Didascalia Apostolorum 2.41–2.52

English translation by R. H. Connolly (1929); the original is not shown

And afterwards, as each one of them repents and shows the fruits of repentance, receive him to prayer after the manner of a heathen. And as thou baptizest a heathen and then receivest him, so also lay hand upon this man, whilst all pray for him, and then bring him in and let him communicate with the Church. For the imposition of hand shall be to him in the place of baptism: for whether by the imposition of hand, or by baptism, they receive the communication of the Holy Spirit. Wherefore, as a compassionate physician, heal all those who sin; and go about with all skill, and bring healing to bear for the succour of their lives. And thou shalt not be ready to cut off the members of the Church; but employ the bandages of the word, and the fomentations of admonition, and the IOSMEZINIO TL METIN LEV S0 f 14 Do you therefore consort, etc.] kai avvavA((eo6e, [27] o compress of exhortation. But if the sore be sunken and lack flesh, nourish it and level it up with healing drugs; and if there be dirt in it, cleanse it with a pungent drug, that is with the word of rebuke. But if the flesh be over swollen, wear it down and level it with a violent drug, that is with the threat of judgement. But if gangrene should set in, cauterize it with burnings, that is, with incisions of much fasting cut away and clear out the rottenness of the sore. But if the gangrene assert itself and prevail even over the burnings, give judgero ment: and then, whichever member it be that is putrified, with advice and much consultation with other physicians, cut off that putrefied member, that it may not corrupt the whole body. Yet be not ready to amputate straightway, and be not in haste to have recourse at once to the saw of many teeth; but use first the knife and cut the sore, that it may be clearly seen, and that it may be known what is the cause of the disease that is hidden within ; so that the whole body may be kept uninjured. But if thou see that a man will not repent, but has altogether abandoned himself, then with grief and sorrow cut him off and cast him out of the Church.

English translation by R. H. Connolly (1929); the original is not shown

But if it be found that the hostile charge is false, and you the pastors, with the deacons, accept the falsehood as truth—whether through respect of persons, or by reason of the presents which you receive—and pervert judgement because you desire to do the will of the Evil One, and expel and cast out from the Church him that is accused, whereas he is innocent of this charge: you shall render an account in the day of the Lord; for it is written: Zhou shalt not respect persons in judgement; and again the Scripture saith: A drzbe . blindeth the eyes of them that see, and perverteth right words; and again it hath said: Deliver ye the oppressed, and judge the fatherless, and acquit the widows; and: Fudge right judgement in the gates. Give heed therefore that you be not respecters of persons and incur the judgement of the Lord’s word, which He spoke thus: Woe to them that make bitter sweet, and sweet bitter ; and call light darkness, and darkness light; and acquit the wicked for his bribe, and turn away the innocency of the innocent. But beware that you condemn not a man wrongfully, nor abet them that are evil; for when you judge others, you judge your own selves, as the Lord said: With the judgement that ye judge, ye shall be judged ; and as ye condemn, ye shall be condemned. Wherefore, remember and have ready by you this saying: Forgive, and it shall be forgiven you; and condemn not, that ye may not be condemned, But if your judgement be without respect of persons, O bishops, observe him that accuses his brother, whether he be not a false brother, and has brought the accusation out of envy or jealousy, that he may disturb the Church of God and slay him who is accused by him through his expulsion from the Church and his delivery over to the sword of fire. Judge him therefore, thou, sternly, because he has brought evil upon his brother. For as regards his own intent, if he had been able to catch beforehand the judge’s ear, he would have slain his brother in fire. It is written: Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, his own blood shall be shed for the blood which he hath shed.

