The Didache

by Unknown

DESCRIPTION

Teaching of the twelve Apostles. A first-century treatise, written before A.D. 100.

LARGER WORK

The Early Church Fathers and Other Works

THE TEACHING OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES (DIDACHE)

THE LORD'S TEACHING THROUGH THE TWELVE APOSTLES TO

THE NATIONS.

CHAP. I.—THE TWO WAYS; THE FIRST COMMANDMENT.

1. THERE are two ways, one of life and one of death; but a great difference
between the two ways.

2. The way of life, then, is this: First, thou shalt love God who made thee; second,
thy neighbour as thyself; and all things whatsoever thou wouldst should not occur
to thee, thou also to another do not do.

3. And of these sayings the teaching is this: Bless them that curse you, and pray
for your enemies, and fast for them that persecute you. For what thank is there, if
ye love them that love you? Do not also the Gentiles do the same? But do ye
love them that hate you; and ye shall not have an enemy.

4. Abstain thou from fleshly and worldly lusts. If one give thee a blow upon thy
right cheek, turn to him the other also; and thou shalt be perfect. If one impress
thee for one mile, go with him two. If one take away thy cloak, give him also thy
coat. If one take from thee thine own, ask it not back? for indeed thou art not
able.
5. Give to every one that asketh thee, and ask it not back; for the Father willeth
that to all should be given of our own blessings (free gifts). Happy is he that
giveth according to the commandment; for he is guiltless. Woe to him that
receiveth; for if one having need receiveth, he is guiltless; but he that receiveth
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 hath done, and he shall not escape thence until he pay back the last
farthing.

6. But also now concerning this, it hath been said, Let thine alms sweat in thy
hands, until thou know to whom thou shouldst give.

CHAP. II.—THE SECOND COMMANDMENT: GROSS SIN

FORBIDDEN.

1. And the second commandment of the Teaching;

2. Thou shalt not commit murder, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not
commit paederasty, thou shalt not commit fornication, thou shalt not steal, thou
shalt not practise magic, thou shalt not practise witchcraft, thou shalt not murder
a child by abortion nor kill that which is begotten. Thou shalt not covet the things
of thy neighbour,

3. thou shalt not forswear thyself, thou shalt not bear false witness, thou shalt not
speak, evil, thou shalt bear no grudge.

4. Thou shalt not be double-minded nor double-tongued; for to be double-

tongued is a snare of death.

5. Thy speech shall not be false, nor empty, but fulfilled by deed.

6. Thou shalt not be covetous, nor rapacious, nor a hypocrite, nor evil disposed,
nor haughty. Thou shalt not take evil counsel against thy neighbour.

7. Thou shalt not hate any man; but some thou shalt reprove, and concerning
some thou shalt pray, and some thou shalt love more than thy own life.

CHAP. III.—OTHER SINS FORBIDDEN.

1. My child, flee from every evil thing, and from every likeness of it.

2. Be not prone to anger, for anger leadeth the way to murder; neither jealous,
nor quarrelsome, nor of hot temper; for out of all these murders are engendered.

3. My child, be not a lustful one; for lust leadeth the way to fornication; neither a
filthy talker, nor of lofty eye; for out of all these adulteries are engendered.

4. My child, be not an observer of omens, since it leadeth the way to idolatry;

neither an enchanter, nor an astrologer, nor a purifier, nor be willing to took at
these things; for out of all these idolatry is engendered.

5. My child, be not a liar, since a lie leadeth the way to theft; neither money-
loving, nor vainglorious, for out of all these thefts are engendered.

6. My child, be not a murmurer, since it leadeth the way to blasphemy; neither

self-willed nor evil-minded, for out of all these blasphemies are engendered.

7. But be thou meek, since the meek shall inherit the earth.

8. Be long-suffering and pitiful and guileless and gentle and good and always
trembling at the words which thou hast heard.

9. Thou shalt not exalt thyself, nor give over-confidence to thy soul. Thy soul shall
not be joined with lofty ones, but with just and lowly ones shall it have its
intercourse.

10. The workings that befall thee receive as good, knowing that apart from God
nothing cometh to pass.

CHAP. IV.—VARIOUS PRECEPTS.

1. My child, him that speaketh to thee the word of God remember night and day;
and thou shalt honour him as the Lord; for in the place whence lordly rule is
uttered, there is the Lord.

2. And thou shalt seek out day by day the faces of the saints, in order that thou
mayest rest upon their words.
3. Thou shalt not long for division, but shalt bring those who contend to peace.
Thou shalt judge righteously, thou shalt not respect persons in reproving for
transgressions.

