withdraw your hand from your son or from your daughter; but from their youth, teach them the fear of God. "Discipline your son, says the Lord, for he will be your hope."

Chapter 13

How masters should be served by their servants; and how servants ought to be obedient.

Do not threaten your slave or maidservant, who trust in the same God, with bitterness of soul; so that they do not sigh against you, and you will receive anger from God. And you, the slaves, be obedient to your masters, as to the representatives of God, with attention and fear, as to the Lord, and not to men.

Chapter 14

On Hypocrisy, and Attention to the Laws, and Confessions

Hate all hypocrisy; and do everything that is pleasing to the Lord. Do not neglect the commandments of the Lord; but keep what you have received from him, neither adding to them nor taking away from them. "For you shall not add to his words, so that he may not rebuke you, and you become false." Confess your sins to the Lord your God; and do not add to them anymore; so that it may go well with you before the Lord your God, who does not want the death of the sinner, but repentance.

Chapter 15

On Service to Parents.

Honor your father and your mother as the ones who gave you life, so that you may live long on the earth that the Lord your God gives you. Do not look down on your brothers [PG 1.1009] and your relatives; "For you shall not despise the members of your own family."

Chapter 16

On Obedience to the King and Rulers.

Fear the king, knowing that his appointment is from the Lord; honor his rulers as servants of God, for they are avengers of every wrong. To them pay your dues, taxes, and all contributions gladly.

Chapter 17

On the Pure Conscience of Those Who Pray.

Do not come to your prayer on a day of wrongdoing, before you have let go of your bitterness. This is the way of life. May it be found within you, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Chapter 18

That the path introduced by the plotting of another is filled with impiety and lawlessness.

The path of death is seen in evil deeds; for in it there is ignorance of God, and the introduction of many evils, confusions, and troubles; through which come murders, adulteries, fornications, perjuries, unlawful desires, thefts, idolatry, magic, poisons, robberies, false testimonies, hypocrisies, double-heartedness, deceit, pride, wickedness, stubbornness, greed, obscene speech, jealousy, boldness, arrogance, vanity, fearlessness, persecution of good, hatred of truth, love of falsehood, ignorance of justice. For those who do these things do not cling to what is good, nor to just judgment; they stay awake, not for good, but for evil; far from them are gentleness and patience; loving in vain, pursuing repayment, not showing mercy to the poor, not caring for the suffering, not knowing the one who made them, murderers of children, destroyers of God's creation, turning away from the needy, troubling the oppressed, supporters of the rich, proud over the poor, sinners of every kind. Be saved, children, from all these things.

Chapter 19

That one must not turn away from piety to the right or to the left, the lawgiver advises.

See that no one leads you away from piety; "For you must not turn away from it to the right or to the left," it says; so that you may succeed in all that you do, for if you do not stray from the straight path, you will not be impious.

[PG 1.1012]

Chapter 20

That one should not despise any of the offered foods, but receive them gladly and in order.

Concerning foods, the Lord says to you: "Eat the good things of the earth;" and "Every kind of meat you may eat, like the green herbs; but you pour out the blood; for it is not what enters the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out." I mean, blasphemies, slanders, and if there is anything like that. But you shall eat the marrow of the earth with righteousness: "For if anything is good, it is from him; and if anything is noble, it is from him; bread for young men, and fragrant wine for virgins; for who will eat or drink except from him?" The wise Ezra also encourages you, saying: "Go, and eat rich foods, and drink sweet drinks, and do not be grieved."

Chapter 21

That one must avoid eating food sacrificed to idols.

But flee from food sacrificed to idols; for these are offered in honor of demons, that is, in insult to the one God; so that you do not become partners with demons.

Chapter 22

The Lord's ordinance on how one must baptize, and into whose death.

About baptism, bishop or presbyter, we have already given instructions before; and now we say that you must baptize as the Lord commanded us, saying: "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; teaching them to keep all that I have commanded you." The one who sent us is the Father; the one who came is Christ; the one who testified is the Advocate.

First you will anoint with oil; then you will baptize with water, and last you will seal with myrrh; so that the anointing may be a share of the Holy Spirit, the water a symbol of death, and the myrrh a seal of the covenant. But if there is neither oil nor myrrh, water alone is enough, both for anointing and for sealing, and for the confession of the one who died, that is, who died together with him.

Before baptism, the one to be baptized should fast; [PG 1.1013] for even the Lord, first baptized by John, and afterward led into the wilderness, fasted forty days and forty nights; he was baptized and fasted—not because he needed cleansing or fasting, being by nature pure and holy—but so that he might also bear witness to the truth for John, and provide a pattern for us. Therefore the Lord was not baptized for his own suffering, or death, or resurrection; for none of these had yet happened; but for another purpose.

Therefore, by authority, after baptism he fasts, as the Lord did for John; but the one initiated into his death must first fast, and then be baptized. For it is not right for the one buried and raised together with him to be sad at the very resurrection; for the man is not lord over the order of the Savior; since one is the Master, and the other the servant.

Chapter 23

Which days of the week must be fasted, and which must not; and for what reason.

Do not let your fasts be like those of the hypocrites; for they fast on Mondays, Saturdays, and Thursdays. But you should fast either five days, or the four days plus Friday. For on the four days came the judgment against the Lord, when Judas promised the betrayal for money; and on Friday, because the Lord suffered the passion by the cross, under Pontius Pilate.

However, you celebrate the Sabbath and the Lord's Day, because the Sabbath is a reminder of creation, and the Lord's Day is a reminder of the resurrection. Only one Sabbath must be kept by you throughout the whole year, the one of the Lord's burial, which it is fitting to fast, but not to celebrate. For as long as the Creator lies under the earth, mourning for him is stronger than joy for creation; because the Creator of his own creatures is by nature and by worth more honorable. [PG 1.1016]

Chapter 24

What kind of people those who pray the prayer given by the Lord must be.

When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; but pray as the Lord commanded us in the Gospel, saying: "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; for thine is the kingdom, forever. Amen." Pray this three times a day, preparing yourselves to be worthy of the adoption as children of the Father, so that when you call him Father, you may not be reproached by him as unworthy; just as Israel, when the firstborn son heard, said: "If I am a father, where is my glory? And if I am lord, where is my fear?" For the glory of fathers, the holiness of children, and the honor of masters is the fear of servants; and just as the opposite is dishonor and disorder, so it is here: "For on your account," he says, "my name is blasphemed among the nations."

Chapter 25

The Mystery of Thanksgiving.

Always be thankful, as faithful and grateful servants; regarding thanksgiving, say this: We give thanks to you, our Father, for the life you have made known to us through Jesus your Son; through whom you made all things and care for all; whom you also sent to become a man for our salvation; whom you allowed to suffer and die; whom you raised up and were pleased to glorify, and who sat at your right hand; through whom you also promised us the resurrection of the dead. You, Lord Almighty, eternal God, just as this was scattered and gathered into one bread, so you have gathered your Church from the ends of the earth into the kingdom. We also give thanks, our Father, for the precious blood of Jesus Christ, poured out for us; and for the precious body; of which these are the symbols we perform, as he commanded us to proclaim his death; through him be glory to you forever. Amen. Let no one eat of these, the uninitiated; but only those who have been baptized into the death of the Lord. If anyone uninitiated, hiding himself, partakes, he will suffer eternal judgment; because not being of the faith in Christ, he has taken part in what is not lawful, to his own punishment. But if anyone partakes through ignorance, quickly instruct and initiate him, so that he may not come out as a despiser.

Chapter 26

Thanksgiving at the Divine Communion.

After the communion, give thanks in this way: We give thanks to you, God and Father of Jesus our Savior, for your holy name, in which you have dwelt among us; and for the knowledge, and faith, and love, and immortality which you have given us through Jesus your Son. You, Lord Almighty, God of all, created the world and all that is in it through him; and you planted the law in our souls; and you prepared what is for communion for people. God of our holy and blameless fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, your faithful servants. The mighty God, faithful and true, and never lying in promises; who sent Jesus your Christ to earth to live among people as a man, being God the Word and man, and to root out error. Now also, through him, remember this your holy Church, which you have cared for with the precious blood [PG 1.1020] of your Christ; and deliver it from all evil; and perfect it in your love and your truth; and gather all of us into your kingdom, which you have prepared; this is Maranatha. Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord; God the Lord who appeared to us in the flesh. If anyone is holy, let him come forward; but if anyone is not, let him become so through repentance. Also allow your elders to give thanks.

Chapter 27

Thanksgiving concerning the sacred myrrh.

Concerning the myrrh, give thanks in this way: We give thanks to you, God, creator of all, for the fragrance of the myrrh, and for the immortal age, which you have made known to us through Jesus your Son. For yours is the glory and the power forever. Amen. Whoever comes and gives thanks in this way, receive him as a disciple of Christ; but if he proclaims a different teaching than that which Christ handed down to you through us, do not allow such a one to give thanks. For such a person insults God rather than glorifies him.

Chapter 28

That it is not right to be indifferent about communion.

Everyone who comes to you, after being tested, should be received in this way: for you have understanding, and you are able to know the right hand from the left, and to distinguish false teachers from true teachers. But when the true teacher comes, provide what is necessary from the heart; as for the false teacher, give him what he needs, but do not accept his error. Do not even pray with him, so that you are not defiled by him. Every true prophet or teacher who comes to you is worthy of food, as a worker of the word of righteousness.

Chapter 29

On the arrangement of fruit-bearing.

You shall give every first fruit of your threshing floor, your threshing floor, your cattle and your sheep to the priests, so that the storerooms of your treasuries may be blessed, and the produce of your land, and you may be supported with grain and wine and oil, and the herds of your cattle and the flocks of your sheep may increase. You shall give every tenth to the orphan and the widow, the poor and the proselyte; [PG 1.1021] every first fruit of warm bread, a jar of wine, or oil, or honey, or nuts, grapes, or the first of the others you shall give to the priests; but of silver and clothing, and all property, to the orphan and the widow.

Chapter 30

How we must celebrate the resurrection day of our Savior when gathered together.

On the resurrection day of the Lord, which we call Sunday, gather without interruption, giving thanks to God and confessing the good things God has done for you through Christ, delivering you from ignorance, error, and bonds; so that your sacrifice may be blameless and acceptable to God, who said concerning his universal Church, "In every place incense and pure sacrifice will be offered to me; for I am a great king, says the Lord Almighty, and my name is wonderful among the nations."

Chapter 31

What kind of men those who are ordained must be.

Appoint worthy bishops of the Lord, and elders, and deacons—men who are devout, just, gentle, not lovers of money, truthful, tested, holy, impartial, able to teach the word of godliness, rightly handling the doctrines of the Lord. Honor these men as fathers, as lords, as benefactors, as those responsible for your well-being. Correct one another, not in anger, but with patience, kindness, and peace. Keep all the commands given to you by the Lord. Watch over your life.

"Let your loins be girded, and your lamps burning; and be like men waiting for their lord, whether in the evening or at dawn, or at cockcrow or midnight. For the Lord will come at an hour you do not expect; and if they open to him, blessed are those servants, because they are found watching. For he will gird himself, and have them recline, and passing by, will serve them."

Therefore, be sober and pray that you do not fall asleep unto death. For your earlier achievements will not help you if you stray from the true faith at the end.

Chapter 32

Introduction about what is to come.

For in the last days, false prophets and corrupters of the word will increase; and sheep will turn into wolves, and love into hatred. For when lawlessness increases, the love of many will grow cold; for people will hate one another, and persecute, and betray. And then [PG 1.1024] the deceiver of the world will appear, the enemy of truth, the protector of falsehood; whom the Lord Jesus will destroy by the spirit of his mouth, who destroys the ungodly by his lips. Many will be caused to stumble because of him; but those who endure to the end, these will be saved. And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven; then there will be a trumpet sound through the archangel; and the dead will rise in between; and then the Lord will come, and all the saints with him, in a shaking, upon the clouds, with the angels of his power, on a throne of kingdom, to judge the deceiver, the devil, and to give to each according to his deeds. Then the wicked will go away into eternal punishment; but the righteous will go into eternal life, inheriting those things "which eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and which have not entered into the heart of man, which God has prepared for those who love him;" and they will rejoice in the kingdom of God, which is in Christ Jesus. Having been made worthy of these blessings from him, let us become his suppliants, calling on him with continuous prayer, and saying:

Chapter 33

A Prayer Announcing Various Forethoughts.

Eternal Savior of us, the king of the gods the only one who is almighty and Lord God of all beings, and God of our holy and blameless fathers and those before us, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob the merciful and compassionate one, the patient and full of abundant mercy To whom every naked heart is seen, and every hidden thought is revealed To you cry out the souls of the righteous Upon you have trusted the hopes of the holy ones The Father of the blameless, the one who listens to those who call upon you with uprightness, who also knows silent prayers. For your care reaches even to the inmost parts of humans, and through conscience you examine the mind of each one. And throughout every region of the world, the incense of prayer and words is sent up to you. He who has set this present age as a racecourse of righteousness, and has opened the gate of mercy to all. Having shown to each of the people, through innate knowledge and natural judgment, and from the voice of the law, that wealth is not an eternal possession, and beauty is not everlasting. The power is an indissoluble strength. And all things are but vapor and vanity, but only a conscience of faith passes without stain, rising through the midst of the heavens with truth, receiving the right hand of the coming nourishment. At the same time, even before the promise of the regeneration stands, the soul itself, rejoicing in hope, is glad. For from the beginning, when our ancestor Abraham was struggling on the path of truth, you led him by vision and taught him what this age truly is. And the knowledge advanced ahead of his faith, faith became the follower of knowledge, and the covenant was the result of faith. For you said "You will make your seed like the stars of the sky, and like the sand by the edge of the sea. But indeed, having given him Isaac as well, and knowing him to be like him in that way, you were also called God, saying "I will be your God, and of your seed with you. And when our father Jacob was sent to Mesopotamia, you showed Christ through him, speaking, saying "Behold, I am with you, and I will increase you, and I will greatly multiply you. And so you said to Moses, your faithful and holy servant, at the vision of the bush, "I am the one who is, this is my name forever, and a memorial to all generations. Champion of the race of Abraham, blessed forever.

