Epistle of Barnabas

Contents

1. 1.1Greeting to the readers as sons and daughters.
2. 1.2The author rejoices in the spiritual gifts of his readers.
3. 1.3Seeing the Spirit poured out on them fills him with joy.
4. 1.4He loves them more than his life because of their faith and love.
5. 1.5He writes so that they may have perfect knowledge along with their faith.
6. 1.6Three teachings of the Lord: hope, righteousness, and love.
7. 1.7God has revealed past, present, and future through the prophets.
8. 1.8He writes not as a teacher but as one of them.
9. 2.1In evil days, seek the Lord's decrees.
10. 2.2Faith's helpers: fear, endurance, patience, self-control.
11. 2.3With these, wisdom and knowledge follow.
12. 2.4The prophets show God does not need sacrifices.
13. 2.5Isaiah: God rejects empty sacrifices and festivals.
14. 2.6The sacrifices were abolished for Christ's new law.
15. 2.7Jeremiah: God did not command sacrifices at the exodus.
16. 2.8God commanded instead to bear no grudge and swear no false oath.
17. 2.9God wants us not to go astray as they did.
18. 2.10The true sacrifice is a broken heart; guard against the evil one.
19. 3.1Isaiah on the fast God does not want.
20. 3.2Outward signs of fasting are not enough.
21. 3.3The true fast: justice, freeing the oppressed, feeding the hungry.
22. 3.4Then light and healing will come.
23. 3.5God will answer those who show mercy.
24. 3.6God warned us beforehand so that we would not become proselytes to the Jewish law.
25. 4.1Flee lawlessness and hate the error of the present age.
26. 4.2Do not keep company with the wicked.
27. 4.3The final trial is near, as Enoch foretold.
28. 4.4Daniel's ten kingdoms and the little king.
29. 4.5Daniel's fourth beast and the little horn.
30. 4.6Do not say that the covenant belongs to both Jews and Christians.
31. 4.7The covenant given to Moses was lost by Israel.
32. 4.8Israel's idolatry broke the covenant; Jesus's covenant is sealed in our hearts.
33. 4.9In the last days, resist so that the devil cannot slip in.
34. 4.10Do not live in isolation; gather and seek the common good.
35. 4.11Become spiritual, a perfect temple for God.
36. 4.12God judges without favoritism; each receives according to deeds.
37. 4.13Do not grow complacent as the called, lest the devil cast us out.
38. 4.14Israel was abandoned despite great signs: many are called, few chosen.
39. 5.1Christ gave his flesh so that we might be cleansed by his blood.
40. 5.2Isaiah's suffering servant is Christ.
41. 5.3Give thanks for God's revelation of past, present, and future.
42. 5.4Whoever knows the right way but chooses darkness perishes justly.
43. 5.5Why did the Lord of the world, addressed at creation, suffer at human hands?
44. 5.6Christ endured suffering to abolish death and show the resurrection.
45. 5.7He fulfilled the promise and prepared a new people.
46. 5.8He taught Israel and loved them greatly.
47. 5.9Christ chose sinners as apostles to show he came for sinners.
48. 5.10Christ came in the flesh because no one could look on his glory directly.
49. 5.11He came in the flesh to complete the sins of those who killed the prophets.
50. 5.12Zechariah foretold that the shepherd would be struck.
51. 5.13The Psalms foretold his suffering on a tree.
52. 5.14Isaiah: the servant gave his back to scourging.
53. 6.1Isaiah: who will contend with the Lord's Servant?
54. 6.2Christ is the chosen cornerstone of Zion.
55. 6.3Our hope is not in a stone but in Christ's flesh set firm.
56. 6.4The rejected stone has become the cornerstone.
57. 6.5He writes simply so that they may understand.
58. 6.6The Psalms foretold the crucifixion.
59. 6.7The prophets foretold that Israel would bind the righteous one.
60. 6.8Moses: enter the good land flowing with milk and honey.
61. 6.9The “good land” is Jesus in the flesh; man is suffering earth.
62. 6.10Only the wise understand the Lord's parables.
63. 6.11Forgiveness renewed us like newly formed children.
64. 6.12Genesis's “Let us make man” is God speaking to the Son about us.
