1 Clement

The church of God that sojourns at Rome, to the church of God that sojourns at Corinth, to those who are called and sanctified by the will of God through our Lord Jesus Christ: grace to you and peace from almighty God through Jesus Christ be multiplied.

Because of the sudden and repeated misfortunes and calamities that have befallen us, we think we have been rather slow in turning our attention to the matters in dispute among you, beloved: the strange and alien faction, foul and unholy and hateful to God's elect, which a few rash and self-willed persons have kindled to such a pitch of madness that your venerable and famous name, worthy of everyone's love, has been greatly blasphemed.

For who has stayed among you and not proved your all-virtuous and steadfast faith? Who has not admired your sober and gentle piety in Christ? Who has not proclaimed the magnificent character of your hospitality? And who has not called your perfect and secure knowledge blessed?

For you did everything without partiality and walked in the ordinances of God, submitting to your leaders and giving fitting honor to the older men among you. You instructed the young to think moderate and seemly thoughts; you charged the women to do everything with a blameless, seemly, and pure conscience, loving their husbands as is fitting; and you taught them to keep within the rule of submission and to manage their households with dignity, in all self-control.

And you were all humble-minded, not boasting at all, submitting rather than demanding submission, giving more gladly than receiving. Content with the provisions Christ gives, and heeding his words, you stored them up carefully in your hearts, and his sufferings were before your eyes.

Thus a deep and rich peace was given to all, and an insatiable longing to do good, and a full outpouring of the Holy Spirit came upon all.

Full of holy counsel, with good eagerness and devout confidence, you stretched out your hands to almighty God, begging him to be merciful if you had sinned at all unwillingly.

Day and night you contended for the whole brotherhood, that the number of his elect might be saved with mercy and conscience.

You were sincere and innocent and bore no grudges against one another.

Every faction and every schism was abominable to you. You mourned over the transgressions of your neighbors; you considered their shortcomings your own.

You never regretted any good deed; you were “ready for every good work.”

Adorned with an all-virtuous and venerable way of life, you did everything in the fear of him; the commandments and ordinances of the Lord were written on the tablets of your heart.

All glory and enlargement were given to you, and what was written was fulfilled: “My beloved ate and drank, and was enlarged and grew fat, and kicked.”

From this came jealousy and envy, strife and faction, persecution and disorder, war and captivity.

So the dishonored rose up against the honored, the disreputable against the reputable, the foolish against the wise, the young against the older.

For this reason righteousness and peace are far away, since each has abandoned the fear of God and become dim-sighted in faith in him, neither walking in the ordinances of his commandments nor living as befits Christ, but each goes according to the desires of his evil heart, having taken up unrighteous and ungodly jealousy, through which also death entered the world.

For it is written thus: “And it came to pass after some days that Cain brought to God a sacrifice from the fruits of the earth, and Abel also brought from the firstborn of the sheep and from their fat.

And God looked on Abel and on his gifts, but to Cain and his sacrifices he paid no attention.

And Cain was very grieved, and his face fell.

And God said to Cain, ‘Why have you become very grieved, and why has your face fallen? If you have offered rightly but have not divided rightly, have you not sinned?

Be still; his turning will be toward you, and you will rule over him.’

And Cain said to Abel his brother, ‘Let us go out into the field.’ And it came to pass, while they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.”

You see, brothers: jealousy and envy brought about the murder of a brother.

Because of jealousy our father Jacob fled from the presence of Esau his brother.

Jealousy caused Joseph to be persecuted to the point of death and to come into slavery.

Jealousy forced Moses to flee from the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, when he heard from his own countryman, “Who made you a judge or a ruler over us? Do you want to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?”

Because of jealousy Aaron and Miriam had to lodge outside the camp.

Jealousy brought Dathan and Abiram down alive into Hades, because they revolted against Moses, the servant of God.

Because of jealousy David incurred envy not only from foreigners but was also persecuted by Saul, king of Israel.

But to leave the ancient examples, let us come to the athletes who lived nearest to our own time; let us take the noble examples of our own generation.

Because of jealousy and envy the greatest and most righteous pillars were persecuted and contended even unto death.

Let us set before our eyes the good apostles:

Peter, who because of unrighteous jealousy endured not one or two but many labors, and so, having borne his witness, went to the place of glory that was his due.

Because of jealousy and strife Paul showed the way to the prize of endurance:

seven times he wore chains, he was exiled, he was stoned; having become a herald both in the East and in the West, he received the noble renown of his faith;

having taught righteousness to the whole world, and having come to the limit of the West, and having borne his witness before the rulers, he was thus released from the world and taken up to the holy place, having become the greatest example of endurance.

To these men who lived holy lives there was gathered a great multitude of the elect, who suffered many indignities and tortures because of jealousy and became a most noble example among us.

Because of jealousy women were persecuted as Danaids and Dircae; having suffered terrible and unholy indignities, they reached the secure goal in the race of faith and received a noble prize, though weak in body.

Jealousy has estranged wives from their husbands and changed what was said by our father Adam: “This now is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.”

Jealousy and strife have overthrown great cities and uprooted great nations.

We write these things, beloved, not only to admonish you but also to remind ourselves; for we are in the same arena, and the same contest lies before us.

Therefore let us leave behind empty and vain concerns, and let us come to the glorious and venerable rule of our tradition;

and let us see what is good and what is pleasing and what is acceptable in the sight of him who made us.

Let us fix our eyes on the blood of Christ and know how precious it is to his Father, because, poured out for our salvation, it brought the grace of repentance to the whole world.

Let us go through all the generations and learn that in generation after generation the Master has given opportunity for repentance to those who wished to turn to him.

Noah preached repentance, and those who obeyed were saved.

Jonah preached destruction to the Ninevites; but they, repenting of their sins, appeased God by their supplications and received salvation, even though they were strangers to God.

The ministers of the grace of God spoke about repentance through the Holy Spirit.

And the Master of all things himself spoke about repentance with an oath: “As I live, says the Lord, I do not desire the death of the sinner so much as his repentance,” adding also a gracious word:

“Repent, house of Israel, from your lawlessness. Say to the children of my people: Though your sins reach from the earth to heaven, and though they be redder than scarlet and blacker than sackcloth, and you turn to me with all your heart and say, ‘Father,’ I will listen to you as to a holy people.”

