The Epistle of

Barnabas

Barnabas, an apostle of Christ, bid you

greetings to the sons and daughters in the

name of the Lord, with the blessings of

Peace and Love.

2 Having received an exceedingly great

abundance of knowledge of the ordinances

of God which now work in you, therefore I

exceedingly rejoice in your blessed and ad-

mirable state of your souls, because you

have so worthily received the Grace of

Jesus Christ which was grafted into you.

3 For this reason I must congratulate myself

hoping to also be saved; inasmuch I truly

see the Spirit of Salvation working in you

which was produced by the confession of

the Word in your mouths and the greatness

of joy of that Word you have received

which flows in you like water from the

Fountain of God. So great was the much

desired effect of His Word in you that was I

not astonished in respect of you?

4 Being therefore persuaded by this, and

being aware of that which I have said much

among you I know that the Lord has jour-

neyed with me on the way of righteousness,

and I have fully constrained myself to this,

to love you more than my own soul (for

great faith and love dwells in you through

the hope of the Eternal Life which is His)

5 --considering this therefore, that, if it shall

be my care to communicate to you some

portion of that which I received, it shall re-

turn to my reward for having ministered to

such good souls, for I was eager to write a

few words to you, that along with your Faith

you might have your knowledge also perfected.

6 Well then, these are three ordinances of the

Lord -the hope of Eternal Life, which is the

beginning and end of our Faith; and secondly

Righteousness through Him, which is the be-

ginning and end of Judgment; and lastly Love

shown in gladness and exultation, and is the

testimony of the works of Righteousness.

7 For the Lord was made known to us by His

prophets these things past and present, giving

us likewise the first fruits of the taste of things

to come. And seeing each of these things con-

tinuously coming to pass, according as He

spoke, we ought to offer a richer and higher

offering to the fear of Him. But I, not as though

I were a teacher, but as one of yourselves, will

show forth a few things, whereby you shall be

gladdened in the present circumstances.

2 Seeing then that the days ahead are exceed-

ingly full of evil, and that the Adversary him-

self has the power of this present World, we

therefore ought to take heed of ourselves and to

seek out the ordinances of the Lord.

2 The aids of our Faith then are godly fear and

patience, and our allies are long-suffering and

self-restraint.

3 While these abide in a pure spirit in matters

relating to the Lord, wisdom, understanding,

logic, and knowledge rejoice with them.

4 For He has made it known to us by all the

prophets that He wanted neither sacrifices nor

whole burnt offerings nor oblations, saying at

one time:

5 “To what purpose is the multitude of

Your sacrifices to Me? Says the Lord.

“I am full of the burnt-offerings of rams

And the fat of fed cattle.

“I do not delight in the blood of bulls,

Or of lambs or goats.”

6 “When you come to appear before Me,

Who has required this from your hand,

To trample My courts?

Bring no more futile sacrifices;

Incense is an abomination to Me.”

7 “The New Moons, the Sabbaths,

And the calling of the assemblies-

I cannot endure iniquity

And the sacred meeting.

Your New Moons

And your appointed feasts

My Soul hates.”

8 These things therefore He annulled, that

the new law of our Lord Yeshua Ha’Mashi-

ach, being free from the yoke of constraint,

might have its oblation not made by human

hands.

9 And He said again to them:

“For I did not speak to your fathers,

Or command them in that day that I

brought

Them out of the land of Egypt, to bring Me

Whole burnt offerings and sacrifices?

10 Nay, this is what I commanded them, say-

ing,

‘Let none of you bear a grudge of evil

Against his neighbor in his heart,

And do not love a false oath.’”

11 So we ought to come to the realization of

that being said, unless we are without under-

standing, and consider thereby being mindful

of the goodness of our Father; for He has spo-

ken to us, desiring us not to go astray like them

but to seek how we may approach Him.

12 Thus therefore He bespeaks to us

“ The sacrifices of God is a broken heart which

offers up tears, and the smell of a sweet savor

unto the Lord is a heart that glorifies and sings

to its Maker.”

We ought to therefore, brethren, learn and be

grounded accurately concerning our Salvation,

lest the Evil One having deprave us should

cause us to be cast away from our Eternal Life.

3 He spoke again therefore to them concern-

ing these things:

Why do you fast for Me?

Is it to make so that your voice is heard on

High?

This is not the fast which have chosen, says the

Lord

2 Nor have I chosen a day for a man afflict his

soul;

As though you should bend your neck as a

bulrush,

And put on sackcloth and make your bed of

ashes;

Would you call this a fast, and an acceptable

day to the Lord?

3 But based upon this He therefore says to us:

“Is this not the fast that I have chosen:

To loosen the bonds of wickedness,

To undo the heavy burdens,

To let the oppressed go free,

And that you break every yoke?

4 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,

And that you bring to your house the poor who

are cast out;

5 When you see the naked, that you cover

him,

And not hide yourself from your own flesh? Then your light shall break forth like the

morning,

Your healing shall spring forth speedily,

And your righteousness shall go before you;

The glory of the Lord shall be your rear

guard.

Then you shall call, and the Lord will an-

swer;

You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’

6 “If you take away the yoke from your

midst,

The pointing of the finger, and speaking

wickedness, If you extend your soul to the hungry

And satisfy the afflicted soul,

7 Then your light shall dawn in the dark-

ness,

And your darkness shall be as the noonday .

8 To this end therefore, my brethren, God

has shown that he is long-suffering, foresee-

ing that the people ( both Jew and Gentile )

whom He had prepared in His well-beloved

Son would believe in simplicity of His

Word, manifested to us beforehand concern-

ing all things, that we might not become as

proselytes shipwrecking ourselves upon

Jewish law.

4 Seeing that it behooves us to investigate

deeply concerning this present world, and to

search out the things which have the power

to save us. Let us therefore flee altogether

from all the works of lawlessness, least the

works of the Lawless One overpower us;

and let us loathe the errors of this present

time, that we may be happy in that which is

to come.

2 Let us give no relaxation to our soul that

it should have liberty to consort with sinners

and wicked men, least we haplessly become

like them.

3 The consummation of sin is at hand, concern-

ing which the Scripture spoke, as Enoch said,

“For to this end the Master has cut the seasons

and the days short, that His beloved might has-

ten and come to His Inheritance.”

4 And the prophet also spoke on this subject,

saying, “Ten reigns shall reign upon the earth,

and after them shall arise another king, who

shall bring low three of the kings under one.”

