Clement, Ignatius, Polycarp & others · a new plain-English translation from the original language
Two roads lie before you: the road of life, and the road of death — and the gap that divides them is vast. Now the road of life is this: first, you shall love God who made you; second, your neighbor as yourself; and everything you would not want done to you, do not do to another. This, then, is the substance of that teaching: speak well of those who call down curses on you, offer prayer on behalf of your enemies, and keep fast for those who persecute you. For what credit is it if you love those who love you? Do not even the nations do the same? But you — love those who hate you, and you will have no enemy. Keep away from the cravings of the flesh and the body. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to him as well, and you will be complete. If someone presses you into service for one mile, go with him two. If someone takes your cloak, give him your tunic too. If someone takes from you what is yours, do not demand it back — you cannot anyway. Give to everyone who asks of you, and do not demand it back; for the Father wills that all be given a share of his own gifts. Blessed is the one who gives according to the commandment, for he is without blame. Woe to the one who takes: if a person takes because he has need, he will be blameless; but the one who takes without need will answer for why he took, and for what. Put under confinement, he will be examined about what he has done, and he will not come out of there until he has paid back the last small coin. But about this too it has been said: let your almsgiving sweat in your hands until you know whom you are giving it to.
The second commandment of the teaching: you shall not murder; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not corrupt the young; you shall not be sexually immoral; you shall not steal; you shall not practice magic; you shall not mix poisons and potions; you shall not destroy a child before birth, nor kill one that is born; you shall not covet what belongs to your neighbor. You shall not swear falsely, you shall not bear false witness, you shall not speak evil of anyone, you shall not hold grudges. Do not be two-faced in mind or speech, since a forked tongue lays a trap leading to death. Let your word never be hollow or deceptive — let it instead be weighted with action. You shall not be greedy, or grasping, or a hypocrite, or malicious, or arrogant. You shall not take up an evil plan against your neighbor. You shall not hate any human being: some you shall correct, for some you shall pray, and some you shall love beyond your own life.
My child, flee from everything evil and from everything like it. Do not become angry, for anger leads to murder; nor jealous, nor quarrelsome, nor hot-tempered, for from all these things murders are born. My child, do not become a craver, for craving leads to immorality; nor foul-mouthed, nor one who lets his eyes wander high, for from all these things adulteries are born. My child, do not turn to reading omens, for that path ends in the worship of idols; do not become a charmer, a stargazer, or one who performs rites of purification — do not so much as wish to watch such practices, since idol-worship is born out of all of them. My child, do not become a liar, since lying leads to theft; nor a lover of money, nor hungry for empty glory, for from all these things thefts are born. My child, do not become a grumbler, since it leads to blasphemy; nor self-willed, nor evil-minded, for from all these things blasphemies are born. Be gentle instead, since the gentle will inherit the earth. Become patient, and merciful, and guileless, and quiet, and good, trembling always at the words you have heard. You shall not exalt yourself, nor give your soul over to insolence. Your soul shall not cling to the lofty; you shall keep company with the just and the lowly. The things that happen to you, receive as good, knowing that apart from God nothing happens.
My child, the one who speaks the word of God to you — remember him night and day, and honor him as the Lord; for where the Lord's rule is spoken of, there the Lord is. And seek out daily the company of the saints, so that you may find rest in their words. Do not long for division; make peace between those who fight. Judge justly; do not show favoritism when correcting failings. Do not waver about whether a thing shall be or not. Do not be one who stretches out his hands to receive and pulls them back from giving. If you have earned something by your hands, give it as a ransom for your sins. Do not hesitate to give, and do not grumble while giving; for you will come to know who the good paymaster of the reward is. Do not turn away the person in need; share everything with your brother, and do not say that anything is your own. For if you are partners in what is immortal, how much more in the things that die? Do not lift your hand from your son or your daughter; from their youth teach them the fear of God. Do not give orders in your bitterness to your slave or your servant girl — they hope in the same God — or they may stop fearing the God who is over you both; for he does not come to call people according to rank, but comes to those whom the Spirit has made ready. And you who are slaves: submit to your masters as to an image of God, with modesty and fear. Detest every form of pretense, and anything at all that displeases the Lord. Do not abandon the Lord's commandments; guard what you have received, neither adding nor taking away. In the assembly, confess your failings openly, and do not come to your prayer with a bad conscience. This is the road of life.
