The Statutes of the Apostles

The Statutes of the Apostles

continued

The Arabic version

1 In the name of God, one in essence (and) threefold in eternal Persons, glory to him for ever, and upon us his mercy. These are the Canons of our Fathers, the Apostles, which they ordered for the establishment of the Church by the hand of Clement. The first chapter, the introduction of the Canon of the Apostles, and the mention of the names of some of them. All hail, O sons, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. The first chapter: Said John and Matthew and Peter and Philip and Simon and James and Nathaniel and Thomas and Kayfás and Andrew and Bartholomew and Jude and James by the command of our Master Jesus Christ and our Saviour. When we were assembled together he commanded and said: Verily ye have not divided the countries among you, but (now) let each of you take his place according to your number. Define the rank of the bishops and the seats of the presbyters and the administration of the deacons, and the intelligence of the readers (agnustisīn), and the widows without fault, and the works upon and by which it is proper to strengthen the foundations of the Church; that ye may know the pattern of that which is in the heavens: and that they may be kept from all defilement, and know that they indeed will answer at the day of judgment for that which they have heard, and have not kept. He commanded us to send these words into all the world; and it is proper for us all to be according as the Lord has revealed to each by the will of God the Father through the Holy Spirit, and we remember his words and command this, by way of remembrance and instruction, my brethren.

2 The second chapter: Concerning the reproof of him who says what is not proper, and concerning the love of God and the love of thy neighbour. Said John: O men, O brethren, we know that we shall answer for everything which has been offered to us: and let no one accept the person of him who is with him, but if one of those who are with him should happen to say what is not proper, then let him reprove him that what he says is not good. And cause John to speak first. And John said: Verily (there are) two places, the place of life and the place of death, and between (lit. in) these two places difference. The place of life is this, that thou shouldst love the Lord thy God who created thee with all thy heart, and shouldst glorify him who saved thee from death. This is the first commandment; and the second is this, that thou shouldst love thy companion as thyself. On this are hung all the law and the prophets.

3 The third chapter: Concerning a thing which thou hatest—thou shalt not do it to another. Said Matthew: All that thou wishest not should come to thee, do not thou it to another. This is the same as that all that thou hatest, do it not (to another). And thou, O brother Peter, teach them with these words. The fourth: Concerning the commandments. Said Peter: Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not dishonour a young boy. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not be a soothsayer. Thou shalt not be a star-gazer. Thou shalt not be a sorcerer. Thou shalt not cause abortion, nor after (the child) is born shalt thou kill it. Thou shalt not covet anything of thy companion. Thou shalt not hate any man. Thou shalt not bear false witness. Thou shalt not say evil of anyone. Thou shalt not think about contriving wickedness. Thou shalt not be of double heart, nor double tongue. Surely to be double-tongued is a deadly snare. Nor shall thy words be vain or false. Nor shalt thou be a lover of the greater portion, nor rapacious, nor a hypocrite, nor one of evil heart, nor proud, nor deviser of evil counsel against thy neighbour, nor hate any man, but reprove some, and on others have pity, and pray for others, and love others more than thyself.

4 The fifth: It warns, and forbids anger and envy and obstinacy. Said Andrew: O my son, fly from all wickedness and hate all evil. Thou shalt not be angry, for anger leads to killing; because anger is an evil demon. Thou shalt not be envious or obstinate or a lover of fighting, for by this thou shalt gain evils. 5 The sixth: Thou shalt not be lustful. Said Philip: Thou shalt not be lustful, for lust leads to adultery and leads the man by compulsion; because lust is a female demon; because when the demon of anger is united with that of (sensual) pleasure, it is perdition to him who receives them both; and the place of the unclean spirit is the sin of the soul. When he finds a little entrance, then he enlarges the place and takes with him all the unclean spirits, and they enter into that soul and allow not that man to rise at all to behold the right. Let your anger put a limit to it(self). Break it off and put an end to it, lest it cast you into a deed of very great evil. Anger and (sensual) pleasure are evil; if they remain for much time they become demons, and when they prevail over the man they set fire to his soul, and when they have brought him to deeds of iniquity they mock him and rejoice over the perdition of the soul of that man.

5 The seventh: Thou shalt not be (one) of the evil-speakers. 25 Said Simon: O my son, thou shalt not be (one) of the evil-speakers, nor lofty of eye, for by this will be adultery. The eighth: Thou shalt not interpret (lit. say by) prodigies and star-gazing, or by magic and other things. Said James: O my son, thou shalt not interpret prodigies, for this leads to idolatry, nor be a magician or a master of hours and chooser of days nor star-gazer, nor shalt thou desire earnestly to be acquainted with them, for in all this is idolatry. The ninth: Thou shalt not be a liar nor a lover of gold or vainglory. Said Nathaniel: O my son, be not a liar, because lying leads to theft; nor be a lover of gold or vainglory, for by all this thou shalt be drawn to theft. O my son, do not murmur, because grumbling leads the man to blaspheming. Be not overbearing nor thinker of evil, for in all this is unbelief. Be gentle, for the gentle will inherit the kingdom of the heavens. Be kind, merciful, peaceable, with heart pure from all evil and without sin, gentle, meek, virtuous, observant, trembling at the words which thou hast heard. Do not exalt thyself only, nor put thyself with the lofty ones, but be a companion of the righteous and humble, and all that happens to thee receive with thankfulness, and know that there will be nothing except (ordained) by the Lord.