And in another place he says this: “Wash and become clean; remove the wickedness from your souls before my eyes. Cease from your wickedness, learn to do good, seek justice, rescue the wronged, defend the orphan, and vindicate the widow. And come, let us reason together, says the Lord; and though your sins be like crimson, I will make them white as snow; and though they be like scarlet, I will make them white as wool. And if you are willing and listen to me, you shall eat the good things of the land; but if you are not willing and do not listen to me, a sword will devour you; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken these things.”

So, wishing all his beloved to share in repentance, he established it by his almighty will.

Therefore let us obey his magnificent and glorious will, and, becoming suppliants of his mercy and kindness, let us fall down before him and turn to his compassion, abandoning the fruitless toil and the strife and the jealousy that leads to death.

Let us fix our eyes on those who have served his magnificent glory perfectly.

Let us take Enoch, who, being found righteous in obedience, was translated, and his death was never found.

Noah, being found faithful, preached a new birth to the world through his ministry, and through him the Master saved the living creatures that entered the ark in concord.

Abraham, who was called “the friend,” was found faithful in becoming obedient to the words of God.

In obedience he went out from his land and his kindred and his father's house, so that by leaving a small land and a weak kindred and a little house he might inherit the promises of God. For God says to him:

“Go out from your land and from your kindred and from your father's house to the land that I will show you; and I will make you a great nation and bless you and make your name great, and you will be blessed. And I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you, and in you all the tribes of the earth will be blessed.”

And again, when he separated from Lot, God said to him: “Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you now are, to the north and south and east and west; for all the land that you see, I will give it to you and to your seed forever.

And I will make your seed like the sand of the earth: if anyone can count the sand of the earth, your seed also will be counted.”

And again he says: “God brought Abraham out and said to him, ‘Look up to heaven and count the stars, if you can count them; so shall your seed be.’ And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.”

Because of his faith and hospitality a son was given him in his old age, and in obedience he offered him as a sacrifice to God on one of the mountains that he showed him.

Because of his hospitality and godliness Lot was saved from Sodom, when the whole surrounding region was judged by fire and brimstone. The Master made it plain that he does not forsake those who hope in him, but hands over to punishment and torment those who turn aside.

For his wife, who went out with him, was of a different mind and not in concord, and was made a sign of this, so that she became a pillar of salt to this day, to make known to all that the double-minded and those who doubt the power of God become a judgment and a warning to all generations.

Because of her faith and hospitality Rahab the prostitute was saved.

For when the spies were sent into Jericho by Joshua the son of Nun, the king of the land learned that they had come to spy out their country, and he sent out men to seize them, so that when they were seized they might be put to death.

So the hospitable Rahab took them in and hid them in the upper room under the flax stalks.

And when the king's men came and said, “The spies of our land came in to you; bring them out, for the king commands it,” she answered, “The men you are seeking did come in to me, but they left at once and are going on their way,” pointing them in the opposite direction.

And she said to the men, “I know for certain that the Lord God is handing this land over to you; for fear and dread of you have fallen on its inhabitants. So when you come to take it, save me and my father's house.”

And they said to her, “It shall be as you have told us. So when you know that we are coming, gather all your family under your roof, and they will be saved; for all who are found outside the house will perish.”

And they went on to give her a sign: that she should hang out a scarlet thread from her house, making it plain that through the blood of the Lord there will be redemption for all who believe and hope in God.

You see, beloved, that there was not only faith but also prophecy in the woman.

Let us therefore be humble-minded, brothers, laying aside all arrogance and conceit and folly and anger, and let us do what is written, for the Holy Spirit says: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the rich man in his riches; but let him who boasts boast in the Lord, to seek him and to do judgment and righteousness”; especially remembering the words of the Lord Jesus which he spoke when he was teaching gentleness and patience.

For he spoke thus: “Show mercy, that you may be shown mercy; forgive, that it may be forgiven you. As you do, so it will be done to you; as you give, so it will be given to you; as you judge, so you will be judged; as you show kindness, so kindness will be shown to you; with the measure you measure, it will be measured to you.”

With this commandment and these precepts let us strengthen ourselves to walk in obedience to his holy words, being humble-minded; for the holy word says:

“On whom shall I look, but on the one who is gentle and quiet and trembles at my words?”

It is right and holy, then, men and brothers, for us to obey God rather than to follow those who in arrogance and disorder are the leaders of detestable jealousy.

For we shall incur no ordinary harm, but rather great danger, if we recklessly surrender ourselves to the wills of people who launch out into strife and factions to estrange us from what is right.

Let us be kind to one another, according to the compassion and sweetness of him who made us.

For it is written: “The kind will inhabit the land, and the innocent will be left in it; but the transgressors will be destroyed from it.”

And again he says: “I saw the ungodly exalted and lifted up like the cedars of Lebanon; and I passed by, and behold, he was not, and I sought his place and did not find it. Keep innocence and look on uprightness, for there is a remnant for the peaceable man.”

So let us join ourselves to those who keep peace with godliness, and not to those who wish for peace with hypocrisy.

For he says somewhere: “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.”

And again: “They blessed with their mouth, but cursed with their heart.”

And again he says: “They loved him with their mouth, and with their tongue they lied to him; their heart was not right with him, nor were they faithful to his covenant.”

“Therefore let the deceitful lips that speak lawlessness against the righteous be struck dumb.” And again: “May the Lord destroy all the deceitful lips, the boastful tongue, those who said, ‘We will magnify our tongue; our lips are our own; who is lord over us?’

Because of the misery of the poor and the groaning of the needy, I will now arise, says the Lord; I will set him in safety;

I will deal boldly with him.”

For Christ belongs to those who are humble-minded, not to those who exalt themselves over his flock.

The scepter of the majesty of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, did not come with the pomp of arrogance or pride, though he could have, but humble-minded, just as the Holy Spirit spoke concerning him. For he says:

“Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? We announced before him, as a child, as a root in thirsty ground. He has no form or glory, and we saw him, and he had neither form nor beauty, but his form was without honor, inferior to the form of men; a man in suffering and in toil, and knowing how to bear weakness; because his face was turned away, he was dishonored and not esteemed.

He bears our sins and suffers pain for us, and we reckoned him to be in toil and in suffering and in affliction.

But he was wounded because of our sins, and he has been weakened because of our lawless deeds. The chastisement of our peace was upon him; by his bruise we were healed.

All of us have gone astray like sheep; each has gone astray in his own way.

And the Lord handed him over for our sins, and he, because he has been afflicted, does not open his mouth. As a sheep he was led to slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he does not open his mouth. In his humiliation his judgment was taken away.

