Epistle of the Apostles 28–49

Translated by Claude from I. Wajnberg (Ethiopic), C. Schmidt (Coptic)'s German translation (1919) of the Ethiopic and Coptic; neither is shown

"But to you I have granted to be children of light to the Lord, and pure from every evil and from every power of punishment; and so I will also do to those who believe in me through you. As I have told you and promised, he who believes in me will be freed from prison, loosed from his bonds, and saved from the spears and from the terrible burning of fire." And we said to him: "O Lord, in all things you have given us joy and promised us rest. In faithfulness and truth you proclaimed it to our fathers and prophets, and so also to us and to everyone." And he answered us: "Truly I say to you: you, and all who believe or will one day believe in him who sent me, I will lift up into heaven, to the place that the Father has prepared for the chosen and the most elect, so that he may give them the rest he has promised and eternal life."

Translated by Claude from I. Wajnberg (Ethiopic), C. Schmidt (Coptic)'s German translation (1919) of the Ethiopic and Coptic; neither is shown

"But those who transgress my commandment, teach something else, take away from it or add to it, work for their own exaltation, and lead astray those who believe in me in simplicity, … ." And we said to him: "O Lord, will there then be another teaching, and mischief?" He answered us: "The wicked will be revealed, just as the good and those who do what is right. And then a just judgment will come upon them according to their deeds, according to what they have done, and they will be cast into destruction." And we said to him: "Blessed are we, who see you and hear you proclaiming this to us, and whose eyes look upon so many wonders that you have done." And he answered and said to us: "But more blessed still will be those who have not seen me and yet believe in me; for they will be called children of the kingdom and the most perfect, and to them I will be eternal life in the kingdom of my Father." And we said to him again: "O Lord, how can one believe that you will leave us, as you yourself say: a time and an hour will come when you must go to your Father?"

Translated by Claude from I. Wajnberg (Ethiopic), C. Schmidt (Coptic)'s German translation (1919) of the Ethiopic and Coptic; neither is shown

He answered and said to us: "Go and preach to the twelve tribes of Israel and to the Gentiles, and to Israel and the land of Israel, in the east and west, the north and south; and many will believe in me, the Son of God." And we said to him: "O Lord, who will believe us, who will listen to us, and how shall we be able to do and teach and tell of wonders, signs, and mighty works, as you did?" He answered and said to us: "Go, preach and teach the coming of my Father and of his grace. As my Father did with me, so I too will do with you, for I am with you; and I will give you my peace, my spirit, and my power; it will be granted to you, so that people may believe. And to them too this power will be given and handed on as an inheritance, so that they may give it to the nations."

Translated by Claude from I. Wajnberg (Ethiopic), C. Schmidt (Coptic)'s German translation (1919) of the Ethiopic and Coptic; neither is shown

"And behold, you will meet a man whose name is Saul, which means Paul. He is a Jew, circumcised according to the law. And he will hear my voice from heaven with terror, fear, and trembling. And his eyes will be blinded, and they will be overshadowed by your hand with the sign of the cross. Do everything for him … [so that he may] praise the Lord, my Father in heaven. He will gain power among the people, and will preach and teach; and many, hearing him, will be filled with delight and be saved. But after that they will turn against him and deliver him into the hands of his enemies, and he will make confession before mortal kings; and his end will be that he confesses me, after having persecuted me. He will preach and teach and dwell with the chosen ones, a chosen vessel and a wall that does not fall; the last of the last will become a preacher to the nations, perfect through the will of my Father. As you too have learned from the Scripture that your fathers the prophets spoke of me, and that it has truly been fulfilled in me." And he said to us: "So you too become guides to them, and tell them everything that I have told you and that you have written about me: that I am the Word of the Father and the Father is in me. So you shall be to that man too, as is fitting for you. Teach and remind him of what has been spoken in the Scripture concerning me and has been fulfilled, and afterwards he will be for the salvation of the nations."

Translated by Claude from I. Wajnberg (Ethiopic), C. Schmidt (Coptic)'s German translation (1919) of the Ethiopic and Coptic; neither is shown

And we asked him: "O Master, is there one and the same hope of the inheritance for us and for them?" He answered and replied to us: "Are the fingers of the hand alike, or the ears of grain in the field? Or do fruit trees bear the same fruit? Does not each bear fruit according to its nature?" And we said to him: "O Lord, will you speak to us in parables again?" Then he said to us: "Do not lament. Truly I say to you, you are my brothers, my companions in the kingdom of heaven with my Father, for so it has pleased him. Truly I say to you, to those too whom you teach and who then believe in me I will give that hope."