5 In like manner Daniel spoke concerning the

same thing:

“After this I saw in the night visions, and be-

hold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, ex-

ceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was

devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling

the residue with its feet. It was different from

all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten

horns.

6 I was considering the horns, and there was

another horn, a little one, coming up among

them, before whom three of the first horns were

plucked out by the roots. And there, in this

horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a

mouth speaking pompous words.”

7 Therefore you ought to understand this. For

moreover I ask you this one thing, as though

being one of you and loving you more particu-

larly than all my own soul; to give heed to

yourselves now and not become like certain

persons who pile up sin upon sin, saying that

our Covenant remains to them also.

8 Ours is the one true Covenant of God, but

they lost it in this way forever, when Moses

had just received it. For the scripture says,

“And Moses was in the mountain fasting forty

days and forty nights, and he received the Cov-

enant from the Lord, even tablets of stone writ-

ten with the finger of the hand of the Lord.

But they lost it by turning away to idols. For

thus said the Lord,

“Go, get down! For your people whom you

brought out of the land of Egypt have cor-

rupted themselves. They have turned aside

quickly out of the way which I commanded

them. They have made themselves a molded

calf, and worshiped it and sacrificed to it,

and said, ‘This is your god, O Israel that

brought you out of the land of Egypt!’”

10 And Moses understood, and threw the

two tables from his hands; and their cove-

nant was broken in pieces, that the covenant

of the beloved Jesus might be sealed upon

our hearts in the Hope which springs from

Faith in Him.

11 But though I would gladly write many

things, not as a teacher, but as to become

one who loves you nothing short of that

which we possess, it was my anxious desire

to write to you, being your devoted servant.

Therefore let us give heed to these last days

that are coming because the whole time of

our Faith shall profit us nothing; unless we

now in this season of lawlessness and in the

days of offenses which are come, become

sons of God and offer resistance to sin so

that the Evil One may not overtake us and

rob us of our Eternal Life.

12 Let us flee from all vanity, let us entirely

hate the works of the evil way. Do not with-

draw yourself from others, as if you were

already justified; but coming altogether into

one place, inquire what is agreeable to and

profitable for the Beloved of God.

13 For thus the Scripture says:

Woe to those who are wise in their own

eyes,

And prudent in their own sight!

Let us become spiritual, let us become a

perfect temple to God. As much potential as

we have which lies in us, let us exercise

ourselves in the godly fear of God, and let

us strive to keep His commandments that we

may rejoice in His ordinances.

14 The Lord will judge the World without re-

spect of persons, and each man shall receive

according to his deeds. If a man shall have

goodness in his heart, his righteousness shall

go before him; if wicked, the reward of wick-

edness shall follow him.

15 Take heed therefore that we are not sitting

idle now that we have been called by God, least

we should fall asleep in our sins, and the Prince

of Evil receive power against us and thrust us

out from the Kingdom of the Lord.

16 Consider this also, my brothers, which you

have seen so many signs and wonders done

among the people of Israel, even though they

have abandoned their Messiah, let us give

heed, least we carelessly be found in error, as

the scripture says, “many are called but few are

chosen.”

5 For this reason did our Lord vouchsafe to

us by giving up His body to destruction, that

through the forgiveness of sins we might be

sanctified; that is, by the sprinkling of His

blood.

2 For the Scripture concerning Him contained

some things relating to Israel, and some things

relating to us. And it spoke as thus:

“Surely He has borne our grief

And carried our sorrows;

Yet we esteemed Him stricken,

Smitten by God, and afflicted.

But He was wounded for our transgressions,

He was bruised for our iniquities;

The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,

3 And by His stripes we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray;

We have turned, every one, to his own way;

And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of

us all.

4 He was oppressed and He was afflicted,

Yet He opened not His mouth;

He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,

And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,

So He opened not His mouth.”

5 Therefore we ought to be very thankful to

the Lord, for that He both revealed to us

those things past, and made us wise in the

present day in regards to the future and has

not made us to suffer without knowing

those things to come. 6 But to them have not turned from evil He

says:

“Surely, in vain the net is spread

In the sight of any bird.”

7 He meant by this that a man shall justly

perish, who having the knowledge of the

way of righteousness has not refrained him-

self from the way of darkness.

8 There is this also, my brethren, for if the

Lord was content to suffer for our souls,

although He be the Lord God of the whole

Earth; to whom the Father said before the

foundation of the World, “Let us make man

after our image and likeness, how then did

He endure to suffer at the hands of men?

9 Understand this, brethren, which the

prophets having received the Spirit of Grace

from Him, prophesied concerning Him. But

He Himself endured that He might destroy

Death and make known the resurrection of

the dead; being content, for as it was neces-

sary, to appear in the flesh,

10 that at the same time He might make

good on the Promise made to the fathers,

and thereby preparing Himself a new people

in the Earth; where He might demonstrate to

them while He was upon the earth that He

would after His resurrection come to judge

the World. 11 And finally teaching the people of Israel,

and doing many signs and wonders among

them; He preached to them, and showed the

exceeding great Love of God which he bore

towards them.

12 And when He chose His own apostles

who were to proclaim His Gospel, He took

men who had been very great sinners that

He might show that, “I came not to call the

righteous but sinners to repentance.”, then

He manifested Himself to them to be the

Son of God.

13 If He had not come in the flesh neither

would men have looked upon Him and be

saved, they would have beheld him as though

they looking upon the sun and they would have

cease to be, which is the work of His own

hands, for they could not endure to face the

light of its rays.

14 To this end therefore He endured. For God

said of the wounds of His flesh that they came

from them:

“When they shall smite their own shepherd,

then shall the sheep of the flock be lost.”

15 Thus He Himself desired so to suffer, be-

cause it behooved Him to suffer on a tree. For

he that prophesied said concerning Him,” Deliv-

er me from the sword, my precious life from the

power of the dog,” and, “For dogs have sur-

rounded Me; the congregation of the wicked

has enclosed Me.

They pierced My hands and My feet; I can

count all My bones. They look and stare at

Me.”

16 And again He said:

“I gave My back to those who struck Me,

And My cheeks to those who plucked out the

beard;

I did not hide My face from shame and spit-

ting.”

6 And when He had fulfilled the command-

ment of God. What says He?

For thus He says:

“He is near who justifies Me;

Who will contend with Me?

Let us stand together.