Chapter 34

A proclamation prayer of a different creation.

Blessed are you, Lord, king of the ages, who through Christ made all things, and through him in the beginning arranged the unformed. who separated waters from waters by a firmament, and breathed a living spirit into them, who established the earth, and stretched out the sky, and arranged the exact order of each of the creatures. For by your power, Master, the world is established. The sky, fixed like a vault, is adorned with stars for the comfort of the darkness. Light and the sun have been born to bring forth days and the fruits of the earth. The moon, in its changing phases, grows and wanes with the seasons. And night was named, and day was called, while the firmament was shown in the midst of the depths. And you said that the waters should be gathered together, and the dry land should appear. But how could one describe the sea itself? Which comes raging from the open sea It flows back and forth, held back by your command from the sand. For you said that its waves would be broken within it. To small and large living creatures, and to ships, you made it a path. [PG 1.1028] Then the earth became angry, covered with all kinds of flowers and a variety of different trees. Brilliant lights were set among them, guarding the long one without fail, and not changing in the least from your command. But wherever you command, they rise and set, marking the times and years, fulfilling the service owed to humans. Then various kinds of animals were made: land animals, water animals, birds, and amphibians. And by your care, skillful wisdom grants the proper provision to each one. For just as it did not tire of producing different kinds, so it did not neglect to make a different provision for each one. And finally, at the end of creation, you arranged by your wisdom the rational creature, the citizen of the world, having made it, saying "Let us make man in our image and according to our likeness, making him a world of the world himself revealed From the four elements, the first bodies, you formed for him a body, and you made for him the soul from non-being, granting him fivefold sensation, and you set the mind, the charioteer of the soul, over the senses. And over all these things, Master Lord, who will worthily describe the carrying of rain clouds, the flash of lightning, the crash of thunder, for the fitting provision of nourishment, and the perfectly harmonious blending of the airs? But when man disobeyed, you deprived him of the hired life. You did not destroy him completely, but after a time you put him to sleep for a little while, and by oath you called him to rebirth. You broke the boundary of death, the life-giver of the dead through Jesus Christ, our hope.

Chapter 35

Prayer with thanksgiving announcing God's care over all things.

Great are you, Lord Almighty, and great is your power, and the number of your understanding is beyond count. Creator, Savior, rich in grace, patient, and giver of mercy, you who do not abandon the salvation of your creatures For by nature you exist as good And you spare those who sin, calling them to repentance For your instruction is full of mercy For how could we endure, urgently demanding judgment, whenever, being patient, we barely nod to weakness? The heavens declared your power, and the earth, shaking, held fast to security, depending on no one [PG 1.1029] The sea, rolling and feeding a countless herd of animals, is bound by sand, terrified of your will. and forces all to cry out. "How great are your works, Lord! you made all things in wisdom. The earth is filled with your creation. And a host of burning angels, and intelligent spirits, say, "One holy to Felmonius; and holy seraphim, together with the cherubim, the six-winged ones, singing to you the victory hymn, shout with voices that cannot be silenced "Holy, holy, holy Lord of Hosts heaven and earth are full of your glory; and the other orders in ranks, angels, archangels, thrones, dominions, principalities, authorities, powers, crying out, say "Blessed is the glory of the Lord from his place. Israel, your earthly Church, made up of nations, competing with the powers in heaven, night and day, with willing heart and soul, sings "The chariot of God is ten thousand times ten thousand, with thousands leading them; the Lord is among them, in Sinai, in the holy place. Heaven has not seen him who boasts over nothing, like a stone thrown. and who has joined earth and water for themselves. and who has spread air, life-giving, and has mixed fire with it for warmth, and for darkness, comfort. A host of stars amazes, the one who counted them showing their number, and the one who named them pointing them out. The one who gave life to animals. The one who caused the trees to grow. Since all things came into being by your word, it shows the power of your strength. Therefore, every person, from the depths of their heart, ought to send up a hymn to you through Christ, who is above all, for through you all things hold together. For you are kind in your blessings, and generous in your mercies. The only almighty one For when you wish, the power to do is present for you. For your eternal power cools the flame, silences the lions, calms the beasts, raises the sick, and changes the forces. And the army of enemies, and the people counted, in their pride, he lays low. You are the one in heaven, the one on earth, the one in the sea, the one among those passing by, not passed over by anyone. For your greatness has no limit. For this is not ours, Master. This is the saying of your servant, who claims "And you will know in your heart that the Lord your God is God above in heaven, and on the earth below, and there is no one else besides him. For there is no God except you alone. There is no holy one except you, Lord God of knowledge, God of the holy ones, holy above all the holy ones. For those who have been sanctified are under your hands. Glorious and exalted, invisible by nature, unfathomable in judgments. In whom life is without lack, dwelling is unchanging and uninterrupted, activity is tireless, greatness is indescribable, dignity is eternal, dwelling place is inaccessible, habitation is unmovable, knowledge has no beginning, truth is unchanging, work is without mediation, power is without plotting, monarchy is without successor, kingdom is endless, strength is unmatched, the army is countless. For you are the Father of Wisdom, the creator through the mediator builder, as the cause. The provider of forethought, the giver of laws, the fulfiller of need. The punisher of the ungodly, and the rewarder of the righteous. The God and Father of Christ, and the Lord of those who worship him. Of whom the promise is unfailing, the judgment free from bribery, the decision unchangeable, the piety unceasing, the thanksgiving eternal. Through whom to you also the worthy worship is owed by every rational and holy nature.

Chapter 36

A Prayer Reminding of the Incarnation of Christ, and the Special Providence for the Saints.

Lord Almighty, you created the world through Christ, and you appointed the Sabbath as a remembrance of this. Because in him you rested from your works, to meditate on your laws. And you established festivals for the joy of our souls, so that we may come to remember the wisdom created by you. Because through us the birth came to pass through a woman. He appeared in life, showing himself in baptism as both God and man who was revealed. He suffered for us by your forgiveness, and he died, and he rose again by your power. Therefore, celebrating the resurrection feast on the Lord's day, we rejoice in the one who conquered death and who gave life and incorruption. For through him you brought the nations to yourself, into a chosen people, the true Israel, the beloved of God, the one who sees God. For you, Lord, led our fathers out of the land of Egypt, and you saved them from the iron furnace, from the clay, and from the brickmaking. I will redeem them from the hand of Pharaoh and those under him, and through the sea as through dry land you led them. And you provided for them in the wilderness with all kinds of good things. I will give them a law, the Ten Commandments, spoken by your voice and written by your hand. I commanded to keep the Sabbath, not giving an excuse for rest, but a reason for piety, to know your power, to block evil as if within a sacred enclosure, for the sake of teaching, for the joy of the week. For this reason, one week, and seven weeks, and the seventh month. And the seventh year. And the return of this, the jubilee, which is the fiftieth year, for forgiveness. So that people have no excuse to claim ignorance, for this reason they allowed every Sabbath to be a day of rest, so that no one would want to let any angry word come out of their mouth on the day of the Sabbaths. For the Sabbath is a rest of creation, the completion of the world, a search for the laws, a thankful praise to God for the gifts given to people. Of all these, the Lord's Day is the foremost. It shows the mediator himself, the foreseer, the lawgiver, the cause of the resurrection, the firstborn of all creation, the Word of God, and man, born of Mary alone without a man, who lived a holy life, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, who died, and who rose from the dead. As the Lord's Day urges, it offers to you, Master, the thanksgiving above all. For this grace given by you has covered every kindness through its greatness.

Chapter 37

Prayer containing a remembrance of providence, and a listing of various blessings given by God's providence through Christ to the saints.

He who fulfilled the promises through the prophets, and showed mercy to Zion, and had compassion on Jerusalem, to whom you raised up the throne of David your child in its midst, by the birth of Christ, born according to the flesh from his seed, born from a virgin alone. He now also, Master God, [PG 1.1036] accept the prayers offered by the lips of your people from the nations, those who call on you in truth, just as I accepted the gifts of the righteous in their generations. Abel first offered the sacrifice and I accepted it; Noah after coming out of the ark; Abraham after leaving the land of the Chaldeans; Isaac at the well of the oath; Jacob in Bethlehem; Moses in the wilderness; Aaron among the living and the dead; Joshua the son of Nun in Gilgal; Gideon on the rock and the fleece before sin; Manoah and his wife in the field; Samson in thirst before his fault; Jephthah in war before the uncertain promise; Barak and Deborah against Sisera; Samuel in Mizpah; David at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite; Solomon in Gibeon and Jerusalem; Elijah on Mount Carmel; Elisha at the barren spring; Jehoshaphat in war; Hezekiah in sickness and against Sennacherib; Manasseh in the land of the Chaldeans after his fault; Josiah in Phasa; Ezra at the return; Daniel in the lions' den; Jonah in the belly of the fish; the three children in the fiery furnace; Anna in the tent before the ark; Nehemiah at the rebuilding of the walls; and Zerubbabel; Mattathias and his sons in your zeal; Javel in blessings. And now therefore accept the prayers of your people, offered with knowledge to you through Christ in the Spirit.

Chapter 38

Prayer for the help of the righteous.

We give thanks to you for all things, Master almighty, because you have not abandoned your mercies and your compassions from us. but in every generation you save, deliver, help, and protect us. For you helped in the days of Enoch and Enos, in the days of Moses and Joshua, in the days of the judges, in the days of David and the kings, in the days of Samuel and Elijah and the prophets, in the days of Esther and Mordecai, in the days of Judith, in the days of Judas Maccabeus and his brothers. And in our days you help us through your great high priest Jesus Christ, your Son. And he saved from the sword, and from famine [PG 1.1037] he rescued by providing food, he healed from disease, he protected from an evil tongue. For all things we give thanks to you through Christ. He who also gave a spoken voice for confession. And a fitting tongue, like a plectrum, placed as an instrument. And a suitable taste, and a fitting touch, and sight for seeing, and hearing of voice, and smell of scents, and hands for work, and feet for travel. And you shape all these things from a small drop in the womb, and grant an immortal soul after formation, and lead it into the light. The rational creature, the human, you have trained with laws, and enlightened with rules. Bringing near a brief dissolution, you promise resurrection. What kind of self-sufficient life, then, and how long a span of years will it last for humans with thanksgiving? Either the one is impossible according to worth, but the other is holy according to ability. For I will rescue from impiety toward many gods, and I will remove the Christ-killing heresy, having freed from mistaken ignorance. You sent Christ to humans as a human, being God the only-begotten. You have placed the Paraclete within us. You set angels over us, and you put the devil to shame. You did not make those who do not exist; you guard those who have come into being. You measure out life and provide food. I promise repentance. Glory and reverence to you above all, through Jesus Christ, now, and always, and forever and ever. Amen Study these things, brothers. And may the Lord be with you on earth, and in the kingdom of his Father, who also sent him, and who through him freed us from the slavery of decay into the freedom of glory, and promised life to those who believe through him in the God of all. So then, how those initiated in Christ ought to live, and what kind of thanksgiving they should offer to God through Christ, has been said by those who went before. But it is right not to leave even the uninitiated without help.

Chapter 39

How those being instructed must be taught the basics.

Therefore, the one about to be instructed in the word of piety should first be taught, before baptism, the knowledge about the unbegotten, the understanding of the only-begotten Son, and the information about the Holy Spirit. Let him learn the order of different creation, the arrangement of providence, and the various judgments of the law. Let him be taught why the world came to be, and for what reason man became a citizen of the world. Let him come to know his own nature, what kind of being he is. Let him be taught how God punished the wicked with water and fire, and glorified the holy in each generation. I speak of Seth, Enos, Enoch, Noah, Abraham and his descendants, Melchizedek, Job, Moses, Joshua, Caleb, and Phinehas the priest, and the holy ones in each generation. So that God, foreseeing, did not turn away from the race of men. But from error and futility, he called to the knowledge of truth at different times, leading back from slavery and impiety to freedom and piety, from injustice to justice, from eternal death to everlasting life. Let the one who approaches learn these things and what follows from them in the catechesis. Let the one who lays hands on him worship him, the God who is the Master of all, giving thanks for the creation. Because he sent down his only-begotten Son Christ to save the human, wiping out lawlessness, and to forgive irreverence and sins, and to cleanse from every defilement of flesh and spirit. And he sanctifies the human according to the good pleasure of his kindness, instructs his will, and enlightens the eyes of his heart to understand his wonders. He makes known to him the judgments of righteousness, so that he may hate every path of injustice, and walk in the way of truth. so that he may be made worthy of the washing of rebirth, for adoption as a son in Christ. so that, having become united with the likeness of the death of Christ, he may, in hope of glorious fellowship, be dead to sin but live to God in mind, word, and deed, and be counted in the book of the living. And after this thanksgiving, let him be taught about the incarnation of the Lord, about his passion, and about his resurrection from the dead, and his ascension.

