34.1 the Lord’s One ancient authority reads God’s; another reads my.
Commandment 6
Two Ways
6.1
35 “I commanded you,” he said, “in the first commandments to protect faith and fear and self-control.” “Yes, sir,” I said. “But now,” he said, “I want to explain to you their powers, so that you may understand what the power and effect of each of them is. For their effects are twofold; they relate to righteousness and to unrighteousness. 2 Be sure, therefore, to trust righteousness, but do not trust unrighteousness. For the way of righteousness is straight, but the way of unrighteousness is crooked. But follow the straight and level way, and leave the crooked one alone. 3 For the crooked way has no paths but only uneven ground and many obstacles, and is rough and thorny. Consequently, it is harmful to those who follow it. 4 But those who follow the straight path walk smoothly and without stumbling, for it is neither rough nor thorny. You see, then, that it is more advantageous to follow this way.” 5 “I am pleased, sir,” I said, “to follow this way.” “So follow it,” he said, “and whoever turns to the Lord wholeheartedly will follow it.”
Two Angels
6.2
36 “Now hear,” he said, “about faith. There are two angels with a person, one of righteousness and one of wickedness.” 2 “So how, sir,” I said, “will I recognize their workings, given that both angels live with me?” 3 “Listen,” he said, “and you will understand them. The angel of righteousness is sensitive and modest and gentle and tranquil. When this one enters your heart, immediately he talks with you about righteousness, about purity, about holiness, about contentment, about every righteous deed, and about every glorious virtue. Whenever all these things enter your heart, you know that the angel of righteousness is with you. These, then, are the works of the angel of righteousness. So trust him and his works. 4 Now observe the works of the angel of wickedness. First of all, he is ill-tempered and bitter and senseless, and his works are evil, tearing down God’s servants. So whenever this one enters your heart, recognize him by his works.” 5 “But I do not know, sir,” I said, “how to recognize him.” “Listen,” he said. “When some angry temperamental outburst or bitterness comes over you, recognize that he is in you. Then comes the desire for much business, and extravagant kinds of food and drink, and much drunkenness, and various kinds of unnecessary luxuries, and the desire for women, and greed and arrogance and pretentiousness, and whatever else resembles or is similar to these things. So whenever these things enter your heart, you know that the angel of wickedness is with you. 6 Recognizing, therefore, his works, shun him and do not trust him at all, because his works are evil and harmful to God’s servants. You now have, then, the working of both angels; understand them and trust the angel of righteousness. 7 But shun the angel of wickedness, because his teaching is evil in every respect. For if there should be an extremely faithful man, and the thought of that angel should enter his heart, that man—or woman—must inevitably commit some sin. 8 On the other hand, if there should be an extremely sinful man or woman, and the works of the angel of righteousness should enter his or her heart, of necessity that person must do something good. 9 You see, then,” he said, “that it is good to follow the angel of righteousness but shun the angel of wickedness. 10 This commandment explains the things about faith, in order that you may trust the works of the angel of righteousness, and that doing them, you may live to God. But believe that the works of the angel of wickedness are dangerous, so that by not doing them you will live to God.”
36.7 faithful man Here the Gk for man is anēr. • man—or woman Gk andra . . . gynaika (= forms of anēr . . . gynē). 36.8 man or woman Gk anēr . . . gynē.
Commandment 7
Fear the Lord
37 “Fear the Lord,” he said, “and keep his commandments. By keeping his commandments, you will be powerful in every deed, and your activity will be beyond criticism. For when you fear the Lord you will do everything well. This is the fear you must have to be saved. 2 But do not fear the devil, for if you fear the Lord you will rule over the devil, because he has no power. And where there is no power, there is no fear. But where there is glorious power, there also is fear. For everyone who has power has fear, whereas the one who has no power is despised by everyone. 3 But fear the works of the devil, because they are evil. When you fear the Lord you will fear the devil’s works and will not do them, but will have nothing to do with them. 4 Fear, therefore, is of two kinds. If you want to do something evil, fear the Lord and you will not do it. But on the other hand, if you want to do good, fear the Lord and you will do it. So, the fear of the Lord is powerful and great and glorious. Fear the Lord, therefore, and you will live to him; and whoever fears the Lord and keeps his commandments will live to God.” 5 “Why, sir,” I said, “did you say about those keeping his commandments, ‘they will live to God’?” “Because,” he replied, “every creature fears the Lord, but not all keep his commandments. Life with God, therefore, belongs to those who fear him and keep his commandments; but those who do not keep his commandments do not have life in him, either.”