English translation by R. H. Connolly (1929); the original is not shown

If then he is found to be such, or t expel him from the Church with great denunciation as a murderer; and after a time, if he promise to repent, warn him and correct him sternly; and then lay hand upon him and receive him into the Church. And be wary and guard Such a one, that he no more disturb any other. But if, after he is come in, you see that he is still contentious and minded to accuse others also, and mischievous and designing, and making false complaints against many: drive him out, that he may no further disturb and trouble the Church. For such a one, though he be within, yet because he is unseemly to the Church, he is superfluous to her, and there is no profit in him. For we see that there are some men born with superfluous members to their bodies, as fingers or other excessive flesh ; but these, though they pertain to the body, are a reproach and a disgrace both to the body and to the man, because they are superfluous to him. Yet when they are removed by the surgeon, that man recovers the comeliness and beauty of his body ; and he suffers no defect by the removal from it of that which was superfluous, but is even the more conspicuous in his beauty. In like manner then do you also act, O pastors. For since the Church is a body, and the members are we who believe in God and abide in love in the fear of the Lord, even as we have received command to be perfect: therefore, one who Contrives evil against the Church, and troubles her members, and loves the complaints and fault-findings of the Enemy, to wit, disturbances, quarrels, slanders, murmurings, contentions, controversies, accusations, charges, vexations: he that loves and does these things—rather it is the Enemy that works in him—and remains within the Church, the same is alien to the Church and a domestic of the Enemy ; for to him he ministers that he may be working through him and may thwart and harass the Church. Such a one therefore, if he remain within, is a disgrace to the Church by reason of his blasphemies and his manifold disorder; for through him the Church of God comes in danger of being scattered. Deal with him therefore as it is written in Wisdom: Put forth an evil man from the assembly, and his contention will go out with him; and make an end of strife and ignominy: lest, if he sit in the assembly, he dishonour you all. For when he has gone forth twice from the Church, he is justly cut off; and the Church is the more beautiful in her proper form, forasmuch as peace has been restored to her, which (before) was wanting to her: for from that hour the Church remains free from blasphemy and disorder. But if your mind be not pure—whether it be through respect of persons, or the gifts of filthy lucre which you receive—and you endure that an evil person should remain among you; or again, (if) you thrust away and expel from the Church them that are of good conversation, and foster among you many that are evil, contentious persons and scatterers (of the flock) and riotous: you will bring blasphemy upon the assembly of the Church, and will run the risk of scattering her through these persons; and you will have put yourselves in deadly peril of forfeiting eternal life—because you have pleased men, and have turned back from the truth of God, through respect of persons and the habit of receiving empty gifts: and you will have scattered the Catholic Church, the beloved daughter of the Lord God. CHAPTER XI An Exhortation to Bishops and Deacons

English translation by R. H. Connolly (1929); the original is not shown

Strive therefore, O bishops, together with the deacons, to be right with the Lord; for the Lord has said: Jf ye will be right with me, I also will be right with you ; and of ye will walk perversely with me, I also will walk perversely with you, saith the Lord of Hosts. Be right therefore, that you may deserve to receive praise of the Lord, and not blame (from him who is) of the contrary part. Let the bishops and the deacons, then, be of one mind; and do you shepherd the people diligently with one accord. For you ought both to be one body, father and son; for you are in the likeness of the Lordship. And let the deacon make known all things to the bishop, even as Christ to His Father. But what things he can, let the deacon order, and all the rest let the bishop judge. Yet let the deacon be the hearing of the bishop, and his mouth and his heart and his soul; for when you are both of one mind, through your agreement there will be peace also in the Church.

English translation by R. H. Connolly (1929); the original is not shown

Now for a Christian this is becoming praise, that he have no evil word with any man. But if by the agency of the Enemy some temptation befall a man, and he have a lawsuit, let him strive to be quit of it, even though he be to suffer some loss: and at all events let him not go to the tribunals of the heathen. And you shall not admit a testi- 3 Jf ye will, etc.] The second part of this text would be satisfied by the references given to Lev. xxvi, but the first part is not from any scriptural mony from the heathen against any of our own people; for through the heathen the Enemy contrives against the servants of God. Wherefore, because the heathen are to stand on the left, He called them ‘the left hand’; for our Saviour spoke thus to us: Let not your left hand know what your right hand doeth.