Who will describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.

Because of the lawless deeds of my people he came to death.

And I will give the wicked for his burial and the rich for his death; for he did no lawlessness, nor was deceit found in his mouth. And the Lord wills to cleanse him of his wound.

If you make an offering for sin, your soul will see a long-lived seed.

And the Lord wills to take away from the toil of his soul, to show him light and to form him with understanding, to justify a righteous one who serves many well. And he himself will bear their sins.

Therefore he will inherit many and will divide the spoils of the strong, because his soul was handed over to death and he was reckoned among the lawless.

And he himself bore the sins of many and was handed over because of their sins.”

And again he himself says: “But I am a worm and not a man, a reproach of men and despised by the people.

All who saw me mocked me; they spoke with their lips, they shook their heads: ‘He hoped in the Lord; let him deliver him, let him save him, since he delights in him.’”

You see, beloved men, what is the example that has been given to us; for if the Lord was so humble-minded, what should we do, who through him have come under the yoke of his grace?

Let us be imitators also of those who went about in goatskins and sheepskins, proclaiming the coming of Christ; we mean Elijah and Elisha, and also Ezekiel, the prophets; and besides these, those who were well attested.

Abraham was greatly attested and was called the friend of God; and gazing on the glory of God, he says in humility, “But I am earth and ashes.”

And again concerning Job it is written thus: “Job was righteous and blameless, true, God-fearing, keeping away from all evil.”

But he accuses himself, saying, “No one is clean from filth, not even if his life is but a day.”

Moses was called “faithful in all his house,” and through his ministry God judged Egypt with its plagues and torments. But he too, though greatly glorified, did not speak boastfully, but when the oracle was given to him from the bush, he said, “Who am I, that you send me? I am weak of voice and slow of tongue.”

And again he says, “I am steam from a pot.”

And what shall we say of the well-attested David? Of him God said, “I have found a man after my heart, David the son of Jesse; I have anointed him with eternal mercy.”

Yet he too says to God: “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your great mercy, and according to the multitude of your compassions blot out my lawlessness.

Wash me thoroughly from my lawlessness, and cleanse me from my sin; for I know my lawlessness, and my sin is always before me.

Against you only have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and prevail when you are judged.

For behold, I was conceived in lawlessness, and in sins my mother conceived me.

For behold, you have loved truth; you have shown me the hidden and secret things of your wisdom.

You will sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; you will wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

You will make me hear joy and gladness; the bones that have been humbled will rejoice.

Turn your face away from my sins, and blot out all my lawless deeds.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and establish me with a guiding spirit.

I will teach the lawless your ways, and the ungodly will turn back to you.

Deliver me from bloodguilt, O God, the God of my salvation.

My tongue will rejoice in your righteousness. Lord, you will open my mouth, and my lips will declare your praise.

For if you had desired sacrifice, I would have given it; you will not be pleased with whole burnt offerings.

A sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; a broken and humbled heart God will not despise.”

The humility and submissiveness of so many and such well-attested men, through their obedience, has made better not only us but also the generations before us, and those who received his oracles in fear and truth.

Having therefore shared in many great and glorious deeds, let us hasten back to the goal of peace handed down to us from the beginning, and let us fix our eyes on the Father and Creator of the whole world, and cling to his magnificent and surpassing gifts and benefits of peace.

Let us behold him in our mind and look with the eyes of our soul on his patient will; let us consider how free from anger he is toward all his creation.

The heavens, moved by his management, are subject to him in peace.

Day and night complete the course assigned by him, in no way hindering one another.

The sun and moon and the choirs of stars, according to his arrangement, roll on in concord within their appointed limits, without any deviation.

The earth, bearing fruit according to his will in its proper seasons, brings forth abundant food for human beings and beasts and all the living things upon it, without dissent and without altering any of his decrees.

The unsearchable regions of the abysses and the indescribable realms of the underworld are held together by the same ordinances.

The hollow of the boundless sea, gathered together by his workmanship into its collections, does not pass the barriers set around it, but does as he appointed for it.

For he said, “Thus far you shall come, and your waves shall be broken within you.”

The ocean, impassable for human beings, and the worlds beyond it are directed by the same ordinances of the Master.

The seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter give way to one another in peace.

The stations of the winds fulfill their service at their proper time without stumbling; the ever-flowing springs, created for enjoyment and health, offer their breasts for human life without fail; and the smallest of living creatures come together in concord and peace.

All these things the great Creator and Master of all has ordained to be in peace and concord, doing good to all things, but most abundantly to us who have taken refuge in his compassion through our Lord Jesus Christ,

to whom be the glory and the majesty forever and ever. Amen.

Take care, beloved, that his many benefits do not become a judgment on us, if we do not live worthily of him and do what is good and pleasing in his sight with concord.

For he says somewhere, “The Spirit of the Lord is a lamp searching the inner chambers of the belly.”

Let us see how near he is, and that none of our thoughts or of the reasonings we make escapes him.

It is right, then, that we should not desert our post, away from his will.

Let us rather give offense to foolish and senseless people who exalt themselves and boast in the arrogance of their speech, than to God.

Let us reverence the Lord Jesus Christ, whose blood was given for us; let us respect those who lead us; let us honor the older; let us instruct the young in the discipline of the fear of God; let us direct our wives toward what is good.

Let them display the lovable character of purity; let them show the sincere will of their gentleness; let them make the gentleness of their tongue plain by their silence; let them give their love, not according to partiality, but equally to all who fear God in holiness.

Let our children share in the discipline that is in Christ; let them learn what humility can do with God, what pure love can accomplish with God, how the fear of him is good and great and saves all who live in it in holiness with a pure mind.

For he is a searcher of thoughts and intentions; his breath is in us, and when he wishes, he will take it away.

All these things are confirmed by faith in Christ. For he himself, through the Holy Spirit, calls us thus: “Come, children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

Who is the man who desires life, who loves to see good days?

Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit.

Turn away from evil and do good.

Seek peace and pursue it.

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to destroy their memory from the earth.

The righteous cried out, and the Lord heard him and delivered him from all his troubles.

Many are the scourges of the sinner, but mercy will surround those who hope in the Lord.”

The Father, who is merciful in all things and kind, has compassion on those who fear him, and gently and graciously gives his favors to those who come to him with a single mind.

Therefore let us not be double-minded, nor let our soul indulge in fancies about his surpassing and glorious gifts.