65. 6.13In the last days God makes a new creation like the first.
66. 6.14God replaces hearts of stone with hearts of flesh; Christ dwells in us.
67. 6.15Our heart is a holy temple to the Lord.
68. 6.16We are those brought into the good land.
69. 6.17Milk and honey are the nourishment of faith and the word.
70. 6.18No one yet truly rules creation.
71. 6.19We will rule creation when we are made perfect heirs.
72. 7.1God revealed all things so that we might praise him.
73. 7.2The Son of God suffered only for our sake.
74. 7.3The Day of Atonement fast and Isaac's sacrifice foreshadow Christ.
75. 7.4The priests eat the goat's entrails with vinegar.
76. 7.5The rite foreshadows the gall and vinegar given to Christ.
77. 7.6The two goats of the Day of Atonement.
78. 7.7The second goat is accursed: a type of Jesus.
79. 7.8The scapegoat is spat upon, pierced, and crowned with scarlet wool.
80. 7.9At his coming, those who crucified Christ will recognize him.
81. 7.10The identical goats foreshadow Christ's suffering and return.
82. 7.11To gain the kingdom one must pass through thorns and suffering.
83. 8.1The red heifer rite is a type of the cross.
84. 8.2The calf is Jesus; those who offer it are those who killed him.
85. 8.3The sprinkling children are the twelve apostles.
86. 8.4Three sprinklers stand for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
87. 8.5The wool on the stick means Jesus reigns from the cross.
88. 8.6Hyssop means healing in evil days.
89. 8.7These meanings are clear to us but hidden from those who did not listen.
90. 9.1God circumcised our hearts and ears to hear.
91. 9.2The prophets call Israel to hear the Lord's Servant.
92. 9.3God circumcised our hearing so that we might hear and believe.
93. 9.4Circumcision of the flesh was never meant; an evil angel misled Israel.
94. 9.5The prophets call for circumcision of the heart.
95. 9.6Other peoples are circumcised too, so it cannot be the covenant's seal.
96. 9.7Abraham's circumcision looked forward to Jesus.
97. 9.8The number 318 spells Jesus (IH) and the cross (T) in Greek numerals.
98. 9.9The author vouches for the truth of this teaching.
99. 10.1Moses' food laws contain three moral teachings.
100. 10.2The food laws were spoken spiritually, not literally.
101. 10.3The pig stands for people who remember God only in need.
102. 10.4Birds of prey stand for people who live by robbing others.
103. 10.5Bottom-dwelling fish stand for the utterly ungodly.
104. 10.6The hare stands for corrupters of boys.
105. 10.7The hyena stands for adulterers and corrupters.
106. 10.8The weasel stands for those who commit impure acts with the mouth.
107. 10.9Israel misread spiritual teachings as rules about food.
108. 10.10Psalm 1 confirms the three teachings.
109. 10.11Clean animals stand for those who meditate on God's word and await the age to come.
110. 10.12We understand the commandments because God circumcised our ears and hearts.
111. 11.1Scripture foretold baptism and the cross.
112. 11.2Jeremiah: Israel forsook the fountain of life.
113. 11.3Isaiah: Israel will be like birds taken from the nest.
114. 11.4Isaiah: God will go before his people and give hidden treasures.
115. 11.5Isaiah: the sure water and the king in glory.
116. 11.6Psalm 1: the tree planted by streams of water.
117. 11.7Psalm 1: the ungodly will perish.
118. 11.8The tree and the water in Psalm 1 are the cross and baptism.
119. 11.9The praised land is the body in which the Spirit dwells.
120. 11.10The river with trees of life.
121. 11.11We go down into baptism full of sin and come up bearing fruit.
122. 12.1A prophecy of the cross: blood dripping from a tree.
123. 12.2Moses' outstretched arms in battle were a type of the cross.
124. 12.3Salvation depends on hope in the crucified one.
125. 12.4Isaiah: God stretched out his hands all day long.
126. 12.5The serpents in the wilderness recall the fall and point to Christ.
127. 12.6Moses made the bronze serpent as a type of Jesus.
128. 12.7Looking to the bronze serpent in faith brought life: a sign of Jesus.
129. 12.8Moses gave Joshua the name Jesus as a prophecy.