As for the road of death, it runs like this: above all, this road is wicked, saturated through with cursing — murders, adulteries, cravings, immoralities, thefts, idolatries, magic arts, poisonings, plunderings, false testimonies, hypocrisies, a divided heart, deceit, arrogance, malice, self-will, greed, filthy talk, jealousy, insolence, haughtiness, boastfulness. Persecutors of the good; haters of truth; lovers of the lie; not knowing the reward of righteousness; not holding to the good or to just judgment; wide awake not for the good but for evil; far from gentleness and endurance; loving what is worthless; hunting repayment; showing no mercy to the poor; not laboring for the worn-down; not knowing the one who made them; killers of children; destroyers of what God has shaped; who turn away the needy and grind down the afflicted; advocates of the rich, lawless judges of the poor — sinners through and through. Children, may you be rescued from all of this.
See that no one leads you astray from this road of the teaching, since such a person teaches you apart from God. For if you can carry the whole yoke of the Lord, you will be complete; but if you cannot, do what you can. And concerning food, carry what you can; but keep strictly away from what has been sacrificed to idols, for that is worship of dead gods.
Concerning baptism, baptize this way: having first said all these things aloud, baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, using running water. If you have no running water, baptize in still water instead; and if cold water is not possible, use warm. If neither is available, pour water over the head three times, invoking the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Before the baptism, let the baptizer fast, and the one being baptized, and any others who are able; and instruct the one being baptized to fast one or two days beforehand.
Do not schedule your fasting to match that of the hypocrites, since their fast days are the second and fifth days of the week; instead fast on the fourth day and on preparation day. Nor should your prayers mimic the hypocrites' — pray instead in the manner the Lord laid down in his gospel, as follows: Our Father in heaven, let your name be held holy, let your kingdom come, let your will come to pass, as in heaven so also on earth. Give us today our bread for the day ahead, and forgive us our debt as we too forgive our debtors, and do not bring us into trial, but rescue us from the evil one — for yours is the power and the glory forever. Pray this way three times a day.
Concerning the thanksgiving meal, give thanks this way. First, over the cup: We thank you, our Father, for the holy vine of David your servant, which you made known to us through Jesus your servant; to you be the glory forever. And over the broken loaf: We give you thanks, our Father, for the life and the understanding you disclosed to us through Jesus your servant; to you be glory forever. Just as this bread, once scattered as grain across the hillsides, was brought together and made one, so may your church be drawn in from every corner of the earth into your kingdom; for the glory and the dominion are yours through Jesus Christ, unto the ages. And let no one eat or drink from your thanksgiving meal except those baptized into the name of the Lord; for about this too the Lord has spoken: do not give what is holy to the dogs.
And after you are filled, give thanks this way: We give you thanks, holy Father, for your holy name, which you caused to dwell within us, and for the understanding, the faith, and the deathlessness you revealed to us through Jesus your servant; to you be glory forever. You, Master, ruler of all, created all things for the sake of your name; food and drink you gave to human beings for enjoyment, so that they might thank you; yet to us you have granted food and drink of the Spirit, together with life without end, through your servant. Before all things we thank you because you are mighty; to you be the glory forever. Remember, Lord, your assembly: rescue it from everything evil and complete it in your love, and gather it from the four winds — this assembly you have made holy — into your kingdom, which you have prepared for it; for yours is the power and the glory forever. Let grace come, and let this world pass away. Hosanna to the God of David. Whoever is holy, let him approach; whoever is not, let him turn and repent. Our Lord, come! Amen. But allow the prophets to give thanks as much as they wish.
