The Didache

Thou shalt by no means forsake the Lord's commandments, but shalt guard what thou hast received, neither adding to it nor taking from it. In the church –11– thou shalt confess thy transgressions, and shalt not come forward for thy prayer with an evil conscience. This is the way of life.

Chap V: 5 — Now the way of death is this: first of all it is evil, and full of curse; murders, adulteries, lusts, fornications, thefts, idolatries, magic arts, sorceries, rob- beries, false testimonies, hypocrisies, duplicity, craft, arrogance, vice, presumptuousness, greed, foul speech, jealousy, over-boldness, loftiness, pretence; persecutors of the good, hating truth, loving falsehood, knowing not the reward of righteousness, not cleaving to what which is good nor to righteous judgment, on the watch not for good but for evil; far from whom are meekness and humility, loving vanities, pursuing revenge, not knowing him that made them, murderers of children, destroyers of the image of God, turning away the needy, oppressing the afflicted, advocates of the rich, lawless judges of the poor, universal sinners: may ye be delivered, children, from all these.

Chap VI: 6 — See that no one lead thee astray from this way of the teaching, because apart from God does –13– he teach thee. For if thou art able to bear the whole yoke of the Lord, thou shalt be perfect; but if thou art not able, what thou art able, that do. And concerning food, what thou are able, bear; but of that offered to idols, beware exceedingly; for it is a worship of dead gods.

Chap VII: 7 — Now concerning baptism, thus baptize ye: having first uttered all these things, baptize into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, in running water. But if thou hast not running water, baptize in other water; and if thou canst not in cold, then in warm. But if thou hast neither, pour water upon the head thrice, into the name of the Father and Son and Holy Spirit. But before the baptism let the baptizer and the baptized fast, and whatever others can; but the baptized thou shalt command to fast for two or three days before.

Chap VIII: 8 — But let not your fasting be appointed in common with the hypocrites; for they fast on the second day of the week and on the fifth; but do ye fast during the fourth, and the preparation day. Nor pray ye like the hypocrites, but as the Lord commanded in his –15– gospel, thus pray: Our Father who art in heaven, Hal- lowed by thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth; our daily bread give us to-day, and forgive us our debt as we also forgive our debtors, and bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one; for thine is the power and the glory forever. Thee times in the day pray ye thus.

Chap IX: 9 — Now concerning the Eucharist, thus give thanks; first, concerning the cup: We thank thee, our Father, for the holy vine of David thy servant, which thou hast made known to us through Jesus thy servant; to thee by the glory forever. And concerning the broken bread: We thank thee, our Father, for the life and the knowledge which thou hast made known to us through Jesus thy servant; to thee by the glory forever. Just as this broken bread was scattered over the hills and having been gathered together became one, so let thy church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into thy kingdom; for thine is the glory and the power through Jesus Christ forever. But let no one eat –17– or drink of your Eucharist, except those baptized into the Lord's name; for in regard to this the Lord hath said: Give not that which is holy to the dogs.

Chap X: 10 — Now after ye are filled thus do ye give thanks: We thank thee, holy Father, for thy holy name, which thou hast caused to dwell in our hearts, and for the knowledge and faith and immortality which thou hast made known to us through Jesus thy servant; to thee be the glory forever. Thou, Almighty Master, didst create all things for thy name's sake; both food and drink thou didst give to men for enjoyment, in order that they might give thanks to thee; but to us thou hast graciously given spiritual food and drink and eternal life through thy servant. Before all things, we thank thee that thou art powerful; to thee be the glory forever. Remember, Lord, thy church, to de- liver it from every evil and to make it perfect in thy love, and gather it from the four winds, it, the sancti- fied, into thy kingdom, which thou hast prepared for it; for thine is the power and the glory forever. Let grace come and let this world pass away. Hosanna to –19– the son of David! Whoever is holy, let him come; whoever is not let him repent. Maranatha. Amen. But permit the prophets to give thanks as much as they will.