[PG 1.1041]

Chapter 40

Order for how the catechumens should be blessed by the priests during their initiation, and what they should be taught.

And when the one who has been catechized is about to be baptized, let him learn about the renunciation of the devil and about the confession of Christ. For he must first reject the opposing forces; and then enter within the mysteries, having first cleansed his heart of all malice, both stain and wrinkle; and then partake of the holy things. Just as a skilled farmer first clears the field of the thorns that have grown too much in it, and then sows the wheat; so you must first remove all ungodliness from them, then instill piety in them, and make them worthy of baptism. For your Lord also encouraged us in this way, saying, "Make disciples first of all the nations," and then added, "And baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." Therefore, let the one to be baptized recite the renunciation:

Chapter 41

Renunciation of the adversary, and confession to Christ God.

I renounce Satan, and his works, and his pomp, and his worship, and his angels, and his inventions, and all who are under him. After the renunciation, let him who confesses say that he also confesses Christ, and believes, and is baptized into one unbegotten, only true God almighty, the Father of Christ, creator and maker of all things, from whom all things exist; and into the Lord Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, the firstborn of all creation, born before all ages by the good pleasure of the Father, not created, through whom all things came to be in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible; who came down from heaven in the last days, took on flesh, was born of the holy virgin Mary, and lived a holy life according to the laws of God and his Father, and was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and died for us, and rose from the dead on the third day after suffering, and ascended into heaven, and sat at the right hand of the Father, and will come again at the end of the age in glory to judge the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end; I am baptized also into the Holy Spirit, that is, the Advocate, who worked in all the saints from all ages, and was later sent to the apostles by the Father according to the promise of our Savior Lord Jesus Christ, and after the apostles to all who believe, in the holy catholic Church, for the resurrection of the flesh, and for the forgiveness of sins, and for the kingdom of heaven, and for the life of the age to come. And after this promise, the anointing with oil follows in order. [PG 1.1044]

Chapter 42

On the anointing with the sacred oil of thanksgiving.

This is blessed by the high priest for the forgiveness of sins and as preparation for baptism. For thus the unbegotten God is called upon, the Father of Christ, the king of all visible and invisible nature, so that he may sanctify the oil in the name of the Lord Jesus, and give spiritual grace and active power, forgiveness of sins, and preparation for the confession of baptism, so that the one anointed, freed from all impiety, may become worthy of initiation according to the command of the Only Begotten.

Chapter 43

On the thanksgiving of the sacred water.

Then he comes to the water. The priest blesses and glorifies the Lord God Almighty, the Father of the Only Begotten God, giving thanks; because he sent his Son to become human for us, to save us; because he endured the incarnation and made him obedient in all things, to proclaim the kingdom of heaven, the forgiveness of sins, and the resurrection of the dead. On these things, he worships the Only Begotten God with him, and through him gives thanks to him for accepting death on behalf of all through the cross, of which baptism is the symbol of rebirth. He glorifies that in the name of Christ, God the Lord of all, in the Holy Spirit, he did not reject the human race, but at different times made different provisions [PG 1.1045] ; then Adam was given by him in paradise, first as a dwelling place for delight, then by provision a command; but when he sinned, he was driven out by justice, yet not rejected completely by goodness, but also those descended from him were disciplined in various ways in succession; for this reason, at the end of the age, he sent his Son to become a human for humans, and to accept all human sufferings, without sin. Therefore, the priest now calls upon him at the baptism and says: Look down from heaven, and sanctify this water; give grace and power, so that the one being baptized, by the command of your Christ, may be crucified with him, to die with him, to be buried with him, and to rise with him into sonship in him, dying to sin but living in righteousness. And after this, having baptized him in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, let him anoint him with oil, choosing;

Chapter 44

On the thanksgiving of the sacred oil.

Lord God, the unbegotten and unmastered, the Lord of all, who has given the fragrance of the knowledge of the Gospel to all nations as a sweet smell; now also grant that this oil may become effective upon the one being baptized, so that the sure and lasting fragrance of your Christ may remain in him, and that he may die with him, rise with him, and live with him. Let him say these things and what follows. For the power of the laying on of hands is this: if there is no invocation for each of these by the devout priest such as this, the one being baptized only goes down into water, like the Jews, and only the dirt of the body is removed, not the dirt of the soul. After this, standing, let him pray the prayer which the Lord taught us; and it is necessary that the risen one also stand and pray, because the one who rises is upright; so he who died with Christ and was raised with him should stand. Let him pray facing east; for this is also written in the second book of Chronicles, that after the temple of the Lord was completed by King Solomon, at its dedication the priests, the Levites, and the psalmists stood facing east, with cymbals and harps [PG 1.1048] , praising and confessing, and saying: "Praise the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever."

Chapter 45

Prayer of the newly baptized.

Let these things be prayed after the previous prayer, saying:

God the almighty, the Father of your Christ, your only-begotten Son, grant me a spotless body, a pure heart, a quick mind, clear knowledge, the coming of the Holy Spirit for possession and full understanding of the truth, through your Christ; through whom be glory to you in the Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.

We have judged it right to arrange these things also for the catechumens.

Chapter 46

Whom the holy apostles sent and ordained.

Concerning the bishops ordained by us in our lifetime, we make known to you that these are they: of Jerusalem, James, the brother of the Lord, and after his death, second, Simeon, the son of Cleopas, after whom third, Judas, son of James; of Caesarea [PG 1.1049] in Palestine, first Zacchaeus, who was once a tax collector, after him Cornelius, and third Theophilus. Of Antioch, Evodius was appointed by me, Peter, and Ignatius by Paul. Of Alexandria, Annianus was first ordained by Mark the evangelist, and second Abilius by Luke, also an evangelist. Of the Church of the Romans, Linus, the Claudian, was first ordained by Paul [PG 1.1053] , and Clement was ordained second by me, Peter, after the death of Linus; of Ephesus, Timothy by Paul, and John by me, John; of Smyrna, Ariston was first, after him Strataes the Loidean, and third Ariston; of Pergamum, Gaius, and of Philadelphia, Demetrius by me; by Paul, Lucius of Cenchreae; and of Crete, Titus; Dionysius in Athens; [PG 1.1056] of Tripolis in Phoenicia, Marathon; of Laodicea in Phrygia, Archippus; of Colossae, Philemon; of Beroea in Macedonia, Onesimus, the Philemon's; Crescus of the churches in Galatia. Aquila and Nicetas of the communities in Asia; Crispus of the Church in Aegina; these are those entrusted by us with the communities in the Lord; remembering their teaching, always keep watch over our words; and may the Lord be with you, now and forever; as he himself said to us, about to ascend to his God and Father: "Behold, he says, I am with you all the days until the end of the age. Amen."

Chapter 47

Morning Prayer.

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill among men." We praise you, we hymn you, we bless you, we glorify you, we worship you, through the great high priest; you, the existing God, the one unbegotten, the only inaccessible one; because of your great glory; Lord, heavenly King, God the Father almighty; Lord God, the Father of Christ, the spotless Lamb, who takes away the sin of the world; [PG 1.1057] accept our prayer; you who sit upon the cherubim. For you alone are holy; you alone are Lord Jesus Christ of God, of every created nature, our King; through whom be glory, honor, and reverence to you.

Chapter 48

Evening Prayer.

"Praise the Lord, children; praise the name of the Lord." We praise you, we hymn you, we bless you, because of your great glory; Lord King, the Father of Christ, the spotless Lamb, who takes away the sin of the world; to you belongs praise; to you belongs hymn; to you belongs glory, to God and the Father, through the Son, in the all-holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.

"Now you dismiss your servant, Master, according to your word, in peace; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light for the revelation of the nations, and the glory of your people Israel."

Chapter 49

Prayer at the meal.

"Blessed are you, Lord," who has nourished me from my youth, who gives food to every flesh; fill our hearts with joy and gladness; so that always having all sufficiency, we may abound in every good work, in Christ Jesus our Lord; through whom to you be glory, honor, and power, forever. Amen.

Chapters of the Eighth Book

1. For whose sake the powers of the signs are accomplished.

2. About unworthy bishops and elders.

3. That the ordering of what is done in the churches is the highest.

4. About ordinations.

5. Invocation at the ordination of bishops.

6. The divine service, in which there is an address for the catechumens.

7. For those who are performing the sacred rites.

8. For those being baptized.

9. Laying on of hands, and prayer for those in repentance.

[PG 1.1060]

10. Invocation on behalf of the faithful.

11. Invocation of the faithful.

12. The order of James, the brother of John the Zebedee.

13. Address to the faithful after the divine offering.

14. Address after the communion.

15. Invocation after the communion.

16. On the ordination of elders, the arrangement of John who is loved by the Lord.

17. On the ordination of deacons, the arrangement of Philip.

18. Invocation for the ordination of a deacon.

19. On the deaconess, the arrangement of Bartholomew.

20. Invocation for the ordination of a deaconess.

21. On subdeacons, the arrangement of Thomas.

22. On readers, the arrangement of Matthew.

23. The arrangement of James the Alphaeus on confessors.

24. The same on virgins.

25. The arrangement of Lebbaios, called Thaddaeus, on widows.

26. The same on the perjured.

27. Simon the Cananean, on how many must ordain a bishop.

28. The same's rules concerning bishops, elders, deacons, and other clergy.

29. On the blessing of water and oil, the order of Matthew.

30. The same concerning first fruits and tithes.

31. The same concerning surpluses.

32. Various rules of Paul the Apostle concerning those who come to baptism, whom to accept and whom to reject.

33. On which days the servants should rest.

34. At what hour, and why one should pray at these times.

35. The ordinance of James, the brother of Christ, concerning the evening prayer.

36. The evening salutation.

37. The evening thanksgiving.

38. The morning thanksgiving.

39. The morning laying on of hands.

40. Invocation over the first fruits.

41. Address on behalf of the deceased.

42. How and when the commemorations of the deceased faithful should be made; and that from what they have, aid should be given to the poor.

43. That commemorations or prayers do no good for the impious who have died.

44. About drunkards.

45. About receiving those who are persecuted for Christ.

46. That each person should remain in the position to which they were assigned, and keep the order, but not seize for themselves what was not entrusted to them.

47. Ecclesiastical Canons.

Book Eight.

On Gifts, and Ordinations, and Ecclesiastical Canons.

[PG 1.1061]

Chapter 1

For whose sake the powers of the signs are performed.

Since God and our Savior Jesus Christ has given us the great mystery of piety, and calls both Jews and Greeks to the knowledge of the one and only true God, his Father, as he himself says, giving thanks for the salvation of those who have believed, "I have revealed your name to men; the work that you gave me, I have completed; and speaking about us to the Father "Holy Father, although the world did not know you, I knew you, and these also have known you; Rightly, as if we have been made perfect, he says to all at once, concerning the gifts given from him through the Spirit "Signs will follow those who believe; these will accompany them. In my name they will cast out demons. They will speak in new tongues. They will pick up snakes. And if they drink anything deadly, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will be well. These gifts, first given to us through the apostles, are destined to proclaim the Gospel to all creation. Then they are necessarily granted to those who believe through us. Not for the benefit of those performing the works, but for the consent of the unbelievers, so that those whom the word did not persuade, the power of the signs might convince. For the signs are not for us who believe, but for the unbelievers, both Jews and Greeks. For casting out demons is not our gain, but of those who are being cleansed by the power of the Lord. Just as the Lord himself, in disciplining us, shows by saying, "Do not rejoice that the spirits obey you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." Since one thing happens by his power, and another by our goodwill and effort, it is clear that, being helped by him, It is not necessary, then, to always cast out demons, or to raise the dead, or to speak in tongues. But the one who has been granted a gift for some useful purpose, for the salvation of unbelievers who often despair, not by the demonstration of words, but by the working of signs, being worthy of salvation, For not all the godless are ashamed by the miracles. And God himself is witness to this, as when he says in the law [PG 1.1064] "That I will speak to this people with one language, and with other lips, and they will not believe. For neither did the Egyptians believe in God, though Moses had done so many signs and wonders. Nor did the crowds of the Jews believe in Christ, like Moses, who healed every disease and every weakness among them. And neither did the living rod turning into a serpent, nor the hand becoming white, nor the Nile turning to blood, cause them to repent. Nor did these blind people regain sight, nor the lame walk, nor the dead rise, and to those who resisted were Jannes and Mambrēs. But to Annas and Caiaphas. Thus the signs do not trouble everyone, but only the grateful, to whom God also wills that the powers be accomplished, as a wise steward. Not by the strength of men, but by his own will. We say these things so that those who have received such gifts may not become proud against those who have not received them. And by "gifts" we mean those given through the signs. Since there is no person who has believed in God through Christ who has not received a spiritual gift. For both being freed from many-god worship and believing in God the Father through Christ is a gift from God. Both to cast off the Jewish veil and to believe that the only-begotten Son, who was before all ages, was born at a later time from a virgin, without the involvement of a man, and that he lived as a man without sin, fulfilling all the righteousness of the law, and that he endured the cross by the will of God, despising its shame—the Word of God, and that he died, and was buried, and rose again on the third day, and after the resurrection remained with the apostles for forty days, and having fulfilled every command, he was taken up in their sight to the God and Father who sent him. Whoever has believed these things, not simply, nor without reason, but with judgment and full understanding, has received a gift from God. Likewise, also, the one freed from every heresy Therefore, let no one among those who perform signs and wonders judge any of the faithful as unworthy to work them. For the gifts of God are different, given by him through Christ. And you have received this. But that one has received something else. For either the word of wisdom, or knowledge, or the discernment of spirits, or the foreknowledge of things to come, or the word of teaching, or patience, [PG 1.1065] or lawful self-control, For even Moses, the man of God, performing signs in Egypt, was not honored by his own people. And being called God, he did not act arrogantly toward his own prophet Aaron. But neither did Joshua, son of Nun, leading the people with him, even when he made the sun stand still over Gibeon and the moon over the valley of Ailon during the war against the Jebusites, because the day was not enough for victory, was he honored over Phinehas or Caleb. Nor did Samuel, having done so many wonders, consider the God-loving David as his superior. And indeed, both were prophets. And one was the high priest, the other the king. And with seven thousand holy ones in Israel, who had not bowed the knee to Baal, Elijah alone was among them, and his disciple Elisha became a worker of wonders. But Elijah did not rebuke the steward Obadiah, who feared God but did not perform signs. Nor did Elisha rebuke his own disciple who was terrified of the enemies. But neither Daniel the wise, saved a second time from the mouths of lions, nor the three children from the fiery furnace, looked down on the rest of their fellow countrymen. For they knew that they were not delivered from dangers by their own power, but by the strength of God, and they performed signs and were freed from hardships. Therefore, let no one among you be arrogant against a brother, even if he is a prophet or a miracle worker. For if there is no longer anyone who is unbelieving, then all working of signs will be unnecessary. For being pious comes from the goodwill of someone. But performing miracles comes from the power of the one who works. The first of these is seen in ourselves, the second in God who works, for the reasons we mentioned before. Therefore, let not the king despise the generals under him. Nor let rulers despise their subjects. For if there are no ones ruling, the rulers are unnecessary. And if there are no generals, the kingdom will not stand. But let no bishop raise himself up against the deacons or the elders. Nor should the elders raise themselves up against the people. For the gathering is made up of one another. For the bishops and the elders are priests of certain people. And the laypeople are lay members of certain groups. And being a Christian, in our case, But being an apostle, or a bishop, or something else, is not up to us, but depends on the God who gives the gifts. Let these things then be said so far concerning the gifts or the offices that have been granted.