Translated by Claude from I. Wajnberg (Ethiopic), C. Schmidt (Coptic)'s German translation (1919) of the Ethiopic and Coptic; neither is shown

And we asked him again: "When shall we meet that man, and when will you go 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 in Syria, to uproot the church that it is appointed for you to create. It is I who speak through you; and he will come quickly. And he will become strong in that faith, so that the word of the prophet may be fulfilled, which says: Behold, from Syria I will begin to call together a new Jerusalem, and Zion I will subdue for myself, and it will be taken; and the place that is childless will be called the son and daughter of my Father, and my bride. For so it has pleased him who sent me. But that man I will turn away, so that he does not carry out his evil plan, and through him the praise of my Father will be accomplished. After I have gone away and am with my Father, I will speak to him from heaven, and everything will happen as I told you before concerning him."

Translated by Claude from I. Wajnberg (Ethiopic), C. Schmidt (Coptic)'s German translation (1919) of the Ethiopic and Coptic; neither is shown

And we said to him again: "O Lord, you have spoken so many great things to us and revealed to us what had never been said, and in all things you have given us rest and been gracious to us. After your resurrection you revealed everything to us, so that we may truly be saved. But you told us only that wonders and strange apparitions will take place in heaven and on earth before the end of the world comes. Teach us now how we may recognize it." And he answered us: "I will teach you, not only what will happen to you, but also to those whom you will teach and who will believe, and also to those who hear that man and believe in me. In those years and days it will happen." And we said to him again: "O Lord, what then will happen?" And he said to us: "Then believers and unbelievers will see a trumpet in heaven, a vision of great stars that become visible by day, wondrous apparitions in heaven reaching down to the earth, stars falling upon the earth like fire, and a great and mighty hail of fire; the sun and the moon fighting with one another; a constant rolling and roaring of thunders and lightnings, thunder and earthquake; cities falling down, and people perishing in their ruin; a constant drought for lack of rain, a terrible plague and great mortality, severe and untimely, so that the dying will lack burial, and brothers and kinsfolk will have to be carried out on a single bier. Kinsman will pay no heed to kinsman, nor a man to his neighbour. But those who were cast out will rise and look upon those who cast them out, carrying them away. For the plague will be full of hatred, pain, and envy. They will take from this one and give to that one. And afterwards it will be worse still than before."

Translated by Claude from I. Wajnberg (Ethiopic), C. Schmidt (Coptic)'s German translation (1919) of the Ethiopic and Coptic; neither is shown

"Then my Father will be angry at the wickedness of men, for their transgressions are many … believe in me. But those who become deceivers in the world and enemies of righteousness, in them the prophecy of David will be fulfilled, who said: Their feet are swift to shed blood, their tongue brings forth blasphemy, and under their lips is the poison of serpents. I see you running about with thieves, and your portion is with harlots; further, you sit reviling your brother, and you set stumbling blocks before your mother's son. What do you think, that I shall become like you? See now how the prophet of God has spoken of everything, so that all that he foretold may be fulfilled."

Translated by Claude from I. Wajnberg (Ethiopic), C. Schmidt (Coptic)'s German translation (1919) of the Ethiopic and Coptic; neither is shown

And again we said to him: "O Lord, will the nations not say, Where is their God?" And he answered and said to us: "By this the elect will be known, that they come out after being afflicted by such pains." We said: "Will their departure from the world be through a plague that causes them pain?" He answered us: "No; but if they suffer such pains, it will be a test for them, whether they have faith, and whether they remember these my words and fulfil my commandments. These will rise, and their existence will last only a short time, so that he who sent me may be glorified, and I with him. For he has sent me to you so that I may tell you this, and you may impart it to Israel and the nations, and they may hear it and they too be saved, believe in me, and escape the woe of destruction. But whoever comes out of the destruction of death will be seized and held in the prison house in torments like those of a thief." And we said to him: "O Lord, will the believers then be like the unbelievers …, and will you punish those who have escaped the plague?" And he said to us: "If, believing in my name, they act like sinners, they have acted as if they did not believe at all." And we said to him again: "O Lord, have those to whom such a lot has fallen no life?" He answered and said to us: "Whoever has done the praise of my Father is the resting place of my Father."

Translated by Claude from I. Wajnberg (Ethiopic), C. Schmidt (Coptic)'s German translation (1919) of the Ethiopic and Coptic; neither is shown

Then we said to him: "O Lord, teach us what will happen afterwards." And he answered us: "In those years and days war upon war will break out; the four ends of the earth will be shaken and will make war on one another. After that there will be upheavals of the clouds, darkness, and drought, and persecutions against those who believe in me and against the elect. After that will come doubt and strife and evil deeds against one another. And there will be some who believe in my name and yet follow evil and spread vain teaching. And people will follow them and be subject to their riches, their depravity, their drunkenness, and their bribery; and there will be respect of persons among them."