Who is My adversary?

Let him come near Me.

Surely the Lord GOD will help Me;

Who is he who will condemn Me?”

2 And again the prophet said, seeing that as a

hard stone He was ordained for crushing:

“Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a founda-

tion,

A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure

foundation;

He will be as a sanctuary,

But a stone of stumbling and a rock of of-

fense

To both the houses of Israel.”

3 Then again what did He say, was it, “And

whoever shall believe in His Word and hope

in Him, shall live forever?” Is our hope

then set upon a stone? Far be it. But it is be-

cause the Lord has set His flesh in Strength.

For He said, “And He set Me as a hard rock.

4 Then again what did He say, was it, “And

whoever shall believe in His Word and hope

in Him, shall live forever?” Is our hope

then set upon a stone? Far be it. But it is be-

cause the Lord has set His flesh in Strength.

For He said, “And He set Me as a hard rock.

5 I write these things all the more plainly to

you that you may understand. For indeed

my love is great for you, and I would be

content even to die for your sakes.

6 But what does the prophet again? Thus it

is written, “The assembly of wicked has en-

closed Me, they surrounded Me as bees sur-

round a comb,” and; “For My garment they

cast a lot.”

7 Forasmuch then as He was about to appear

in the flesh and be made to suffer, His suf-

fering was manifested beforehand. For the

prophet said concerning Israel:

“Woe unto their soul, for they have coun-

seled an evil counsel against themselves,

saying, ‘Let us bind the Righteous One, for

he is unprofitable for us.’”

8 What does Moses say to them?

“Behold, these things said the Lord God;

enter into the good land which the Lord

swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and

inherit it, a land flowing with milk and hon-

ey.”

9 Now what is the spiritual meaning of this,

listen and learn; it is as if it had been said, “Put

your Hope and Faith in Jesus whom you have

not seen yet, who shall be manifested to you in

the flesh. For a man is of the Earth having suf-

ferings, inasmuch as out of the substance of the

Earth that Adam was formed.”

10 What therefore does He mean when He says,

“Go into the good land, a land flowing with

milk and honey?” Blessed is our Lord, breth-

ren, who established among us wisdom and

understanding of His secret things. For the

prophet spoke a parable concerning the Lord,

“Who shall understand the hard sayings of the

Lord?

But he that is wise, and intelligent and that

has love for his Lord?”

11 Seeing therefore He has renewed us by the

remission of our sins, He has made us like new

children of God; that we should have souls like

those of children who above all things at first

are innocent, trusting, and mirroring their par-

ents as they grow thereby He is also being

formed in us.

12 For the Scripture said concerning us, how He

said to the Son:

“Let Us make man in our image, according to

Our likeness; let them have dominion over the

fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and

over the cattle, over all the earth and over eve-

ry creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

And the Lord said when He saw the fair crea-

tion of us men:

“Increase and multiply and fill the earth.”

13 These words refer to the Son. Again I will

show you how the Lord spoke concerning us.

He made a second creation at the last, for the

Lord said. “Behold I make the last things as the

first.” In reference to this the Prophet then spoke, “Enter into a land flowing with milk and honey, and be lords over it.”

14 Behold then we have been made new crea-

tures, as He said again to another prophet;

“Behold, said the Lord, I will take out from

these,” that is to say, from those whom the

Spirit of the Lord foresaw their stony hearts,

and I will put into them the hearts of flesh;

for He Himself was to be manifested in the

flesh and to dwell in us.

15 For a holy temple to the Lord, my breth-

ren, is the abode of our heart.

16 For the Lord said again:

“For wherein shall I appear to the Lord my

God and be glorified? I will make confes-

sion to You in the assembly of my brethren,

and I will sing to You in the midst of the as-

sembly of the saints.”

We therefore are they whom He brought

into the Good Land.

17 What then signifies the milk and the hon-

ey? Because as the child is nourished first

by honey, and then by milk. So in like man-

ner are we also, being kept alive by the be-

lief in our Faith in the Promise and by the

Word, shall live and be lords of the Good

Land.

18 Now we have already said above, “And

let them increase and multiply and rule over

beasts, fowls, and the fishes.” But who is

there now that is able to rule over beasts and

fishes and fowls of the heaven; for we

thought to perceive that to rule implied

power, so it is that one who should give or-

ders and have dominion.

19 If this then does not come not to pass

now, then assuredly He spoke to us for the

hereafter, when we ourselves shall be made

perfect so that we may become heirs of the

covenant of the Lord.

7 Understand this, my beloved children,

which the good Lord manifested all things

to us beforehand, for so we might know to

whom we ought to give thanksgiving and

praise to Him.

2 If then the Son of God, being Lord and

future Judge of the living and dead, suffered

that His wounds might give us Eternal Life,

let us therefore believe that the Son of God

could not have suffered except for our sakes.

3 But moreover when crucified, He was given

vinegar and gall to Him to drink. Let us hear

how on this matter that the priests of the temple

foreshow this also. Seeing that there is a com-

mandment in Scripture,, “Whatsoever shall not

observe the fast shall surely die,” the Lord

commanded, because He was in His own per-

son about to offer the vessel of His Spirit as a

sacrifice for our sins, that spiritual type was

also given which was in Isaac who was offered

by Abraham upon the alter that a final sacrifice

for the people should be fulfilled.

4 What then did He say to the prophet?

“And let them eat of the goat that is offered at

the fast for all their sins.” Followed carefully

by; “And let all the priests alone eat the en-

trails unwashed with vinegar. “

5 Take heed diligently, my brethren, for all the

priests, and they shall not only eat the flesh but

the inwards as well washed with vinegar.

6 Why is this so? Because I know that when He

had offered His flesh for the sins of a new peo-

ple, they gave Him vinegar to drink mixed with

gall; therefore not only do you eat he flesh but

the inwards as well while the people fasted and

lamented in sackcloth and ashes.

7 And this was done that He might foreshow

that He was to suffer for them, hear then how

He appointed it.

8 Pay attention to the commandments which He

gave, “Take two goats, fair and alike, and offer

them, and let the priest take the one for a whole

burnt offering for sins. “

9 And what must be done with the other?

“Accursed,” says He, “is the one.” Consider

how this is the spiritual type of Lord Jesus that

is revealed.