Chapter 2

Concerning unworthy bishops and elders.

We add this to the statement, that not every one who prophesies, [PG 1.1068] is holy nor is every one who drives out a demon, holy. For even Balaam, the seer of Beor, prophesied, though he was impious. and Caiaphas, the false-named high priest. But the devil also predicts many things, and the demons around him. And yet, this is not a spark of piety for them. For they are pressed by ignorance through willing wickedness. It is clear, then, that even if the impious prophesy, they do not cover up their own impiety through prophecy. Nor will those who drive out demons be made holy by their withdrawal from these things. For they deceive one another. Just as those who show off their children for the sake of laughter, and they destroy even those who put up with them, No longer is an impious king truly a king, but a tyrant instead. Nor is a bishop who is pressed by ignorance or wickedness truly a bishop, but a false name-bearer, appointed not by God, but by men. Like Ananias, and Samaiah in Jerusalem, and Zedekiah and Ahiah, the false prophets in Babylon. But even Balaam the seer paid the penalty for corrupting Israel at Peor. And Caiaphas later became a self-murderer. And the sons of Sceva, attempting to drive out demons, were wounded by them and fled in disgrace. And the kings of Israel, and of Judah, having acted impiously, suffered all kinds of punishments. It is clear, then, that even the false-named bishops and elders will not escape the judgment from God. For it will be said to them even now. "You priests, who dishonor my name, I will deliver you to slaughter. like Zedekiah and Achiya, whom the king of Babylon killed, as the prophet Jeremiah says. But we say these things without rejecting the true prophecies, for we know that they are carried out by the inspiration of God in the holy ones, but we are putting down the boldness of those who boast. and adding this, that God removes favor from such people. "For God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Silas and Agabus, therefore, having prophesied among us, did not set themselves above the apostles, nor did they go beyond their own limits, and indeed, being beloved by God, [PG 1.1069] And women also prophesied. The old one was Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron. And after her, Deborah. And after these, Huldah and Judith, the one during Josiah, the other during Darius. And the mother of the Lord also prophesied, and Elizabeth her relative, and Anna. And among us, the daughters of Philip. But these did not rebel against their husbands, rather they kept their own duties. Therefore, even if there is a man or a woman among you who has such a gift, let them be humble, so that God may be pleased with them. "For on whom else," he says, "will I fix my gaze, if not on the humble and quiet one, who fears my words?"

Chapter 3

That the ordering of what is done in the churches is the highest priority.

First, then, we set forth the word about the gifts, those which God has given to people according to his own will; and how he exposed the manner of those who try to speak falsely or are moved by a foreign spirit; and that God has often withheld his gifts from the wicked, both in prophecy and in miracles.

Now the word urges us to the highest point of the church's order: so that having learned this arrangement from us, the bishops appointed by us with the mind of Christ may do everything according to the commands handed down to us; knowing that whoever listens to us listens to Christ; and whoever listens to Christ listens to his God and Father; to whom be glory forever. Amen.

Chapter 4

About ordinations.

Since we, the twelve apostles of the Lord, are present, we set forth these divine commands about every church order, with us also present Paul, the vessel of election and our fellow apostle, and James the bishop, and the other elders, and the seven deacons.

First, then, I say, Peter is to be ordained bishop, as we all previously arranged together, blameless in every way, chosen by the whole people by lot. When his name has been announced [PG 1.1072] and accepted, the people, together with the presbyter and the present bishops, on the Lord's day, shall agree.

Then the leader of the others shall ask the presbyter and the people if he is the one they ask to be their ruler; and when they nod, he shall further ask if he is testified by all to be worthy of this great and glorious leadership, if he has shown piety toward God, if he has kept justice toward people, if he has managed his household well, and if he has lived an irreproachable life.

And when all have testified truthfully, not out of bias, that he is such a one, as before the judge God and Christ, with the holy Spirit present, and all the holy and ministering spirits, then let them inquire a third time whether he is truly worthy of the ministry; so that every word may stand on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

And when they have agreed that he is worthy, let all demand a pledge; and when they give it willingly, let them listen; and if silence follows, one of the first bishops, together with two others, standing near the altar, while the other bishops and presbyters pray silently, and the deacons hold the holy Gospels open over the head of the one to be ordained, shall say to God:

[PG 1.1073]

Chapter 5

Invocation at the ordination of bishops.

You who are, Master, Lord, God, the almighty, the only unbegotten, and without king, who always is, and who existed before the ages, who is lacking nothing, and is greater than every cause and origin, the only true one, the only wise one the one who alone is the Most High the one invisible by nature whose knowledge is without beginning the only good one, and incomparable, who knew all things before their creation the knower of hidden things the inaccessible one the uncontrolled one God and Father of your only-begotten Son, our God and Savior the creator of all things through him the guardian, the protector the Father of mercies, and God of all comfort he who dwells in the heights, and looks upon the lowly You who gave the foundations of the Church through the incarnate presence of your Christ, under the witness of the Paraclete, through your apostles, and through us bishops present by your grace He who from the beginning appointed priests to oversee your people, Abel first, Seth, and Enoch, and Enos, and Noah, and Melchizedek, and Job He who raised up Abraham and the other patriarchs, along with your faithful servants Moses and Aaron, and Eleazar and Phinehas He who from among them appointed rulers and priests in the tent of testimony He who chose Samuel as priest and prophet Do not leave your sanctuary without performing the anointing ritual. He who was pleased to be glorified in the things he chose Even now, by the mediation of your Christ, pour out the power of your ruling Spirit for us, which serves your beloved Son Jesus Christ, whom you gave as a gift by your will to your holy apostles of the eternal God. Grant, in your name, O God who knows hearts, upon this your servant, whom I have chosen as bishop, to shepherd your holy flock and to serve you as high priest, blamelessly ministering night and day, and making atonement for your face, gathering together the number of those being saved, and offering to you the gifts of your holy Church. Grant him, Master Almighty, through your Christ, the participation of the Holy Spirit. So that he may have the authority to forgive sins according to your command, to give shares according to your instruction, and to loosen every bond according to the power you gave to the apostles. And to please you with meekness, and with a pure heart, without turning aside, without blame, without reproach, offering you a pure and bloodless sacrifice, which through Christ I arrange as the mystery of the New Covenant, as a fragrant aroma, through your holy Son Jesus Christ our God and Savior [PG 1.1076] . Through whom be glory, honor, and worship to you, in the Holy Spirit, now, and always, and forever and ever. And after these things were prayed, the other priests responded, Amen. and with them all the people And after the prayer, one of the bishops shall offer the sacrifice upon the hands of the one who was ordained. And at dawn let him be enthroned in the place assigned to him by the other bishops, all of them greeting him with the kiss of peace in the Lord. And after the reading of the law and the prophets, and also of our letters and of the acts and the gospels, let the one who was ordained greet the church, saying The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. and all shall respond. And with your spirit. And after the greeting, let him speak words of encouragement to the people. And when he has finished the word of teaching, I, Andrew, the brother of Peter, say, with all standing, the deacon, having gone up to a certain high place, shall preach. "Let no one of those listening "Let no one of the unbelievers. And when there is silence, let him say:

Chapter 6

The divine service, in which there is an address on behalf of the catechumens.

Pray, you who are being catechized And let all the faithful pray mentally on their behalf, saying Lord, have mercy And let him serve on their behalf, saying For all who are being catechized, let us all entreat God, that the good, kind, and gracious One may hear their prayers and supplications favorably, and receiving their plea, may take them up on their behalf, and grant them the desires of their hearts for their benefit, reveal to them the Gospel of Christ, enlighten and instruct them, discipline them in the knowledge of God, teach them his commandments and laws, plant in them his pure and saving fear, open the ears of their hearts to be devoted day and night to his law, strengthen them in piety, unite and enroll them in his holy flock, make them worthy of the bath of rebirth, the garment of incorruption, and of true life, deliver them from all ungodliness, and give no place to the enemy against them, cleanse them from every defilement of flesh and spirit, dwell in them and walk with them through Christ, bless their entrances and exits, and guide their plans for their good. Let us also earnestly pray for them, that having received forgiveness of their faults through initiation, they may be made worthy of the holy mysteries and of dwelling with the saints. Rise up, those who are being catechized. Ask for the peace of God through Christ himself, a peaceful day and a blameless one, and all the time of your life, your Christian end, a merciful and kind God, forgiveness of faults, and present yourselves to the only unbegotten God through Christ himself. Bow down, and be blessed. At each of these, which the deacon addresses, as we said before, let the people respond. Lord, have mercy. And before all, the children As they bow their heads, let the bishop who was ordained bless them with this blessing [PG 1.1080] . God the almighty, the unbegotten and inaccessible, the only true God, the God and Father of your Christ, your only-begotten Son, the God of the Paraclete, and Lord of all, who through Christ appointed the disciples as teachers toward the learning of piety, himself even now look upon your servants, those being catechized in the Gospel of your Christ, and give them a new heart, and immediately renew a spirit within their inmost parts, so that they may know and do your will, with a willing heart and soul full of devotion. Make them worthy of the holy initiation, and unite them with your holy Church, and make them sharers of the divine mysteries, through Christ, our hope, who died for them. Through whom be glory and honor to you, in the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen And after this, let the deacon say. Come forward, those being instructed, in peace. And after they have gone out, let him say. Pray, those who are being acted upon by unclean spirits. Let us all earnestly pray for them. That the loving God, through Christ, may rebuke the unclean and evil spirits, and rescue his supplicants from the oppression of the foreign power. He who rebuked the legion of demons and the chief evil devil, may he himself now rebuke the deserters from piety, and rescue his creatures from his power, and cleanse those whom he made with much wisdom. Let us still earnestly pray for them. Save and raise them up, O God, by your power. Bow down, you who are at work, and be blessed. And let the bishop pray, saying:

Chapter 7.

For those who are at work.

He who bound the strong one, and seized all his weapons;

he who gave us authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy;

he who delivered to us the serpent who kills men as a prisoner, like a little bird to children;

whom all shudder and tremble before your power;

he who struck him down like lightning from heaven to earth, not by a local crack, but from honor to dishonor, through his own willing wickedness;

whose gaze dries up abysses, and whose threat melts mountains, and whose truth remains forever;

whom infants praise, and those who suckle bless;

whom angels hymn and worship;

he who looks upon the earth and makes it tremble;

he who touches the mountains and they smoke;

he who threatens the sea and dries it up, and makes all the rivers themselves desolate, [PG 1.1081] whose feet are clouds of dust;

he who walks on the sea as if on dry land;

only-begotten God, Son of the great Father;

rebuke the evil spirits, and rescue the works of your hands from the power of the foreign spirit;

for to you belongs glory, honor, and worship, and through you to your Father, in the Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.

And let the deacon say:

"Come forward, those who are at work;" and after them, let him call out:

"Pray, those who are being enlightened."

Let all the faithful earnestly pray for them, that the Lord may deem them worthy, having been initiated into the death of Christ, to rise with him, and to become partakers of his kingdom, and sharers of his mysteries, and that he may unite and count them among those saved in his holy Church.

Save and raise them up in your grace.

Having been sealed to God through Christ, bowing down, let them be blessed by the bishop with this blessing:

Chapter 8

For those being baptized.

