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The Epistula Apostolorum (“Epistle of the Apostles”) is presented as a letter from the eleven remaining apostles describing events, dialogue, and predictions from the life of Jesus. It is widely regarded as pseudepigraphal and was likely composed in the early- or mid-2nd century AD.
The book which Jesus Christ revealed to His disciples: and how Jesus Christ revealed the book for the company of the apostles, the disciples of Jesus Christ, even the book which is for all men. Simon and Cerinthus, the false apostles, concerning whom it is written that no man will cleave to them, for there is in them deceit with which they bring men to destruction. [This has been written] so that you may not flinch nor be troubled, and not depart from the word of the good news which you have heard. As we heard it, we keep it in remembrance and have written it for the whole world. We commend [to] you our sons and our daughters in joy [[in the grace of God]], in the Name of God the Father, the Lord of the world, and of Jesus Christ. Let grace be multiplied on you.
We—John, Thomas, Peter, Andrew, James, Philip, Batholomew, Matthew, Nathanael, Judas the Zealot [(Simon)], and Cephas—write to the assemblies of the east and the west, of the north and the south, declaring and imparting to you that which concerns our Lord Jesus Christ: we write according as we have seen, and heard, and touched Him, after He was risen from the dead: and how that He revealed to us things mighty, and wonderful, and true.
This know we: that our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ is God, the Son of God, who was sent of God the Lord of the whole world, the Maker and Creator of it, who is named by all names, and high above all powers, Lord of lords, King of kings, Ruler of rulers, the heavenly one, that sits above the cherubim and seraphim at the right hand of the throne of the Father; who by His word made the heavens, and formed the earth and that which is in it, and set bounds to the sea that it should not pass; the deeps also and fountains, that they should spring forth and flow over the earth; the day and the night, the sun and the moon, He established, and the stars in the sky; that separated the light from the darkness; that called forth Hades, and in the twinkling of an eye ordained the rain of the winter, the snow [(cloud)], the hail, and the ice, and the days in their several seasons; that makes the earth to quake and again establishes it; that created man in His own image, after His likeness, and by the fathers of old and the prophets is it declared [[or and spoke in allegories with the fathers of old and the prophets in truth]], of whom the apostles preached, and whom the disciples touched. In God, the Lord, the Son of God, do we believe, that He is the word become flesh: that of Mary the holy virgin He took a body, begotten of the Holy Spirit, not of the will [(lust)] of the flesh, but by the will of God; that He was wrapped in swaddling clothes in Bethlehem and made manifest, and grew up and came to ripe age, when also we beheld it.
This our Lord Jesus Christ did, who was sent by Joseph and Mary His mother to be taught. [And] when he that taught Him said to Him, “Say, Alpha,” then He answered and said: “Tell Me first what is Beta.” [[or “Tell Me first what is Alpha, and then I will tell you what is Beta.”]] This thing which then came to pass is true and factual.
1. Thereafter there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and they urged Him with His mother and His brothers, and He changed water into wine. He raised the dead, He caused the lame to walk; him whose hand was withered He caused to stretch it out, and the woman which had suffered an issue of blood twelve years touched the hem of His garment and was healed in the same hour. And when we marveled at the miracle which was done, He said: “Who touched Me?” Then we said: “Lord, the pressing in of men has touched You.” But He answered and said to us: “I perceive that power has gone out of Me.” Promptly that woman came before Him, and she answered and said to Him: “Lord, I touched You.” And He answered and said to her: “Go, your faith has made you whole.” Thereafter He made the deaf to hear and the blind to see; out of them that were possessed He cast out the unclean spirits, and cleansed the lepers. The spirit which dwelt in a man, whereof the name was Legion, cried out against Jesus, saying, “Before the time of our destruction has come, you have come to drive us out.” But the Lord Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Go out of this man and do him no harm.” And he entered into the swine and drowned them in the water, and they were choked.
2. Thereafter He walked on the sea, and the winds blew, and He cried out against them, and the waves of the sea were calmed. And when we His disciples had no money, we asked Him: “What will we do because of the tax-gatherer?” And He answered and told us: “Let one of you cast a hook into the deep, and take out a fish, and he will find a penny therein; give that to the tax-gatherer for Me and you.” And later, when we had no bread, but only five loaves and two fishes, He commanded the people to sit them down, and the number of them was five thousand, besides children and women. We set pieces of bread before them, and they ate and were filled, and there remained [food] left over, and we filled twelve baskets full of the fragments, asking one another and saying, “What do these five loaves mean?” They are the symbol of our faith in the Lord of the Christians, even in the Father, the Lord Almighty, and in Jesus Christ our Redeemer, in the Holy Spirit the Comforter, in the holy Assembly, and in the forgiveness of sins.
These things our Lord and Savior revealed to us and taught us. And we do even as He, that you may become partakers in the grace of our Lord, and in our ministry and our giving of thanks, and think on continuous life. Be steadfast and do not waver in the knowledge and confidence of our Lord Jesus Christ, and He will have mercy on you and save you forever—world without end.
Cerinthus and Simon have come to go to and fro in the world, but they are enemies of our Lord Jesus Christ, for they pervert the word and the true thing, even [faith in] Jesus Christ. Keep yourselves therefore far from them, for death is in them, and great pollution and corruption, even in these on whom will come judgment and the end and continuous destruction.
Therefore, we have not shrunk from writing to you concerning the testimony of Christ our Savior, of what He did, when
we followed with Him, how He enlightened our
understanding . . .