10 “And let all the congregation spit upon it,

and prick it; and put the scarlet wool about its

head, and thus let it be carried forth into the

wilderness.” And when it is so done, he will

take the goat into the wilderness thereby lead-

ing it, and take off the scarlet wool, and put it

upon the branch of a plant which is called

gooseberry, it is a bush whose spouts are prick-

ly and we don’t eat of them when we find them

in the countryside. But this bush alone pro-

duces much fruit that is sweet.

11 What then is meant by all this? Consider

this, “The one was offered at the altar, and

the other accursed.” And why was the one

which was the accursed crowned? For they

shall see Him in that day wearing the long

scarlet robe about His flesh, and shall say,

“Is not this He, whom we once crucified

and having despised and spat upon Him;

certainly this was He who then said that He

was the Son of God.

12 For how is He like the goat? For this rea-

son it says, “the goats shall be fair and

alike,” that He being neither extraordinary

nor marvelous but fair; they shall when they

see Him coming again, may be astonished at

His fairness in the likeness of the goat.

Therefore the goat is a spiritual type of Je-

sus that was to suffer.

13 But what is the meaning that they place

the scarlet wool in the midst of the thorns?

It is a spiritual type of Jesus set forth for the

Church. For whoever should desire to have

the scarlet wool taken away must undergo

many difficulties, because those thorns are

very sharp, it therefore behooved the Messi-

ah to suffer many things for the debt due to

the terrible nature of the thorns, and through

affliction He won the mastery over it. Thus,

He said, they that desire to see Me, and to

inherit My kingdom, must also suffer for

Me through tribulation, persecution and af-

fliction.

8 But what do you suppose it is meant by

this spiritual type? Where the command-

ment is given to Israel that those men,

whose sins are full grown, offer a heifer and

slaughter and burn it; and then that the chil-

dren take up the ashes, and cast them into

vessels, and twist the scarlet wool onto a

tree (see here again is the type of the cross

and the scarlet wool), and the hyssop. And

when that this done the children sprinkle the

people one by one, that they may be puri-

fied from their sins. 2 Consider this, how in all plainness it is

spoken to you; the calf is Jesus, the men that

offer it, being sinners, are they that offered

Him for the slaughter of the crucifixion. After-

wards they have no more to do with Him, for

sinners have no more honor in the handling of

the slaughter.

3 The children who sprinkle are they that

preached to us the forgiveness of sins and the

purification of our heart, they to whom, being

twelve in number for a testimony to the tribes

(for there are twelve tribes of Israel), He gave

authority over the Gospel, that they should

preach it.

4 But why were there three children appointed

to sprinkle? For a testimony to Abraham, Isaac

and Jacob, because these men are mighty be-

fore God.

5 Then there is the placing the wool on the

tree. This means that the Kingdom of Jesus is

on the cross, and that they who set their hope

on Him shall live forever. 6 And why was there the scarlet wool and the

hyssop together at the same time? Because in

His Kingdom there shall be evil and foul days,

in which we shall be saved; for he who suffers

ailment in the flesh is healed of the foulness

through the hyssop. 7 Therefore these things being thus done, for

so are to us indeed evident, but to the people of

Israel they are obscure: because they hearkened

not to the Voice of the Lord .

9 So furthermore He said concerning our

ears, how it is our heart which He circumcised.

The Lord said to the prophet, “With the hearing

of the ears they listened to Me.”

And again He said:

Hear, you who are afar off, what I have done;

And you who are near, acknowledge My might.

And:

“Circumcise yourselves, and take away the

foreskins of your heart,” says the Lord.

2 And again He said:

“Hear, O Israel,” for thus said the Lord your

God. “Who is he that desires to live forever,

let him hear with his ears the voice of My

servant.”

And again He said:

“Hear, O heaven, and give ear, O earth, for

the Lord has spoken these things for a testi-

mony.”

And again He said:

“Hear the words of the Lord, you princes of

this people.”

And again He said:

“Hear, O my children, the voice of one cry-

ing in the wilderness.”

Therefore He circumcised our ears so that

we should in hearing the Word of God

might believe.

3 But as for the circumcision in which they

have confidence, it is abolished; for He has

said that a circumcision not of the flesh

should be practiced. For they have trans-

gressed His commandments, because the

Evil One has deceived.

4 He said to them:

“Thus said the Lord your God, ‘Break up

your fallow ground, and do not sow among

thorns, circumcise yourselves to your

Lord.’”

And what said He? “Circumcise the hard-

ness of your heart, and harden not your

neck.”

Take this again:

“Behold,” says the Lord, “all the Gentiles

are uncircumcised in their foreskin, but this

people is uncircumcised in their hearts.”

5 But will you say that in truth all the peo-

ple of Israel have been circumcised as a

sign? But so likewise is every Syrian, Ara-

bian and even the Egyptian and all their priests

of the idols thereof are also included among the

circumcised. But do they also belong therefore

of the covenant of Israel?

6 Understand therefore, my children, these

things more fully, that Abraham who first ap-

pointed circumcision, looked forward in the

Spirit to Jesus, when he circumcised having

received the ordinances of three letters.

7 For the Scripture said:

“And Abraham circumcised eighteen males

and three hundred of his household.”

What then was the knowledge given to him?

Understand this that He said “the eighteen”

first, and then after an interval “three hundred”.

In the eighteen 'I' stands for ten, 'H' for eight.

Here you have JESUS (IHSOYS). And because

the cross in the 'T' was to have Grace, He said

also three hundred. So He revealed Jesus in the

two letters, and the remaining one in the cross.

8 He who has put the engrafted gift of His

Covenant within us, knows that I could never

taught to anyone a more certain Truth than this;

therefore I trust that you are worthy of it.

10 But why did Moses say this? :

“Y ou shall not eat of the swine, neither eagle

or falcon; nor the crow; nor any creature of

the water that has no fins or scales upon him,”

The answer is this, which he received in his

spiritual understanding, he gathered compre-

hension of the three ordinances. 2 Besides which He further said to them in

Deuteronomy:

“And I will lay as a covenant upon this people

My ordinances. Therefore be careful to observe

them; for this is your wisdom and your under-

standing in the sight of the peoples who will

hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this

great nation is a wise and understanding peo-

ple.’”

So then it is not a commandment of God

that they should not physically bite with

their teeth, but Moses spoke it in Spirit.

3 Accordingly he mentioned the swine with

this intent that, ‘You shall not join yourself

to such persons who are like swine; for

while they live in pleasure, and wallow in

filth and decadence they forget the Lord

their God’; but when they are in want they

recognize the Lord, just as the swine does

when it eats therefore forgets his lord, but

when it is hungry it cries out, but when it

has received food it is silent again.