6 The tenth: Him who says to thee the words of God and became life to thee, thou shalt honour and support with thy toil (lit. sweat). Said Thomas: O my son, him who says to thee the words of God, and became to thee the cause of life, and gave to thee the seal of dominion, love as the apple of thine eye, remember him day and night and honour him like the Lord, for the place in which is remembered the Lordship, the Lord is there; ask of him (lit. his face) every day, him and the rest of the holy ones, and thou shalt rest on their words. He who is associated with the holy ones will become holy. Honour him as (lies in) thy power and with thy toil (lit. sweat) and the labour of thy hands. If the Lord has made thee worthy to receive from him spiritual food and eternal life, then it is most proper for thee to give to him food perishable and temporal—The labourer is worthy of his hire. Thou shalt not muzzle the bull in the threshing-floor. No man planteth (lit. soweth) a vine and eateth not of the fruit thereof.

7 The eleventh: Thou shalt not cause division, but reunite the separated. Said Kāfā: Thou shalt not cause division, but reunite the separated in peace, and judge with justice. Thou shalt not accept the person of the sinner for sin, because riches have no power with God; and do not respect rank. Thou shalt not make double the writing, but (act) with him equally in all things. Thou shalt not be of double heart in thy prayer, and think whether he will fulfil to thee what thou desirest or not. Thou shalt not think when thou stretchest forth thy hand (to receive and) when thou hast finished [and] hast drawn it back to thee. If there was anything in thy hand and thou hast given it, thou shalt seek deliverance from thy misdeeds. Thou shalt not be of double heart, for if thou hast given, (it is) thy acquisition: know who it is who will repay thee. Thou shalt not turn away him who asks, but share with the needy in all things. Thou shalt not say, Surely they are mine alone those which are mine. If ye are sharers one with another in what is imperishable, how (much more) in perishable?

8 The twelfth: The exhortation to giving alms. Said Bartholomew: I beseech you, O my brethren, while time remains to you, and ye are yourselves able to do good to others (lit. them), do not be slack in giving; while anything remains to you ye shall give it. For the day of the Lord is near, and all that will be seen in it and the wicked will perish; and the Lord will come, and his reward with him. Be lawgivers to yourselves, be teachers of yourselves, as God taught you, and keep that which I said, and add not to them, nor diminish from them. Said Peter: O brethren, the Scriptures teach them concerning the rest of the commandments. As for us, we speak to them what we were commanded. They said with one accord: Let Peter speak. The thirteenth: Concerning the ordination of the Bishop. 9 Said Peter: If it is a place with few people in it of the Faithful, and the assembly not large enough to elect a bishop, being not more than twelve men, then let them write to the churches of the neighbourhood, the place (in) which there are many of the Faithful, to bring three of the Faithful, trustworthy men, chosen from that place; and they shall test carefully as to which is worthy of the work, if he has a life of good repute among the peoples, and without sin or anger, a lover of the poor, and kind, not a drunkard, nor adulterer, nor lover of the greater portion, not a railer, nor a hypocrite and the like of that. 5 And it is good that he have no wife, but if he has been married to one wife before he becomes bishop, let him live with her; and he shall have a share of all sound doctrine and be able to expound the Scriptures; and if he knows not how to write, then he shall be humble and 10 abound in love to all men, that he may not be judged about anything and so be convicted.

10 Said John: The bishop who is ordained, if he knows how to keep himself and (has) the love of God and of those who are with him, let him appoint two presbyters, 15 having tested them. They all said: Not two, but three, because they are four and twenty elders, twelve on the right hand and twelve on the left hand. Said John: It is good that ye have reminded me, 20 O brethren. Those who are on the right hand take the cups from the archangels, they offer them to the Lord; and those who are on the left hand are over the multitude of the angels. It is proper that the presbyters should be in the form of elders, and past 25 the time of intercourse with wife, and they shall share in the Mysteries with the bishop, and help him in everything, and gather to (him) loving (him) as their shepherd. And the presbyters who are on the right hand shall be occupied with those who toil at the altar:

11 let them be worthy of the honour, and they shall reject him who is worthy to be rejected. And the presbyters who are on the left hand shall be occupied with the assembly, that they may be quiet and not make disturbance, but being controlled with all control, may be obedient with all obedience. The fourteenth: Concerning the ordination of the Readers (agnustisin). Said James: Let the reader (agnustis) be appointed after he has been first tested. And he shall not be of many words, nor a drunkard, nor speak in mockery; he shall have a life of good repute, (and be) a lover of virtue, and quick of going to the place of assembly, one who remembers in it the judgment, and he shall be obedient and read well, and know that the duty of the reader is to do what he reads, he who fills the hearing of others. Is it not proper for him that he should know what he says? Is not it written: This is a sin in him before God?