Concerning whom we testify that the Lord is He who was crucified by Pontius Pilate and [Herod] Archelaus between the two thieves, [[and with them He was taken down from the tree of the Cross]] and was buried in a place which is called the “Place of a Skull.” And there went three women: Mary, she that was a relative to Martha, and Mary Magdalene [[or Sarrha, Martha, and Mary]], and took ointments to pour on the body, weeping and mourning over that which had come to pass. And when they drew near to the tomb, they looked in and did not find the body [[or they found the stone rolled away and the entrance opened]].
And as they mourned and wept, the Lord showed Himself to them and said to them: “For whom do you weep? weep no more. I am He whom you seek. But let one of you go to your brothers and say: Come, the Master is risen from the dead.” Martha [[or Mary]] came and told us. We said to her: “What have we to do with you, woman? He that is dead and buried—is it possible that He should live?” And we did not believe her that the Savior had risen from the dead. Then she returned to the Lord and said to Him: “None of them have believed me, that you live.” He said: “Let another of you go to them and tell them again.” Mary [[or Sarrha]] came and told us again, and we did not believe her; and she returned to the Lord and she also told Him.
Then the Lord said to Mary and her sisters: “Let us go to them.” And He came and found us within, [[sitting veiled,]] and called us out; but we thought that it was a phantom and did not believe that it was the Lord. Then He said to us: “Come, do not fear. I am your master, even He, O Peter, whom you denied thrice; and do you now deny again?” And we came to Him, doubting in our hearts whether it was He. Then He said to us: “Therefore, do you still doubt and are unbelieving? I am He that spoke to you of My flesh, and My death, and My resurrection. But that you may know that I am He: you, Peter, put your finger into the print of the nails in My hands; and you also, Thomas, put your finger into the wound of the spear in My side; but you, Andrew, look on My feet and see whether they press the earth; for it is written in the prophet: A phantom of a devil makes no footprint on the earth.”
And we touched Him, that we might learn [the] truth of whether He were risen in the flesh; and we fell on our faces [and worshiped Him], confessing our sin, that we had been unbelieving. Then our Lord and Savior said to us: “Rise up, and I will reveal to you that which is above the heavens and in the [highest] Heaven, and your rest which is in the kingdom of the heavens. For My Father has given Me power to take you up there, and them also that believe on Me.
Now that which He revealed to us is this, which He spoke: “It came to pass when I was about to come here from the Father of all things, and passed through the heavens, that then I put on the wisdom of the Father, and I put on the power of His might. I was in Heaven, and I passed by the chief-messengers and the messengers in their likeness, as if I were one of them, among the princedoms and powers. I passed through them because I possessed the wisdom of Him that had sent Me. Now the chief captain of the messengers, Michael, as well as Gabriel, and Uriel, and Raphael followed me to the fifth expanse [(heaven)], for they thought in their heart that I was one of them; such power was given Me from My Father. And on that day, I adorned the chief-messengers with a wonderful voice [[or I made them quake—amazed them]], so that they should go to the altar of the Father and serve and fulfill the ministry until I should return to Him. And so I worked the likeness by My wisdom; for I became all things in all, that I might praise the dispensation of the Father and fulfill the glory of Him that sent Me and return to Him.”
“For you know that the messenger Gabriel brought the message to Mary.” And we answered: “Yes, Lord.” He answered and said to us: “Do you not remember, then, that I said to you a little while ago: I became a messenger among the messengers, and I became all things in all?” We said to Him: “Yes, Lord.” Then He answered and said to us: “On that day whereon I took the form of the messenger Gabriel, I appeared to Mary and spoke with her. Her heart accepted Me, and she believed [[and laughed]], and I formed Myself and entered into her body. I became flesh, for I alone was a minister to Myself in that which concerned Mary in the appearance of the shape of a messenger, for so I needed to do. Thereafter I returned to My Father.”
1. “But commemorate My death. Now when the Passover comes, one of you will be cast into prison for My Name’s sake; and He will be in grief and sorrow, because you keep the Passover while he is in prison and separated from you, for he will be sorrowful because he does not keep Passover with you. And I will send My power in the form of My messenger Gabriel, and the doors of the prison will open. And he will come forth and come to you and keep the night-watch with you until the cock crows. And when you have accomplished the memorial which is made of Me, and the love [feast], he will again be cast into prison for a testimony, until he will come out from there and preach that which I have delivered to you.”
2. And we said to Him: “Lord, is it then necessary that we should again take the cup and drink?” [[or “Lord, did You not Yourself fulfill the drinking of the Passover?”]] He said to us: “Yes, it is necessary, until the day when I come again with them that have been put to death for My sake.”
Then we said to Him: “Lord, that which You have revealed to us is great. Will You come in the power of any creature or in an appearance of any kind?” [[or In what power or form will You come?”]] He answered and said to us: “Truly I say to you, I will come like the sun when it is risen, and My brightness will be seven times the brightness thereof! The wings of the clouds will bear Me in brightness, and the sign of the Cross will go before Me, and I will come on earth to judge the quick and the dead.”
1. We said to Him: “Lord, after how many years will this come to pass?” He said to us: “When the hundredth part and the twentieth part is fulfilled, between the Pentecost and the Celebration of Unleavened Bread, then will the coming of My Father be.”