English translation by R. H. Connolly (1929); the original is not shown

For the heathen are not to know of your lawsuits, and you shall not admit a testimony from them against yourselves, nor go to law before them: as also in the Gospel He saith: Give what is Caesar's to Caesar, and what is God's to God. Be thou willing therefore to suffer a loss, and striving rather to make peace. For when thou shalt suffer any worldly loss for the sake of peace, with God it shall be gain to thee, because that thou fearest God and doest according to His commandment. But if there be brethren who have a quarrel one with another—which God forbid—you the leaders should know forthwith that it is no work of brotherhood in the Lord that they perform who have dared so to do. But if one of them be found to be of the sons of God, being meek and yielding, he is a son of the light. But one who is hard and froward, and overreaching and blasphemous, is a hypocrite, and the Enemy works in him. Reprove him therefore, and rebuke and upbraid him, and put him forth for correction; and afterwards, as we have already said, receive him, that he may not utterly perish. For when such are corrected and reproved, you will not have many lawsuits. But if they know not the word which was spoken by our Lord in the Gospel, which saith: How many times, if my brother offend against me, shall 4 theleft hand] See again p. 143,1. 12. The author of the Of. imperf. in Matth., Hom. xiii, referstoa Ziber Canonum of the Apostles for the following: ‘ Dextera est populus christianus, qui est ad dexteram Christi; sinistra autem omnis populus, qui est ad sinistram. Hoc ergo dicit: ne christianum facientem eleemosynam, qui est dextera, infidelis aspiciat, qui est to tn I forgive him? but are angry one with another and become enemies, teach them, you, and reprove them, and make peace between them; for the Lord has said: Blessed are the peacemakers. And know that it behoves the bishop and the pres- byters to judge warily: as our Saviour said when we asked Him, How many times, if my brother offend against me, shall J forgive him? unto seven times? But our Lord taught us and said to us: Not seven times, I say, only, but even unto seventyfold seven. For so the Lord desires, that they 1owho are His in truth should never have anything at all against any man, and should not be angry with any man: how much less does He desire that men should have lawsuits one with another?

English translation by R. H. Connolly (1929); the original is not shown

But if aught should happen to come about through the agency of the Enemy, so let them be judged before you as you also are surely to be judged. First, then, let your judgements be held on the second day of the week, that if perchance any one should contest the sentence of your words, you may have space until the Sabbath to compose the matter, and may make peace between them 2c that are at odds and reconcile them on the Sunday. Now let the presbyters and the deacons be ever present in all judgements with the bishops. Judge without respect of persons. When therefore the two parties who have the suit or quarrel one with another shall come and stand together in the judgement, as the Scripture saith, after you have heard them, pass sentence righteously. And give diligence to keep them in friendship before the sentence is pronounced upon them, lest there go forth from you against one of them, being a brother, a condemnation of earthly judgement. And so judge as you also are surely to be judged, even as you have Christ for partner and assessor and counsellor and spectator 3 Mt. v 9. 6 Mt. xviii 21. 8 Mt. xviii 22. ets Cf: Deut. xix. 17. with you in the same cause. But if there be any who are accused by some one, it being charged against them that they conduct themselves not well in the way of the Lord: again, hearing both parties, make diligent inquiry, as being to give sentence in a matter of everlasting life or cruel and bitter death. For if a man is truly convicted, and he be condemned and go forth from the Church, he has been cast out from life and glory everlasting, and is become reprobate among men and guilty before God.

English translation by R. H. Connolly (1929); the original is not shown

Judge therefore, according to the magnitude of the charge, whatever it be, with much mercy; and incline rather to save alive without respect of persons than to destroy, by condemning, those who are judged. But if there be one who is innocent, and he be condemned by the judges through respect of persons, the judgement of unjust judges shall do him no hurt with God, but shall rather profit him ; for but for a little while is he unjustly judged by men, but afterwards, in the day of judgement, because he has been unjustly condemned, he shall be the judge of (his) unjust judges. For you have been the arbiters of an unjust judgement, and therefore shall be requited by God accordingly, and cast out of the Catholic Church of God. And that shall be fulfilled in your case: With what judgement ye judge, ye shall be judged.