Commandment 8
Self-Control
38 “I mentioned to you,” he said, “that the creatures of God are twofold, because self-control is also twofold. For in some things it is necessary to exercise self-control, but in some things it is not necessary.” 2 “Inform me, sir,” I said, “about what things it is necessary to practice self-control and in what things it is not necessary.” “Listen,” he said. “Be self-controlled regarding evil, and do not do it; but do not be self-controlled regarding good, but do it. For if you exercise self-control regarding what is good and do not do it, you commit a great sin. But if you exercise self-control regarding evil so as not to do it, you achieve great righteousness. Exercise self-control, therefore, over all evil and do what is good.” 3 “Sir,” I responded, “what are the kinds of evils over which it is necessary for us to exercise self-control?” “Listen,” he said: “adultery and fornication, lawless drunkenness, wicked luxury, many kinds of food and the extravagance of wealth and boasting and snobbery and arrogance, and lying and slander and hypocrisy, malice and all blasphemy. 4 These actions are the most wicked of all in human life. So, the servant of God must exercise self-control over these works, for the one who does not exercise self-control over these is not able to live to God. Listen also, therefore, to the things that follow them.” 5 “Why, sir,” I said, “are there still other evil practices?” “Indeed, there are many,” he said, “over which the servant of God must exercise self-control: theft, lying, robbery, perjury, greed, lust, deceit, vanity, pretentiousness, and whatever else is like these. 6 Do you not think that these things are evil? Indeed, to the servants of God they are very evil,” he said. “In all these things the one who serves God must exercise self-control. Exercise self-control, therefore, over all these things, so that you may live to God and be enrolled with those who do exercise self-control over them. These, then, are the matters in which you must exercise self-control.”
7 “But now listen,” he said, “to those things in which you must not exercise self-control, but do them. Do not exercise self-control over the good, but do it.” 8 “Explain to me,” I said, “the power of the good things also, so that I may walk in them and serve them, in order that by doing them I may be able to be saved.” “Hear,” he said, “about the works of the good things, which you must do and toward which you must not exercise self-control. 9 First of all, there is faith, fear of the Lord, love, harmony, words of righteousness, truth, patience; nothing is better than these in human life. Those who keep these things and do not exercise self-control over them will be blessed in their life. 10 Next hear the things that follow these: serving widows, looking after orphans and those in need, delivering God’s servants from distress, being hospitable (for the practice of hospitality results in doing good, I presume), opposing no one, being quiet, becoming more needy than all other men, respecting the elderly, practicing righteou
sness, preserving the bond of fellowship, enduring insults, being patient, bearing no grudges, encouraging those who are sick at heart, not throwing out those who have stumbled but turning them around and encouraging them, admonishing sinners, not oppressing debtors and those in need, and whatever else is like these. 11 Do you not think,” he said, “that these things are good?” “Why sir,” I replied, “what can be better than these?” “Then walk in them,” he said, “and do not exercise self-control over them, and you will live to God. 12 So keep this commandment; if you do good and do not exercise self-control in this respect, you will live to God; indeed, all who do so will live to God. And again, if you do not do evil and do exercise self-control over it, you will live to God; indeed, all who keep these commandments and walk in them will live to God.”
38.6 he said One ancient authority reads I said; others omit. 38.10 needy Or humble. • the bond of fellowship Gk adelphoteta.