2. We said to Him: “Now you say to us: I will come; and how [then] do you say: He that sent Me is He that will come?” Then He said to us: I am wholly in the Father and My Father is in Me.” Then we said to Him: “Will you indeed forsake us until Your coming? Where can we find a master?” But He answered and said to us: “Do you not know, then, that just as until now I have been here, so also was I there with Him that sent Me?” And we said to Him: “Lord, is it then possible that You should be both here and there?” But He answered us: “I am wholly in the Father and the Father in Me . . . I am of His resemblance and form, of His power and completeness, and of His light. I am His complete Word.”
But it came to pass after He was crucified, and dead, and arisen again, when the work was fulfilled which was accomplished in the flesh, and He was crucified, and the ascension was coming to pass at the end of the days, then He said thus: “The whole fulfillment of everything you will see after the redemption which has come to pass by Me, and you will see Me—how I go up to My Father which is in Heaven. But behold, now, I give to you a new commandment: Love one another and . . . obey one another, that peace may always rule among you. Love your enemies, and what you do not wish that man do to you, that do to no man.”
1. “And preach this also, and teach them that believe on Me, and preach the kingdom of the heavens of My Father, and how My Father has given Me the power, that you may bring near the children of My heavenly Father. Preach, and they will obtain faith, that you may be they for whom it is ordained that they will bring His children to Heaven.”
2. And we said to Him: “Lord, to You it is possible to accomplish whatever You tell us; but how will we be able to do it?” He said to us: Truly I say to you, preach and proclaim as I command you, for I will be with you, for it is My good pleasure to be with you, that you may be heirs with Me in the kingdom of the heavens, even the kingdom of Him that sent Me. Truly I say to you, you will be My brothers and My friends, for My Father has found pleasure in you: and so also will they be that believe on Me by your means. Truly I say to you, such and so great joy has My Father prepared for you that the messengers and the powers desired and do desire to see it and look on it; but it is not given to them to behold the glory of My Father.” We said to Him: “Lord, what is this of which You speak to us?”
3. . . . He answered us: “You will behold a light [[which shines more brightly than [any] light and is more perfect than perfection. And the Son will become perfect through the Father who is Light, for the Father is perfect which brings to pass death and resurrection, and you will see a perfection more perfect than the perfect. And I am wholly at the right hand of the Father, even in Him that makes perfect.]]”
4. And we said to Him: “Lord, in all things You have become salvation and life to us, for that You make known such a hope to us.” And He said to us: “Be of good courage and rest in Me. Truly I say to you, your rest will be above, in the place where is neither eating, nor drinking, nor care, nor sorrow, nor passing away of them that are therein: for you will have no part in [[the things of earth]], but you will be received in the eternality of My Father. Like as I am in Him, so will you also be in Me.”
5. Again, we said to Him: “In what form? In the fashion of messengers, or in flesh?” And He answered and said to us: “Behold, I have put on your flesh, wherein I was born and crucified, and am risen again through My Father which is in Heaven, that the prophecy of David the prophet might be fulfilled, in regard of that which was declared concerning Me and My death and resurrection, saying:
6. Lord, they are increased that fight with me, || And many are they that are risen up against me. Many there be that say to my soul: There is no help for him in his God. But You, O Lord, are my defender, || You are my worship, and the lifter up of my head. I called on the Lord with my voice and he heard me [out of the high place of His temple]. I laid down and slept, || And rose up again: for You, O Lord, are my defender. I will not be afraid of myriads of people, || That have set themselves against me all around. Rise, O Lord, and help me, O my God! For You have stricken down all them that without cause are my enemies. You have broken the teeth of the ungodly. Salvation belongs to the Lord, || And His good pleasure is on His people.
7. If, therefore, all the words which were spoken by the prophets have been fulfilled in Me, how much more will that which I say to you come to pass indeed, that He which sent Me may be glorified by you and by them that believe on Me?”
And when He had said this to us, we said to Him: “In all things have You had mercy on us and saved us, and have revealed all things to us; but yet we would ask of you something else if You allow us.” And He said to us: “I know that you pay heed, and that your heart is well-pleased when you hear Me: now concerning that which you desire, I will speak good words to you.”
1. “For truly I say to you: Just as My Father has raised Me from the dead, so will you also rise [[in the flesh]] and be taken up into the highest Heaven, to the place whereof I have told you from the beginning, to the place which He who sent Me has prepared for you. And so will I accomplish all dispensations, even I who am unbegotten and yet begotten of mankind, who am without flesh and yet have borne flesh: for to that end I have come, that you might rise from the dead in your flesh, in the second birth, even a vesture that will not decay, together with all them that hope and believe in Him that sent Me: for so is the will of My Father, that I should give to you, and to them whom it pleases Me, the hope of the kingdom.”
2. Then we said to Him: “Great is that which You permit us to hope and tell us.” And He answered and said: “Do you believe that everything that I tell you will come to pass?” We answered and said: “Yes, Lord.” He said to us: “Truly I say to you, that I have obtained the whole power of My Father, that I may bring back into light them that dwell in darkness, them that are in corruption into incorruption, them that are in death into life, and that I may free them that are in chains. For that which is impossible with men, is possible with the Father. I am the hope of them that despair, the helper of them that have no savior, the wealth of the poor, the health of the sick, and the resurrection of the dead.”
When He had thus spoken, we said to Him: “Lord, is it true that the flesh will be judged together with the soul and the spirit, and that the one part will rest in Heaven and the other part be punished continuously yet living?” And He said to us: “How long will you inquire and doubt?”
Again we said to Him: “Lord, there is necessity on us to inquire of You—because You have commanded us to preach—that we ourselves may learn assuredly from You and be profitable preachers, and that they which are instructed by us may believe in You. Therefore, we must necessarily inquire of You.”