12 The fifteenth: Concerning the ordination of the Deacons. Said Matthew: Let them be tested in all service, and the assembly shall bear testimony to them that they live with one wife and bring up their children in purity, and they shall be kind and meek, and not grumblers, nor double-tongued, nor wrathful, for anger irritates the wise man; and they shall not accept the person of the rich, nor oppress the poor, nor drink much wine, and they shall work hard for the Mysteries, the hidden, the beautiful, the cheering. And they shall oblige him of the brethren who has anything, to comfort him who has not, and to be sharers with them also in giving, and they shall honour the assembly with all honours and modesty and fear, and they shall keep themselves with all firmness. Some they shall teach, others they shall question, and for others they shall pray. 5 Those who are rejected they shall expel at once, and they shall know that the adversaries, the rejected, the insulters are nothing but your adversaries.

13 The sixteenth: Concerning the Widows. Said Kāfā: Let three widows be appointed; they 10 shall devote themselves to prayer, and attend to all (who) are in afflictions, and (who) wish to tell them what it is; and let the other (widow) be appointed with the women who are afflicted with sicknesses, that they may attend to them in the best way, sitting up at night; and they 15 shall inform the presbyters what is the matter. She shall not be a lover of gain, nor a drunkard, lest she should neglect, and not keep watch in the service of the night. And if anyone (of the widows) wished to do good works, let her do it in the kindness of her 20 heart, because the goodness of the Lord has been first announced (to her). The seventeenth: Concerning the Deacons, they shall be doers of good works. Said Andrew: The deacons shall be doers of good 25 works by night and day in every place, and shall not exalt themselves above the weak nor accept the person of the rich, but they shall take knowledge of the feeble and give to them of what is over, and oblige them who have anything to gather for them good things, and fulfil the words of our Teacher: Verily ye saw me hungry and ye fed me. And they who minister a good (ministry) without fault shall surely gain for themselves the place of the pasture.

14 The eighteenth: The statute of the Layman. Said Philip: Let the layman hear the commands which are said to him, with cheerfulness. Let them obey those who devote themselves to the altar, and let each one please God in what they have given him (to do) and defined for him. And ye shall not learn to be quarrelsome with one another because of what ye are commanded to do; but let each labour in what is put him (to do) by God, and let not anyone make to stumble his companion in what he labours; neither do the angels transgress what is defined for them (to do). The nineteenth: It reminds that the Oblation (is) the Body of Christ, and what comes after it. Said Andrew: We have already defined this concerning the Oblation, which is the Body of Christ and his Blood, and we are explaining it carefully. Said John: Ye have forgotten, O brethren, that at the time in which the Teacher asked for bread and wine and blessed them and said: This is my Body and this is my Blood, he did not command that they should be regarded as material.

15 Said Martha concerning Mary: Look at her, and she laughs. Said Mary: Not because of (this) that I laughed. The Teacher said: 'It is good (that) the sick should be healed by the strong.' The twenty: It is not proper for women to pray when they are standing up; and that they have no ministry except ministering to the needy; charity, and what comes after it. Said Kāfā: Certain have said that it is not proper for women to pray when they are standing up, but they should prostrate themselves upon the ground. Said James: How can we find for the women any ministry except this ministry only, that they should help the needy? Said Philip: O brethren, concerning the charity which he does, surely (in doing it) he gathers for himself a good treasure, and one which he gathers for himself in the heavenly kingdom. Surely it is reckoned with God that it is a good work lasting for ever.

16 Said Peter: O brethren, we are not lords over anyone with compulsion, but we assure you from the Lord, we ask you to hear and keep the statutes and not to add to them or diminish from them, in the name of our Master Jesus Christ, to whom be glory unto ages of ages. Amīn. And after they all finished, each one saying his word in the first section, this is that which comes next. The twenty-first: Concerning the ordination of the Bishops at the beginning of the Kiddās. The bishop shall be ordained, as we have already said. He shall be chosen from all the assembly, without fault. When they have made mention of him and are satisfied with him all the people shall assemble together, and the presbyters and the deacons, on Sunday. And all the bishops shall walk one with another joyfully, and they shall lay their hands upon him; and the people standing up in silence together shall pray in their hearts that the Holy Spirit may descend upon him, and they shall ask one of the bishops, and while everyone stands, he shall lay his hand upon him who is ordained bishop, and shall pray over him thus. And when he has become bishop everyone shall salute him and shall kiss his mouth. And the deacons shall bring to him the Oblations: then having placed his hand upon the Oblation, with all the presbyters he shall say and give thanks thus: The Lord (be) with you. And the whole people shall say: And with thy spirit he shall be.

17 And he shall say: Where are your hearts? And all the people shall say: They are with the Lord. And he shall say: Give thanks to the Lord. And the people shall say: Worthy and it is meet thus. And he shall say what comes after this in the rule of the Kiddās. The twenty-second: Concerning the ordination of the Presbyter. When the bishop desires to ordain the presbyter he shall lay his hand upon his head; and all the priests touched him and (the bishop) prays over him according to the pattern which we have said concerning the bishop. The twenty-third: Concerning the ordination of the Deacons. 18 When the bishop desires to appoint a deacon, he shall choose him as we have said before. The bishop alone shall lay his hand upon him. Why have we said that the bishop alone (is) he who shall lay his hand upon him? The reason of this is that he is not appointed for the priesthood, but he is one of the assistants of this work, that he should perform his commands with which he is commanded by him. And he is not ordained to be a teacher of all the clergy, but to be one who will give attention to what is proper (to be done) and will give the bishop information about it. And he is not appointed to acquire the spirit of greatness in which the presbyters share, but to give attention, and to be worthy of the bishop's trust, and to be diligent about what is proper, because the bishop alone is he who lays his hand upon him. As for the presbyters, the bishop and all the presbyters share with him in placing their hands upon him. It is the one spirit which comes down upon him. And the presbyter is only he who acquires the position of the clergy, he has not authority; so because of that he does not appoint clergy, the presbyter is only ordained, and the clergy (in general) ordain him.