130. 12.9Moses foretold that the Son of God would destroy Amalek.
131. 12.10David calls the Christ his Lord, not merely his son.
132. 12.11Isaiah and David both call the Christ Lord.
133. 13.1Who is the heir of the covenant: this people or the former?
134. 13.2Rebecca's twins: the greater will serve the lesser.
135. 13.3Understand the meaning of Isaac and Rebecca.
136. 13.4Jacob asks to bless Joseph's sons.
137. 13.5Jacob's crossed hands blessed the younger son: a type of the new people.
138. 13.6This people is first and heir of the covenant.
139. 13.7Abraham is father of the uncircumcised who believe.
140. 14.1God gave the covenant, but Israel was unworthy to receive it.
141. 14.2Moses received the tablets on Sinai.
142. 14.3Israel's idolatry broke the tablets of the covenant.
143. 14.4Moses received the covenant as a servant; the Lord gave it to us himself.
144. 14.5Christ appeared to redeem us and establish the covenant in us.
145. 14.6The Father commanded Christ to prepare a holy people.
146. 14.7Isaiah: the Servant is a covenant and a light for the nations.
147. 14.8Isaiah: a light to the nations and salvation to the ends of the earth.
148. 14.9Isaiah: the Spirit of the Lord is upon me.
149. 15.1The commandment to keep the Sabbath holy.
150. 15.2If they keep the Sabbath, God will show mercy.
151. 15.3God finished creation in six days and rested on the seventh.
152. 15.4The six days of creation mean six thousand years of history.
153. 15.5God's rest on the seventh day is Christ's coming and judgment.
154. 15.6No one can now keep the Sabbath truly holy.
155. 15.7We will keep the true Sabbath when all things are made new.
156. 15.8God rejects the present sabbaths; the eighth day begins a new world.
157. 15.9Christians celebrate the eighth day, the day of the resurrection.
158. 16.1Israel wrongly put its hope in the temple building.
159. 16.2Isaiah: God cannot be contained in a house.
160. 16.3Those who destroyed the temple will rebuild it.
161. 16.4The temple destroyed by enemies will be rebuilt by their servants.
162. 16.5Scripture foretold the handing over of the city and temple.
163. 16.6There is a true temple of God, to be built in the Lord's name.
164. 16.7Before faith our hearts were a house of demons.
165. 16.8Forgiven and made new, we become God's dwelling.
166. 16.9God dwells in us and leads us into the incorruptible temple.
167. 16.10The believer is a spiritual temple built for the Lord.
168. 17.1The author hopes he has left out nothing needed for salvation.
169. 17.2Other matters are hidden in parables.
170. 18.1The Two Ways: light and darkness, with their angels.
171. 18.2God rules forever; Satan rules the present lawless age.
172. 19.1The way of light begins.
173. 19.2Love, fear, and glorify God; hate hypocrisy.
174. 19.3Be humble; plot no evil against a neighbor.
175. 19.4No sexual immorality, adultery, or abuse of boys; be gentle and forgiving.
176. 19.5Love your neighbor; do not kill a child by abortion or after birth; teach children to fear God.
177. 19.6Do not covet; keep company with the humble; accept what comes as from God.
178. 19.7Slaves respect masters; masters must not treat slaves harshly.
179. 19.8Share everything; guard the tongue; keep pure.
180. 19.9Be generous; cherish those who teach you God's word.
181. 19.10Remember the judgment; seek the saints; work to save souls or give for your sins.
182. 19.11Give without grumbling; keep the teaching unaltered; judge justly.
183. 19.12Make peace, confess sins, and pray with a clean conscience.
184. 20.1The way of darkness: a list of vices leading to eternal death.
185. 20.2Those on the way of darkness oppress the poor and kill children.
186. 21.1Walk in the Lord's decrees; there will be resurrection and recompense.
187. 21.2An appeal to the well-off to do good to those among them.
188. 21.3The day of the Lord and his reward is near.
189. 21.4Be good guides and counselors to one another.
190. 21.5A prayer for wisdom and endurance.
191. 21.6Be taught by God and ready for the judgment.
192. 21.7The author asks to be remembered.
193. 21.8While in the body, keep every commandment.
194. 21.9Farewell and blessing.