He answered us and said: “Truly I say to you, the resurrection of the flesh will come to pass with the soul therein and the spirit.” And we said to Him: “Lord, is it then possible that that which is dissolved and brought to nothing should become whole? and we ask you not as unbelieving, neither as if it were impossible to You; but truly we believe that that which You say will come to pass.” And He was angry with us and said: “O you of little faith! How long will you ask questions? But what you will, tell it to Me, and I Myself will tell you without grudging: only keep My commandments and do that which I command you, and do not turn your face away from any man, because I do not turn My face away from you; but without shrinking back and fear, and without respect of persons, minister in the way that is direct, and narrow, and strait. So will My Father Himself rejoice over you.”
Again, we said to Him: “Lord, we are already ashamed that we often question You and burden You.” And He answered and said to us: “I know that in faith and with your whole heart you question Me; therefore, I rejoice over you, for truly I say to you: I rejoice, and My Father that is in Me, because you question Me; and your shamelessness is to Me rejoicing and to you it gives life.” And when He had so spoken to us, we were glad that we had questioned Him, and we said to Him: “Lord, in all things You make us alive and have mercy on us. Will You now declare to us that which we will ask You?” Then He said to us: “Is it the flesh that passes away, or is it the spirit?” We said to Him: “The flesh is it that passes away.” Then He said to us: “That which has fallen will rise again, and that which was lost will be found, and that which was weak will recover, that in these things that are so created the glory of My Father may be revealed. As He has done to Me, so will I do to all that believe in Me.”
“Truly I say to you: the flesh will arise, and the soul, alive, that their defense may come to pass on that day in regard to that which they have done, whether it was good or evil: that there may be a choosing-out of the faithful who have kept the commandments of My Father that sent Me; and so will the judgment be accomplished with strictness. For My Father said to Me: My Son, in the day of judgment You will have no respect for the rich, neither pity for the poor, but according to the sins of every man will You deliver him to continuous torment. But to My beloved that have done the commandments of My Father that sent Me, I will give the rest of life in the kingdom of My Father which is in Heaven, and they will behold that which He has given Me. And He has given Me authority to do that which I will, and to give that which I have promised and determined to give and grant to them.”
[[“For to that end I went down to the place of Lazarus, and preached to the righteous and the prophets, that they might come out of the rest which is below and come up into that which is above; and I poured out on them with My right hand the water of life, and forgiveness, and salvation from all evil, as I have done to you and to them that believe on Me. But if any man believes on Me and does not do My commandments, although he has confessed My Name, he has no profit therefrom but runs a vain race: for such will find themselves in perdition and destruction, because they have despised My commandments.”]]
“But so much the more have I redeemed you, the children of light, from all evil and from the authority of the [heavenly] rulers, and everyone that believes on Me by your means. For that which I have promised to you I will give to them also, that they may come out of the prison-house and the chains of the rulers.” We answered and said: “Lord, You have given to us the rest of life and have given us . . . by wonders, to the confirmation of faith: will You now preach the same to us, seeing that You have preached it to the [[righteous]] and the prophets?” Then He said to us: “Truly I say to you, all that have believed on Me and that believe in Him that sent Me will I take up into the heavens, to the place which My Father has prepared for the chosen, and I will give you the kingdom, the chosen kingdom, in rest, and continuous life.”
1. “But all they that have offended against My commandments and have taught other doctrine, [perverting] the Writing and adding thereto, striving after their own glory, and that teach with other words them that believe on Me in uprightness, if they make them fall thereby, will receive continuous punishment.” We said to Him: “Lord, will there then be teaching by others, diverse from that which You have spoken to us?” He said to us: “It must necessarily be, that the evil and the good may be made manifest; and the judgment will be manifest on them that do these things, and according to their works will they be judged and will be delivered to death.”
2. Again, we said to Him: “Lord, blessed are we in that we see You and hear You declaring such things, for our eyes have beheld these great wonders that You have done.” He answered and said to us: “Yes, rather blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed, for they will be called children of the kingdom, and they will be perfect among the perfect, and I will be to them life in the kingdom of My Father.”
3. Again, we said to Him: “Lord, how will men be able to believe that You will depart and leave us; for You say to us: There will come a day and an hour when I will ascend to My Father?”
But He said to us: “Go and preach to the twelve tribes, and preach also to the heathen, and to all the land of Israel from the east to the west and from the south to the north, and many will believe on the Son of God.” But we said to Him: “Lord, who will believe us or listen to us, or [[how will we be able]] to teach the powers, and signs, and wonders which You have done?” Then He answered and said to us: “Go and preach the mercifulness of My Father, and that which He has done through Me will I Myself do through you, for I am in you, and I will give you My peace, and I will give you [the] power of My Spirit, that you may prophesy to them to continuous life. And I will also give My power to the others, that they may teach the remnant of the peoples . . .”
1. “And behold, a man will meet you, whose name is Saul, which being interpreted is Paul: he is a Jew, circumcised according to the Law, and he will receive My voice from Heaven with fear, and terror, and trembling. And his eyes will be blinded, and by your hands by the sign of the Cross they will be protected [[or healed]]. Do to him all that I have done to you. Deliver it [(the good news)] to the other. And at the same time, that man will open his eyes and praise the Lord, even My Father which is in Heaven. He will obtain power among the people and will preach and instruct; and many that hear him will obtain glory and be redeemed. But thereafter men will be angry with him and deliver him into the hands of his enemies, and he will bear witness before kings that are mortal, and his end will be that he will turn to Me, whereas he persecuted Me at the first. He will preach, and teach, and abide with the chosen, as a chosen vessel and a wall that will not be overthrown, yes, the last of the last will become a preacher to the nations, made perfect by the will of My Father. Just as you have learned from the Writing that your fathers the prophets spoke of Me, and in Me it is indeed fulfilled.”