Commandment 9
Double-Mindedness
39 He said to me, “Rid yourself of double-mindedness, and do not be at all double-minded about asking God for something, saying to yourself, for example, ‘How can I ask for something from God and receive it, when I have sinned so often against him?’ 2 Do not reason in this way, but turn to the Lord with all your heart and ask of him unhesitatingly, and you will know his extraordinary compassion, because he will never abandon you but will fulfill your soul’s request. 3 For God is not like humans, who bear grudges; no, he is without malice and has compassion on his creation. 4 You, therefore, cleanse your heart of all the vanities of this life, and of all the things mentioned to you above, and ask of the Lord, and you will receive everything, and will not fail to receive all of your requests, if you ask unhesitatingly. 5 But if you hesitate in your heart, you will certainly not receive any of your requests. For those who hesitate in their relation to God are the double-minded, and they never obtain any of their requests. 6 But those who are perfect in faith make all their requests trusting in the Lord, and they receive them, because they ask unhesitatingly, without any double-mindedness. For any double-minded person who does not repent will scarcely be saved. 7 So cleanse your heart of double-mindedness and put on faith, because it is strong, and trust God that you will receive all the requests you make. And whenever you ask for something from the Lord and you receive your request rather slowly, do not become double-minded just because you did not receive your soul’s request quickly, for assuredly it is because of some temptation or some transgression, of which you are ignorant, that you are receiving your request rather slowly. 8 Do not stop, therefore, making your soul’s request, and you will receive it. But if you become weary and double-minded as you ask, blame yourself and not the one who gives to you. 9 Beware of this double-mindedness, for it is evil and senseless, and has uprooted many from the faith, even those who are very faithful and strong. For this double-mindedness is indeed a daughter of the devil, and does much evil to God’s servants. 10 So despise double-mindedness and gain mastery over it in everything by clothing yourself with faith that is strong and powerful. For faith promises all things, perfects all things; but double-mindedness, not having any confidence in itself, fails in all the works it tries to do. 11 So you see,” he said, “that faith is from above, from the Lord, and has great power, but double-mindedness is an earthly spirit from the devil that has no power. 12 So serve faith, which has power, and have nothing to do with double-mindedness, which has no power, and you will live to God; indeed, all who are so minded will live to God.”
Commandment 10
Cheerfulness and Grief
10.1
40 “Rid yourself,” he said to me, “of grief, for it is the sister of double-mindedness and an angry temper.” 2 “Sir,” I asked, “how is it the sister of these? For an angry temper seems to me to be one thing, double-mindedness another, and grief another.” “You are a foolish man,” he said. “Do you not understand that grief is the most evil of all the spirits and very bad for God’s servants, and that it corrupts a person more than all the spirits and crushes the holy spirit, and saves again?” 3 “I am foolish, sir,” I said, “and I do not understand these parables. For how it can both corrupt and save again, I do not comprehend.” 4 “Listen,” he said. “Those who have never searched for the truth or inquired about the deity, but have simply believed, and have been entangled in business affairs and wealth and friendships with outsiders and many other concerns of this world—well, those who are absorbed in these things do not comprehend the divine parables, because they are darkened by these matters and are ruined and become barren. 5 Just as good vineyards are made barren by thorns and weeds of various kinds when they are neglected, so people who have believed and then fall into these many activities that have been mentioned above lose their understanding and do not comprehend anything at all concerning righteousness. For whenever they hear about divine matters and truth, their mind is preoccupied with their own affairs, and they understand nothing at all. 6 But those who fear God and inquire about divine matters and truth and direct their heart to the Lord grasp more quickly and understand everything that is said to them, because they have the fear of the Lord in themselves; for where the Lord lives, there also is much understanding. So hold fast to the Lord and you will understand and grasp everything.”