4 “Neither,” says he, “shall you eat of the

eagle nor the falcon nor the kite nor the

crow,” that is, ‘You shall not keep company

with such men who are not known by others

to labor and sweat get food for themselves,

but injuriously ravish away the things of

others.” But in their lawlessness seize what

belongs to others, and as if they were walk-

ing in guilelessness; they watch and search

about for someone to rob in their rapacity,

just as these birds alone do not provide food

for themselves, but sit idle and seek how

they may eat the meat that belonged to oth-

ers, being pestilent in their evil-doings.

5 “And you shall not eat,” said He,

“lamprey nor octopus nor cuttlefish;” that

is, ‘You shall not, He means, become like

such men, who are exceedingly wicked, and

have already condemned themselves to

death, for they swim in the depths of iniqui-

ty,’ For so as those fishes are accursed, and

wallow in the mire, not swimming on the

surface like the rest, but dwell on the

ground beneath the deep sea.

6 But he also adds, “Neither shall you eat of

the hare.” To what end? To signify this to

us, ‘You shall not be an adulterer, nor liken

yourself to such persons.’ For the hare mul-

tiples the places of its copulatory every

year; and for so many years as it lives, so

many places it has multiplied itself.

7 “Neither shall you eat the hyena,” that is,

again, be not an adulterer or a fornicator,

nor corrupter of unnatural affections of oth-

ers; neither liken yourself to such. Why so?

Because this animal changes its natural de-

sire and manner from year to year, and be-

comes at one time male and at another fe-

male.

8 For this reason He has hated the bat also and

for good reason. You shall not, He said, be-

come as such men who we hear working with

their mouths performing unclean acts, neither

shall you seek impure women who work iniq-

uity with their mouths. For this animal con-

ceives with its mouth.

9 Concerning meats, Moses therefore received

three decrees to this effect and uttered them in

a spiritual sense; but they accepted them ac-

cording to the lust of the flesh, as though they

referred to eating in a literal sense.

10 And David also received knowledge of the

same three decrees, and said, “Blessed is the

man who has not gone in the council of the un-

godly”--even as the fishes go in darkness into

the depths; “and has not stood in the path of

sinners”--just as they who pretend to fear the

Lord but sin like swine; “and has not sat on the

seat of the destroyers”--as the birds that are

seated for prey. You have now the complete

lesson concerning eating.

11 Again Moses said, “Y ou may eat whatever divides the hoof, having cloven hooves and chewing the cud.” What did he mean? He that

received the food knows Him that nourishes

him, and being full of knowledge they rejoice

in him. And in this he spoke well, having re-

spect to the commandment. What therefore, is

it that he says? That we should hold steadfastly

with those who fear the Lord, with those who

meditate in their heart on the knowledge of the

Word which they have received, with those

who tell of the ordinances of the Lord and keep

them, with those who thereby know that medi-

tation is a work of gladness and who chew the

cud of the Word of the Lord. But why that

which divided the hoof? Because the righteous

man both walked in this world, and at the same

time looks for the spiritual things of the holy

world to come. You see how wise a lawgiver

Moses was 12 But how should they thus not know all this,

and therefore perceive not to understand them?

We, therefore, understanding aright the com-

mandments have perceived thereby tell them as

the Lord willed. To this end He circumcised

our ears and hearts, that we might understand

these things.

11 Now let us inquire whether the Lord

took care to signify beforehand concerning

the water and the cross. Now concerning the

water it is written in reference to people of

Israel, how that they would not receive the

baptism which brings confirmation of the

remission of sins, but they shall institute

another for themselves.

2 For the prophet said:

“Be astonished, O heavens, at this,

And be horribly afraid;

Be very desolate,” says the LORD.

“For My people have committed two evils:

They have forsaken Me, the fountain of liv-

ing waters,

And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cis-

terns that can hold no water.”

3 “Is My holy mountain Zion, a desolate

wilderness? - For you shall be as a wander-

ing bird casted out of its nest.”

4 And again the prophet said:

“I will go before you, and level mountains

and crush gates of brass and break in pieces

bolts of iron, and I will give you treasures

hidden in darkness, concealed, unseen, that

they may know that I, the Lord God who

brought out and called you by your name,

am the God of Israel.”

5 And: “Y ou shall dwell in a lofty cave of a

strong rock.”

And: “He shall dwell on high: his place of

defense shall be the fortress of rocks; bread

shall be given him, his waters shall be

sure.”

6 And again He said in another prophet:

He shall be like a tree

Planted by the rivers of water,

That brings forth its fruit in its season,

Whose leaf also shall not wither;

And whatever he does shall prosper.

7 “The ungodly are not so, but are like the

chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore

the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,

nor sinners in the congregation of the right-

eous. For the LORD knows the way of the right-

eous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.”

8 You perceive how He pointed out the water

and the cross at the same time. For this is the

meaning:

“Blessed are they that set their hope on the

cross, and go down into the water; for He

spoke of the reward at ‘his proper season;’

then, said He, I will repay. But now what said

He? ‘His leaves shall not fall off;’ He meant by

this that every word, which shall come forth

from you through your mouth in Faith and

Love, shall be for the conversion and hope of

many believers.

9 And again another prophet said: “And the

land of Jacob was praised above the whole

earth.”

He meant this- He glorifies the vessel of His

Spirit.

10 What next said He? “And there was a river

streaming from the right hand, and beautiful

trees rose up from it; and whoever shall eat of

them shall live forever.”

11 What next said He? “And there was a river

streaming from the right hand, and beautiful

trees rose up from it; and whoever shall eat of

them shall live forever.”

12 In like manner again concerning the

cross He is determine to show them in another

prophet, who said:

“And when shall these things be accom-

plished?” The Lord answers, “When the tree

that has fallen shall rise, and when blood and

water shall drop from the tree. Again you have

learned concerning the cross, and Him that was

to be crucified.

2 And yet further He says again by Moses,

when war was waged against Israel by men of

another nation, and that He might remind them

when the war was being waged against them

that for their sins they were delivered to

death; for the Spirit said to the heart of Mo-

ses, that he should make a type of the cross

and of Him that was to suffer, that unless, He

said, they shall set their hope on Him, so that

they might know that if they did not believe

in Him, they would be forever overwhelmed.