He who foretold through your holy prophets to those being initiated "Wash yourselves, become clean. And through Christ establishing the spiritual rebirth He even now looks upon those being baptized, and bless them. and sanctify, and prepare them to become worthy of your spiritual gift, and of true adoption as children, of your spiritual mysteries, of the gathering together with those who are saved, through Christ our Savior. Through whom be glory, honor, and worship to you, in the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen And let the deacon say Let those being baptized come forward And after this, let him preach Let those in repentance pray Let us all earnestly pray for the brothers in repentance. That the merciful God may show them the way of repentance. May he accept their return and confession, and [PG 1.1084] "crush Satan under their feet quickly, and may he free them from the trap of the devil and the influence of demons, and may he remove them from every unlawful word, every improper action, and every evil thought. May he forgive them all their offenses, both voluntary and involuntary, and erase the record written against them, and may they be enrolled in the book of life. May he cleanse them from every stain of flesh and spirit, and unite them, restoring them to his holy flock. For he himself knows our nature. For "who will boast of having a pure heart?" Or who will speak boldly of being free from sin? For we all are under blame. Let us pray even more earnestly for them. because "there is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, so that, having turned away from every unlawful deed, they may become accustomed to every good action. so that the loving God, having kindly received their prayers quickly, may restore to them the joy of salvation, and may strengthen them with a guiding spirit, so that they no longer be shaken, but become sharers of his holy saints and partners in the divine mysteries. so that, having been shown worthy of adoption as sons, they may obtain eternal life. Let us all still earnestly pray for them. Lord, have mercy. Save them, God, and raise them up by your mercy. Having risen to God through Christ, bow down and be blessed. Therefore, let the bishop pray these things:

Chapter 9

Laying on of hands, and prayer for those in repentance.

Almighty God eternal, Master of all, creator and ruler of all; you who made man the world's universe through Christ, and gave him a law both natural and written, so that he might live rightly as a rational being; and to the sinner gave a warning toward repentance as a sign of your goodness; look upon those bowed down to you in soul and body; for you do not want the death of the sinner, but repentance, so that he may turn away from his evil way and live. You accepted the repentance of the Ninevites; you want all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth; you accepted the son who wasted his life in reckless living, with a father's compassion, because of repentance; now also accept the repentance of your supplicants; for there is no one who will not sin against you: "If you, Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand? For with you there is forgiveness." Restore them to your holy Church, in their former dignity and honor, through Christ our God and Savior; through whom be glory and worship to you, in the Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.

And let the deacon say: "Depart, those in repentance." And he shall add: "Let none who are unable come forward; all the faithful, let us kneel; let us pray to God through Christ his Son." Let us all earnestly entreat God through Christ his Son.

Chapter 10

Address on behalf of the faithful.

Let us pray for the peace and stability of the world and of the holy Churches, that the eternal and unchanging God of all may grant us his peace, so that, filled with the fullness of godly virtue, he may keep us steadfast. Let us pray for the holy catholic and apostolic Church, from one end to the other. That the Lord may keep her unshaken and unshaken, and preserve her until the end of the age, founded upon the rock. And let us pray for the holy community here. That the Lord of all may make us worthy to pursue his heavenly hope without hesitation, and to offer him without ceasing the debt of prayer. Let us pray for every bishop under heaven who rightly teaches the word of your truth. And let us pray for our bishop James and for his communities. [PG 1.1088] Let us pray for our bishop Clement and for his communities. Let us pray for our bishop Evodius and for his communities. That the merciful God may grant that they be kept safe, honored, and live long among his holy Churches. And may he grant them an honorable old age in piety and righteousness. And let us pray for our elders. That the Lord may rescue them from every improper and evil thing, and grant them a safe and honorable old age. Let us pray for all the ministry and service in Christ. That the Lord may grant them an unblemished ministry. Let us pray for the readers, singers, virgins, widows, and orphans. Let us pray for those in marriage and those with children. That the Lord may have mercy on all of them. Let us pray for eunuchs who live in holiness. Let us pray for those who live in self-control and reverence. Let us pray for those who bear fruit in the holy Church and who give alms to the poor. And let us pray for those who offer sacrifices and first fruits to the Lord our God. That the all-good God may repay them with his heavenly gifts, and give them a hundredfold in this present life, and in the life to come eternal life, and grant them the eternal instead of the temporary, the heavenly instead of the earthly. Let us pray for our newly baptized brothers. That the Lord may strengthen and confirm them. Let us pray for our brothers who are being tested by illness. That the Lord may rescue them from every disease and every weakness, and restore them safely to his holy Church. Let us pray for travelers and those on journeys. Let us pray for those who are in mines, in exile, in prisons, and in chains because of the name of the Lord. Let us pray for those who are suffering in bitter slavery. Let us pray for our enemies and those who hate us. Let us pray for those who persecute us because of the name of the Lord. That the Lord, by calming their anger, may scatter the wrath against us. Let us pray for those who are outside and have gone astray. That the Lord may bring them back. Let us remember the infants of the Church. That the Lord, having perfected them in his fear, may lead them to the measure of maturity. Let us pray for one another. That the Lord may keep us and guard us by his grace to the end, and may rescue us from the evil one and from all the traps set by lawlessness, and save us into his heavenly kingdom. Let us pray for every Christian soul. Save and raise us up, God, by your mercy. Let us rise. Having prayed earnestly for ourselves and for one another to the living God through Christ, let us commit ourselves. Let the high priest pray, and say:

Chapter 11

The Invocation of the Faithful.

Lord Almighty, Most High, who dwells in the highest places, [PG 1.1089] holy resting among the holy, without beginning, sole ruler who through Christ gave us the proclamation of knowledge for the full understanding of your glory and your name, which he revealed to us for our grasp He himself even now looks through him upon this, your flock and to redeem it from all ignorance and evil deeds and grant that it may fear you with reverence, love you with affection, and be sent away from the presence of your glory Be kind to them, and gracious, and attentive to their prayers And keep them blameless, without fault, beyond reproach So that they may be holy in body and soul, having no stain or wrinkle or anything like that But so that they may be complete, and no one among them is lacking or incomplete Help, mighty one, impartial one, become the defender of your people, whom you have redeemed with the precious blood of your Christ. Protector, helper, steward, guardian, strongest wall, barrier, safety, because no one can seize from your hand. For there is no God like you, another. For in you is our hope. "Sanctify them in your truth, for your word is truth. Ungrateful, unreasonable Deliver them from every disease and every weakness, from every fault, every attack and deceit, from the fear of the enemy, from the arrow flying by day, from the thing that walks in darkness. And make them worthy of eternal life, which is in Christ your Son, your only-begotten, God and Savior of us. Through whom be glory and honor to you, in the Holy Spirit, now, and always, and forever and ever. Amen And after this, let the deacon say Let us pay attention And let the bishop greet the church, and say The peace of God be with you all and let the people respond And with your spirit And let the deacon say to all Greet one another with a holy kiss And let those of the clergy greet the bishop, the laymen greet the laymen, the women greet the women Let the children stand by the step, and let another deacon stand over them, so that they do not misbehave And let other deacons walk around and watch the men and the women, so that no noise is made, and that no one nods, or whispers, or falls asleep. Let the deacons stand at the doors of the men's section, and the subdeacons at the doors of the women's section. So that no one goes out, nor the door is opened, even if someone is a believer, during the time of the offering. Let one subdeacon give the priests a washing of the hands, a sign of the purity of souls offered to God.

[PG 1.1092]

Chapter 12

The Rule of James, the brother of John the Zebedee.