Translated by Claude from I. Wajnberg (Ethiopic), C. Schmidt (Coptic)'s German translation (1919) of the Ethiopic and Coptic; neither is shown

"But those who wish to see the face of God, who do not regard the person of rich sinners and are not ashamed before the people who lead them astray, but will convict them, they will be crowned before the Father. So too those will be saved who rebuke their neighbour, for they are sons of wisdom and of faith. But if they have not become children of wisdom, whoever hates his brother, drives him away, and pays no heed to him, God will despise and reject him. But those who walk in righteousness, in knowledge, and in faith in me, and possess wisdom, understanding, and patience for righteousness' sake, who, though they are despised, strive after poverty and endure patiently: great is their reward. Those who are mocked, tormented, and persecuted, who are stripped, against whom men are proud, who are hungry and thirsty, and because they were patient: blessed will they be in the heavens, and they will be with me for ever. But woe to those who hated and scorned them; their end is destined for destruction."

Translated by Claude from I. Wajnberg (Ethiopic), C. Schmidt (Coptic)'s German translation (1919) of the Ethiopic and Coptic; neither is shown

And we asked him: "O Lord, will this happen to all?" He answered us: "How? Will a just judgment come upon sinners and the righteous alike?" We said to him: "Will they not say to you on that day: You led both righteousness and sin, and you divided darkness and light, evil and good?" And he said: "Adam was given the power to choose from them what he wished, and he chose the light, stretched out his hands and took it, and left the darkness and withdrew from it. So every man has the power to believe in the light, that is, in the life of the Father who sent me. And whoever has believed in me will gain life, if he has done the work of the light. But if he has not believed that it has become light, and remains in darkness, he can neither bring anything forward in his defence nor lift up his face and look upon the Son, who I am. And I will say to him: You sought and found, asked and received, what you have nevertheless not obtained. Why have you estranged yourself from my kingdom? You believed in me, and you denied me! See now, each one has the power to live and to believe; and whoever fulfils and keeps my commandments will be a son of the light, that is, of my Father, and so also those who follow and fulfil them. For this reason I came down from heaven: I, the Word, became flesh and received death, teaching and correcting, so that these may be saved, but those perish for ever, being punished in fire in body and spirit."

Translated by Claude from I. Wajnberg (Ethiopic), C. Schmidt (Coptic)'s German translation (1919) of the Ethiopic and Coptic; neither is shown

And we said to him: "O Lord, truly we grieve on their account." And he said to us: "You do rightly; for so the righteous mourn over sinners, and pray and entreat God and beseech him." And we said to him: "Is there, then, no one who entreats you, O Lord?" And he answered us: "Yes, and I hear the prayer of the righteous on their behalf." We said to him: "O Lord, you have taught us everything and given us life and grace; we will go on preaching it to those to whom it is fitting. But will a reward come to us from you?"

Translated by Claude from I. Wajnberg (Ethiopic), C. Schmidt (Coptic)'s German translation (1919) of the Ethiopic and Coptic; neither is shown

And he said to us: "Go and preach, and become good messengers and servants." And we said to him: "O Lord, you are our Father!" He answered: "Are all fathers, all servants, all masters?" Then we said to him: "O Lord, was it not you who said, Call no one on earth father and master, for one is your Father and your teacher, he who is in heaven? Now you tell us that we, like you, are to become fathers to many children, and teachers and apostles." And he answered and said to us: "You have spoken rightly. Truly I say to you: all who have listened to you and believed in me will receive the light of the cross that is in my hand, and through me you will become fathers and teachers."

Translated by Claude from I. Wajnberg (Ethiopic), C. Schmidt (Coptic)'s German translation (1919) of the Ethiopic and Coptic; neither is shown

And we said to him: "O Lord, how can these three be in one?" And he answered and said to us: "Truly, truly I say to you: you will be called fathers, because with love and mercy you have revealed to them the things of the kingdom of heaven, and because they will receive from my hand the baptism of life and the forgiveness of sins. And you will be called teachers, because you have handed on my word to them without grief, and have rebuked them, and they have turned back in the things for which you rebuked them. And I will say to you: You were not ashamed before their riches and showed no partiality, but you followed the commandment of the Father and fulfilled it. And a reward will come to you from my heavenly Father, and to them forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and a share in the kingdom." And we said to him: "O Lord, if they had a thousand mouths, they would not be able to praise you worthily." He answered and said to us: "I say this to you so that you may do as I have done to you."