So when Moses’ hands became heavy, they

took a stone and sat him upon it in the midst

of the encounter, and standing on higher

ground than anyone he stretched out his

hands, and so Israel was again victorious.

But whenever he lowered them, they were

slain with the sword.

3 Therefore why was this? That they might

learn that they cannot be saved, unless they

should set their hope on Him.

4 And again in another prophet He said:

“I have stretched out My hands all day long

to a rebellious people,

Who walk in a way that is not good,

According to their own thoughts”

5 And again Moses makes a type of Jesus, to

illustrate that He must suffer, and that He

Himself whom they shall think is dead shall

be made alive in an emblem of the cross

which was to give Eternal Life to others, in

those that fell in the Good Land of Israel.

For the Lord caused all manner of serpents

to bite them, and they died; since it was by a

serpent that transgression began in Eve,

therefore it was so that He might convince

them that by reason of their transgression

they should be delivered over to the afflic-

tion of Death.

6 Furthermore Moses who then them gave

the commandment, “Y ou shall not have a

molten or a carved image for your god,” yet

he himself made one that he might show

them a type of Yeshua. So Moses makes a

brazen serpent, and set it up high conspicu-

ously, and summoned the people by procla-

mation.

7 When therefore they were assembled to-

gether they entreated Moses that he should

offer up intercession for them that they

might be healed. And Moses said to them,

“Whenever,” said he, “one of you shall be

bitten, let him come to the serpent which is

placed on the tree, and let him believe and

hope that the serpent being himself dead can

make you alive; and here forth he shall be

saved. And so they did. Here again you have in

these things also the Glory of Jesus shown,

how that in Him and to Him are all things.

8 Again what does Moses say to Jesus, that is,

Joshua the son of Nun, when he gives him this

name; for being a prophet that all the people

might give ear to him alone, because the Father

manifested all things concerning His Son Jesus

in Jesus the son of Nun, and gave him that

name when he sent out to spy out the land of

Canaan.?

9 Moses therefore said to Jesus the son of Nun,

giving him this name, when he sent him as a

spy on the land, “Take a book in your hands,

and write what the Lord says, how the Son of

God shall cut up by the roots all the house of

Amalek in the last days.”

10 Behold again it is Jesus, not a son of man,

but the Son of God, as He was revealed figura-

tively in the flesh. Since then men will say that

Christ is the son of David, he himself prophe-

sied being afraid and understanding the error of

sinners; “The Lord God said to my Lord, ‘Sit at

My right hand, until I make your enemies for a

footstool,’” said David.

11 And again thus says Isaiah:

“The Lord God said to the Anointed One my

Lord, of whose right hand I laid hold that the

nations should give ear before Him, and I will

break down the strength of kings.”

See how David called Him Lord, and not called

Him Son.

13 Now let us see whether this new people

or the first people of the covenant has the in-

heritance, and whether the covenant had refer-

ence to us or to them. 2 But first, concerning the people, hear then

what the Scripture said:

“And Isaac prayed concerning Rebecca his

wife, for she was barren. And she conceived.

Then Rebecca went out to inquire of the Lord.

And the Lord said to her, ‘Two nations are in

your womb, and two peoples in your belly,

and one people shall vanquish another peo-

ple, and the greater shall serve the less.’”

3 You ought to understand who Isaac is,

and who Rebecca is, and in whose case He

has shown that the one people is greater

than the other.

4 And in another prophecy Jacob spoke

more plainly to Joseph his son, saying:

“I had not thought to see your face;

But in fact, God has also shown me your

offspring!

Bring them here to me that I may bless your

sons.”

5 And he brought Ephraim and Manasseh,

desiring that Manasseh should be blessed,

because he was the elder; for Joseph led him

by the right hand of his father Jacob. But

Jacob saw in the spirit a type of the people

that should come afterwards. And what said

He? And Jacob crossed his hands, and

placed his right hand on the head of Ephra-

im, the second and younger, and blessed

him. And Joseph said to Jacob, ‘Father, not

so, transfer your right hand to the head of

Manasseh, for he is my first born son.’ But

Jacob said to Joseph, ‘I know that, my son, I

know that all too well; but He shall become

a people, and he also shall be great; but

truly his younger brother shall be greater

than he, and his descendants shall become a

multitude of nations. Yet therefore they also

both shall be blessed.’”

6 You see of whom He appointed it, that

they should be ordained as the first people

and the greater shall serve the lesser, and

become also heirs of the covenant.

8 If we know therefore that God has taken

this yet further, for He recorded it through

Abraham; then our understanding of it will

then be perfectly established. What then

says the Scripture about Abraham, when he

believed, and it was accounted to him for

righteousness? For thus says the Scripture:

“As for Me, behold, My covenant is with

you, and you shall be a father of many na-

tions. No longer shall your name be called

Abram, but your name shall be Abraham;

for I have made you a father of many na-

tions. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and

I will make nations of you, and kings shall

come from you. And I will establish My covenant between Me

and you and your descendants after you in

their generations, for an everlasting covenant,

to be God to you and your descendants after

you.

14 Yes, assuredly, but as regards to the

covenant which He swore to the fathers to give

it to the people let us see whether He has actu-

ally given it. For you see that He has given it,

but they themselves were found not worthy to

receive it by reason of their sins.

2 For the scripture said:

“And Moses was fasting in Mount Sinai forty

days and forty nights, that he might receive the

covenant of the Lord to give to the people. And

Moses received from the Lord the two tables

which were written by the Finger of the Hand

of the Lord.”

3 And the Lord said to Moses:

“Go, get down! For your people whom you

brought out of the land of Egypt have corrupt-

ed themselves. They have turned aside quickly

out of the way which I commanded them. They

have made themselves a molded calf, and wor-

shiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, ‘This is

your god, O Israel that brought you out of the

land of Egypt!’” And Moses turned and went

down from the mountain, and the two tablets of

the Testimony were in his hand. So it was, as

soon as he came near the camp, that he saw the

calf and the dancing. So Moses’ anger became

hot, and he cast the tablets out of his hands and

broke them at the foot of the mountain.”

4 Moses received them, but they themselves

were not found worthy. But how did we re-

ceive them? You see whom He appointed this.

Moses received them being a servant, but the

Lord himself gave them to us to be the people

of His inheritance, having endured patiently for

our sakes.