2. And He said to us: “Be also therefore guides to them; and all things that I said to you, and that you write concerning Me, [declare it to them,] that I am the Word of the Father and that the Father is in Me. Such also will you be to that man, as suits you. Instruct him and bring to his mind that which is spoken of Me in the Writing and is fulfilled, and thereafter he will become the [messenger of] salvation to the nations.”
And we asked Him: “Lord, is there for us and for them [(the nations)] the exact same expectation of the inheritance?” He answered and said to us: “Are then the fingers of the hand like to each other, or the ears of corn in the field, or do all fruit-trees bear the same fruit? Does not everyone bear fruit according to its nature?” And we said to Him: “Lord, will You again speak to us in parables?” Then He said to us: “Do not lament. Truly I say to you, you are My brothers, and My companions in the kingdom of the heavens to My Father, for so is His good pleasure. Truly I say to you, to them also whom you teach and who believe on Me I will give that expectation.”
And we asked Him again: “When will we meet with that man, and when will You depart to Your Father and our God and Lord?” He answered and said to us: “That man will come out of the land of Cilicia to Damascus of Syria, to root up the assembly which you must found there. It is I that speak through you; and he will come quickly: and he will become strong in the faith, that the word of the prophet may be fulfilled, which says: Behold, out of Syria I will begin to call together a new Jerusalem, and Zion will I subdue to Myself, and it will be taken, and the place which is childless will be called the son and daughter of My Father, and My bride. For so has it pleased Him that sent Me. But I will turn that man back, so that he does not accomplish his evil desire, and the praise of My Father will be perfected in him, and after I go home and abide with My Father, I will speak to Him from Heaven, and all things will be accomplished which I have told you before concerning him.”
1. And we said to Him again: “Lord, so many great things You have told us and revealed to us as never yet were spoken, and in everything You have given us rest and been gracious to us. After Your resurrection You revealed to us all things that we might indeed be saved; but You said to us only: There will be signs and strange appearances in the sky and on earth before the end of the world comes. Tell us now, how will we perceive it?” And He answered us: “I will teach it to you; and not that which will befall you only, but them also whom you will teach and who will believe, as well as them who will hear that man and believe on Me. In those years and days will it come to pass.”
2. And we said again to Him: “Lord, what will come to pass?” And He said to us: “Then they that believe, and they that do not believe, will see a trumpet in the heavens, a vision of great stars which will be seen in the day, wonderful sights in the sky reaching down to the earth, stars which fall on the earth like fire, and a great and mighty hail of fire; the sun and the moon fighting with one another, a continual rolling and noise of thunders and lightnings, thunder and earthquake; cities falling and men perishing in their overthrow, a continual dearth for lack of rain, a terrible pestilence and great mortality, mighty and untimely, so that they that die lack burial: and the bearing forth of brothers, and sisters, and relatives will be on one bier. The relative will show no favor to his relative, nor any man to his neighbor. And they that were overthrown will rise up and behold them that overthrew them, that they lack burial, for the pestilence will be full of hatred, and pain, and envy: and men will take from one and give to another. And thereafter will it wax yet worse than before.”
1. “Then will My Father be angry at the wickedness of men, for many are their transgressions, and the abomination of their uncleanness weighs heavy on them in the corruption of their life.”
2. And we asked Him: “What of them that trust in You?” He answered and said to us: “You are yet slow of heart; and how long? Truly I say to you, as the prophet David spoke of Me and of My people, so will it be for them also that believe on Me. But they that are deceivers in the world and enemies of righteousness, on them will come the fulfillment of the prophecy of David, who said: Their feet are swift to shed blood, || Their tongue utters slander, || Adders’ poison is under their lips. I behold you companying with thieves, || And partaking with adulterers, || You continue speaking against your brother || And put stumbling-blocks before your own mother’s son. What do you think, || That I will be like to you? Behold now how the prophet of God has spoken of all, that all things may be fulfilled which he said formerly.”
1. And again, we said to Him: “Lord, will the nations not then say, Where is their God?” And He answered and said to us: “Thereby will the chosen be known, that they, being plagued with such afflictions, come forth.” We said: “Will then their departure out of the world be by a pestilence which gives them pain?” He answered us: “No, but if they suffer such affliction, it will be a proving of them, whether they have faith, and remember these sayings of Mine, and fulfill My commandments. These will arise, and short will be their expectation, that He may be glorified that sent Me, and I with Him. For He has sent Me to you to tell you these things; and that you may impart them to Israel and the nations and they may hear, and they also be redeemed and believe on Me and escape the woe of the destruction. But whoever escapes from the destruction of death, him will they take and hold him fast in the prison-house in torments like the torments of a thief.”
2. And we said to Him: “Lord, will they that believe be treated like the unbelievers, and will You punish them that have escaped from the pestilence?” And He said to us: “If they that feign belief in My Name deal like the sinners, then they have done as though they had not believed.” And we said again to Him: “Lord, have they on whom this lot has fallen no life?” He answered and said to us: “Whoever has accomplished the praise of My Father, he will abide in the resting-place of My Father.”