Let this scripture be far from us where it says: “Wretched are the double-minded, who doubt in their soul, who say, ‘We heard these things even in our fathers' time, and look, we have grown old, and none of them has happened to us.’

You fools, compare yourselves to a tree; take a vine: first it sheds its leaves, then comes a shoot, then a leaf, then a flower, and after that the sour grape, then the ripe bunch.’ You see that in a short time the fruit of the tree comes to ripeness.

Truly his will shall be accomplished quickly and suddenly, as the scripture also testifies: “He will come quickly and will not delay; and the Lord will come suddenly to his temple, and the Holy One whom you expect.”

Let us consider, beloved, how the Master continually shows us the resurrection that is to be, of which he has made the Lord Jesus Christ the firstfruit by raising him from the dead.

Let us look, beloved, at the resurrection that happens at its proper time.

Day and night show us a resurrection: the night falls asleep, the day rises; the day departs, the night comes on.

Let us take the crops: how and in what way does the sowing happen?

The sower went out and cast each of the seeds into the ground; falling into the ground dry and bare, they decay. Then from their decay the greatness of the Master's providence raises them up, and from one seed many grow and bear fruit.

Let us consider the marvelous sign that takes place in the eastern regions, that is, around Arabia.

There is a bird called the phoenix. It is the only one of its kind and lives five hundred years; and when it comes near its dissolution and death, it makes itself a nest of frankincense and myrrh and other spices, and when its time is fulfilled it enters it and dies.

As its flesh decays, a worm is born, which is nourished by the moisture of the dead creature and grows wings. Then, when it has grown strong, it takes up the nest in which are the bones of its parent, and carrying them it makes its way from the country of Arabia to Egypt, to the city called Heliopolis;

and in the daytime, in the sight of all, it flies to the altar of the sun, places them there, and so sets off back again.

Then the priests examine the records of the times and find that it has come at the completion of the five-hundredth year.

Do we then think it a great and marvelous thing that the Creator of all things will raise up those who have served him in holiness in the confidence of a good faith, when he shows us the greatness of his promise even through a bird?

For he says somewhere, “And you will raise me up, and I will give thanks to you,” and, “I lay down and slept; I rose up, for you are with me.”

And again Job says, “And you will raise this flesh of mine, which has endured all these things.”

In this hope, then, let our souls be bound to him who is faithful in his promises and righteous in his judgments.

He who commanded us not to lie will much more not lie himself; for nothing is impossible with God except to lie.

Let faith in him be rekindled in us, then, and let us understand that all things are near to him.

By the word of his majesty he established all things, and by a word he can overthrow them.

“Who will say to him, ‘What have you done?’ Or who will resist the might of his strength?” When he wills and as he wills he will do all things, and none of the things he has decreed will pass away.

All things are before him, and nothing has escaped his counsel,

since “the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims the work of his hands. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night proclaims knowledge. There are no words or speeches whose voices are not heard.”

Since, then, all things are seen and heard, let us fear him and abandon the foul desires of evil deeds, so that by his mercy we may be sheltered from the judgments to come.

For where can any of us flee from his mighty hand? And what world will receive any who desert him?

For the writing says somewhere: “Where shall I go, and where shall I hide from your presence? If I go up into heaven, you are there; if I go away to the ends of the earth, there is your right hand; if I make my bed in the abysses, there is your Spirit.”

Where then can anyone go, or where can he run away from him who embraces all things?

Let us therefore approach him in holiness of soul, lifting pure and undefiled hands to him, loving our gentle and compassionate Father, who has made us his chosen portion.

For so it is written: “When the Most High divided the nations, when he scattered the sons of Adam, he fixed the boundaries of the nations according to the number of the angels of God. His people Jacob became the portion of the Lord; Israel the lot of his inheritance.”

And in another place he says: “Behold, the Lord takes for himself a nation out of the midst of nations, as a man takes the firstfruit of his threshing floor; and out of that nation shall come the Holy of Holies.”

Since, then, we are the portion of the Holy One, let us do all the things of holiness, fleeing slander, foul and impure embraces, drunkenness and rebellion and detestable desires, abominable adultery, detestable pride.

“For God,” it says, “opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

Let us therefore join ourselves to those to whom grace has been given by God. Let us clothe ourselves with concord, being humble-minded and self-controlled, keeping ourselves far from all whispering and slander, being justified by works and not by words.

For it says: “He who speaks much will also hear much in reply. Or does the fluent talker think himself righteous?

Blessed is the one born of woman who has a short life.” Do not be abundant in words.

Let our praise be in God and not from ourselves; for God hates those who praise themselves.

Let the testimony to our good conduct be given by others, as it was given to our fathers who were righteous.

Boldness and arrogance and audacity belong to those who are cursed by God; gentleness and humility and meekness are with those who are blessed by God.

Let us therefore cling to his blessing and see what the ways of blessing are. Let us unroll the record of what has happened from the beginning.

Why was our father Abraham blessed? Was it not because he did righteousness and truth through faith?

Isaac, knowing with confidence what was to come, was gladly led forward as a sacrifice.

Jacob in humility left his land because of his brother and went to Laban and served him; and the twelve tribes of Israel were given to him.

If anyone considers these things one by one with sincerity, he will recognize the greatness of the gifts given by him.

For from him came all the priests and Levites who serve at the altar of God; from him came the Lord Jesus according to the flesh; from him came kings and rulers and leaders in the line of Judah. And his other scepters are in no small glory, since God promised, “Your seed shall be as the stars of heaven.”

All of them, then, were glorified and made great, not through themselves or their works or the righteous deeds they did, but through his will.

And we, therefore, who have been called through his will in Christ Jesus, are not justified through ourselves, nor through our own wisdom or understanding or piety or the works we have done in holiness of heart, but through faith, through which the almighty God has justified all people from the beginning; to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

What then shall we do, brothers? Shall we be idle in doing good and abandon love? May the Master never let this happen to us; but let us hurry with earnestness and eagerness to accomplish every good work.

For the Creator and Master of all things himself rejoices in his works.

For by his supreme power he established the heavens, and by his incomprehensible understanding he set them in order. He separated the earth from the water surrounding it and set it firm on the secure foundation of his own will. The living creatures that roam on it he commanded to exist by his own decree. Having prepared the sea and the creatures in it, he enclosed them by his own power.

Above all, as the most excellent and greatest work of his mind, he formed man with his holy and blameless hands, the imprint of his own image.