5 He was therefore made manifest to them, that

at the same time in order that he might fill

up the measure of their sins in Him, and we

might receive the covenant through Him

who inherited it; even the Lord Jesus, who

was prepared beforehand as heir of the Cov-

enant, that having appeared in person He

might redeem us out of darkness of our

hearts which had already been given over to

Death and delivered Himself up for the iniq-

uity of our error, and thus establish the cov-

enant in us through the Word.

6 For it is written how the Father charged

Him to deliver us from darkness, and to pre-

pare a holy people for Himself.

7 Therefore said the prophet:

“I, the Lord, have called You in righteous-

ness,

And will hold Your hand;

I will keep You and give You as a covenant

to the people,

As a light to the Gentiles,

To open blind eyes,

To bring out prisoners from the prison,

Those who sit in darkness from the prison

house.”

We perceive then where we were ransomed.

8 Again the prophet said:

“ I have set you to be a light to the Gentiles

that you should be for salvation to the ends

of the Earth.”

9 Again the prophet said:

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, be-

cause He has anointed Me to bring good

news to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the

brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the

captives and freedom to the prisoners; To

proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,

and the day of vengeance of our God; to

comfort all that mourn.”

15 Furthermore it is written concerning

the Sabbath it is written in the Ten Com-

mandments, in which He spoke to Moses face

to face on Mount Sinai, “Sanctify the Sabbath

of the Lord with clean hands, and with a pure

heart.”

2 And in another place He said;

“If your children shall keep My Sabbaths, then

I will put My mercy upon them.”

3 Of the Sabbath He spoke in the beginning of

the creation, “And on the seventh day God end-

ed his work which he had done; and he rested

on the seventh day from all his work which he

had made.”

4 Consider, children, what this means, “He

ended in six days.” The meaning of it is this

that in six thousand years the Lord shall bring

all things to an end; for with Him one day is a

thousand years

as He Himself has testified, saying, “Behold,

the day of the Lord shall be as a thousand

years.” Therefore, my children, in six days that

is in six thousand years everything shall come

to an end.

5 “And He rested on the seventh day,” by this

He means that when His Son shall come, and

shall abolish the time of the Lawless One, and

shall judge the ungodly, and shall renew the

Earth and change the sun, the moon and the

stars, then shall he truly rest on the seventh

day.

6 Furthermore He said, “Y ou shall sanctify it

with clean hands and with a pure heart.” If

therefore we being greatly deceived by think-

ing that we can imagine that anyone now sanc-

tify the day which God has sanctified, though

he be pure in heart, then we have gone utterly

astray.

7 Behold, the time will truly come and not un-

til then that we shall rest and sanctified it; for

when we shall ourselves be able to do so only

after having being justified by Him and receiv-

ing the Promise; when iniquity is no more and

all things have been made anew by the Lord,

we shall be able to sanctify it then, because we

ourselves shall have been sanctify by Him first.

8 Finally He said to them:

“Bring no more futile sacrifices;

Incense is an abomination to Me.

The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the call-

ing of assemblies—

I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred

meeting.

Your New Moons and your appointed feasts

My soul hates;

They are a trouble to Me,

I am weary of bearing them.”

9 Consider what He means by this. It is

your present Sabbath that is not acceptable

to Him, but the new Sabbath which He will

make, in the which having created all things

anew; when the Lord has set all things in a

new Earth and a new heavens at rest, He

will make a beginning of the eternal eighth

day which will be the beginning of new uni-

verse.

10 For which we will also keep the eighth

day for rejoicing, in which also Jesus rose

from the dead; and having been manifested

Himself to His disciples, ascended into the

heavens.

16 It remains yet that I speak to you

concerning the temple, how these miserable

men being deceived by out their trust in the

house, and not in their God that made them,

as though it being the habitation of God.

2 For being almost like the Gentiles, they

consecrated Him in the temple. But what

said the Lord about abolishing the temple?

Learn this:

“’Who has measured the heaven with a

span, or has measured the Earth with his

hand? Was it not I?’”, says the Lord? The

heaven is My throne and the earth the foot-

stool of My feet. What manner of house will

you build for Me? Or what shall be my rest-

ing place?”

You perceive that their hope is vain.

3 Furthermore He said again:

“Behold they that destroy this temple,

Even they shall again themselves shall build

it.”

4 And so it comes to pass; for through their

wars it is now destroyed by their enemies; and

now the very servants of their enemies shall

build it up.

5 Again, it was revealed how the city and the

temple and the people of Israel should be be-

trayed. For the scripture said;

“And it shall be in the last days that the Lord

shall deliver up the sheep of the pasture and

the fold and the tower thereof to destruction.

And it came to pass as the Lord spoken.

6 But let us inquire whether there be any tem-

ple of God. And there is, in the place where he

himself undertakes to make and finish it.

For it is written:

“And it shall come to pass, when the week has

been accomplished, the temple of God shall be

built gloriously in the Name of the Lord.”

7 I find then that there is a temple, but how

then shall it be built in the Name of the Lord?

Understand this. Before we believed on God,

the abode of our heart was corrupt and weak, a

temple truly built by corruptible hands; for it

was full of idolatry of self-worship and was a

house of demons, because we did whatever that

was contrary to God.

8 “But it shall be built in the Name of the

Lord,” therefore consider then that the temple

of the Lord may be built gloriously.

9 How? Understand this. By receiving the re-

mission of our sins and hoping in the Name we

have become renewed in Him, being again cre-

ated as it were from the beginning. Therefore

God truly dwells within our habitation, that is,

in us. How? The Word of His Faith, the Calling

of his Promise, the Wisdom of the Ordinances,

the commandments of His teaching. For Him

prophesying in us, He Himself dwelling in us,

opening for us who had been in bondage of

Death the door of the temple, which is the

mouth, and giving us repentance by which we

confess Him as God and ask for the for-

giveness of sins has lead us to the incor-

ruptible temple.

17 For he that desires to be saved looks

not to a man, but to Him that dwells within

and speaks to him, being amazed at this that

he has never at any one time heard these

words of the mouth of the speaker from

without, nor has he himself ever desired to

hear them. This is the indwelling of God

within the spiritual temple built up to the

Lord.

2 So far as it was possible with all simplici-

ty to declare it to you, my soul hopes that I

have not omitted anything of the matters

pertaining to salvation and in so failed in

my desire. 3 For if I should speak further of the things

that now are, and of those things that are to

come, you would not yet understand them,

seeing they lie in parables. This therefore

shall suffice as to these things.