19 The twenty-fourth: Concerning the Confessors who were punished for the name of Christ, that they have the rank of the deacon and the presbyter. If the confessor has been in bonds for the name of the Lord, hand shall not be laid for the ministry which belongs to the deacon or the presbyter, for he has the honour of the presbyterate by his confession. If he is appointed bishop, the hand shall be laid upon him. If as confessor he was not brought before the authorities and was not punished with bonds or prison and was not put to suffering, but he only came to be ridiculed and was punished with punishment in his house, and yet he confessed, he is worthy of all the rank (takûs) of the priesthood, the hand shall be laid upon him, and he shall be made (priest). And the bishop shall give thanks as we have said before, and it is obligatory that he should mention what we have said before, reading clearly and carefully and giving thanks to God; and that according to his power each one shall pray. If anyone is able to pray fluently and (it is) a grand and elevated prayer, and he is a good man, and if he offers prayer and says the words of praise as he can, no one shall prevent him from offering prayer if he is correct and right (in faith).

20 The twenty-fifth: Concerning the appointment of the widows. When (a widow) is appointed she shall not be signed, but shall be made by the name. If her husband has been dead a long time let her be appointed. If her husband has lately died she shall not be trusted, but if she had become aged let her be tested for a time, for solicitations grow old in him who makes place for them in him. Let the widow be appointed with the word alone, and let her be joined to the rest of the widows, and hand shall not be placed upon her, because she does not offer the Oblations nor have any ministry. Signing is for the clergy because of (their) ministry, and for the widow (her appointment is) because of prayer, this (being the duty) of everyone. The twenty-sixth: Concerning the Virgins and the Subdeacons, and concerning the grace of healing.

21 5 The Reader (agnustis) is he who is appointed by the bishop giving to him the Book, and hand shall not be laid upon him. Hand shall not be placed upon a virgin, but her inmost thought alone causes her to be a virgin. 10 Hand shall not be placed on a subdeacon, but a name shall be put upon them that they may follow the deacons. Concerning the grace of healing. If anyone says, I have acquired a grace of healing by revelation, hand shall not be placed on him, because the deed shall make evident whether he is speaking the truth. The twenty-seventh: Concerning the new persons who begin to come in to the Faith; and the occupations which it is proper they should give up who come in as new to hear the words. They shall bring them first to the teachers before all the people come in. And they shall ask for what reason they seek the Faith. Those who bring them to hear shall bear testimony to them. He shall ask about their life as to what it is—if they have wives; or are slaves. If anyone is a slave of a believer, if he permitted him, then let him hear, and if his master does not bear testimony to him, let him be sent away. If he is an idolater, let it be known if he was pleasing his master, lest scandal should occur. If anyone have a wife, or a woman have a husband, let them be taught, the man to be contented with his wife, and the woman contented with her husband. And if any man was not living with a wife, let him be taught not to commit adultery, but to be married according to the law, or remain as is becoming for him. And if anyone had a demon, then let him not hear the words of the teacher.

22 Concerning occupations, and what there is of crafts besides the occupations. The occupations which belong to those whom they cause to come to the instruction. If anyone is a pander, let him desist or be sent away. And if anyone is a maker of idols or a painter, let him be taught not to make idols, and if he be not willing to desist, let him be sent away. And if anyone is present at the place of amusement, let him desist or then be sent away. If anyone teaches children, it is well that he desist. But if he has no other trade, let him be forgiven. He who goes to the festivals of idols, let him desist or be sent away. (If) one is a maker of potions, or teaches making potions, or teaches combating and fighting and weapons of war, let him desist or be sent away. (If) anyone is a priest of idols or guardian of idols, let him desist or be sent away. (If anyone is a) soldier of authority, let him not kill, and if he is ordered to kill, let him not do it—if he desisted (well)—if not, let him be sent away.

23 The twenty-eighth: Concerning persons in red, or him of the Faithful who becomes a soldier or stargazer or sorcerer, or other than that, let him be sent away. (If there be one who has) authority over the sword, or a chief of the city and clad in red, let him desist or be sent away. If a catechumen or believer wish to become a soldier, let both be sent away. Surely they both have removed far from God. An adulteress, or a man without salvation, or a man who does what it is not proper to mention, let them be sent away, because they are polluted. Verily, a sorcerer shall not be brought into the ranks of the Faithful. The star-gazer and master of the astrolabe, or soothsayer, or agitator of the multitude, or one who sells clothes from the diggers of the graves, or the maker of phylacteries, let them desist or be sent away.