English translation by R. H. Connolly (1929); the original is not shown

Wherefore, when you sit to judge, let both parties— for we do not call them brothers until peace has been made between them—come and stand together; and do you make prudent and diligent inquiry as between those who have the suit and quarrel one with another. And learn first concerning him who makes the accusation, whether there be any accusation against him also, or whether perchance he has brought charges against others as well; and again, whether he has brought his accusation out of any former enmity or quarrel, or out of envy; and (inquire) also of what manner his conen versation is—whether he is meek, and without anger, and not given to slander, and whether he loves the widows and the poor and strangers, and is not greedy of filthy lucre; and whether he is quiet, and friendly to all and a lover of all; whether he is merciful and open-handed to give, and not a glutton and greedy, nor grasping, nor drunken, nor intemperate, nor slothful: for the perverse heart contriveth evil, and the same disturbeth cities at all times; and whether no such evil has been committed by him as is (done) in the world. And if he that makes the accusation is free from all these things, it is already evident and manifest that he is trustworthy, and that his accusation is true. But if he is known to be perverse and contentious, and his conduct not right, this (also) is evident, that he brings false witness against your brother. When therefore he is found and known to be an injurious person, rebuke him and put him forth for a time, until he repent and be converted and weep: lest perchance he again blaspheme against some other of our brethren who is of good conversation ; or lest, while he sits in your congregation, some other like him, seeing him unreproved, should himself dare to do in like manner to one of our brethren, and should perish before God. But if he who has sinned is rebuked and corrected and put forth for a season, he also who was ready to imitate him and to do as he did, having seen him put forth, will fear lest it happen to him in like manner, and will submit himself: and he shall live before God, and in no wise be put to shame among men.

English translation by R. H. Connolly (1929); the original is not shown

And concerning him again who is judged take counsel and thought among you in like manner: and observe his manners and conduct in the world, whether perchance you have heard many charges against him, or whether he has committed many crimes. For if he is found to have committed crimes, it is likely that this charge also which they prefer against him is true. But again, it may happen that he had formerly comopen-handed to give] So edperddoros is rendered at p. 8, l 3. mitted some sin, but is innocent of this present charge. Wherefore, make diligent investigation of these things, that you may give sentence with great caution and surety; and do you judge rightfully concerning him who is found to be guilty, and pass judgement upon him. But let any one of them who will not abide by your judgement be reproved and put forth from the congregation until he repent and make entreaty of the bishop or of the Church, and confess that he has sinned, and is penitent. And thus shall advantage accrue to many: lest at any time some other, seeing him sit in the Church unrebuked and uncorrected, should himself dare to do as he did, thinking him alive among men, whereas with God he is lost.

English translation by R. H. Connolly (1929); the original is not shown

But if you hear one party alone, while the other is not present to make his defence to the charge which they bring against him, and you pass sentence hastily, without counsel and without inquiry, and, in accordance with the falsehoods which you have believed, condemn him while he is not present to defend himself: you shall be partners before God of him that brought the false witness, and with him you shall be punished by God. For the Lord has said in Proverbs: He that meddleth in a quarrel that is not his own, is as he that taketh hold of a dog's tail; and again in another place He has said: Fudge right judgement; and again He has said: Fudge the fatherless, and justify the widows; and again He saith: on E - ? Deliver the oppressed, and sever every bond of iniquity. But if you resemble those elders who were in Babylon, who bore false witness against Susanna and wickedly condemned her to death, you also shall be partners of their judgement and of their condemnation; for the Lord by Daniel saved Susanna from the hand of the ungodly, and those elders who were guilty of her blood He condemned to fire.

English translation by R. H. Connolly (1929); the original is not shown

Now very far apart do we set the things of the sanctuary from those of the world; nevertheless (this) we say : You see, brethren, how, when murderers are brought before the (civil) authority, the judges question diligently those who bring them, and learn from them what they have done. And then again they ask the criminal whether these things are so; and though he himself confess and say, ‘Yea’, they do not send him straightway to death, but question him again for many days, and drawing the curtain take thought and counsel much together. And then at length they pass upon him the s sentence of death, and lifting up their hands to heaven protest that they are innocent of the man's blood. And these things they do though they are heathens and know not God nor the requital they receive from God for those whom they judge and condemn unjustly. And do you, who know who is our God and what His judgements, dare to give sentence upon one who is not guilty? We counsel you therefore that you make inquiry with diligence and much caution. For the word of sentence which you decree ascends straightway to God ; and if you have justly judged, you shall receive of God the reward Of justice, both now and hereafter; but if you have judged unjustly, again you shall receive of God a recompense accordingly. Strive threrefore, brethren, that you be worthy to receive praise from God, and not blame ; for praise from God is everlasting life to men, but blame from God is eternal death