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The Didache
The Lord's Teaching Through the Twelve Apostles to the Nations.
The Didache
The Lord's Teaching Through the Twelve Apostles to the Nations.
Chapter 1. The Two Ways; The First Commandment
There are two ways, one of life and one of death; but a great
difference between the two ways. The way of life, then, is this: First,
you shall
love
God who made you; second, your neighbour as yourself; and all things
whatsoever you would should not occur to you, do not also do to another.
And of these sayings the teaching is this: Bless those who curse you,
and
pray for your enemies, and
fast for those who
persecute you. For what reward is there, if you
love those who
love you? Do not also the
Gentiles do the same? But
love those who
hate you, and you shall not have an enemy. Abstain from fleshly and worldly
lusts. If someone gives you a blow upon your right cheek, turn to him the other also, and you shall be
perfect.
If someone impresses you for one mile, go with him two. If someone
takes away your cloak, give him also your coat. If someone takes from
you what is yours, ask it not back, for indeed you are not able. Give
to every one that asks you, and ask it not back; for the Father wills
that to all should be given of our own blessings (free gifts). Happy is
he that gives according to the commandment; for he is guiltless. Woe to
him that receives; for if one having need receives, he is guiltless;
but he that receives not having need, shall pay the penalty, why he
received and for what, and, coming into straits (confinement), he shall
be examined concerning the things which he has done, and he shall not
escape thence until he pay back the last farthing.
Matthew 5:26 But also now concerning this, it has been said, Let your
alms sweat in your hands, until you
know to whom you should give.
Chapter 2. The Second Commandment: Gross Sin Forbidden
And the second commandment of the Teaching; You shall not commit
murder, you shall not commit
adultery,
Exodus 20:13-14 you shall not commit pederasty, you shall not commit fornication, you shall not
steal,
Exodus 20:15 you shall not practice
magic, you shall not practice
witchcraft, you shall not
murder a child by
abortion nor kill that which is begotten. You shall not
covet the things of your neighbour,
Exodus 20:17 you shall not forswear yourself,
Matthew 5:34 you shall not bear false
witness,
Exodus 20:16 you shall not speak
evil,
you shall bear no grudge. You shall not be double-minded nor
double-tongued; for to be double-tongued is a snare of death. Your
speech shall not be false, nor empty, but fulfilled by deed. You shall
not be
covetous, nor rapacious, nor a hypocrite, nor
evil disposed, nor
haughty. You shall not take
evil counsel against your neighbour. You shall not
hate any man; but some you shall reprove, and concerning some you shall
pray, and some you shall
love more than your own life.
Chapter 3. Other Sins Forbidden
My child, flee from every
evil thing, and from every likeness of it. Be not prone to
anger, for
anger leads the way to
murder;
neither jealous, nor quarrelsome, nor of hot temper; for out of all
these murders are engendered. My child, be not a lustful one; for
lust
leads the way to fornication; neither a filthy talker, nor of lofty
eye; for out of all these adulteries are engendered. My child, be not an
observer of omens, since it leads the way to
idolatry; neither an enchanter, nor an astrologer, nor a purifier, nor be willing to look at these things; for out of all these
idolatry is engendered. My child, be not a liar, since a
lie
leads the way to theft; neither money-loving, nor vainglorious, for out
of all these thefts are engendered. My child, be not a murmurer, since
it leads the way to
blasphemy; neither self-willed nor evil-minded, for out of all these
blasphemies are engendered. But be meek, since the meek shall inherit the earth.
Matthew 5:5
Be long-suffering and pitiful and guileless and gentle and good and
always trembling at the words which you have heard. You shall not exalt
yourself,
Luke 18:14 nor give over-confidence to your
soul. Your
soul
shall not be joined with lofty ones, but with just and lowly ones shall
it have its intercourse. The workings that befall you receive as good,
knowing that apart from
God nothing comes to pass.
Chapter 4. Various Precepts
My child, him that speaks to you the word of God remember night and day; and you shall
honour
him as the Lord; for in the place whence lordly rule is uttered,
there is the Lord. And you shall seek out day by day the faces of the
saints,
in order that you may rest upon their words. You shall not long for
division, but shall bring those who contend to peace. You shall judge
righteously, you shall not respect
persons
in reproving for transgressions. You shall not be undecided whether it
shall be or no. Be not a stretcher forth of the hands to receive and a
drawer of them back to give. If you have anything, through your hands
you shall give ransom for your
sins. You shall not hesitate to give, nor murmur when you give; for you shall
know
who is the good repayer of the hire. You shall not turn away from him
that is in want, but you shall share all things with your brother, and
shall not say that they are your own; for if you are partakers in that
which is
immortal,
how much more in things which are mortal? You shall not remove your
hand from your son or from your daughter, but from their youth shall
teach them the
fear of
God.