24 The twenty-ninth: Concerning the concubine, and if we have omitted anything, decide as is proper. If the concubine of the man be his slave, if she brought up her children and kept to him alone, let her hear, and if otherwise, let her be sent away. He who has a concubine, let him desist and be married according to law, and if he will not (do so) let him be sent away. If we have omitted anything, decide as is proper, because we all have the Spirit of God. The thirty: Concerning the time for hearing the words after their occupations. Let the catechumens remain three years hearing the words. If there is a scholar and with good thought, decide about him not by the time, but his work alone (is) that by which it shall be decided for him. The thirty-first: Concerning the prayer of him who hears the words and the kiss.

25 When the teacher has finished the instruction, let the catechumens pray by themselves and separated from the Faithful. And let the women stand in a place in the church by themselves, the Faithful women and the female catechumens. And when they have finished the prayer, the female catechumens shall not give the salutation, because their kiss is not yet pure, but let the Faithful women kiss one another; the men shall kiss the men, and the women shall kiss the women, and the men shall not kiss the women. And all the women shall veil their heads with their balālin or their mantles, and not with linen only, because this is not suitable for them. The thirty-second: Concerning the laying the hand upon the catechumens after the prayer. When the teacher lays the hand upon the catechumens, let him pray and then dismiss them. If it was one of the ecclesiastics who taught, or a layman, let him do the same. If (one) was apprehended for the name of the Lord, he shall not be doubtful about his testimony. If he was overpowered and slain before obtaining the pardon of his misdeeds he shall be justified, because he was baptised in his blood.

26 The thirty-third: Concerning him who is baptised. When one has been chosen, or one who is prepared for Baptism, let him be examined concerning his life, whether he lived in chastity, while they are catechumens; and whether they reverenced the widows, or visited the sick, or fulfilled every good thing. So if those who bring them bear testimony that they have done thus, let them hear the Gospel, from the day in which they were brought, and let the hand be laid on them every day and exorcise them. 5 And when the day draws nigh in which they are to be baptised, let the bishop bind by oath every one of them, that he may know that they are pure. And if there was one who is not pure, let him put him aside, because he has not heard the words with faith, for it is not possible that an alien should ever be baptised.

27 They shall instruct those who are to be baptised that they should go to the bath and pray on the fifth of the week. And if there was among them a menstruous woman, let her be put aside, and she shall be baptised another day. And they who wish to be baptised shall fast on Friday (jumah), and the bishop shall assemble those who are to be baptised on the day of the sabbath in one place, and shall command them all to pray and prostrate themselves. And having laid his hand upon them, let him exorcise every alien spirit, that they may flee away from them and never return to them henceforth: and when he has finished binding them by oath, let him breathe in their faces, and having signed their foreheads and their ears and their noses, let him make them stand up, and let them keep watch all their night, and let them read to them and admonish them. And he who is to be baptised shall not bring in with him any vessel (to the water), but everyone shall give thanks, and it is proper for him who is worthy to bring his Oblation (Kurbān).

28 The thirty-fourth: Concerning the ordinance of Baptism and the instruction of the Faith, and the confession at the baptistery, and the Kiddās, and concerning the milk and honey. At the time of cock-crow, let him pray first over the water; and let the water be either running through the tank or running (down) upon it. And let it be thus unless there was urgent necessity. If there was urgent necessity, he shall pour in water which is found. Let them undress, and they shall begin by baptising the little children first. And he who can speak for himself and take oath shall speak, and for them who cannot let their parents speak, or one of the family. Afterwards they shall baptise the grown men, and the women last: and they shall unloose their hair and lay aside their ornaments of gold which they wear, and let no one go down to the water having any alien thing.

29 And at the time when they are baptised the bishop shall give thanks over the oil which he put in a vessel, and we call it oil of Eucharistia. And he shall take other oil and adjure over it, and call it oil of Exorcism. And there shall be the deacon carrying the oil of adjuration, and he shall stand on the left hand of the presbyter, and another deacon shall take the oil of thanksgiving and shall stand on the right hand, and when the presbyter has taken every one of those who are to be baptised, he shall bid him revile and say: I revile thee, O Eblis, and all thy service and all thy impure works. And when he has professed this, he shall anoint with the oil of adjuration, saying: Let every foul spirit remove far from them, and thus he shall give him to the bishop, naked. And the bishop is standing at the water of the baptistery, then the deacon shall walk with him to the water and say to him 5 and instruct him: Dost thou believe in one God, the Father Almighty, and his only Son Jesus Christ our Lord and our Saviour, and his Holy Spirit, the Giver of Life to all creation, the Trinity of one coequal Godhead, one Lordship, one Kingdom, and one Faith, one Baptism in 10 the universal Church, Life eternal, Amin? And he who is to be baptised shall say also like this: Verily I believe.