I, James, the brother of John the Zebedee, say this, so that the deacon may speak immediately. Let no one of the catechumens Let no one of the hearers Let no one of the unbelievers Let no one of the heretics Those who pray the first prayer, come forward Receive the children, mothers. Let no one be against anyone. Let no one be in hypocrisy. Let us stand upright before the Lord with fear and trembling to offer. When these things have happened, let the deacons bring the gifts to the bishop at the altar. And let the elders stand on his right and on his left, as disciples standing near their teacher. Two deacons, one on each side of the altar, should hold a fine veil, or the feathers of a fan, or a cloth. And let them gently drive away the small flying insects, so that they do not fall into the cups. Then the high priest, praying silently for himself along with the priests, and having put on a bright garment, and standing by the altar, making the sign of the cross on his forehead with his hand toward everyone, should say: The grace of the almighty God, and the love of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. And let all say together in agreement, "And with your spirit." And the high priest Lift up your mind. and all We have toward the Lord And the high priest Let us give thanks to the Lord and all [PG 1.1093] It is right and just And let the high priest say It is truly right and just, before all, to praise you, the truly existing God, the one who exists before the ages, "from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named." the only unbegotten, without beginning, without king, and without master, the one without lack, the giver of every good thing, greater than every cause and origin, always existing in the same way and manner from whom all things, just as from a certain starting point, came into being. For you are the beginningless knowledge, the eternal vision, the unbegotten hearing, the unlearned wisdom. The first by nature, and the law of being, and greater than every number. Bringing all things from non-being into being through your only-begotten Son. But having begotten him before all ages by will, and power, and goodness, without mediation, your only-begotten Son, the Word of God, living Wisdom, the firstborn of all creation, the Angel of your great counsel, your high priest, and king and lord of every intellectual and sensible nature, the one before all things, through whom all things. For you, eternal God, made all things through him, and through him you assign all things their proper care. For through him I will grant existence, and through him I will also give well-being. God and Father of your only-begotten Son, who through him made before all things the cherubim and the seraphim, the ages and the armies, the powers [PG 1.1096] and authorities, the principalities and thrones, the archangels and angels. And after these, having made through him this visible world, and all things in it. For you are the one who set the heaven like a vault, and stretched it out like a curtain, and established the earth on nothing but your own will alone. The one who fixed the firmament, and made night and day. The one who brought forth light from the treasures, and with its brightness brought in darkness, as a rest for the living creatures moving in the world. The one who set the sun as the ruler of the day in the sky, and the moon as the ruler of the night, and arranged the dance of the stars in the sky, as praise for your greatness. The one who made water for drinking and cleansing, vital air for breathing and for producing voice through the tongue striking the air, and hearing working together with it as if understanding the speech that falls upon it. The one who made fire as a comfort against darkness, as a supply against need, and for us to be warmed and lit by it. The one who separated the great sea from the land, making one navigable by ships and the other walkable by foot, filling one with many small and large animals, and the other with tame and wild creatures, crowning it with various plants and herbs, adorning it with flowers, and enriching it with seeds. The one who established the abyss, and placed a great sea monster in it, gathering the salty waters into seas, and enclosing it with gates of very fine sand. The one who sometimes with winds raises it to the size of mountains, [PG 1.1097] sometimes spreading it out into a plain, and sometimes stirring it up in storm, sometimes calming it with calm, so that it may be easy for sailors to navigate. The one who girded the world made from you through Christ with rivers, and flooded it with torrents, and filled it with ever-flowing springs, and surrounded the mountains to make a most secure resting place of unshaken earth. For you filled your world and adorned it with fragrant and healing plants. With many and diverse animals, strong and weaker, edible and active, tame and wild. With the whistles of reptiles, the varied cries of birds. In the cycles of years, the counts of months and days, the orders of seasons. In the courses of rain-bearing clouds, toward the birth of fruits, and the formation of animals, the measure of winds blowing when ordered by you, the abundance of plants and herbs. And not only did you create the world But you also made the citizen of the world, man, within it, making him a world of the world. For you said to your Wisdom "Let us make man in our image, and in our likeness and let them be rulers over the fish of the sea, and the birds of the sky. Therefore, you also made him from an immortal soul and a scattered body the one from non-being, and the other from the four elements. And you gave him, according to the soul, rational understanding, the ability to distinguish piety and impiety, and the observation of the just and the unjust. But according to the body, I will grant the fivefold sense and the power of changing movement. For you, almighty God, through Christ planted a paradise in Eden toward the east, full of all kinds of edible plants, and in it you brought him in as if into a richly furnished home. And you gave him a natural law for doing, so that he might have within himself and from himself the seeds of knowledge of God. Bringing him into the paradise of delight, you gave him authority to partake of everything, but you forbade him the taste of only one, with the hope of better things, so that if he kept the command, he would receive immortality as its reward. But when he neglected the command and tasted the forbidden fruit through the deceit of the serpent and the counsel of a woman, you rightly cast him out of paradise, yet you did not look down on him as completely lost to goodness. For he was your creation. But having subjected creation to him, you gave him to provide his food by his own sweat and toil, from all that grows, increases, and ripens by you. But after causing him to sleep for a short time, you called him by oath to rebirth. Having broken the bond of death, you promised life through resurrection. And not only this, but you also poured out from him an innumerable multitude, those who remained faithful to you you glorified, [PG 1.1100] but those who turned away from you you punished. And as for Abel, having accepted the sacrifice as a holy one, but having turned away from the gift of the brother-killer Cain, as a sinner, And in addition to these, you received Seth and Enos, and you translated Enoch. For you are the creator of humans, the giver of life, and the fulfiller of need. and the giver of the laws, the rewarder of those who keep them, and the avenger of those who break them. You, who brought the great flood upon the world because of the many wicked, and saved the righteous Noah from the flood in an ark with eight souls, the end of those who had passed away, and the beginning of those who were to come. You, who kindled the terrible fire against the five cities of Sodom, and turned the fertile land into salt because of the wickedness of those living there, and rescued the holy Lot from the burning. You are the one who saved Abraham from ancestral wickedness, made him heir of the world, and revealed to him your Christ. You, who appointed Melchizedek as high priest of the worship. You, who made your much-suffering servant Job the conqueror of the ancient evil serpent. You, who made Isaac the son of promise. You, who made Jacob the father of twelve sons, and poured them out into a multitude, and brought them into Egypt with seventy-five souls. You, Lord, did not overlook Joseph. But you gave him the reward of his self-control for your sake—the rule over the Egyptians. You, Lord, did not abandon the Hebrews who were oppressed under the Egyptians, because of the promises made to their fathers. But I will rescue them, having punished the Egyptians. When people have corrupted the natural law and creation, sometimes thinking it happens by chance, sometimes giving it more or less honor than it deserves, and arranging it all under you, God of all, You did not allow them to be led astray, but by raising up your holy servant Moses, through him you gave the written law to help the natural law, and showed that creation is your work, while you banished the many-god error. You glorified Aaron and those from his line with priestly honor. You punished the Hebrews when they sinned, but welcomed them when they repented. I will punish the Egyptians with ten plagues. You parted the sea and led the Israelites across. You destroyed the Egyptians as they pursued beneath the waves. You sweetened the bitter water with wood. You brought forth water from the cutting edge of the rock. You rained down the manna from heaven. You provided food from the air, a quail mother. A pillar of fire by night for light, and a pillar of cloud by day for shade and warmth. Raising up Jesus as commander, you defeated seven nations of the Canaanites through him, you split the Jordan, you dried up the rivers of Etham, you brought down walls without machines or human hands [PG 1.1101] . Above all, glory to you, Master almighty. Countless armies of angels, archangels, thrones, dominions, rulers, authorities, powers, hosts, and ages worship you. The cherubim and the six-winged seraphim, with two covering their feet, with two covering their heads, with two flying, and saying together with thousands of thousands of archangels and myriads of myriads of angels, unceasingly and silently, cry out: and let all the people together say: "Holy, holy, holy, Lord of hosts, heaven and earth are full of his glory." Blessed forevermore. Amen. And let the high priest say next. For you are truly holy, and all-holy, most high and exalted forever. Holy also is your only-begotten Son, our Lord and God Jesus Christ. Who, having served you, his God and Father, in all things, both in a different creation and in fitting providence, did not overlook the human race as lost, but through natural law, through legal exhortation, through prophetic rebukes, and through the oversight of angels—who, together with the lawgiver, corrupted the natural law and, by their memory, cast out the flood, the burning, the plagues against the Egyptians, the slaughter of the Palestinians, and all those things yet to come that would not perish—he himself, by your will, the creator of man, was pleased to become man, the lawgiver under laws, the high priest as priest, the shepherd as sheep, and he reconciled you to his own God and Father, and reconciled the world, and freed all from the coming wrath, becoming from a virgin, becoming in the flesh, the God Word, the beloved Son, the firstborn of all creation, according to the prophecies about him foretold by himself, from the seed of David and Abraham, of the tribe of Judah. And he was born in the womb of a virgin, the one who forms all who are born, and the incorporeal one was made flesh, the one born without time has come into time. Living piously and teaching reverently, he drove away every disease and every weakness from people, and performed signs and wonders among the people. Receiving food and drink and sleep, he who feeds all those in need of food, and fills every living creature with good will. He revealed your name to those who did not know it, he drove away ignorance, he rekindled piety, he fulfilled your will, he completed the work which you gave him. And having accomplished all these things, being seized by the hands of lawless men, by false priests and high priests and an unlawful people, by the betrayal of the one who was sick with evil, and having suffered many things from them, and having endured every dishonor with your forgiveness, being handed over to Pilate the governor, and judged by the judge, and condemned by the Savior, the impassive one was nailed to the cross, and the one immortal by nature died, [PG 1.1104] and the life-giving one was buried, so that he might break the power of suffering and death for those through whom he came, and break the bonds of the devil, and rescue people from his deception. and he rose from the dead on the third day and having spent forty days with the disciples, he was taken up into heaven, and sat down at your right hand, God and Father of him Remembering then what he endured for us, we give thanks to you, almighty God, not as much as we owe, but as much as we are able, and we fulfill his command. For on the night he was betrayed, taking bread with his holy and spotless hands, and looking up to you, his God and Father, and breaking it, he gave it to the disciples saying, "This is the mystery of the New Covenant Take from it, eat This is my body, which is broken for many for the forgiveness of sins Likewise, after mixing the cup with wine and water, and blessing it, he gave it to them, saying Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim my death until I come. Remembering then his passion, and his death, and his resurrection from the dead, and his ascent into heaven, and his future second coming, in which he comes with glory and power to judge the living and the dead, and to give to each according to his works, we offer to you, the king and God, according to his command, this bread and this cup, giving thanks to you through him, by which you have made us worthy to stand before you and to serve you as priests; and we ask you to look favorably upon these gifts set before you, you the God who lacks nothing, and to be pleased with them for the honor of your Christ, and to send down your holy Spirit upon this sacrifice, the witness of the sufferings of the Lord Jesus, so that he may declare this bread to be the body of your Christ, and this cup to be the blood of your Christ, so that those who partake of it may be strengthened in piety, receive forgiveness of sins, be delivered from the devil and his deception, be filled with the holy Spirit, become worthy of your Christ, and receive eternal life, having been reconciled to you, Master almighty. We also pray to you, Lord, for your holy Church from one end of the earth [PG 1.1105] to the other, which you have redeemed with the precious blood of your Christ, that you may keep it undefiled and unshaken until the end of the age. and for every bishop who rightly teaches the word of truth We also entreat you for me, the one offering to you nothing, and for all the presbytery, for the deacons and all the clergy, that you may make them all wise and fill them with the holy Spirit. We also entreat you, Lord, for the king and those in authority, and for the whole army, that peace may be kept with us, so that living in quiet and harmony all the time of our life, we may glorify you through Jesus Christ, our hope. We also offer to you prayers for all the saints who have pleased you from eternity—patriarchs, prophets, righteous ones, apostles, martyrs, confessors, bishops, presbyters, deacons, subdeacons, readers, singers, virgins, widows, laypeople, and all whose names you yourself know. We also offer to you for this people, that you may make them a royal priesthood, a holy nation, to the praise of your Christ. For those in virginity and purity, for the widows of the Church, for those in honorable marriages and childbearing, for the infants of your people, that you may make none of us rejected. We also ask you for this city and those who live in it, for those who are sick, for those in bitter slavery, for those in exile, for those in captivity, for travelers and those on journeys. That you may become a helper, a helper and supporter of all. We also ask you for those who hate us and persecute us because of your name, for those outside and those who are lost, that you may turn them to good and calm their anger. We also ask you for those being instructed in the Church, for those suffering under the enemy, and for our brothers who are in repentance. so that you may perfect some in faith, cleanse others from the power of evil, receive the repentance of others, and forgive both them and us our offenses. We also offer to you prayers for the good condition of the air and the abundance of the crops. so that, continually receiving the good things from you, we may praise you without ceasing, the one who gives food to every flesh. We also beseech you for those who are absent for a reasonable cause. so that, keeping us all in piety, you may gather us together in the kingdom of your Christ, the God of all visible and invisible nature, our king, unchanging, blameless, and beyond reproach. For to you belongs all glory, reverence, and thanksgiving, honor and worship, to the Father, [PG 1.1108] and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and always, and forever and ever without end. And let all the people say. Amen And let the bishop say. The peace of God be with you all. And let all the people say. And with your spirit. And let the deacon proclaim again;

Chapter 13

Address to the faithful after the divine offering.

Let us pray still and again to God through Christ, for the gift brought to the Lord God, that the good God may accept it through the mediation of Christ, into his heavenly altar, as a pleasing fragrance. Let us pray for this Church and the people, for every bishop, every elder, all the ministry and service in Christ, for the whole body of the Church let us pray. That the Lord may keep and protect them all. Let us pray for kings and those in authority. That the things concerning us may be peaceful, so that having a calm and quiet life, we may live in all godliness and dignity. Let us remember the holy martyrs. So that we may be deemed worthy to share in their struggle. Let us pray for those resting in faith. Let us pray for the good balance of the airs and the fruitfulness of the crops. Let us pray for the newly baptized. That they may be strengthened in the faith, and that all may be encouraged by one another. May God raise us up in your grace. Having risen, let us offer ourselves to God through Christ. And let the bishop speak. God, the great and glorious, great in counsel and mighty in works, God and Father of your holy Child Jesus our Savior, look upon us and upon this your flock, which through him you have chosen for the glory of your name. Having made our body and soul holy, make us worthy to be pure from every stain of flesh and spirit, to receive the good things prepared, and judge none of us unworthy, but be our helper, protector, and defender, through your Christ. With whom be glory, honor, praise, worship, and thanksgiving to you and to the Holy Spirit, forever. Amen And after saying all, Amen. Let the deacon speak. Let us pay attention. And let the bishop address the people as follows. The holy things for the holy ones. And let the people respond. One holy, one Lord, one Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father, blessed forever. Amen "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill among men. Hosanna to the Son of David." Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord, God is Lord, and he has appeared to us "Hosanna in the highest." And after this, let the bishop partake, then the elders, and the deacons, and the subdeacons, and the readers, and the chanters, and the ascetics, and among the women the deaconesses, and the virgins, and the widows, then the children, and then all the people in order, with reverence and devotion, without noise. And let the bishop give the offering, saying The body of Christ. And the one receiving it should say Amen And the deacon should hold the cup, and as he gives it, he should say The blood of Christ, the cup of life and the one drinking should say Amen Let Psalm thirty-third be said when all the others are partaking. And when all have partaken, and all, the deacons, having taken the leftovers, shall carry them into the store rooms. And the deacon shall say, when the one singing has stopped:

Chapter 14

Address after the Communion.

Having received the precious body and the precious blood of Christ, let us give thanks to the one who has made us worthy to partake of his holy mysteries, and let us pray that it may be not for judgment but for salvation for us, for the benefit of soul and body, for a guard of piety, for the forgiveness of sins, for life in the age to come. Let us rise. In the grace of Christ, let us entrust ourselves to God, the only unbegotten God, and to his Christ. And let the bishop give thanks.

Chapter 15

Invocation after the Communion.

Master God Almighty, Father of your Christ, the blessed Child, who listens to those who call on you with sincerity, who also understands the silent prayers, we thank you, because you have made us worthy to partake of your holy mysteries, which you have given us as full knowledge of what is well known, as a guard of piety, as forgiveness of sins. because the name of your Christ has been called upon us, and we have approached you. He who separated us from the fellowship of the ungodly, unite us with those who are made holy to you, strengthen us in the truth of the coming of the Holy Spirit, reveal what is unknown, fill in what is lacking, confirm what is known. Keep the priests blameless in your worship. Preserve the kings in peace, the rulers in justice, the winds in good balance, the fruits in abundance, the world in all-powerful care. Calm the warlike nations. Turn back those who have gone astray. Sanctify your people. Keep those who are in virginity. Keep those in marriage safe in faith. Strengthen those in purity. Encourage the infants. Confirm the newly baptized. Train those in catechesis, and make them worthy of initiation. And gather us all into the kingdom of heaven, in Christ Jesus our Lord. With whom be glory, honor, and worship to you, and to the Holy Spirit, forever. Amen And let the deacon say Bow to God through Christ, and be blessed And let the bishop pray, saying God the almighty, the true and incomparable, who is everywhere and present to all, and in no place as if existing in it, who cannot be contained by places, who is not worn down by time, who is not limited by ages, who is not produced by words, who is not subject to birth, who does not need guarding, who is above decay, who is not subject to change, who is uncorrupted by nature, who dwells in inaccessible light, who is invisible by nature, who is known to all rational beings who seek you with goodwill, who is grasped by those who seek you with goodwill, God of Israel, who truly sees, of your people who have believed in Christ [PG 1.1113] being gracious, hear me for the sake of your name, and bless those who have called upon you with their own necks, and grant them the requests of their hearts that are for their benefit, and do not make any of them cast out from your kingdom. But sanctify them, protect them, cover them, take their side, rescue them from strangers, from every enemy, guard their homes, watch over their entrances and their exits. For to you belongs glory, praise, majesty, reverence, and worship, to your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord and God and King, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and always, and forever and ever. Amen And the deacon will say Go in peace These things concerning the sacred worship we, the apostles, order to you, the bishops, and the elders, and the deacons.

Chapter 16

On the ordination of elders, the instruction of John, who is loved by the Lord .

On the ordination of elders, I, the one loved by the Lord, give this instruction to you, the bishops. When you ordain an elder, O bishop, lay your hand on his head yourself, with the elder present to you and the deacons; and while praying say: "Lord almighty, our God, who created all things through Christ, and through him governs all things rightly; for just as power can make distinctions, so power can govern differently. For this reason God watches over, guarding the immortal ones alone, but for the mortal ones, by succession, laws care for the soul, and the body is supplied what it lacks. So now look upon your holy Church, and increase it, and multiply those who lead in it, and give strength to them to labor in word and deed for the building up of your people. Now also look upon this your servant, who has been given the office of elder by the vote and judgment of the whole clergy [PG 1.1116] , and fill him with the spirit of grace and counsel, to take hold of and govern your people with a pure heart; just as you looked upon your chosen people, and commanded Moses to choose elders, whom you filled with spirit. And now, Lord, grant that we may keep without fail the spirit of your grace within us; so that, filled with healing works and teaching words, he may gently train your people, and serve you sincerely with a pure mind and willing soul, and perform the sacred duties for the people without fault, through your Christ; to whom be glory, honor, and worship, with the holy Spirit, forever. Amen."

Chapter 17

On the ordination of deacons, the instruction of Philip .

