# Epistle of Barnabas 19.4

- Author: Anonymous
- Work: [Epistle of Barnabas](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/barnabas/) (*Epistula Barnabae*)
- Date: ca. 70–135 (often ca. 130) (disputed)
- Source: Lake, LCL 24:402; 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/19/4/

Summary: No sexual immorality, adultery, or abuse of boys; be gentle and forgiving.

## Greek text

οὐ πορνεύσεις, οὐ μοιχεύσεις, οὐ παιδοφθορήσεις. οὐ μή σου ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ ἐξέλθῃ ἐν ἀκαθαρσίᾳ τινῶν. οὐ λήμψῃ πρόσωπον ἐλέγξαι τινὰ ἐπὶ παραπτώματι. ἔσῃ πραΰς, ἔσῃ ἡσύχιος, ἔσῃ τρέμων τοὺς λόγους οὓς ἤκουσας. οὐ μνησικακήσεις τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου.

## English translation (Claude)

You shall not commit sexual immorality; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not corrupt boys. The word of God shall never go out from you among any who are impure. You shall not show partiality in rebuking anyone for a transgression. You shall be gentle; you shall be quiet; you shall tremble at the words you have heard. You shall not bear a grudge against your brother.

## Scripture references

- Exod 20:14: echo, medium confidence
- Isa 66:2: echo, medium confidence

## Translation notes

- “Corrupt boys” (παιδοφθορήσεις): sexually abuse boys; compare Did. 2.2.
- “Among any who are impure”: the sense is uncertain; perhaps “do not speak God's word with impure lips.”

## Citation (SBL)

Barn. 19.4 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/barnabas/19/4/).