Then we said to Him: “Lord, teach us what will come to pass thereafter?” And He answered us: “In those years and days will war be kindled on war; the four ends of the earth will be in commotion and fight against each other. Thereafter will be quakings of clouds [[or clouds of locusts]], darkness, and scarcity, and persecutions of them that believe on Me and against the chosen. Thereon will come doubt, and strife, and transgressions against one another. And there will be many that believe on My Name and yet follow after evil and spread vain doctrine. And men will follow after them and their riches, and be subject to their pride, and lust for drink, and bribery, and there will be respect of persons among them.”
1. “But they that desire to behold the face of God, and do not respect the persons of the rich sinners, and are not ashamed before the people that lead them astray, but rebuke them, they will be crowned by the Father. And they will also be saved that rebuke their neighbors, for they are sons of wisdom and of faith. But if they do not become children of wisdom, whoever hates his brother, and persecutes him, and shows him no favor, him will God despise and reject.
2. But they that walk in truth and in the knowledge of the faith, and have love toward Me—for they have endured insult—they will be praised for that they walk in poverty and endure them that hate them and put them to shame. Men have stripped them naked, for they despised them because they continued in hunger and thirst, but after they have endured patiently, they will have the blessedness of Heaven, and they will be with Me forever. But woe to them that walk in pride and boasting, for their end is perdition.”
1. And we said to Him: “Lord, is this your purpose, that you leave us, to come on them?” He answered and said to us: “After what manner will the judgment be? whether righteous or unrighteous?”
2. We said to Him: “Lord, in that day they will say to You: You have not distinguished between righteousness and unrighteousness, between the light and the darkness, and evil and good.” Then He said: “I will answer them and say: To Adam power was given to choose one of the two: he chose the light and laid his hand thereon, but the darkness he left behind him and cast away from him. Therefore, all men have power to believe in the light which is life, and which is the Father that has sent Me. And everyone that believes and does the works of the light will live in them; but if there is anyone that confesses that he belongs to the light, and does the works of darkness, such a one has no defense to utter, neither can he lift up his face to look on the Son of God, which Son I am. For I will say to him: As you sought, so have you found, and as you asked, so have you received. Therefore, do you condemn Me, O man? Therefore, have you departed from Me and denied Me? And therefore, have you confessed Me and yet denied Me? Does not every man have power to live and to die? Whoever then has kept My commandments will be a son of the light, that is, of the Father that is in Me. But because of them that corrupt My words I have come down from Heaven. I am the Word: I became flesh, and I wearied Myself and taught, saying: The burdened will be saved, and they that have gone astray will go astray forever. They will be chastised and tormented in their flesh and in their soul.”
1. And we said to Him: “O Lord, we are truly sorrowful for their sake.” And He said to us: “You do rightly, for the righteous are sorry for the sinners, and pray for them, making prayer to My Father.” Again, we said to Him: “Lord, is there none that makes intercession to You?” And He said to us: “Yes, and I will listen to the prayer of the righteous which they make for them.”
2. When He had so spoken to us, we said to Him: “Lord, in all things you have taught us, and had mercy on us, and saved us, that we might preach to them that are worthy to be saved, and that we might obtain a recompense with You.”
He answered and said to us: “Go and preach, and you will be laborers, and fathers, and ministers.” We said to Him: “You are He that will preach by us.” Then He answered us, saying: “Are you not all fathers or all masters?” We said to Him: “Lord, You are He that said to us: Call no man your father on earth, for one is your Father, which is in Heaven, and your master. Therefore, do you now say to us: You will be fathers of many children, and servants and masters?” He answered and said to us: “You have spoken correctly. For truly I say to you: whosoever will hear you and believe on Me, will receive of you the light of the seal through Me, and immersion through Me; you will be fathers, and servants, and masters.”
1. But we said to Him: “Lord, how may it be that every one of us should be these three?” He said to us: “Truly I say to you: you will be called fathers, because with praiseworthy heart and in love you have revealed to them the things of the kingdom of the heavens. And you will be called servants, because they will receive the immersion of life and the forgiveness of their sins at My hand through you. And you will be called masters, because you have given them the word without grudging, and have admonished them, and when you admonished them, they converted themselves. You were not afraid of their riches, nor ashamed before their face, but you kept the commandments of My Father and fulfilled them. And you will have a great reward with My Father which is in Heaven, and they will have forgiveness of sins and continuous life, and be partakers in the kingdom of the heavens.”
2. And we said to Him: “Lord, even if every one of us had ten thousand tongues to speak also, we could not thank You, for that You promise such things to us.” Then He answered us, saying, “Only do that which I say to you, even as I Myself have also done it.”
1. “And you will be like the wise virgins which watched and did not sleep but went forth to the lord into the bridechamber; but the foolish virgins were not able to watch, but slumbered.” And we said to Him: “Lord, who are the wise and who are the foolish?” He said to us: “Five wise and five foolish; for these are they of whom the prophet has spoken: Sons of God are they. Hear now their names.”
2. But we wept and were troubled for them that slumbered. He said to us: “The five wise are Faith, and Love, and Grace, and Peace, and Hope. Now they of the faithful which possess these will be guides to them that have believed on Me and on Him that sent Me. For I am the Lord, and I am the bridegroom whom they have received, and they have entered into the house of the bridegroom and have laid down with Me in the bridal chamber rejoicing. But the five foolish, when they had slept and had awaked, came to the door of the bridal chamber and knocked, for the doors were shut. Then they wept and lamented that no man opened to them.”