30 And thus he who baptises shall leave his hand upon him who receives (baptism) and dip him three times. And he shall declare this every time, and afterwards he shall say to 15 him: Dost thou believe in Jesus Christ, our Lord, the only Son of God the Father, that he became man by an incomprehensible miracle from the Holy Spirit and from Mary the Virgin without seed of man, and was crucified in the time of Pilate the Pontian, and died by his own will to 20 save us withal, and rose from the dead on the third day and released the captives and ascended into the heavens and sat down at the right hand of the Father, and he shall come to judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom? Dost thou believe in the Spirit, 25 the holy, the good, the sanctifier in the holy Church, and dost thou believe in the resurrection of the body which shall happen to everyone, and the kingdom of the heavens and eternal judgment? And he shall answer for all those things, saying: Verily I believe in this. And after 30 that, when he comes up from the water, let the presbyter anoint him with the ointment which is of the Eucharistia, saying: Verily I anoint thee with the holy ointment And after that they shall put on their clothes. Then they shall enter the church, and the bishop shall lay his hand on them, and pray and say:

31 O Lord, O God, who hast made these worthy of the laver of the second birth and pardon of sins, make them worthy of being filled with the Holy Spirit and send upon them thy grace that they may serve thee according to thy Will. Glory to thee, O Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit in the holy Church henceforth and for ever, Amín. And after that let him pour into his hand some of the oil of the Eucharistia and pour it on the head of every one of them, saying: Verily I anoint thee with the holy oil in the name of God the Father Almighty and Christ Jesus the only Son and the Holy Spirit. When he has signed every one of them on his forehead, let him kiss them and say: The Lord (be) with thee. And he who was kissed also shall answer and say: The Lord (be) with thy spirit. And afterwards after everyone has finished this he shall pray with all the people. It is not (right) that they should pray with the Faithful except after they have performed the acts which we have mentioned. When they have finished the prayer they give the salutation to one another with their mouths, and let the deacons bring in the Oblations to the bishop, and let the bishop give thanks over the bread and the cup, that it may become the Body of Christ and his Blood which he shed for us all who believe in him.

32 As for the milk and the honey mingled together, they shall cause them to drink of it because of the fulfilment of the promise which he promised to our fathers; saying to them: The land flowing with milk and honey means the Body of Christ and his Blood which he gave to us, by which we are nourished by him like little children, (for) they who believe were begotten of him, and he made sweet all bitterness of the heart with the sweetness of the Word. With all this then let the bishop make a covenant with him who was baptised: and when the bishop has broken the bread let him give a piece of it to everyone and say: This is the heavenly bread, the Body of Christ; and let him who is communicated answer and say, Amín. And if there are not presbyters sufficient, let the deacons take the cup and stand in order. And they shall receive the Body of our Master Jesus Christ, and this is the milk and the honey. And he who administers the cup (shall say): This is the Blood of our Master Jesus Christ, and he who is communicated shall say, Amín. If everyone is well instructed in this, he shall do all good and what is pleasing to God, and find leisure for going to the church, and do what he has learnt, and make progress in the service of God.

33 This is what we openly teach you concerning Baptism and the Kiddás, and we have finished our instruction concerning the resurrection of the body and the rest as it was written. And if anything has been left which it is proper to mention, let the bishop mention it to him alone who is communicated, and he shall not tell this to any but the Faithful, and only after he has first been communicated. This is the holy token of which John said that a new name was written upon it, which no one knew except him who receives the token. And these sections come after the Baptism. The thirty-fifth: Concerning the widows and the virgins, and (in) what time should the bishop fast. They shall do (it) as we have mentioned a number of times, and shall pray in the church. The presbyters and the deacons shall fast at any time that they desire, but the bishop cannot fast except on the day when all the people fast: and it shall be when anyone wishes to bring anything into the church, and he cannot be denied, then (the bishop) having broken bread shall himself taste and eat of it with the rest of the Faithful who are with him, and they shall be communicated from the hand of the bishop with a piece of bread before that every one of them breaks the bread which is before him, for this is a Blessing and not an Oblation like the Body of the Lord.

34 The thirty-sixth: Concerning the time at which it is proper to eat. And it is not proper for the catechumens to eat with the Faithful. Before that any drink it is proper for everyone to take a cup and give thanks over it, and drink and eat, for thus they are pure. The catechumens shall be given the bread of Blessing and a cup. Concerning that it is not proper for the catechumens to eat with the Faithful. The catechumens shall not sit at the feast of the Lord with the Faithful, and he who eats shall be mindful of 1 Lit. 'and.' him who invited him at all times that he eats, for because of this he asked them to come in under his roof. Concerning that it is proper that they should eat with moderation and temperance and not to be drunken. 5 Ye shall eat and drink orderly, and ye shall not drink and be drunken, lest men mock you, and he who invited you repent himself over your dissipation, but rather he shall be praying that the holy ones may come into his house. He said: Ye are the salt of the earth.

35 10 If he give to you all portions together, thou shalt take thy portion alone, and if they invited you to eat ye shall eat with moderation, not otherwise, that he who invited thee may send thy leavings to whom he wished. Are not they the leavings of the holy ones? 15 and he into whose (house) ye entered shall rejoice. And he who eats shall remember him who invited him at all times that he eats; for this reason he asked him that he should come in under the roof of his house. And the invited guests shall eat separately and 20 without sadness. But if the bishop allow anyone to ask about a word, then he may address him. The thirty-seventh: When the bishop speaks, let everyone be silent, and if the bishop is not present, let the Blessing be taken from a presbyter or a deacon. He

36 25 said: If the bishop speaks let everyone be silent till he asks them, and if a bishop is not present, but the Faithful and none beside at the feast, then let them take the Eulogia, viz. Blessing, from the presbyter if present, and if not present, from the deacon. And the cate- 30 chumens also shall receive the bread of Exorcism, and if there were lay people, one with another let them eat quietly; and it is not proper for the layman to make the Eulogia. The thirty-eighth chapter: Concerning the feast of the widows. If anyone wishes at any time to invite the widows, then let them invite all those who are aged: let him satisfy them (with food) and dismiss them before that night comes, and if it was not possible (for them to come) because of the lot which they obtained, let him give to them wine and food which they may eat in their houses as they will.