On the ordination of deacons, I, Philip, give this instruction. You will appoint a deacon, O bishop, laying your hands on him, with all the elders and deacons present to you, and after praying you will say:

Chapter 18

Invocation for the ordination of a deacon.

God, the almighty, the true and without deceit, the one who richly gives to all who call on you in truth, the awesome in counsel, the wise in understanding, the strong and great; hear our prayer, Lord, and listen to our plea, and make your face shine upon this servant of yours, whom we set apart for ministry, and fill him with the Holy Spirit and power, just as you filled Stephen the martyr, the imitator of the sufferings of your Christ. Grant that he may serve the ministry entrusted to him acceptably, without turning back, without blame, without reproach, and be made worthy of a higher rank, through the mediation of your only-begotten Son; to whom be glory, honor, and worship, together with the Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.

Chapter 19

On the Deaconess, the Ordination of Bartholomew.

On the deaconess, Bartholomew I ordain: "O bishop, you will lay your hands on her, with the presbytery and the deacons and the deaconesses present, and you will say—

Chapter 20

Invocation at the ordination of a deaconess.

God the eternal, the Father of our Lord [PG 1.1117] Jesus Christ, the creator of man and woman, who filled with the Spirit Mary and Deborah, and Anna, and Hulda, who did not refuse that your only-begotten Son be born of a woman, who also in the tent of testimony and in the temple appointed the guards of your holy gates; he himself now look upon this servant of yours, who is being appointed to the ministry, and give her the Holy Spirit, and cleanse her from every defilement of flesh and spirit, so that she may worthily carry out the work entrusted to her, to your glory, and the praise of your Christ; with whom be glory and worship to you, and to the Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.

Chapter 21

On the appointment of subdeacons by Thomas .

Concerning subdeacons, I, Thomas, give this order to you, the bishops. When you ordain a subdeacon, bishop, place your hands on him and say: "Master God, creator of heaven and earth and of all things in them, who also in the tent of testimony appointed the attendants as guardians of your holy vessels; now look upon this your servant, who is being appointed subdeacon, and give him the Holy Spirit, so that he may worthily handle your liturgical vessels and always do your will, through your Christ; with whom be glory, honor, and worship to you and to the Holy Spirit, forever. Amen."

Chapter 22

On readers, the order of Matthew .

Concerning readers, I, Matthew, also called Levi, once a tax collector, give this order. When you appoint a reader, lay your hand on him, and praying to God, say: The eternal God, rich in mercy and compassion, who made the order of the world known through his works, and preserves the number of your chosen ones; now look upon your servant who is being appointed to read your holy Scriptures to your people, and give him the Holy Spirit, a prophetic Spirit. He who made your servant Ezra wise to read your laws to your people; and now, as we ask, make your servant wise, and give him a faultless work to carry out what has been entrusted to him, worthy to be raised to a higher rank; through Christ, with whom be glory and honor to you and to the Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.

Chapter 23

The order of James the son of Alphaeus concerning confessors.

James the son of Alphaeus, I too give an order concerning confessors. A confessor is not ordained; for this requires judgment and great endurance, as one who has confessed the name of God and of Christ before nations and kings. But if there is a need for him to become a bishop, or a presbyter, or a deacon, he is ordained. If any confessor, not ordained, takes to himself such a rank because of his confession, let him be removed and cast out; for he is not one, since he has denied the order of Christ and is worse than an unbeliever.

[PG 1.1121]

Chapter 24

Of the same concerning virgins.

The same one, I arrange concerning virgins : A virgin is not to be ordained. For we do not have the command of the Lord; the reward is a matter of opinion. It is not because of a slander against marriage, but for the sake of the devotion of piety.

Chapter 25

The regulation of Lebbaios, called Thaddaeus, concerning widows.

And I, Lebbaios, called Thaddaeus, arrange the following concerning widows. A widow is not to be ordained; but if she has lost her husband long ago, and has lived wisely and without blame, and has taken the best care of her household, like Judith and Anna, the most honorable women, let her be enrolled among the widows. But if she has recently lost her spouse, she is not to be trusted, but her youth is to be judged over time. For passions remain even when a person grows old, unless they are held back by a stronger rein.

Chapter 26

The same concerning the perjurer.

The same, I decree concerning the perjurer. A perjurer is not to be ordained. For the reward of voluntary goodwill and the grace of God through Christ will come by the Holy Spirit; for the one who has received the gift of healing is revealed by God through revelation, showing clearly to all the grace within him. But if there is a need for him to become a bishop, or a presbyter, or a deacon, he is to be ordained.

Chapter 27

Simon the Cananean, concerning how many people must ordain a bishop.

Simon the Cananean, I also decree by how many people a bishop must be ordained. A bishop is to be ordained by three or two bishops. But if someone is ordained bishop by only one, let both he and the one who ordained him be removed.

However, if it is necessary for someone to be ordained by only one, because more cannot come due to persecution or some other such reason, a decision must be obtained from the committee of several bishops.

Chapter 28

The same rules concerning bishops, elders, deacons, and other clergy.

The same, I decree concerning the rules. A bishop blesses, he is not blessed; he appoints by laying on of hands, he ordains, he offers, and he receives blessing from bishops, but not at all from elders. A bishop removes from office any clergyman worthy of removal, except a bishop; for he alone is not able. An elder blesses, he is not blessed; he receives blessing from a bishop and also from a fellow elder, and likewise he gives blessing to a fellow elder; he appoints by laying on of hands, but does not ordain; he does not remove from office, but he excommunicates those [PG 1.1125] who have fallen into sin, if they are responsible for such punishment. A deacon does not bless, does not give blessing, but receives it from a bishop and an elder; he does not baptize; he does not offer, but when the bishop or the elder offers, he gives it to the people, not as a priest, but as one serving the priests. Of the other clergy, no one is allowed to perform the work of a deacon. A deaconess does not bless; nor does she perform any of the things that elders or deacons do, but only guards the doors and assists the elders in baptizing women, for propriety's sake. A deacon excommunicates a subdeacon, a reader, a psalmist, or a deaconess, if there is no elder present. A subdeacon is not allowed to excommunicate, neither a reader, nor a psalmist, nor a deaconess, neither a clergyman nor a layperson; for they are servants of the deacons.

Chapter 29

Concerning the blessing of water and oil, the rule of Matthew.

Concerning water and oil, I, Matthew, decree as follows. Let the bishop bless the water or the oil; but if he is not present, let the elder bless it, with the deacon present. And if the bishop is present, let the elder and the deacon stand by; and let him say as follows: "Lord of hosts, God of powers, creator of the waters and giver of the oil, merciful and loving mankind, who gave water for drinking and cleansing, and oil to cheer the face with joy and gladness; now also through Christ, sanctify this water and oil, in the name of the one who brought it, whether male or female, and give it the power to bring health, to drive away diseases, to banish demons, to repel every attack, through Christ, our hope; to whom be glory, honor, and worship, and to the Holy Spirit, forever. Amen."

Chapter 30

The same concerning first fruits and tithes.

The same, concerning first fruits and tithes. I also order that every first fruit be brought to the bishop and to the elders and the deacons, for their support; and every tithe is to be offered for the support of the other clergy, and of the virgins, and of the widows, and of those being tested in poverty. For the first fruits belong to the priests and to the deacons who serve them.

[PG 1.1128]

Chapter 31

The same concerning surpluses.

The same, concerning surpluses, I arrange. The deacons, according to the judgment of the bishop or the elders, shall distribute the surpluses from the sacred offerings to the clergy: the bishop receives four parts, the elder three parts, the deacon two parts; to the others, the subdeacons, or readers, or singers, or female assistants, one part. For this is good and acceptable before God, that each be honored according to his own worth; for the Church is not a place of disorder, but of good order.

Chapter 32

Various rules of Paul the Apostle, concerning those who come to baptism, whom to accept, and whom to reject.

I, Paul, the least of the apostles, order these things to you, the bishops and elders, concerning the rules. Those who first come to the mystery of piety should be brought by the deacons to the bishop or the elders. And their reasons should be examined, for the sake of which they came to the Lord's word. And those who brought them should bear witness to them, having carefully examined the matters concerning them. Let their conduct and way of life also be examined, and whether they are slaves or free. And if he is a faithful slave, let his master be asked whether he bears witness to him. But if not, let him be dismissed until he shows himself worthy to his master. But if he bears witness to him, let him be accepted. If the servant is a Gentile, let him be taught to please his master, so that the Word may not be blasphemed. If then he has a wife, or the wife has a husband, let them be taught to be content with each other. But if they are unmarried, let them learn not to commit fornication, but to marry according to the law. If his master is faithful, and knowing that he commits fornication, does not give him a wife, or does not give a husband to the wife, let him be separated. But if someone has a demon, let him be taught piety, but let him not be admitted into fellowship before he is cleansed. But if death [PG 1.1129] is pressing, let him be admitted. If someone is a fornicator, either let him stop pimping, or let him be cast out. If a prostitute comes near, either let her stop, or let her be cast out. If an idolater comes near, either let him stop, or let him be cast out. If any man, or woman, or charioteer, or gladiator, or runner, or ball-player, or Olympic athlete, or chorus leader, or lyre player, or harp player, or one who shows off dancing, or shopkeeper comes near the stage, either let them stop, or let them be cast out. If a soldier comes near, let him be taught not to do wrong, not to slander, and to be content with the pay given. If persuaded, let him be received. But if he argues, let him be cast out. A silent corrupter, a male prostitute, a fool, a sorcerer, a chant singer, an astrologer, a seer, a healer, a fortune-teller, a troublemaker, one who makes spells, a purifier, a diviner, a sign interpreter, an interpreter of pulses [PG 1.1132] , one who avoids meeting insults by sight, whether of feet, or birds, crows, or sounds, or symbolic whispers. Let them be tested over time. For evil is hard to recognize. Therefore, having stopped, let them wait; but if they do not obey, let them be cast away. Let her, a concubine's slave girl, devoted only to him, wait. But if she also acts shamelessly toward others, let her be cast away. If a man has a faithful concubine, if she is a slave girl, let him stop and marry her according to the law. But if she is free, let him marry her according to the law. But if not, let her be cast away. If someone follows Greek customs or Jewish myths, let him change or be cast away. If someone is attached to a passion for the theater, or to hunting, or to horse races, or to contests, Let him either stop or be cast away. Let the one who is about to be instructed be instructed for three years. But if someone is eager and has goodwill toward the matter, let him be welcomed. Because it is not the time, but the manner that is judged. The teacher, even if he is a layman, but experienced in the word and reverent in manner, let him teach. "For all will be taught by God." [PG 1.1133] Every faithful man or woman, rising early from sleep, before doing any work, having washed, let them pray. But if anyone is to have instruction in the word, let them prefer the word of piety before work. The faithful man or woman should pay kind attention to the servants. Just as we have also arranged in the previous instructions, and taught in the letters.

Chapter 33

What kind of days the servants should rest.

I, Paul, and I, Peter, give this order. Let the servants work five days; but on the Sabbath and the Lord's Day, let them rest in the Church for the teaching of piety. For the Sabbath, we say, has to do with creation; but the Lord's Day, with the resurrection. Let the servants rest the whole great week and the week after it; because one is the week of suffering, the other of resurrection, and there is need for teaching about who suffered and rose, or [PG 1.1136] who forgave, or who also rose again. Let them rest on the Ascension, because it marks the completion of the economy according to Christ. Let them rest on Pentecost, because of the coming of the Holy Spirit given to those who believe in Christ. Let them rest on the feast of the Nativity, because on that day the unexpected grace was given to people, that the Word of God, Jesus Christ, was born from Mary the virgin for the salvation of the world. Let them rest on the feast of the Epiphany, because on that day the divinity of Christ was revealed, as the Father testified to him at baptism, and the Advocate appeared in the form of a dove to those present, showing the one who was testified to. Let them rest on the days of the apostles; for they became your teachers in Christ, and made you worthy of the Spirit. Let them rest on the day of Stephen the first martyr, and on the days of the other holy martyrs, who honored Christ with their own lives.

Chapter 34.

At what hour, and why, one must pray at these times.

Pray at the hours of morning, the third hour, the sixth, the ninth, evening, and cockcrow. In the morning, give thanks because the Lord has enlightened you, bringing in the night and leading in the day. At the third hour, because the Lord received judgment from Pilate. At the sixth hour, because he was crucified then. At the ninth hour, because everything began to move with the Lord crucified, frightening the boldness of the ungodly Jews who could not bear the insult to the Lord. In the evening, give thanks because he gave you rest from the daily labors, the night; and at cockcrow, because it announces the hour of the coming day, for the work of the deeds of light.

If it is not possible to go to church because of unbelievers, gather at home, bishop; so that a devout person does not enter the church with the ungodly. For it is not the place that makes the person holy, but the person who makes the place holy. But if the ungodly hold the place, let it be avoided by you, because it is defiled by them. Just as holy priests make holy, so the impure defile.

If it is not possible to gather either at home or in church, let each one sing, read, and pray by himself or with two or three together. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them. A believer, after being catechized, should not pray at home; for it is not right for the initiated to be defiled with the uninitiated. A devout person should not pray at home with a heretic. "What fellowship has light with darkness?" If faithful servants are joined with unfaithful ones, let them either separate or be cast out.

Chapter 35

The instruction of James, the brother of Christ, concerning evening prayer.