3. We said to Him: “Lord, and their wise sisters that were within in the bridegroom’s house, did they continue without opening to them, and did they not sorrow for their sakes nor entreat the bridegroom to open to them?” He answered us, saying, “They were not yet able to obtain favor for them.” We said to Him: “Lord, on what day will they enter in for their sisters’ sake?” Then He said to us: “He that is shut out, is shut out.” And we said to Him: “Lord, is this word [determined]? Who then are the foolish?” He said to us: “Hear their names. They are Knowledge, Understanding, Obedience, Patience, and Compassion. These are they that slumbered in them that have believed and confessed Me but have not fulfilled My commandments.”
“On account of them that have slumbered, they will remain outside the kingdom and the fold of the Shepherd and His sheep. But whoever will abide outside the sheepfold, him will the wolves devour, and he will be . . . and die in much affliction; in him will be no rest nor endurance, and although he is fiercely punished, and torn in pieces, and devoured in long and evil torment, yet he will not be able to obtain death quickly.”
And we said to Him: “Lord, well have You revealed all this to us.” Then He answered us, saying, “Do you not understand these words?” We said to Him: “Yes, Lord. By five will men enter into Your kingdom [[and by five will men remain outside]]: notwithstanding, they that watched were with You the Lord and Bridegroom, even though they did not rejoice because of them that slumbered.” He said to us: “They will indeed rejoice that they have entered in with the Bridegroom, the Lord; and they are sorrowful because of them that slumbered, for they are their sisters. For all ten are daughters of God, even the Father.” Then we said to Him: “Lord, is it then for You to show them favor on account of their sisters?” He said to us: “[[It is not Mine,]] but His that sent Me, and I am consenting with Him.”
“But be upright, and preach rightly, and teach, and do not be abashed by any man and fear not any man, and especially the rich, for they do not do My commandments, but boast themselves in their riches.” And we said to Him: “Lord, tell us if it is the rich only.” He answered, saying to us: “If any man who is not rich and possesses a small livelihood gives to the poor and needy, men will call him a benefactor.”
“But if any man falls under the load of sin that he has committed, then will his neighbor correct him because of the good that he has done to his neighbor. And if his neighbor corrects him and he returns, he will be saved, and he that corrected him will receive a reward and live forever. For a needy man, if he sees him that has done him good sin, and does not correct him, will be judged with severe judgment. Now if a blind man leads a blind, they both fall into a ditch: and whoever respects persons for their sake, will be as the two, as the prophet has said: Woe to them that respect persons and justify the ungodly for reward, even they whose God is their belly. Behold that judgment will be their portion. For truly I say to you: On that day I will have neither respect for the rich nor pity for the poor.”
“If you behold a sinner, admonish him between him and you: [[if he hears you, you have gained your brother,]] and if he does not hear you, then take with you another, as many as three, and instruct your brother; again, if he does not hear you, let him be to you . . . as a heathen man or a tax collector.”
1. “If you hear anything against your brother, give it no credence; do not slander, and do not delight in hearing slander. For thus it is written: Do not permit your ear to receive anything against your brother; but if you see anything, correct him, rebuke him, and convert him.”
2. And we said to Him: “Lord, You have in all things taught us and warned us. But, Lord, concerning the believers, even them to whom it belongs to believe in the preaching of Your Name: is it determined that among them also there will be doubt and division, jealousy, confusion, hatred, and envy? For You say: They will find fault with one another, and respect the person of them that sins, and hate them that rebuke them.” And He answered and said to us: “How then will the judgment come about, that the corn should be gathered into the garner and the chaff thereof cast into the fire?”
1. “They that hate such things, and love Me, and rebuke them that do not fulfill My commandments, will be hated, and persecuted, and despised, and mocked. Men will of purpose speak of them that which is not true and will band themselves together against them that love Me. But these will rebuke them, that they may be saved. But them that will rebuke, and chasten, and warn them, they will hate them, and thrust them aside, and despise them, and hold themselves far from them that wish them good. But they that endure such things will be like to the martyrs with the Father, because they have striven for righteousness, and have not striven for corruption.”
2. And we asked Him: “Lord, will such things be among us?” And He answered us: “Do not be afraid; it will not be in many, but in a few.” We said to Him: “Yet tell us, in what manner it will come to pass.” And He said to us: “There will come forth another doctrine, and a confusion, and because they will strive after their own advancement, they will bring forth an unprofitable doctrine. And therein will be a deadly corruption, and they will teach it, and will turn away them that believe on Me from My commandments and cut them off from continuous life. But woe to them that falsify this word and commandment of Mine, and draw away them that listen to them from the life of the doctrine, and separate themselves from the commandment of life: for together with them they will come into continuous judgment.”
And when He had said this, and had finished His discourse with us, He said to us again: “Behold, on the third day and at the third hour will He come which has sent Me, that I may depart with Him. And as He so spoke, there was thunder, and lightning, and an earthquake, and the heavens split apart, and there appeared a radiant cloud which bore Him up. And there came voices of many messengers, rejoicing and singing praises, and saying: “Gather us, O Priest, to the light of the majesty.” And when they drew near to the expanse, we heard His voice saying to us: “Depart from here in peace.”
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Not to be confused with the Apostolic Constitutions or their appended Apostolic Canons, the Apostolic Church Order is a 3rd century pseudo-Apostolic collection of moral and hierarchical rules and instructions that served as a law-code for the Egyptian, Ethiopian, and Arabian churches, and rivaled in authority the Didache, under which name it sometimes went.