4 But let us pass on to another lesson and

teaching. There are two ways of teaching

and of power, the one of Light and the other

of Darkness; and there is a great difference

between the two ways. For over are appoint-

ed the angels of God, followers of the Light;

whereas on the other is the followers of

Darkness, the demons of Satan.

5 And the one is the Lord from everlasting

to everlasting, whereas the other is Lord of

the time of unrighteousness that now is.

18 This then is the Way of Light, if

anyone desiring to travel on the way to his

appointed place would be zealous in his

works. The knowledge then which is given

to us whereby we may walk therein is as

follows.

2 You shall love Him that made you, you

shall fear Him that created you, you shall

glorify Him that redeemed you from Death;

you shall not be arrogant but rich in dis-

pensing knowledge; you shall not associate

with those who walk the way of Death; you

shall hate everything that is not pleasing to

God; you shall hate all hypocrisy; you shall

never forsake the commandments of the Lord.

3 You shall not exalt yourself, but shall be

humble in all things. You shall not take honor

for yourself. You shall not enter wicked coun-

sel against your neighbor; you shall not be over

-confident in your heart.

4 You shall not commit fornication, “you shall

not commit adultery”, and you shall not com-

mit pedophilia or any other sexual perversion.

You shall not misuse the Word of God for im-

purity, and to deceive and mislead. You shall

not accept any man’s person when you have

reprove him for a transgression. You shall be

meek, you shall be quiet, and you shall fear the

words of the Lord which you have heard. You

shall not bear a grudge against your brother.

5 You shall be optimistic and not doubt wheth-

er a thing shall be or not be. “Y ou shalt not

take the name of the Lord in vain.” You shall

love your neighbor more than your own soul.

You shall not murder an unborn child by abor-

tion or cause a miscarriage, nor again shall

commit infanticide when it is born. You shall

not withhold the disciplinary hand from your

son or daughter, but from their youth you shalt

teach them the godly Fear of God.

6 You shall not be found coveting your neigh-

bor’s goods; neither shall you extort for per-

sonal gain. You shall not join yourself with

those who are proud, but shall walk with those

who are humble and righteous. Whatever evil

that befalls you shall accounted as good, know-

ing that nothing is done without God. You shall

not be double minded nor double tongued.

7 You shall be subject to your masters as you

would of your Lord God in reverence and fear.

You shall not be bitter in your commands to-

wards any of your servants who set their hope

on the same the Lord God; but rather set at lib-

erty least they should cease to fear God who is

over both of you. He came not to call with re-

spect of persons, but to call those whom the

Spirit has prepared.

8 You shall communicate your neighbor and

ask what he has need of, and share and help

him with the blessings you have received. For

if you are fellow partakers in that which is per-

ishable, how much more rather shall you be

in those things which are imperishable. You

shall not be hasty and control your own

tongue, for the mouth is the snare of Death.

So far as you are able, you shall be pure for

your soul's sake.

9 Don’t be holding out your hand to receive

for what you need not, only to give away or

squander what you have received. You shall

love as the apple of your eye everyone that

speaks to you the Word of the Lord.

10 You shall remember the coming Day of

Judgment night and day, and you shall seek

out day by day the saints of Righteousness,

both of you shall consider and go about to

extort others by the Word, and mediate how

may save a soul, or you shall work with

your hands for an atonement for your sins.

11 You shall not hesitate to give, neither

shall you murmur when giving, but you

shall know who the Good Paymaster of

your reward is. You shall keep those things

which you have received from God, neither

adding to them nor taking away from them.

You shall utterly hate the Evil

One. You shall judge righteously.

12 You shall never cause divisions, but shall

make peace between those that are at vari-

ance, bringing them together. You shall

confess your sins daily. And do not come to

God without doing so, and praying with an

unrepentant heart. This is the Way of Light

19 But the Way of the Dark One is

crooked and full of a curse. For it is a way

of Eternal Death with punishment; in which

they that walk meet those things that de-

stroy men's souls--idolatry, over-

confidence, the pride of power over people,

hypocrisy, double-mindedness, adultery,

murder, plundering, pride, transgression,

treachery, malice, stubbornness, witchcraft,

magic, covetousness, absence of the fear of

God;

2 persecutors of good men, hating the

Truth, loving lies, not perceiving the reward

of Righteousness to be of worth, not adher-

ing to the good nor to the righteous judg-

ment, paying no heed to the widow and the

orphan, watching to do wickedness, having no

fear of God but having regard for that which is

evil; men from whom gentleness and forbear-

ance stand aloof and far off; loving vain things,

pursuing a recompense, not pitying the poor

man, not toiling for him that is oppressed with

toil, ready to slander, not recognizing Him that

made them. Murderers of children, destroyers

of the creatures of God, turning away from him

that is in want, oppressing him that is afflicted,

advocates of the wealthy, unjust judges of the

poor, sinful in all things.

20 It is therefore good to learn the ordi-

nances of the Lord, as many as have been writ-

ten above, and to walk in them. For him that

does these things shall be glorified in the King-

dom of God; whereas he that chooses their op-

posites shall perish altogether with his works.

For this cause there shall be both a resurrection

and a recompense.

2 I beseech those of you who are in a higher

estate, if you will receive any counsel of good

advice from me, keep amongst you those to

whom you may do good, therefore do not for-

sake them.

3 For the day is at hand, in which all things

shall be destroyed together with the Evil One.

The Lord is near, and His reward is with them.

4 I beseech you again, therefore, be good law-

givers one to another; and continue to be faith-

ful councilors to one another, and remove from

you all hypocrisy.

5 And my God, who is Lord of the whole

world, give you wisdom, judgment, learning,

knowledge of His ordinances with all patience.

6 And may you be taught by God, seeking dili-

gently what the Lord requires of you, and in

doing it; that you may be saved in the Day of

Judgment.

7 And if there be among you who have any

remembrance of good, think of me when you

practice these things; for these things are both

my desire and my watchfulness that may lead

to some good result. I beseech you as if asking

it as a favor of you.

8 So long as you dwell in the good tabernacle

of the body, be not lacking in none of these

things; but search them out constantly, and

fulfill every commandment. For these things

are fitting and worthy to be done.

9 For this reason I was the more eager to

write to you so far as I was able, that I

might give you joy. Farewell, my children

of Love and Peace. May the Lord of Glory

and the Grace of the Lord be with you.

Amen.