For God speaks thus: “Let us make man according to our image and likeness. And God made man; male and female he made them.”

So, having finished all these things, he praised them and blessed them and said, “Increase and multiply.”

Let us see that all the righteous have been adorned with good works, and the Lord himself, having adorned himself with good works, rejoiced.

Having therefore this example, let us come without hesitation to his will; let us do the work of righteousness with all our strength.

The good worker receives the bread of his work with confidence; the lazy and careless worker does not look his employer in the face.

We must therefore be eager to do good; for all things are from him.

For he tells us in advance: “Behold, the Lord, and his reward is before his face, to pay each according to his work.”

So he urges us, who believe in him with all our heart, not to be idle or careless in any good work.

Let our boast and our confidence be in him; let us submit to his will; let us consider the whole multitude of his angels, how they stand by and serve his will.

For the scripture says: “Ten thousand times ten thousand stood by him, and a thousand thousands served him, and they cried, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole creation is full of his glory.’”

And we too, then, gathered together in concord with one conscience, let us cry out to him earnestly as from one mouth, that we may share in his great and glorious promises.

For he says: “Eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and it has not entered into the human heart, what the Lord has prepared for those who wait for him.”

How blessed and marvelous are the gifts of God, beloved!

Life in immortality, splendor in righteousness, truth in boldness, faith in confidence, self-control in holiness: and all these fall within our understanding.

What, then, are the things being prepared for those who wait? The Creator and Father of the ages, the all-holy, himself knows their number and their beauty.

Let us therefore strive to be found among the number of those who wait, so that we may share in the promised gifts.

But how shall this be, beloved? If our mind is fixed faithfully on God; if we seek what is pleasing and acceptable to him; if we accomplish what befits his blameless will and follow the way of truth, casting away from ourselves all unrighteousness and wickedness, greed, strife, malice and deceit, whispering and slander, hatred of God, pride and arrogance, vainglory and inhospitality.

For those who do these things are hateful to God; and not only those who do them, but also those who approve of them.

For the scripture says: “But to the sinner God said, ‘Why do you recite my ordinances and take my covenant on your lips?

You hated discipline and threw my words behind you. If you saw a thief, you ran with him, and you threw in your lot with adulterers. Your mouth multiplied wickedness, and your tongue wove deceit. You sat and spoke against your brother, and put a stumbling block before your mother's son.

These things you did, and I kept silent; you supposed, lawless one, that I would be like you.

I will rebuke you and set your sins before your face.

Understand these things, you who forget God, lest he seize you like a lion and there be no one to deliver.

A sacrifice of praise will glorify me, and there is the way by which I will show him the salvation of God.’”

This is the way, beloved, in which we found our salvation, Jesus Christ, the high priest of our offerings, the protector and helper of our weakness.

Through him we fix our gaze on the heights of heaven; through him we see as in a mirror his blameless and supreme face; through him the eyes of our heart were opened; through him our foolish and darkened mind springs up into the light; through him the Master willed that we should taste immortal knowledge. He, being the radiance of his majesty, is as much greater than the angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent.

For it is written thus: “He makes his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.”

But of his Son the Master said thus: “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, and the ends of the earth as your possession.”

And again he says to him: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”

Who, then, are the enemies? Those who are wicked and oppose his will.

Let us therefore serve as soldiers, men and brothers, with all earnestness under his blameless commands.

Let us consider those who serve as soldiers under our commanders: how orderly, how readily, how submissively they carry out what is commanded.

Not all are prefects or tribunes or centurions or captains of fifty and so on; but each in his own rank carries out what is commanded by the emperor and the commanders.

The great cannot exist without the small, nor the small without the great; there is a certain mixture in all things, and in this there is usefulness.

Let us take our body: the head without the feet is nothing, and so are the feet without the head; the smallest members of our body are necessary and useful to the whole body; indeed, all breathe together and are united in one subjection, so that the whole body may be saved.

So let our whole body be saved in Christ Jesus, and let each be subject to his neighbor, according to the spiritual gift given to him.

Let the strong care for the weak, and let the weak respect the strong. Let the rich man supply the poor, and let the poor man thank God that he gave him someone through whom his need may be met. Let the wise show his wisdom not in words but in good works. Let the humble not testify to himself but let another testify to him. Let the one who is pure in the flesh not boast, knowing that it is another who grants him his self-control.

Let us consider, then, brothers, from what matter we were made, what and who we were when we came into the world, from what grave and darkness he who formed and created us brought us into his world, having prepared his benefits before we were born.

Since, then, we have all these things from him, we ought to give him thanks for everything; to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Senseless, foolish, stupid, and ignorant people mock and deride us, wanting to exalt themselves in their own imaginations.

For what can a mortal do? Or what strength has one born of earth?

For it is written: “There was no form before my eyes, but I heard a breath and a voice:

What then? Shall a mortal be pure before the Lord? Or a man blameless in his works, when he does not trust his servants and has found something crooked in his angels?

Heaven is not pure in his sight; how much less those who dwell in houses of clay, of which we ourselves are made, of the same clay. He struck them like a moth, and from morning to evening they are no more; because they could not help themselves, they perished.

He breathed on them and they died, because they had no wisdom.

But call, if anyone will answer you, or if you will see any of the holy angels; for anger destroys the fool, and envy kills the one who has gone astray.

I have seen fools putting down roots, but at once their dwelling was devoured.

May their sons be far from safety; may they be mocked at the doors of their inferiors, and there shall be no one to deliver them. For what has been prepared for them the righteous will eat, and they themselves shall not be delivered from evils.”

Since these things are plain to us, and since we have looked into the depths of divine knowledge, we ought to do in order all the things that the Master has commanded us to perform at the appointed times.

He commanded the offerings and services to be performed, and not carelessly or in disorder, but at fixed times and hours.

Where and by whom he wishes them to be performed, he himself has determined by his supreme will, so that all things done in holiness according to his good pleasure might be acceptable to his will.

So those who make their offerings at the appointed times are acceptable and blessed; for since they follow the ordinances of the Master, they do not go wrong.

For to the high priest his own services have been given, and to the priests their own place has been assigned, and on the Levites their own ministries are laid; the layman is bound by the ordinances for laymen.

Let each of us, brothers, in his own rank, be pleasing to God with a good conscience, not transgressing the appointed rule of his ministry, with reverence.