Ephesians 6:4 You shall not enjoin anything in your bitterness upon your bondman or maidservant, who
hope in the same
God, lest ever they shall
fear not God who is over both;
Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 4:1
for he comes not to call according to the outward appearance, but unto
them whom the Spirit has prepared. And you bondmen shall be subject to
your masters as to a type of
God, in modesty and
fear.
Ephesians 6:5; Colossians 3:22 You shall
hate all hypocrisy and everything which is not pleasing to the
Lord.
Forsake in no way the commandments of the Lord; but you shall keep what
you have received, neither adding thereto nor taking away therefrom .
Deuteronomy 12:32 In the church you shall acknowledge your transgressions, and you shall not come near for your
prayer with an
evil conscience. This is the way of life.
Chapter 5. The Way of Death
And the way of death is this: First of all it is
evil and full of curse: murders, adulteries,
lusts,
fornications, thefts, idolatries, magic arts, witchcrafts, rapines,
false witnessings, hypocrisies, double-heartedness, deceit, haughtiness,
depravity, self-will, greediness, filthy talking, jealousy,
over-confidence, loftiness, boastfulness; persecutors of the
good, hating
truth, loving a
lie, not
knowing a reward for righteousness, not cleaving to good nor to righteous judgment, watching not for that which is
good, but for that which is
evil; from whom meekness and endurance are far, loving vanities, pursuing requital, not pitying a
poor man, not labouring for the afflicted, not
knowing Him that made them, murderers of children, destroyers of the handiwork of
God, turning away from him that is in want, afflicting him that is distressed, advocates of the rich, lawless judges of the
poor, utter sinners. Be delivered, children, from all these.
Chapter 6. Against False Teachers, and Food Offered to Idols
See that no one
cause you to
err
from this way of the Teaching, since apart from God it teaches you.
For if you are able to bear all the yoke of the Lord, you will be
perfect; but if you are not able, what you are able that do. And
concerning food, bear what you are able; but against that which is
sacrificed to
idols be exceedingly on your guard; for it is the service of dead gods.
Chapter 7. Concerning Baptism
And concerning
baptism,
baptize this way: Having first said all these things,
baptize into the name of the
Father, and of the
Son, and of the
Holy Spirit,
Matthew 28:19 in living water. But if you have not living water,
baptize
into other water; and if you can not in cold, in warm. But if you have
not either, pour out water thrice upon the head into the name of Father
and Son and
Holy Spirit. But before the
baptism let the baptizer fast, and the
baptized, and whatever others can; but you shall order the
baptized to fast one or two days before.
Chapter 8. Concerning Fasting and Prayer (the Lord's Prayer)
But let not your
fasts be with the hypocrites;
Matthew 6:16 for they fast on the second and fifth day of the week; but fast on the fourth day and the Preparation (Friday). Neither
pray as the hypocrites; but as the Lord commanded in His
Gospel, thus
pray:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.
Your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. Give us today our daily
(needful) bread, and forgive us our debt as we also forgive our
debtors. And bring us not into
temptation, but deliver us from the
evil one (or,
evil); for Yours is the power and the
glory forever. Thrice in the day thus
pray.
Chapter 9. The Thanksgiving (Eucharist)
Now concerning the Thanksgiving (
Eucharist), thus give thanks. First, concerning the cup: We thank you, our Father, for the
holy vine of David Your servant, which You made
known to us through Jesus Your Servant; to You be the
glory forever. And concerning the broken bread: We thank You, our Father, for the life and
knowledge which You made
known to us through Jesus Your Servant; to You be the
glory
forever. Even as this broken bread was scattered over the hills, and
was gathered together and became one, so let Your Church be gathered
together from the ends of the earth into Your kingdom; for Yours is the
glory and the power through
Jesus Christ forever. But let no one eat or drink of your Thanksgiving (
Eucharist), but they who have been
baptized into the name of the Lord; for concerning this also the Lord has said, Give not that which is
holy to the dogs.
Matthew 7:6
Chapter 10. Prayer After Communion
But after you are filled, thus give thanks: We thank You,
holy Father, for Your
holy name which You caused to tabernacle in our hearts, and for the
knowledge and
faith and
immortality, which You made
known to us through Jesus Your Servant; to You be the
glory
forever. You, Master almighty, created all things for Your name's sake;
You gave food and drink to men for enjoyment, that they might give
thanks to You; but to us You freely gave spiritual food and drink and
life
eternal through Your Servant. Before all things we thank You that You are mighty; to You be the
glory forever. Remember, Lord, Your Church, to deliver it from all
evil and to make it perfect in Your
love,
and gather it from the four winds, sanctified for Your kingdom which
You have prepared for it; for Yours is the power and the
glory forever. Let
grace come, and let this world pass away.
Hosanna to the God (Son) of David! If any one is
holy, let him come; if any one is not so, let him repent. Maran atha.