10.2
41 “Foolish man,” he said, “hear now how grief crushes the holy spirit and saves again. 2 Whenever double-minded people undertake some action and fail at it because of their double-mindedness, this grief enters them and grieves the holy spirit and crushes it. 3 Then again, when an angry temper holds fast to people over some matter and they become very embittered, again grief enters the heart of the angry-tempered ones, and they are grieved by what they have done, and they repent because they have done evil. 4 This grief, therefore, seems to bring salvation, because they repented after having done evil. So, both actions grieve the spirit: the double-mindedness, because it did not succeed in its attempt, and the angry temper grieves the spirit, because it did what was evil. So both are a cause for grief for the holy spirit, double-mindedness and an angry temper. 5 Rid yourself, therefore, of grief and do not oppress the holy spirit that lives in you, lest it intercede with God against you and leave you. 6 For the spirit of God that was given to this flesh endures neither grief nor distress.”
10.3
42 “Clothe yourself, therefore, with cheerfulness, which always finds favor with God and is acceptable to him, and rejoice in it. For all cheerful people do good things and think good things, and despise grief. 2 But sorrowful people always do evil; first, they do evil because they grieve the holy spirit, which was cheerful when given to the people, and second, they grieve the holy spirit by acting lawlessly in that they neither pray nor confess to God. For the intercession of grieving people never has the power to ascend to the altar of God.” 3 “Why,” I asked, “doesn’t the intercession of those who grieve ascend to the altar?” “Because,” he replied, grief is entrenched in their heart. When the grief is mixed with the intercession, it does not permit the intercession to ascend in purity to the altar. For just as vinegar mixed together with wine in the same bottle does not have a pleasant taste, so also grief mixed with the holy spirit does not have the same intercession. 4 So cleanse yourself of this evil grief, and you will live to God; indeed, all will live to God who rid themselves of grief and clothe themselves with all cheerfulness.”
41.4 because it did what was evil I.e., because the angry temper did what was evil. 41.5 against you Some ancient authorities omit.
Commandment 11
True and False Prophets
43 He showed me people seated on a bench, and another person seated on a chair. And he said to me, “Do you see those people seated on the bench?” “I see them, sir,” I replied. “These,” he said, “are faithful, but the one seated on the chair is a false prophet who destroys the mind of God’s servants; that is, he destroys the mind of the double-minded, not of believers. 2 The double-minded come to him as to a fort
une-teller and ask him what will happen to them. And that false prophet, not having the power of a divine spirit in himself, answers them in accordance with their questions and their wicked desires, and fills their souls just as they themselves wish. 3 For since he himself is empty, he gives empty answers to empty inquirers, for no matter what is asked, he answers according to the emptiness of the one asking. But he does speak some true words, for the devil fills him with his own spirit, to see if he will be able to break down any of the righteous. 4 So, those who are strong in the faith of the Lord, having clothed themselves with the truth, do not associate with such spirits, but have nothing to do with them. But those who are double-minded and frequently change their minds practice fortune-telling like the outsiders and bring greater sin upon themselves by their idolatries. For the one who consults a false prophet on any matter is an idolater and lacks the truth and is senseless. 5 For no spirit given by God needs to be consulted; instead, having the divine power, it speaks everything on its own initiative, because it is from above, from the power of the divine spirit. 6 But the spirit that is consulted and that answers according to the desires of the people consulting it is earthly and fickle, and has no power, and does not speak at all unless it is consulted.” 7 “So how, sir,” I asked, “will a person know which of them is a prophet and which is a false prophet?” “Hear,” he said, “about both the prophets, and on the basis of what I am going to tell you, you can test the prophet and false prophet. Determine the man who has the divine spirit by his life. 8 In the first place the one who has the divine spirit from above is gentle and quiet and humble, and stays away from all evil and futile desires of this age, and considers himself to be poorer than others, and gives no answer to anyone when consulted. Nor does he speak on his own (nor does the holy spirit speak when a person wants to speak), but when God wants him to speak. 9 So, then, when the person who has the divine spirit comes into an assembly of righteous people who have faith in a divine spirit, and intercession is made to God by the assembly of those people, then the angel of the prophetic spirit that is assigned to him fills the person, and being filled with the holy spirit the man speaks to the multitude just as the Lord wills. 10 In this way, then, the divine spirit will be obvious. Such, therefore, is the power of discernment with respect to the divine spirit of the Lord.”
The Apostolic Fathers in English Page 29