Not everywhere, brothers, are the daily sacrifices offered, or the vow offerings, or the sin and trespass offerings, but only in Jerusalem; and even there they are not offered in every place, but before the sanctuary at the altar, after what is offered has been inspected for blemishes by the high priest and the ministers already mentioned.

So those who do anything contrary to what befits his will have death as their penalty.

You see, brothers: the greater the knowledge we have been counted worthy of, the greater the danger to which we are exposed.

The apostles received the gospel for us from the Lord Jesus Christ; Jesus the Christ was sent from God.

So Christ is from God, and the apostles from Christ; both, then, came about in good order by the will of God.

So having received their commands, and being fully assured through the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and confirmed in the word of God, with the full assurance of the Holy Spirit they went out proclaiming the good news that the kingdom of God was about to come.

So, preaching in country and city, they appointed their firstfruits, after testing them by the Spirit, to be bishops and deacons of those who would believe.

And this was nothing new, for bishops and deacons had been written about many ages before. For thus says the scripture somewhere: “I will appoint their bishops in righteousness and their deacons in faith.”

And what wonder is it if those who had been entrusted in Christ by God with such a work appointed the persons mentioned? For the blessed Moses also, “a faithful servant in all his house,” recorded in the sacred books all the things commanded him, and the rest of the prophets followed him, bearing witness together to the laws he had given.

For when jealousy arose concerning the priesthood and the tribes were quarreling over which of them should be adorned with that glorious name, he commanded the twelve tribal chiefs to bring him rods inscribed with the name of each tribe. And taking them he bound them and sealed them with the rings of the tribal chiefs, and laid them up in the tent of witness on the table of God.

And having closed the tent he sealed the keys, as he had the rods,

and said to them, “Men and brothers, the tribe whose rod blossoms, this God has chosen to serve as priests and to minister to him.”

When morning came he called together all Israel, the six hundred thousand men, and showed the tribal chiefs the seals, and opened the tent of witness and brought out the rods; and the rod of Aaron was found not only to have blossomed but also to be bearing fruit.

What do you think, beloved? Did not Moses know beforehand that this would happen? Certainly he knew. But so that there might be no disorder in Israel, he did this, so that the name of the true and only God might be glorified; to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Our apostles also knew through our Lord Jesus Christ that there would be strife over the office of bishop.

For this reason, therefore, having received perfect foreknowledge, they appointed those already mentioned, and afterward they gave a further instruction, that if these should fall asleep, other approved men should succeed to their ministry.

Those, then, who were appointed by them, or afterward by other eminent men with the consent of the whole church, and who have ministered blamelessly to the flock of Christ with humility, quietly and unselfishly, and have for a long time been well spoken of by all: these, we consider, are unjustly removed from their ministry.

For it will be no small sin for us if we depose from the office of bishop those who have offered the gifts blamelessly and in holiness.

Blessed are the presbyters who have gone on ahead, whose departure was fruitful and complete; for they need not fear that anyone will remove them from the place established for them.

For we see that you have removed some who were living well from the ministry that they had carried out blamelessly and with honor.

Be contentious, brothers, and zealous, about the things that pertain to salvation.

You have looked into the sacred scriptures, which are true, which were given through the Holy Spirit.

You know that nothing unjust or falsified has been written in them. You will not find righteous people cast out by holy men.

The righteous were persecuted, but by the lawless; they were imprisoned, but by the unholy; they were stoned by transgressors; they were killed by those who had taken up foul and unrighteous jealousy.

Suffering these things, they endured them gloriously.

For what shall we say, brothers? Was Daniel cast into the lions' den by those who fear God?

Or were Ananias and Azarias and Misael shut up in the furnace of fire by those who practiced the magnificent and glorious worship of the Most High? Far be it! Who, then, were those who did these things? Hateful men, full of all wickedness, were stirred to such anger that they subjected to torture those who served God with a holy and blameless purpose, not knowing that the Most High is the champion and protector of those who worship his all-virtuous name with a pure conscience; to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

But those who endured with confidence inherited glory and honor; they were exalted and were inscribed by God in his memorial forever and ever. Amen.

To such examples, then, we too must hold fast, brothers.

For it is written: “Hold fast to the saints, for those who hold fast to them will be made holy.”

And again in another place he says: “With an innocent man you will be innocent, and with a chosen man you will be chosen, and with a perverse man you will deal perversely.”

Let us therefore hold fast to the innocent and righteous; these are God's elect.

Why are there strifes and angers and dissensions and schisms and war among you?

Do we not have one God and one Christ and one Spirit of grace poured out upon us? And is there not one calling in Christ?

Why do we tear apart and rend the members of Christ, and rebel against our own body, and reach such a pitch of madness as to forget that we are members of one another? Remember the words of the Lord Jesus.

For he said: “Woe to that man! It would have been better for him not to have been born than to cause one of my elect to stumble. It would be better for him to have a millstone hung around him and be drowned in the sea than to lead astray one of my elect.”

Your schism has led many astray, has cast many into discouragement, many into doubt, and all of us into grief; and your faction still continues.

Take up the letter of the blessed Paul the apostle.

What did he first write to you in the beginning of the gospel?

Truly, he wrote to you by the Spirit about himself and Cephas and Apollos, because even then you had formed factions.

But that partisanship brought less sin upon you; for you were partisans of apostles who were well attested and of a man approved by them.

But now consider who they are that have led you astray and diminished the dignity of your renowned love of the brethren.

It is shameful, beloved, very shameful, and unworthy of your conduct in Christ, that it should be reported that the most steadfast and ancient church of the Corinthians, because of one or two persons, is in revolt against its presbyters.

And this report has reached not only us but also those who differ from us, so that blasphemies are being brought on the name of the Lord because of your folly, and you are creating danger for yourselves.

Let us therefore remove this quickly, and let us fall down before the Master and weep, begging him to be merciful and be reconciled to us, and to restore us to the seemly and pure conduct of our love of the brethren.

For this is a gate of righteousness opened to life, as it is written: “Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter by them and give thanks to the Lord.

This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter by it.”

Though many gates are open, the gate of righteousness is the one in Christ; blessed are all who have entered by it and direct their way in holiness and righteousness, doing all things without disorder.

Let someone be faithful; let him be able to expound knowledge; let him be wise in discerning words; let him be pure in deeds.

for the greater he seems to be, the more humble-minded he ought to be, and he should seek the common good of all and not his own advantage.

Let whoever has love in Christ keep the commandments of Christ.

Who can describe the bond of the love of God?