37 The thirty-ninth: Concerning the first-fruits and the fruits which they bring to the bishop, and he shall name them. Everyone shall hasten to bring to the bishop the first of the fruits of his crop, and the bishop also shall take them and bless them, and he shall mention the name of him who brought them to him, and shall say: We thank thee, O God, and we bring to thee the first-fruit of the fruits which thou hast given us to receive of them and hast perfected them according to thy word, and commanded the earth to send up all the fruits for the joy and nourishment of men and all living creatures; we thank thee, O God, for this and all others of them by which we are benefited, and thou hast disposed thy creation with variety of fruits, through thy Son Jesus Christ our Master, by whom be glory to thee with him and the Holy Spirit to ages of ages, Amin.

38 The Eulogia of the fruits. These are the fruits which are blessed: grapes and figs and pomegranates and olives and peaches and apples and cherries, and he does not bless Egyptian figs or onions or leeks or cucumber nor any kind of vegetables; and let them bring in also roses, but other (flowers) they shall not bring in, and they shall thank God when they eat anything and taste it, as glory to him. The fortieth chapter: Concerning that it is not proper that any of the people should taste anything at the Pascha before the time in which it is proper for them to eat. The fast shall not be reckoned as a fast if a man was gluttonous before the time of the fast was completed, except if anyone was sick, (for then) he cannot fast during the two days, so let him fast on the day of the sabbath because of the necessity and it shall suffice, and let him not taste of anything but bread and water. And if anyone was out at sea and was not knowing the day of the Pascha, let this one, if he knew it not, fast after the fifty (days), and it is not the Pascha which he keeps, but a likeness (of it), and the fast is his duty by way of compensation.

39 The forty-first: Concerning that it is proper for the deacons to obey the commands of the bishops. Let every one of the deacons and subdeacons report to the bishop and inform him who is sick, that he may visit them, for the archpriest having visited them, (the rest of the people) remembered them. The forty-second: Concerning the times at which the prayer is proper. The Faithful when they awake and rise up, before they do any business shall pray to the Lord, and after that shall attend to their occupations, and if there were then the words of instruction, let them choose them and go to hear the words of instruction, which are the words of God which strengthen the souls. They shall hasten to go to the church, the place in which is the Spirit, bearing fruit. 5 The forty-third: That it is proper to receive of the Eucharistia early at the time when it is allowable before that they taste anything.

40 Let every believer make (it) good conduct to receive of the holy Mysteries before that he taste anything; if there is in him faith, let him receive it; and if anyone should give him deadly poison, it will not hurt him. 10 The forty-fourth: Concerning that it is proper to guard carefully the Mysteries, and it is not proper to pour any from the cup. 15 Everyone shall be most careful not to let any but the Faithful receive of the Mysteries, nor a mouse nor other creature, and not to let any be spilt and lost—since it is the Body of Christ and his Blood, and all the Faithful shall eat of it—it is not proper to neglect it. 20 Concerning that it is not proper to pour any from the cup. When thou hast blessed the cup in the name of God and receivest of it, verily it is the Blood of Christ. Guard strictly that none of it be poured away, lest the alien spirits lick it up and thou be one who hast despised and become a blasphemer of the Blood of Christ, because thou hast despised that with which thou wast redeemed. 25 The forty-fifth: The deacons and the presbyters shall assemble every day to the place of the bishop.

41 The presbyters and the deacons shall assemble every day to the place (in) which is the bishop commanding them to go to it. And let not the presbyters and deacons neglect to assemble every day, except sickness prevented them from it. When they have assembled let them teach those who are in the churches, and likewise when they have prayed let each one turn to his own business. The forty-sixth: Concerning the cemeteries. No one of the people shall give an unlawful commission (for burying) in the grave of the people in the cemeteries—this work is for all the poor, but he shall give the wages of the paid man to him who digs and the guard who is in that place who has the care of it, and the bishop shall support them with what is given to the churches. The forty-seventh: Concerning the times in which it is proper for prayer and hearing the instruction and signing the forehead with the cross.

42 Let every believing man and woman when they rise up on the morrow, before they do necessary (work), wash their hands and pray to God; then they shall turn to their works. If they instruct with the words, let everyone choose to go to the place of teaching, and this shall be fixed in his heart, that that which he hears is God speaking by the mouth of the teacher, and he is abiding in the church, and he is able to remove the evil of every day. Let him who fears (God) reckon that it is great damage to him if he goes not to the place in which is the teaching, especially if he can read. If the teacher is present let him not delay (to go to) the church, the place in which is the teaching—then indeed it shall be given to the speaker to say what is profitable for everyone, and he shall hear what was not in his thought, and thou shalt gain what the Holy Spirit gives to thee by means of him who teaches, and thus thy faith will be established upon what thou hearest. And he shall say also in that place to thee what it is proper for thee to do in thy house, and for this reason let everyone hasten to go to the church, the place in which the Holy Spirit rises (like the sun). And if there was a day in which there is no teaching, let everyone be in his house and let him take a holy book and read sufficiently what he knows to be good.