Whoever comes, then, and teaches you all these things said before — receive him. But if the teacher himself turns and teaches another teaching, one that pulls all this down, do not listen to him; but if what he teaches builds up righteousness and deepens one's acquaintance with the Lord, then welcome that person as you would the Lord himself. Concerning the apostles and prophets, act according to the rule of the gospel, thus: let every apostle who comes to you be received as the Lord. But he shall not stay more than one day — or, if there is need, a second as well; if he stays three, he is a false prophet. And when the apostle leaves, let him take nothing but bread, enough until his next lodging; if he asks for money, he is a false prophet. And you shall not test or pass judgment on any prophet speaking in the spirit; for every sin will be forgiven, but this sin will not be forgiven. Yet not everyone who speaks in the spirit is a prophet — only if he has the ways of the Lord. So from their ways the false prophet and the prophet will be known. No prophet who, in the spirit, orders a table to be set shall eat from it; otherwise he is a false prophet. Every prophet who teaches the truth but does not do what he teaches is a false prophet. But every prophet who has been tested and found true, who acts out the earthly mystery of the assembly yet does not teach others to do all that he himself does, shall not be judged among you — his judgment rests with God; for the ancient prophets acted the same way. And whoever says in the spirit, Give me money, or anything else — do not listen to him; but if he says to give for the sake of others who lack, let no one judge him.
Welcome anyone who arrives invoking the Lord's name; then, having put him to the test, you will come to know him — for you will possess the discernment to tell right from left. If the person is only passing through, assist him however you are able; but he may lodge with you no longer than two or three days, should there be genuine need. If he wants to settle among you and has a craft, let him work and let him eat. If he has no craft, use your judgment and plan how he shall not live idle among you as a Christian. And if he will not act this way, he is making merchandise of Christ. Watch out for such people.
But every true prophet who wants to settle among you deserves his food. Likewise a true teacher: he too, like the worker, deserves his food. So you shall take every firstfruit of the produce of winepress and threshing floor, of cattle and of sheep, and give the firstfruit to the prophets; for they are your high priests. If you have no prophet, give it to the poor. When you bake a batch of bread, set aside its first portion and give it as the commandment directs. In the same way, whenever you broach a container of wine or oil, set aside the first portion and present it to the prophets; and of money and clothing and every possession, take the firstfruit as seems right to you, and give according to the commandment.
On the Lord's own day, gather together, break bread, and give thanks, having first confessed your failings openly, so that your sacrifice may be pure. And let no one who has a quarrel with his companion join you until the two are reconciled, so that your sacrifice is not defiled. For this is the saying spoken by the Lord: In every place and time, offer me a pure sacrifice; for I am a great king, says the Lord, and my name is a wonder among the nations.
Appoint for yourselves, then, overseers and servants worthy of the Lord — men who are gentle, not lovers of money, truthful, and tested; for they too perform for you the service of the prophets and teachers. So do not look down on them, for they are your honored ones, together with the prophets and teachers. When you correct each other, do it without anger, in a spirit of peace, following what the gospel teaches you; and if anyone wrongs another, let no one speak to him, and let him hear nothing from you, until he repents. And your prayers and your alms and all your actions — do them as you have it in the gospel of our Lord.
Keep watch over your life. Do not let your lamps go out, and do not let your belts come loose; be ready, for you do not know the hour in which our Lord is coming. Gather together often, seeking what is fitting for your souls; for the whole time of your faith will be no use to you if you are not made complete in the final season. In the final days, deceptive prophets and those who corrupt others will grow numerous, the sheep will turn into wolves, and love will turn into hate. As lawlessness grows, people will hate one another and persecute and betray; and then the deceiver of the world will appear as a son of God, and will do signs and wonders, and the earth will be handed over into his hands, and he will do outrages such as have never been done since the beginning of the age. Then the whole human creation will come into the fire of testing, and many will stumble and be lost; but those who endure in their faith will be saved out from under that very curse. And then the signs of the truth will appear: first the sign of an opening spread across heaven, then the sign of a trumpet's voice, and third, the resurrection of the dead — though not the resurrection of everyone — rather, as the saying goes: the Lord shall arrive, and every one of his holy ones together with him. And then the world will behold the Lord arriving above the clouds of the sky.
← All of Clement, Ignatius, Polycarp & others: The Apostolic Fathers