Who is able to express the greatness of its beauty?

The height to which love leads is indescribable.

Love unites us to God; “love covers a multitude of sins”; love bears all things, is patient in all things. There is nothing vulgar in love, nothing arrogant. Love does not cause schism, love does not rebel, love does all things in concord. In love all the elect of God were made perfect; without love nothing is pleasing to God.

In love the Master received us. Because of the love he had for us, Jesus Christ our Lord gave his blood for us by the will of God, and his flesh for our flesh and his soul for our souls.

You see, beloved, how great and wonderful love is, and there is no describing its perfection.

Who is worthy to be found in it, except those whom God counts worthy? Let us therefore beg and pray from his mercy that we may be found in love, without human partisanship, blameless.

All the generations from Adam to this day have passed away; but those who were made perfect in love by the grace of God have a place among the godly, who will be made manifest at the visitation of the kingdom of Christ.

For it is written: “Enter into your chambers for a very little while, until my anger and wrath pass by; and I will remember a good day, and I will raise you from your tombs.”

Blessed are we, beloved, if we keep the commandments of God in the concord of love, so that our sins may be forgiven us through love.

For it is written: “Blessed are they whose lawless deeds are forgiven and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not reckon, and in whose mouth there is no deceit.”

This blessing came upon those who have been chosen by God through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Whatever sins, then, we have committed and whatever we have done through any of the assaults of the adversary, let us ask that they be forgiven us. And those who became leaders of the faction and dissension ought to look to the common ground of our hope.

For those who live in fear and love would rather fall into sufferings themselves than have their neighbors do so; and they would rather bear condemnation of themselves than of the harmony that has been handed down to us well and justly.

For it is better for a person to confess his transgressions than to harden his heart, as the heart of those who revolted against Moses, the servant of God, was hardened; their condemnation was made plain,

for they went down alive into Hades, and death will be their shepherd.

Pharaoh and his army and all the leaders of Egypt, their chariots and their riders, were sunk into the Red Sea and perished for no other reason than that their foolish hearts were hardened after the signs and wonders had been done in the land of Egypt through Moses, the servant of God.

The Master of all things, brothers, needs nothing; he requires nothing of anyone except that confession be made to him.

For the chosen David says: “I will confess to the Lord, and it will please him more than a young calf growing horns and hoofs. Let the poor see and rejoice.”

And again he says: “Offer to God a sacrifice of praise, and pay your vows to the Most High; and call upon me in the day of your affliction, and I will deliver you, and you will glorify me.”

For “a sacrifice to God is a broken spirit.”

For you know, and know well, the sacred scriptures, beloved, and you have looked into the oracles of God. So we write these things as a reminder.

For when Moses went up the mountain and spent forty days and forty nights in fasting and humiliation, God said to him: “Go down quickly from here, for your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt have acted lawlessly; they have quickly turned aside from the way you commanded them; they have made themselves cast images.”

And the Lord said to him: “I have spoken to you once and twice, saying, ‘I have seen this people, and behold, it is stiff-necked. Let me destroy them, and I will blot out their name from under heaven, and I will make you into a great and wonderful nation, much more than this one.’”

And Moses said: “Not so, Lord. Forgive this people their sin, or blot me also out of the book of the living.”

O great love! O unsurpassable perfection! The servant speaks boldly to the Lord; he asks forgiveness for the multitude, or else asks that he himself be blotted out with them.

Who, then, among you is noble, who is compassionate, who is filled with love?

Let him say: “If faction and strife and schisms have arisen because of me, I will withdraw; I will go away wherever you wish, and I will do what the congregation commands; only let the flock of Christ be at peace with its appointed presbyters.”

Whoever does this will win for himself great glory in Christ, and every place will receive him; for “the earth is the Lord's, and its fullness.”

These things those who live as citizens of God's commonwealth, a citizenship never to be regretted, have done and will do.

But to bring forward examples from the Gentiles as well: many kings and rulers, when some time of plague came, instructed by oracles, have given themselves up to death, so that they might rescue their citizens through their own blood. Many have left their own cities, so that factions might not continue.

We know that many among us have given themselves up to prison in order to ransom others; many have sold themselves into slavery, and with the price they received have fed others.

Many women, strengthened by the grace of God, have performed many courageous deeds.

The blessed Judith, when her city was under siege, asked the elders to let her go out into the camp of the foreigners.

So, exposing herself to danger, she went out for love of her country and of her people under siege, and the Lord delivered Holofernes into the hand of a woman.

No less did Esther, perfect in faith, expose herself to danger to rescue the nation of Israel when it was about to perish; for through her fasting and humiliation she entreated the all-seeing Master of the ages, who, seeing the humility of her soul, rescued the people for whose sake she had put herself at risk.

Let us also, then, intercede for those who are in any transgression, that gentleness and humility may be given them, so that they may yield, not to us, but to the will of God. For in this way the remembrance of them with compassion before God and the saints will be fruitful and perfect for them.

Let us accept correction, beloved, at which no one ought to be angry. The admonition that we give one another is good and exceedingly useful, for it unites us to the will of God.

For so says the holy word: “The Lord has disciplined me severely, but he has not handed me over to death.

For whom the Lord loves he disciplines, and he scourges every son whom he receives.”

“For the righteous,” it says, “will discipline me in mercy and reprove me, but let not the oil of sinners anoint my head.”

And again he says: “Blessed is the man whom the Lord has reproved; do not reject the admonition of the Almighty. For he causes pain, and he restores again;

he struck, and his hands healed.

Six times he will deliver you from distress, and in the seventh evil will not touch you.

In famine he will rescue you from death, and in war he will free you from the hand of the sword;

and he will hide you from the scourge of the tongue, and you will not fear evils when they come.

You will laugh at the unjust and lawless, and you will not be afraid of wild beasts;

for wild beasts will be at peace with you.

Then you will know that your house will be at peace, and the dwelling of your tent will not fail.

And you will know that your seed will be many, and your children like the grass of the field.

And you will come to the grave like ripe grain harvested in its season, or like a heap on the threshing floor gathered at the proper time.”

You see, beloved, how great a protection there is for those who are disciplined by the Master; for, being a good Father, he disciplines us so that we may obtain mercy through his holy discipline.

You, therefore, who laid the foundation of the faction, submit to the presbyters and accept discipline for repentance, bending the knees of your heart.