Chap XI: 11 — Now whoever cometh and teacheth you all these things, before spoken, receive him; but if the teacher himself turn aside and teach another teaching, so as to overthrow this, do not hear him; but if he teach so as to promote righteousness and knowledge of the Lord, receive him as the Lord. But in regard to the apostles and prophets, according to the ordinance of the gospel, so do ye. And every apostle who cometh to you, let him be received as the Lord; but he shall not remain more than one day; if, however, there be need, then the next day; but if he remain three days, he is a false prophet. But when the apostle departeth, let him take nothing except bread enough till he lodge again; but if he ask money, he is a false prophet. And every prophet who speaketh in the spirit, ye shall not try nor judge; for every sin shall be forgiven, but this sin shall not be forgiven. But not every one that speaketh in the spirit is a prophet, but only if he have the ways of the Lord. So from their ways shall the false prophet –21– and the prophet be known. And no prophet who or- ders a meal, in the spirit, eateth of it, unless indeed he is a false prophet; and every prophet who teacheth the truth, if he do not which he teacheth, is a false prophet. But every prophet, proved, true, acting with a view to the mystery of the church on earth, but not teaching others to do all that he himself doeth, shall not be judged among you; for with God he hath his judgment; for so did the ancient prophets also. But whoever, in the spirit, says:

Chap XII: 12 — But let every one that cometh in the Lord's name be received, but afterward ye shall test and know him; for ye shall have understanding, right and left. If he who comes is a traveller, help him a much as ye can; but he shall not remain with you, unless for two or three days, if there be necessity. But if he will take up his abode among you, being an artisan, let him work and so eat; but if he have no trade, provide, according to your understanding, that no idler live with you as a Christian. But if he will not act accord- ing to this, he is one who makes gain out of Christ; be- ware of such.–23–

Chap XIII: 13 — But every true prophet who will set- tle among you is worthy of his support. Likewise a true teacher, he also is worthy, like the workman, of his support. Every firstfruit, then, of the products of wine-press and threshing-floor, or oxen and of sheep, thou shalt take and give to the prophets; for they are your high-priests. but if ye have no prophet, give it to the poor. If thou makest a baking of bread, take the first of it and give according to the commandment. In like manner when thou openest a jar of wine or oil, take the first of it and give to the prophets; and of money and clothing and every possession take the first, as seems right to thee, and give according to the commandment.

Chap XIV: 14 — But on the Lord's day do ye assemble and break bread, and give thanks, after confessing your transgressions, in order that your sacrifice may be pure. But every one that hath controversy with his friend, let him not come together with you, until they be reconciled, that your sacrifice may not be profaned. For this is that which was spoken by the Lord: At every place and time, bring me a pure sacrifice; for a great king am I, saith the Lord, and my name is marvellous among the nations.–25–

Chap XV: 15 — Now appoint for yourselves bishops and deacons worthy of the Lord, men meek and not ava- ricious, and upright and proved; for they, too, render you the service of the prophets and teachers. Despise them not, therefore; for they are the ones who are honored of you, together with the prophets and teachers.

And reprove one another, not in anger but in peach, as ye have it in the gospel; and to every one who erreth against another, let no one speak, nor let him hear any- thing from yo, until he repent. But your prayers and your alms and all your deeds so do ye, as ye have it in the gospel of our Lord.

Chap XVI: 16 — Watch for your life's sake; let your lamps not go out, and your loins not be relaxed, but be ready; for ye know not the hour in which our Lord com- eth. But ye shall come together often, and seek the things which befit your souls; for the whole time of your faith thus far will not profit you, if ye do not be- come perfect in the last time. For in the last days the false prophets and the corruptors shall be multiplied, and the sheep shall be turned into wolves, and love –27– shall be turned into hate; for when lawlessness in- creaseth they shall hate one another, and shall persecute and shall deliver up, and then shall appear the world- deceiver as the Son of God, and shall do signs and won- ders, and the earth shall be given into his hands, and he shall commit iniquities which have never get been done since the beginning. Then all crated men shall com into into the fire of trial, and many shall be made to stumble and shall perish. But they that endure in their faith shall be saved from this curse. And then shall appear the signs of the truth; first the sign of an opening in heaven, then the sign of the trumpet's sound, and thirdly, the resurrection of the dead; yet not of all, but as it hath been said: The Lord will come and the saints with him. Then shall the world see the Lord coming upon the clouds of heaven.–29–