Translated by Claude from I. Wajnberg (Ethiopic), C. Schmidt (Coptic)'s German translation (1919) of the Ethiopic and Coptic; neither is shown

"And be like the wise virgins, who lit their lamps and did not slumber, and with their lamps went to meet the Lord, the bridegroom, and went in with him into the bridegroom's chamber. But the foolish ones, as they are called, could not keep awake, but fell asleep." And we said to him: "O Lord, who are the wise, and who are the foolish?" He said to us: "The wise are five, whom the prophet calls daughters of God, and whose names are heard." But we were sad and lamented over those who had been shut out. Then he said to us: "The five wise are faith, love, joy, peace, and hope. Those among the believers who possess these will become guides to those who believe in me and in him who sent me. I am the bridegroom, the Lord. They received me, went in with me into the bridegroom's house, reclined at table with the bridegroom, and rejoiced. But the five foolish ones slumbered; and when they woke, they came to the bridegroom's house and knocked at the door, for it had been shut. And they wept because they had been shut out." And we asked him: "O Lord, did not their sisters, the wise ones who were in the chamber, open to them, and did they not grieve for them?" He answered us: "Yes, they grieved and were anxious for them, and entreated the bridegroom, but could obtain nothing for them." We said to him: "O Lord, when will their sisters come in?" He answered us: "Those who are shut out are shut out." Then we said to him: "O Lord, is this then settled? Who, then, are these foolish ones?" He answered us: "Listen: understanding, knowledge, obedience, patience, and mercy. These have slept among those who believed and confessed me but did not fulfil my commandments."

Translated by Claude from I. Wajnberg (Ethiopic), C. Schmidt (Coptic)'s German translation (1919) of the Ethiopic and Coptic; neither is shown

"But because of those who have slept, they will remain outside the kingdom and the fold of the shepherd. And whoever remains outside the fold, the wolf will devour. And though he has heard the teaching, he will die in many sufferings; endurance and patience will not be granted him; and though he is cruelly tormented, torn to pieces, and consumed by long and bitter agony, he will not be able to obtain a quick death."

Translated by Claude from I. Wajnberg (Ethiopic), C. Schmidt (Coptic)'s German translation (1919) of the Ethiopic and Coptic; neither is shown

And we said to him: "O Lord, you have revealed everything to us well." He said to us: "Know and understand these words." Then we said to him: "O Lord, there are five to whom it is given to enter your kingdom, and five before whom the gates were shut and who remained outside your kingdom. But those who kept watch and went in with the Lord, the bridegroom, will surely not enjoy gladness because of those who slumbered." And he said to us: "They will rejoice, for they went in with the Lord; and they will grieve for those who slumbered, for they are their sisters; and the daughters of God are these ten." Then we said to him: "O Lord, it befits your glory to show grace to their sisters." Then he answered us: "This is not your affair, but his who sent me, and I agree with him."

Translated by Claude from I. Wajnberg (Ethiopic), C. Schmidt (Coptic)'s German translation (1919) of the Ethiopic and Coptic; neither is shown

"But you, go and preach truly and righteously, and teach without respect of persons and without fear of anyone, especially of the rich, in whom it becomes evident that they do not fulfil my commandments and that they revel in their riches." And we said to him: "O Lord, are you speaking to us only of the rich?" He said to us: "Also of him who is not rich: if he gives to one who has nothing, and refuses him nothing, he will be called a benefactor among the people."

Translated by Claude from I. Wajnberg (Ethiopic), C. Schmidt (Coptic)'s German translation (1919) of the Ethiopic and Coptic; neither is shown

"But if someone falls under the burden, namely of the sin that he has committed against the person of his neighbour, then his neighbour shall rebuke him for what he did to his neighbour. If his neighbour has rebuked him and he has turned back, he will be saved, and the one who rebuked him will obtain eternal life. But if anyone sees a man who did him good committing sin, and seeks to please him and does not rebuke him, he will be punished with a great punishment; for if a blind man leads a blind man, both fall into the pit. So too both the flatterer who shows partiality and the one whose person is regarded and who is flattered will both be subject to punishment. As the prophet says: Woe to the flatterers who justify the sinner for a gift, whose belly is their god. You will see such a judgment come upon them. Truly I say to you, on that day I will neither stand in awe of the rich nor have pity on the poor."

Translated by Claude from I. Wajnberg (Ethiopic), C. Schmidt (Coptic)'s German translation (1919) of the Ethiopic and Coptic; neither is shown

"If you see with your own eyes someone sinning, rebuke him between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won him. But if he does not listen to you, reprove your brother with two or three. If even then he does not listen to you, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector."

Translated by Claude from I. Wajnberg (Ethiopic), C. Schmidt (Coptic)'s German translation (1919) of the Ethiopic and Coptic; neither is shown

"If you hear something against your brother, do not believe it; do not slander, and do not love to listen to slander. For so it is written: Do not let your ear hear anything against your brother … and show partiality to those who sin, and hate those who rebuke them." And he answered and said to us: "How, then, will the judgment take place, so that the grain is gathered into the barns and its chaff thrown into the fire?"