Greeting, sons and daughters, in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. John, and Matthew, and Peter, and Andrew, and Philip, and Simon, and James, and Nathanael, and Thomas, and Cephas, and Bartholomew, and Judas of James.
Since we have assembled at a command of our Lord Jesus Christ the Savior, according as He appointed previously the [injunction]: “You are to assign districts to determine the numbers of places, the dignities of overseers, the seats of elders, the attendance of servants, the office of readers, the blamelessness of widows,” and whatever is necessary for founding an assembly, in order that, knowing the type of the heavenly [order], they may keep themselves from every fault, knowing that they must give an account at the Great Day of Judgment for the things which they heard and did not keep—and as He commanded us to send forth the words into all the world.
Therefore, it seemed good to us, for a reminding of the brotherhood and a warning to each, as the Lord revealed it according to the will of God through the Holy Spirit, remembering the word to command it to you.
John said: “My brothers, knowing that we will give an account for the things assigned to us, let us each not regard the person of anyone, but if anyone thinks it fitting to dispute, let him dispute.” Now it seemed good to all that John should speak first.
John said: “There are two ways: one of life and one of death, but there is a great difference between the two ways; for the way of life is this: first, you will love the God who made you with all your heart, and you will glorify Him that ransomed you from death, which is [the] first commandment. Secondly, you will love your neighbor as yourself, which is [the] second commandment: on which hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
Matthew said: “All things, whatsoever you will not have done to you, you will not do to another. Now of these words, proclaim the teaching, brother Peter.”
Peter said: “You will not kill; you will not commit adultery; you will not commit fornication; you will not corrupt a youth; you will not steal; you will not be a sorcerer; you will not use enchantments; you will not slay a child by abortion, nor kill what is born; you will not covet anything that is your neighbor’s; you will not bear false witness; you will not speak evil; you will not bear malice; you will not be split-souled, nor double-tongued, for a snare of death is duplicity of tongue. Your speech will not be empty, nor false; you will not be covetous, nor rapacious, nor a hypocrite, nor malicious, or haughty, nor take evil counsel against your neighbor; you will not hate any man, but some you will reprove, and some you will pity; and for some you will pray, and some you will love more than your own soul.”
Andrew said: “My child, flee from all evil, and from everything like it. Do not be inclined to anger, for anger leads to murder; for wrath is a male demon. Do not become a zealot, nor contentious, nor passionate; for murder is prompted from these things.”
Philip said: “My child, do not be lustful; for lust leads to fornication and draws men to herself. For lust is a female demon, and the one ruins with anger, the other with lust, those that receive them. Now [the] way of an evil spirit is the sin of the soul; and if it has only a narrow entrance within him, it widens the way and leads that soul to all bad things and does not permit the man to look clearly and see the truth. Let your wrath be restrained, and after a short interval, bridle and check it, so that it may not hurl you into evil deeds. For wrath and evil desire, if they are allowed to remain long, become demons by reinforcement. And whenever man yields himself to them, they swell up in his soul, and grow larger, and lead him into unrighteous deeds, and deride him, and rejoice at the destruction of men.”
Simon said: “Child, do not be foul-mouthed, nor lofty-eyed; for from these things come adulteries.”
James said: “Child, do not be an omen-watcher, since it leads to idolatry, nor a charmer, nor an astrologer, nor a purifier, nor be willing to look on nor hear these things; for idolatries are begotten from all these.”
Nathaniel said: “Child, do not be a liar, since lying leads to theft, nor greedy, nor vainglorious; for thefts are begotten from all these things.” [Judas said:] Child, do not be a murmurer, since it leads to blasphemy, nor self-willed, nor evil-minded; for blasphemies are begotten from all these things. But be meek, since the meek will inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. Be long-suffering, merciful, peace-making, pure in heart from every evil, guileless and gentle, good, and keeping and trembling at the words which you have heard; you will not exalt yourself, nor permit over-boldness to your soul, nor cleave with your soul to [the] great, but with [the] righteous and lowly you will consort. The events that befall you you will accept as good, knowing that without God nothing occurs.”
Thomas said: “Child, him that speaks to you the word of God, and becomes to you an author of life, and has given you the seal in the Lord, you will love as the apple of your eye, and you will remember him night and day; you will honor him as the Lord; for where that which pertains to the Lord is spoken, there is the Lord. And you will seek out his face daily and the rest of the holy ones, so that you may be refreshed by their words: for by cleaving to holy ones you will be sanctified. You will honor him, as far as you are able, from your sweat and from the labor of your hands. For if the Lord through him saw suitable that spiritual food, and drink, and eternal life be given you, you ought much more the perishable and transient food, for the laborer is worthy of his hire, and a threshing ox you will not muzzle, and no one plants a vine and does not eat its fruit.”
1 Cephas said: “You will not make divisions, but will make peace between those who contend; you will judge justly; you will not respect persons in reproving for a transgression. 2 For wealth does not avail with the Lord; for dignity does not predispose, nor beauty aid, but there is equality of all before Him. 3 In your prayer you will not hesitate, whether it will be or not; do not be [one who] for receiving stretches out the hands, but for giving draws them in. 4 If you have [anything] by your hands, you will give ransom for your sins; you will not hesitate to give, nor when giving will you murmur, for you will know who is the good dispenser of the reward. 5 You will not turn away from a needy one, but you will share in all things with your brother and will not say they are your own, for if you are partners in that which is imperishable, how much more in the corruptible things.”