And I, James, a brother according to the flesh of Christ, but a servant as of the only-begotten God, and bishop appointed by the Lord himself and the apostles over Jerusalem, say these things: When evening comes, gather the church, O bishop, and after the evening psalm has been said, the deacon will call out for those being catechized, those suffering, those being enlightened, and those in repentance, as we said before. After they have been dismissed, the deacon will say: "Let all who are faithful pray to the Lord." And after he has called out the first prayer, he will say:

Chapter 36

Evening Address.

Save and raise us up, God, through your Christ. Having risen, let us ask for the mercies of the Lord and his compassions, the angel over peace, the good and fitting Christian ends. Let us ask for an evening and a night that are peaceful and without sin, and for all the time of our life to be without blame. Let us entrust ourselves and one another to the living God, through his Christ, and the bishop, praying, should say:

[PG 1.1140]

Chapter 37

Thanksgiving at Evening Prayer.

The beginningless and endless God, the maker of all things through Christ and their guardian, before all things God and Father of him, the Lord of the Spirit, and king of the things seen and unseen, having made the day for works of light, and the night for the rest of our weakness, "For yours is the day, and yours is the night; you have made the light and the sun; Now yourself, master, lover of mankind and all-good, kindly accept this our evening thanksgiving. Who has brought us through the length of the day, and led us to the beginnings of the night, guard us through your Christ, grant a peaceful evening, and a sinless night, and make us worthy of eternal life, through your Christ. Through whom be glory, honor, and worship to you, in the Holy Spirit, forever. Amen And let the deacon say Bow down at the laying on of hands And let the bishop say God of the fathers, and Lord of mercy, who by your wisdom made man the rational being, the one loved by God on earth, and gave him authority over the things on the earth, and by your will appointed rulers and priests, some for the safety of life, others for lawful worship, Now also bow down yourself, Lord Almighty, and let your face shine upon your people, those who have bowed the neck of their heart, and bless them through Christ, through whom you have enlightened us with the light of knowledge, and revealed yourself to us. With whom also is owed to you the fitting worship from every rational and holy nature, and to the Spirit the Advocate, forever. Amen And let the deacon speak Go forth in peace Likewise, in the morning, the deacon, after the morning prayer has been said, and after dismissing the catechumens, and those who are troubled, and those being baptized, and those in repentance, and after making the required address, so that we do not repeat the same things again, shall bring forward with the... Save them, God, and raise them up in your grace Let us ask from the Lord his mercies and compassions, for this morning and this day, peaceful and without sin, and for all the time of our stay here, for the angel of peace, for Christian ends, and for God who is merciful and kind. Let us commit ourselves [PG 1.1141] and one another to the living God through his Only Begotten. And let the bishop, praying, say:

Chapter 38

Morning Thanksgiving.

God, the Lord of spirits and all flesh, the incomparable and unapproachable, who gave the sun authority over the day, and the moon and stars authority over the night; now look upon us with kindly eyes, accept our morning thanksgivings, and have mercy on us. For we have not lifted our hands to a strange god; there is no foreign god among us, but you, the eternal and unending one. You who have granted us being through Christ, and have given us well-being through him; grant us worthiness through him also of eternal life. To you be glory, honor, and worship, together with the Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.

And let the deacon say: "Bow at the laying on of hands."

And let the bishop pray, saying:

Chapter 39

Morning Laying on of Hands.

God, the faithful and true, who shows mercy to thousands and myriads to those who love you, the friend of the humble and protector of the poor, in whom all things stand in need, because all things are your servants; look upon this people, who have bowed their heads to you, and bless them with a spiritual blessing. Guard them as the apple of your eye, keep them in piety and righteousness, and make them worthy of eternal life, in Christ Jesus, your beloved child; to whom be glory, honor, and worship, together with the Holy Spirit, now, always, and forever and ever. Amen.

And let the deacon say: "Come forward in peace."

At the offering of the first fruits, the bishop gives thanks as follows.

Chapter 40

Invocation over the First Fruits.

We give thanks to you, Lord Almighty, creator of all and provider, through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ our Lord, for the first fruits brought to you, not as much as we owe, but as much as we are able. For who among men can worthily give thanks to you for what you have given them to share? You are the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and of all the saints; you who have brought all things to completion through your Word, and commanded the earth to produce all kinds of fruits for our joy and nourishment; you who give to the slow and dull lips, to those who eat grass, green plants; to some meat, to others seeds, and to us wheat for suitable and fitting food, along with other things—some for use, some for health, and some for delight. For all these things you are greatly praised, for your kindness to all through Christ; through whom be glory, honor, and worship to you, with the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.

And concerning those resting in Christ, after the prayer has been spoken, so that we do not say it again, the deacon will add these words:

Chapter 41

Invocation for the Departed.

Let us pray for our brothers who have fallen asleep in Christ. That the loving God, who has received their soul, may forgive to them every sin, voluntary and involuntary, and being merciful and kind, may place them in the land of the righteous, granting them entrance into the bosom of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, together with all who from eternity have pleased God and have done his will. There pain, and sorrow, and sighing have fled. Let us rise. Let us entrust ourselves and one another to the eternal God through the Word who was in the beginning. And let the bishop speak. He who is immortal and never-ending by nature, from whom everything immortal and mortal has come into being. He who made the rational creature, the man, the citizen of the world, mortal by design, and promised resurrection. He who did not allow Enoch and Elijah to experience death. God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, not as of the dead, but as of the living God you are. Because all souls live with you, and the spirits of the righteous are in your hand, which no torment will ever touch. For all are sanctified under your hands. Even now look upon this your servant, whom you have chosen, and receive him into another resting place, and forgive him if he has sinned willingly or unwillingly. Set before him kind angels, and place him in the bosom of the patriarchs and the prophets and the apostles and all those who from eternity have pleased you, where there is no pain, sorrow, or sighing, but a place of piety opened up, and a land of the upright joined together, and those in it who behold the glory of your Christ. Through whom be to you glory, honor [PG 1.1145] and reverence, thanksgiving, and worship, in the Holy Spirit, forever. Amen And let the deacon say Bow down, and be blessed And let the bishop give thanks for them, saying the following "Save, Lord, your people, and bless your inheritance, which you have preserved by the precious blood of your Christ, Shepherd them under your right hand, and cover them under your wings, and give them the struggle to fight well, to finish the race, to keep the faith without turning aside, without blame, without reproach, through our Lord Jesus Christ, your beloved Son. With whom be glory, honor, and worship to you, and to the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.

Chapter 42

How and when the commemorations of the faithful who have fallen asleep should be made; and that from what they have, help must be given to the poor.

Let the third day of the deceased be completed with psalms, readings, and prayers, because of the one who rose on the third day; and the ninth day, as a reminder for those who have passed away and those who are dead; and the fortieth day, according to the old custom. For the people mourned Moses in this way; and yearly, in memory of him. And let help be given to the poor from what belongs to the deceased, in remembrance of them.

Chapter 43

That commemorations or commands do not benefit the impious who have died.

These things we say about the pious. For concerning the impious, if you give the things of the world to the poor, it will not benefit them at all. For since God was an enemy to the one who perished, it is clear even after death; for there is no injustice with him. "The Lord is righteous, and he loves those who do right;" and "Behold the man, and his work."

Chapter 44

About drunkards.

In their memorials, they are called, with order and fear of God, as those able to also intercede for those who have passed away. Being elders and deacons of Christ, you must always be sober, both toward yourselves and others, so that you may be able to admonish those who are disorderly. Scripture says: "Rulers are angry; they should not drink wine, so that when drinking they do not forget wisdom and are no longer able to judge rightly." Therefore, both the elders and the deacons, with God [PG 1.1149] the almighty and his beloved Son, are rulers of the Church. But we say this not so that they do not drink; for otherwise it would be an insult to what God has made for joy; but so that they do not become drunk. For Scripture did not say, do not drink wine, but what does it say? "Do not drink wine to drunkenness." And again: "Thorns grow in the hand of a drunkard." This we say not only about those in the clergy, but also about every lay Christian, upon whom the name of our Lord Jesus Christ has been called; for to them also it has been said: "Woe to whom? What noise? What stench and gatherings? Whose eyes are dull? What are the fragments of the hollow? Are they not those who linger in wine, and those who spy on where drinking takes place?"

Chapter 45

About receiving those who are persecuted for Christ.

Receive those who are persecuted for their faith, and who flee from city to city, in order to remember the words of the Lord. For knowing that the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak, they run away and give up their possessions, so that they may keep the name of Christ unshaken within themselves. Therefore, help them with what they need, fulfilling the command of the Lord.

Chapter 46

That each person must remain in the position to which they were assigned, and keep the order, but not seize for themselves what was not given to them.

That we all commonly command, that each one remain in the order given to him, and not to exceed the limits. For they are not ours, but God's. "For yours, the Lord says, listening, listens to me." And the one who listens to me listens to the one who sent me. And the one who rejects you rejects me. But the one who rejects me rejects the one who sent me. For if lifeless things, once made, preserve order, such as night, day, sun, moon, stars, elements, seasons, months, weeks, days, hours, and serves the appointed purpose, according to what has been said, "Set a boundary that will not pass away; and again, concerning the sea "I set limits for it, putting bars and doors around it, and I said to it "Up to this point you shall come, and you shall not go beyond; How much more, then, are you not to dare to urge anything against us that has been set by God's will for you according to our judgment. But since many have thought this to be a side issue, and yet dare to confuse the orders and to challenge the appointment of each one, seizing for themselves honors not given, and tyrannically allowing themselves to grant what they have no authority to give, they anger God for this reason, just like the Koreans and King Uzziah, who unjustly took the high priesthood without God's approval, and as a result, some were consumed by fire, and he was struck with leprosy on his forehead. They provoke Christ Jesus, who gave the order, and they grieve the Holy Spirit, rejecting his testimony. It is fitting to warn those who do such things of the danger they invite, and of their neglect of sacrifices and thanksgivings, since they irreverently call by names that should not be used, treating the high priesthood as a child's play, which is an imitation of the great high priest Jesus Christ, our king. For this reason, we also find it necessary to urge this. For already some have turned away behind their own vanity. We say that Moses, the servant of God, to whom God spoke face to face, as one might speak to a friend, said to him "I know you above all; to whom he spoke face to face, not through visions, or dreams, or angels, or riddles. At that time, when he was giving the divine law, he divided who must perform certain duties among the high priests, which among the priests, and which among the Levites, assigning to each their own proper and fitting religious service; and whatever was commanded to be done by the high priests, it was not lawful for the priests to approach those tasks. But whatever was assigned to the priests, the Levites were not allowed to approach. But each one guarded carefully whatever assigned duties they had received. But if anyone wanted to go beyond the tradition, the penalty was death. This was shown especially by the experience under Saul. He, having lawfully offered a sacrifice apart from the prophet and high priest Samuel, brought upon himself sin and an unremovable curse. And even the anointing by him as king did not make the prophet favor him. God showed more clearly by the actions during the time of Uzziah, not by song, that he collected punishments for the wrongdoing. And he who had been high priest became disqualified, and was separated from the kingdom. Perhaps you are not unaware of the things concerning us. For you certainly know that bishops, elders, and deacons have been appointed among us by prayer and the laying on of hands, showing the difference between the names and the difference in the duties. For not everyone who wishes among us receives the laying on of hands, as was the case with the false priesthood cut off from the calves of Jeroboam, but only the one who is called by God. For if there were no law and no difference of ranks, it would be enough for everything to be done under one name. But having been taught by the Lord the order of things, we assigned to the bishops the duties of the high priesthood, to the elders the duties of the priesthood, and to the deacons the duties of service to both. So that the duties of worship may be carried out purely. For it is not proper for a deacon to offer a sacrifice, or to baptize, or to perform a small or great blessing, nor for an elder to carry out ordination. For it is not proper to overturn the order. "For God is not a God of disorder, so that those who have overstepped their bounds, tyrannically taking the rights of their superiors, might create a new law to their own harm, not knowing that it is hard for them to kick against the goads. For it is not us, or the bishops, that such people fight against, but Christ Jesus our Lord, the overseer of all and the high priest of the Father. For under Moses, the most God-loving, priests and Levites were appointed, but under our Savior, we, the thirteen apostles, were appointed. But under the apostles, I am James. And I am Clement, and with us others. So that we do not list all of them again. Commonly, then, among all of us are elders, and deacons, and subdeacons, and readers. First then by nature the high priest is the only-begotten Christ, who did not seize honor for himself, but was appointed by the Father. Who, having become man for us, and offering the spiritual sacrifice to his God and Father before his passion, commanded us alone to do this. And indeed, there being with us also others who have trusted in him. But not every one who has believed has already become a priest, or has received the dignity of the high priesthood. After his ascension, we offered according to his command a pure and bloodless sacrifice, and appointed seven bishops, elders, and deacons. One of whom was Stephen, the blessed martyr, who did not abandon us in his favor with God. He showed such great godliness through faith, and such love for our Lord Jesus Christ, that he was willing to give even his life for him, being stoned by the Jews who killed the Lord. But still, such a great man, living by the Spirit, seeing Christ at the right hand of God and the heavenly gates opened, is nowhere seen by those who do not belong to the ministry as having performed any service, either offering a sacrifice or laying hands on anyone, but having kept the order of ministry until the end. For it was fitting for the martyr of Christ to preserve good order. But if some blame Philip our deacon and Ananias the faithful brother, because the one baptized the eunuch, and the other baptized me, Paul— They themselves do not know what we say. For if we say that no one takes the priestly office for himself, but receives it from God, like Melchizedek and Job, or from a high priest, like Aaron from Moses— Therefore, Philip and Ananias did not choose themselves, but were appointed by Christ, the high priest, the incomparable God.