4. Thou shalt not be undecided whether it shall be or no.

5. Be not a stretcher forth of the hands to receive and a drawer of them back to
give.

6. If thou hast aught, through thy hands thou shalt give ransom for thy sins.

7. Thou shalt not hesitate to give, nor murmur when thou givest; for thou shalt
know who is the good repayer of the hire.

8. Thou shalt not turn away from him that is in want, but thou shalt share all
things with thy brother, and shalt not say that they are thine own; for if ye are
partakers in that which is immortal, how much more in things which are mortal?

9. Thou shalt not remove thy hand from thy son or from thy daughter, but from
their youth shalt teach them the fear of God.

10. Thou shalt not enjoin aught in thy bitterness upon thy bondman or
maidservant, who hope in the same God, lest ever they shall fear not God who is
over both; for he cometh not to call according to the outward appearance, but
unto them whom the Spirit hath prepared.

11. And ye bondmen shall be subject to your masters as to a type of God, in

modesty and fear.

12. Thou shalt hate all hypocrisy and everything which is not pleasing to the Lord.

13. Do thou in no wise forsake the commandments of the Lord; but thou shalt
keep what thou hast received, neither adding thereto nor taking away therefrom.

14. In the church thou shalt acknowledge thy transgressions, and thou shalt not
come near for thy prayer with an evil conscience. This is the way of life.

CHAP. V.—THE WAY OF DEATH.

1. 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;

2. 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.

CHAP. VI.—AGAINST FALSE TEACHERS, AND FOOD OFFERED

TO IDOLS.

1. See that no one cause thee to err from this way of the Teaching, since apart
from God it teacheth thee.

2. For if thou art able to bear all the yoke of the Lord, thou wilt be perfect; but if
thou art not able, what thou art able that do.

3. And concerning food, bear what thou art able; but against that which is
sacrificed to idols be exceedingly on thy guard; for it is the service of dead gods.

CHAP. VII.—CONCERNING BAPTISM.

1. And concerning baptism, thus baptize ye: Having first said all these things,
baptize into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, in
living water.

2. But if thou have not living water, baptize into other water; and if thou canst not
in cold, in warm.

3. But if thou have not either, pour out water thrice upon the head into the name
of Father and Son and Holy Spirit.
4. But before the baptism let the baptizer fast, and the baptized, and whatever
others can; but thou shalt order the baptized to fast one or two days before.

CHAP. VIII.—CONCERNING FASTING AND PRAYER (THE LORD'S

PRAYER).

1. But let not your fasts be with the hypocrites; for they fast on the second and
fifth day of the week; but do ye fast on the fourth day and the Preparation(Friday).

2. Neither pray as the hypocrites; but as the Lord commanded in His Gospel,
thus pray: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom
come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. Give us to-day 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 Thine is the
power and the glory for ever.

3. Thrice in the day thus pray.

CHAP. IX.—THE THANKSGIVING (EUCHARIST).

1. Now concerning the Thanksgiving (Eucharist), thus give thanks.

2. First, concerning the cup: We thank thee, our Father, for the holy vine of David
Thy servant, which Thou madest known to us through Jesus Thy Servant; to
Thee be the glory for ever.

3. And concerning the broken bread: We thank Thee, our Father, for the life and
knowledge which Thou modest known to us through Jesus Thy Servant; to Thee
be the glory for ever.

4. Even as this broken bread was scattered over the hills, and was gathered
together and 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 for ever.

5. 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 hath
said, Give not that which is holy to the dogs.
 CHAP. X.—PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION.

1. But after ye are filled, thus give thanks:

2. We thank Thee, holy Father, for Thy holy name which Thou didst cause to
tabernacle in our hearts, and for the knowledge and faith and immortality, which
Thou modest known to us through Jesus Thy Servant; to Thee be the glory for
ever.

3. Thou, Master almighty, didst create all things for Thy name's sake; Thou
gavest food and drink to men for enjoyment, that they might give thanks to Thee;
but to us Thou didst freely give spiritual food and drink and life eternal through
Thy Servant.

4. Before all things we thank Thee that Thou art mighty; to Thee be the glory for
ever.

5. Remember, Lord, Thy Church, to deliver it from all evil and to make it perfect in
Thy love, and gather it from the four winds, sanctified for Thy kingdom which
Thou hast prepared for it; for Thine is the power and the glory for ever.

6. 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.
Maranatha. Amen.

7. But permit the prophets to make Thanksgiving as much as they desire.

CHAP. XI. —CONCERNING TEACHERS, APOSTLES, AND

PROPHETS.