Amen. But permit the
prophets to make Thanksgiving as much as they desire.
Chapter 11. Concerning Teachers, Apostles, and Prophets
Whosoever, therefore, comes and teaches you all these things that
have been said before, receive him. But if the teacher himself turn
and teach another doctrine to the destruction of this, hear him not; but
if he teach so as to increase righteousness and the
knowledge of the Lord, receive him as the Lord. But concerning the
apostles and
prophets, according to the decree of the
Gospel,
thus do. Let every apostle that comes to you be received as the Lord.
But he shall not remain except one day; but if there be need, also the
next; but if he remain three days, he is a
false prophet. And when the apostle goes away, let him take nothing but bread until he lodges; but if he ask money, he is a
false prophet. And every
prophet that speaks in the
Spirit you shall neither try nor judge; for every
sin shall be forgiven, but this
sin shall not be forgiven. But not every one that speaks in the
Spirit is a
prophet; but only if he hold the ways of the Lord. Therefore from their ways shall the
false prophet and the
prophet be
known. And every
prophet who orders a meal in the
Spirit eats not from it, except indeed he be a
false prophet; and every
prophet who teaches the
truth, if he do not what he teaches, is a
false prophet. And every
prophet,
proved true, working unto the
mystery of the
Church
in the world, yet not teaching others to do what he himself does,
shall not be judged among you, for with God he has his judgment; for so
did also the ancient
prophets. But whoever says in the
Spirit,
Give me money, or something else, you shall not listen to him; but if
he says to you to give for others' sake who are in need, let no one
judge him.
Chapter 12. Reception of Christians
But let every one that comes in the name of the Lord be received, and afterward you shall prove and
know
him; for you shall have understanding right and left. If he who comes
is a wayfarer, assist him as far as you are able; but he shall not
remain with you, except for two or three days, if need be. But if he
wills to abide with you, being an artisan, let him work and eat;
2 Thessalonians 3:10 but if he has no trade, according to your understanding see to it that, as a
Christian, he shall not live with you idle. But if he wills not to do, he is a Christ-monger. Watch that you keep aloof from such.
Chapter 13. Support of Prophets
But every
true prophet that wills to abide among you is worthy of his support. So also a
true teacher is himself worthy, as the workman, of his support.
Matthew 10:10; cf. Luke 10:7
Every first-fruit, therefore, of the products of wine-press and
threshing-floor, of oxen and of sheep, you shall take and give to the
prophets, for they are your
high priests. But if you have not a
prophet,
give it to the poor. If you make a batch of dough, take the first-fruit
and give according to the commandment. So also when you open a jar of
wine or of oil, take the first-fruit and give it to the
prophets;
and of money (silver) and clothing and every possession, take the
first-fruit, as it may seem good to you, and give according to the
commandment.
Chapter 14. Christian Assembly on the Lord's Day
But every Lord's day gather yourselves together, and break bread,
and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that
your
sacrifice may be pure. But let no one that is at variance with his fellow 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: In every place and time offer to me a pure
sacrifice; for I am a great King, says the Lord, and my name is wonderful among the nations.
Chapter 15. Bishops and Deacons; Christian Reproof
Therefore, appoint for yourselves
bishops and
deacons worthy of the Lord, men meek, and not lovers of money,
1 Timothy 3:4 and truthful and proven; for they also render to you the service of
prophets and teachers. Despise them not therefore, for they are your honoured ones, together with the
prophets and teachers. And reprove one another, not in
anger, but in peace, as you have it in the
Gospel;
Matthew 18:15-17
but to every one that acts amiss against another, let no one speak,
nor let him hear anything from you until he repents. But your
prayers and
alms and all your
deeds so do, as you have it in the
Gospel of our Lord.
Chapter 16. Watchfulness; The Coming of the Lord
Watch for your life's sake. Let not your lamps be quenched, nor your loins unloosed; but be ready, for you
know not the hour in which our Lord comes.
Matthew 24:42 But often shall you come together, seeking the things which are befitting to your
souls: for the whole time of your
faith will not profit you, if you be not made perfect in the last time. For in the last days
false prophets and corrupters shall be multiplied, and the sheep shall be turned into wolves, and
love shall be turned into
hate;
Matthew 24:11-12 for when lawlessness increases, they shall
hate and
persecute and betray one another,
Matthew 24:10 and then shall appear the
world-deceiver as the
Son of God,
and shall do signs and wonders, and the earth shall be delivered into
his hands, and he shall do iniquitous things which have never yet come
to pass since the beginning. Then shall the creation of men come 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 under the curse itself. And then shall appear the signs of the
truth;
first, the sign of an outspreading in heaven; then the sign of the
sound of the trumpet; and the third, the resurrection of the dead; yet
not of all, but as it is said: The Lord shall come and all His
saints with Him. Then shall the world see the Lord coming upon the clouds of heaven.