Learn to be subject, laying aside the boastful and proud self-will of your tongue; for it is better for you to be found small but esteemed in the flock of Christ than to seem preeminent and be cast out from his hope.

For thus says the all-virtuous Wisdom: “Behold, I will pour out for you a saying of my breath, and I will teach you my word.

Since I called and you did not listen, and I held out words and you paid no attention, but made my counsels void and disobeyed my reproofs, therefore I too will laugh at your destruction and rejoice when ruin comes upon you, and when tumult comes upon you suddenly, and destruction arrives like a whirlwind, or when affliction and siege come upon you.

For it will be that when you call upon me, I will not listen to you. The wicked will seek me and will not find me. For they hated wisdom and did not choose the fear of the Lord, nor were they willing to heed my counsels, but they mocked my reproofs.

Therefore they will eat the fruits of their own way and be filled with their own ungodliness.

For because they wronged the simple, they will be slain, and inquiry will destroy the ungodly; but the one who listens to me will dwell in hope with confidence and will be at rest without fear of any evil.”

Let us therefore obey his all-holy and glorious name, escaping the threats spoken by Wisdom against the disobedient, so that we may dwell in confidence in the most holy name of his majesty.

Accept our counsel, and you will have nothing to regret. For as God lives, and as the Lord Jesus Christ lives, and the Holy Spirit, the faith and hope of the elect, whoever with humility and eager gentleness keeps without regret the ordinances and commandments given by God will be enrolled and counted among the number of those who are saved through Jesus Christ, through whom be glory to him forever and ever. Amen.

But if some disobey what has been said by him through us, let them know that they will entangle themselves in transgression and no small danger.

But we shall be innocent of this sin, and we shall ask, making earnest prayer and supplication, that the Creator of all things may keep unbroken the number of his elect that has been counted in the whole world, through his beloved Servant Jesus Christ, through whom he called us from darkness to light, from ignorance to the knowledge of the glory of his name,

[grant us, Lord,] to hope on your name, the source of all creation; open the eyes of our heart to know you, who alone are Highest among the highest, Holy resting among the holy; who humble the insolence of the proud, who destroy the reasonings of the nations, who set the lowly on high and bring low the lofty, who make rich and make poor, who kill and make alive, the only finder of spirits and God of all flesh; who look into the abysses, the overseer of human works, the helper of those in danger, the Savior of those in despair, the Creator and Overseer of every spirit; who multiply the nations on the earth and have chosen from them all those who love you through Jesus Christ, your beloved Servant, through whom you have instructed us, sanctified us, and honored us.

We ask you, Master, to be our helper and protector. Save those of us who are in affliction; have mercy on the lowly; raise the fallen; show yourself to those in need; heal the sick; turn back those of your people who are going astray; feed the hungry; ransom our prisoners; raise up the weak; comfort the fainthearted. Let all the nations know that you are the only God, and Jesus Christ is your Servant, and we are your people and the sheep of your pasture.

For you, through your works, have made manifest the everlasting structure of the world. You, Lord, created the earth, you who are faithful in all generations, righteous in your judgments, marvelous in strength and majesty, wise in creating and prudent in establishing what exists, good in what is seen and kind to those who trust in you; merciful and compassionate, forgive us our lawless deeds and our unrighteousness and our transgressions and our faults.

Do not reckon every sin of your servants and handmaids, but cleanse us with the cleansing of your truth, and direct our steps to walk in holiness of heart and to do what is good and pleasing before you and before our rulers.

Yes, Master, make your face shine upon us for good in peace, that we may be sheltered by your mighty hand and delivered from every sin by your uplifted arm; and deliver us from those who hate us unjustly.

Give concord and peace to us and to all who dwell on the earth, as you gave to our fathers when they called on you in holiness, in faith and truth, that we may be obedient to your almighty and glorious name, and to our rulers and governors on earth.

You, Master, have given them the authority of kingship through your magnificent and indescribable power, so that we, knowing the glory and honor given them by you, may submit to them, in no way opposing your will. Grant them, Lord, health, peace, concord, and stability, so that they may administer without offense the government you have given them.

For you, heavenly Master, King of the ages, give to the sons of men glory and honor and authority over the things on the earth. Direct, Lord, their counsel according to what is good and pleasing before you, so that, administering in peace and gentleness with godliness the authority given them by you, they may find you merciful.

You who alone are able to do these things and far greater good things for us, we praise you through the high priest and guardian of our souls, Jesus Christ, through whom be the glory and majesty to you both now and to all generations and forever and ever. Amen.

Concerning the things that befit our religion and are most helpful for a virtuous life, for those who wish to direct their lives in godliness and righteousness, we have written to you sufficiently, men and brothers.

For we have touched on every topic concerning faith and repentance and genuine love and self-control and sobriety and patience, reminding you that you must please almighty God in righteousness and truth and long-suffering, living in concord without malice, in love and peace with eager gentleness, just as our fathers, of whom we have spoken, pleased him, being humble-minded toward God the Father and Creator and toward all people.

And we have reminded you of these things all the more gladly because we knew clearly that we were writing to men who are faithful and highly esteemed and have looked into the oracles of God's instruction.

It is right, therefore, that we who have come to such great and numerous examples should bow our necks and take the place of obedience, so that, ceasing from the vain faction, we may attain the goal set before us in truth, free from all blame.

For you will give us joy and gladness if you obey what we have written through the Holy Spirit and root out the lawless anger of your jealousy, according to the appeal for peace and concord that we have made in this letter.

We have sent faithful and prudent men who have lived among us blamelessly from youth to old age, who will also be witnesses between you and us.

We have done this so that you may know that our whole concern has been and is that you may quickly be at peace.

Finally, may the all-seeing God and Master of spirits and Lord of all flesh, who chose the Lord Jesus Christ and us through him to be his own special people, grant to every soul that has called upon his magnificent and holy name faith, fear, peace, patience and long-suffering, self-control, purity, and sobriety, so that they may be well pleasing to his name, through our high priest and guardian Jesus Christ, through whom be glory and majesty, might and honor to him, both now and forever and ever. Amen.

Send back to us quickly, in peace and with joy, our envoys Claudius Ephebus and Valerius Bito, together with Fortunatus, so that they may report the sooner the peace and concord we pray and long for, so that we too may the more quickly rejoice over your good order.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you and with all everywhere who have been called by God through him, through whom be glory, honor, might and majesty, an eternal throne, to him, from the ages to the ages of ages. Amen. [The letter of the Romans to the Corinthians.]