1. Whosoever, therefore, cometh and teacheth you all these things that have
been said before, receive him.

2. 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.
3. But concerning the apostles and prophets, according to the decree of the
Gospel, thus do.

4. Let every apostle that cometh to you be received as the Lord.

5. 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.

6. And when the apostle goeth away, let him take nothing but bread until he
lodgeth; but if he ask money, he is a false prophet.

7. And every prophet that speaketh in the Spirit ye shall neither try nor judge; for
every sin shall be forgiven, but this sin shall not be forgiven.

8. But not every one that speaketh 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.

9. And every prophet who ordereth a meal in the Spirit eateth not from it, except
indeed he be a false prophet;

10. and every prophet who teacheth the truth, if he do not what he teacheth, is a
false prophet.

11. And every prophet, proved true, working unto the mystery of the Church in
the world, yet not teaching others to do what he himself doeth, shall not be
judged among you, for with God he hath his judgment; for so did also the ancient
prophets.

12. But whoever saith in the Spirit, Give me money, or something else, ye shall
not listen to him; but if he saith to you to give for others' sake who are in need, let
no one judge him.

CHAP. XII.—RECEPTION OF CHRISTIANS.

1. But let every one that cometh in the name of the Lord be received, and
afterward ye shall prove and know him; for ye shall have understanding right and
left.
2. If he who cometh is a wayfarer, assist him as far as ye are able; but he shall
not remain with you, except for two or three days, if need be.

3. But if he willeth to abide with you, being an artisan, let him work and eat;

4. but if he hath no trade, according to your understanding see to it that, as a

Christian, he shall not live with you idle.

5. But if he willeth not to do, he is a Christ-monger. Watch that ye keep aloof from
such.

CHAP. XIII.—SUPPORT OF PROPHETS.

1. But every true prophet that willeth to abide among you is worthy of his support.

2. So also a true teacher is himself worthy, as the workman, of his support.

3. Every first-fruit, therefore, of the products of wine-press and threshing-floor, of

oxen and of sheep, thou shalt take and give to the prophets, for they are your
high priests.

4. But if ye have not a prophet, give it to the poor.

5. If thou makest a batch of dough, take the first-fruit and give according to the
commandment.

6. So also when thou openest a jar of wine or of oil, take the first-fruit and give it
to the prophets;

7. and of money (silver) and clothing and every possession, take the first-fruit, as
it may seem good to thee, and give according to the commandment.

CHAP. XIV.—CHRISTIAN ASSEMBLY ON THE LORD'S DAY.

1. But every Lord's day do ye gather yourselves together, and break bread, and
give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice
may be pure.
2. 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.

3. 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, saith the Lord, and my name is
wonderful among the nations.

CHAP. XV.—BISHOPS AND DEACONS; CHRISTIAN REPROOF.

1. Appoint, therefore, for yourselves, bishops and deacons worthy of the Lord,
men meek, and not lovers of money, and truthful and proved; for they also render
to you the service of prophets and teachers.

2. Despise them not therefore, for they are your honoured ones, together with the
prophets and teachers.

3. And reprove one another, not in anger, but in peace, as ye have it in the
Gospel; but to every one that acts amiss against another, let no one speak, nor
let him hear aught from you until he repent.

4. But your prayers and alms and all your deeds so do, as ye have it in the
Gospel of our Lord.

CHAP. XVI.—WATCHFULNESS; THE COMING OF THE LORD.

1. Watch for your life's sake. Let not your lamps be quenched, nor your loins
unloosed; but be ye ready, for ye know not the hour in which our Lord cometh.

2. But often shall ye come together, seeking the things which are befitting to your
souls: for the whole time of your faith will not profit you, if ye be not made perfect
in the last time.

3. 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;

4. for when lawlessness increaseth, they shall hate and persecute and betray
one another, and then shall appear the world-deceiver as 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.

5. 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.

6. And then shall appear the signs of the truth; first, the sign of an out-spreading
in heaven; then the sign of the sound of the trumpet; and the third, the
resurrection of the dead;

7. yet not of all, but as it is said: The Lord shall come and all His saints with Him.

8. Then shall the world see the Lord coming upon the clouds of heaven.

Taken from "The Early Church Fathers and Other Works" originally published by
Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co. in English in Edinburgh, Scotland beginning in 1867.
(ANF 7, Roberts and Donaldson). The digital version is by The Electronic Bible
Society, P.O. Box 701356, Dallas, TX 75370, 214-407-WORD.