# Epistle of Barnabas 10.2

- Author: Anonymous
- Work: [Epistle of Barnabas](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/barnabas/) (*Epistula Barnabae*)
- Date: ca. 70–135 (often ca. 130) (disputed)
- Source: Lake, LCL 24:374; Kirsopp Lake, ed. and trans., The Apostolic Fathers, vol. 1, LCL 24 (London: Heinemann; New York: Macmillan, 1912), 340–407 (Greek text: K. Lake, The Apostolic Fathers (LCL, 1912), digitized by the Perseus Digital Library and published by the First Thousand Years of Greek project (Open Greek and Latin), CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26
- Canonical URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/barnabas/10/2/

Summary: The food laws were spoken spiritually, not literally.

## Greek text

πέρας γέ τοι λέγει αὐτοῖς ἐν τῷ Δευτερονομίῳ· Καὶ διαθήσομαι πρὸς τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον τὰ δικαιώματά μου. ἄρα οὖν οὐκ ἔστιν ἐντολὴ θεοῦ τὸ μὴ τρώγειν, Μωϋσῆς δὲ ἐν πνεύματι ἐλάλησεν.

## English translation (Claude)

Indeed, he says to them in Deuteronomy, “And I will establish my righteous decrees with this people.” So then, not eating is not a commandment of God; but Moses spoke in the Spirit.

## Scripture references

- Deut 4:1: allusion, low confidence
- Deut 4:5: allusion, low confidence

## Translation notes

- The quotation is a free summary; compare Deut 4:1, 5.

## Citation (SBL)

Barn. 10.2 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/barnabas/10/2/).