43 And when thou art in thy house pray at the third hour and praise God. And if thou art in another place and that time comes, pray in thy heart to God, because Christ in that (hour) was stripped, and he was nailed upon the wood. And because of this in the old (testament) the law commands to offer the show-bread at the third hour, as a type of the Body and Blood of the holy Christ; and the lamb was pierced, which was a type of the perfect Lamb, for Christ is the Shepherd, and he is the Bread which came from heaven. Pray at the sixth hour, because when Christ was hanged upon the wood, that day was divided and it became darkness. Let prayer be made at that hour, a prayer of power, ye shall be like the cry which he prayed, and all the land was darkened for the unbelievers, and let them make also a great prayer at the ninth hour and praises. Let him teach (that it is) the pattern of

44 25 how the souls of the righteous bless the true God who remembered his holy ones (and) sent to them his Son who is his Word, that he might shine upon them. Because in that hour Christ was pierced in his side, and there came out from him blood and water, and after that he caused to shine on the others during the rest of that day until night. And thou, because of this also, when thou finishedst the day and thou madest the beginning of another day, and makest a type of the Resurrection, pray before thou restest thy body in thy bed. And when thou hast risen at midnight, wash thy hand in water and pray. And if thou hast a wife, pray ye two together, and if she has not yet become a believer, go aside and pray alone and return to thy bed again; thou who art bound by marriage do not omit the prayer. Verily ye are not unclean. They who have been baptised have no need to be bathed another time, because they are clean.

45 When thou hast breathed in thy hand and signed it with the spittle which goes forth from thy mouth thou wilt be clean all over (down) to thy feet, and this is (of) the Holy Spirit, and the drops of the water of Baptism ascend from the fountain which is the heart of the Faithful (and) purify. And those who believe are bound to pray at this hour because the elders set us the example. And verily all the ranks of the angels ministering with the souls of the righteous ones praise God at that hour, and therefore it is proper for the Faithful to pray at that hour. The Lord also said: At midnight there was a cry, Behold the bridegroom has come. Go ye out to meet him. Then he repeated the word and said: Watch, for ye know not the day (nor) in what hour (he will come).

46 And having risen when the cock crows, pray, for the children of Israel at the crowing of the cock denied Christ, whom we know by faith, watching with hope for that day of eternal light which will shine upon us at the resurrection of the dead. This, O ye Faithful, when ye have finished mentioning and teaching it amongst yourselves, ye shall do, and no one will cause you grief, nor shall ye ever fall. And ye shall make continual remembrance of Christ. Sign thy forehead in fear. This is the outward sign, and it is known (that) Iblis is defeated by this, when we do it in faith: we do not make a show before men alone, but in the knowledge by which thou art strong as with armour. Because the crafty (enemy) will look upon the strength of the heart alone, and having seen the inner man to be rational, and that he is signed inwardly and outwardly with the sign of the Word, he will flee away swiftly followed by the Holy Spirit, he who is in the man who makes place for him within.

47 This is that which Moses before taught us of the lamb of the Pascha which was slain, and he commanded to smear with its blood the door-posts and the roofs, making known to us the faith which is in us, for if we sign with the hand our forehead with that which was given us by the perfect Lamb, we shall be saved from him who wishes to kill us. If ye do this with thanksgiving and right faith ye will be edified, and to you shall be given eternal life. This we advise you to keep, ye who have sense. If everyone who heard kept the teaching of the Apostles, nothing of the heresies would be able to lead a man astray from them. Thus many heresies increase, because those who received them were not willing to learn the secret of the Apostles, but according to their own pleasure do what they like best and not what is proper.

48 And if we have omitted anything, O my brethren most beloved, God will reveal it to everyone who is worthy, and he will guide the Church for him who is worthy into the quiet harbour. These are the canons of the Church. The forty-eighth: Concerning the gifts and the offices. 49 When anyone has obtained a gift, let him not glory over anyone. Our God and Saviour Jesus Christ gave to us this great mystery of the service of God, and he calls the Jews and the Greeks, that they should know God the Father, the only true (God), as he says himself in a place, and gives thanks for the salvation of him who believed: I have manifested thy Name to the men whom thou gavest me, and I have finished all that thou deliveredst to me. And he spoke to the Father concerning us, and says: O my holy Father, the world knoweth thee not, but these knew thee. That which is proper he says now to us all, us and those who have become perfect, concerning the gift which he gave by his Holy Spirit: And these signs shall follow him who believed in me: they shall cast out devils in my Name, and they shall speak languages and they shall take up serpents in their hands, and if they drink deadly poison it shall not hurt them, and they shall lay their hands upon the sick and they shall recover. These gifts were first given to us, the Apostles, at the time when he made us worthy to preach the Gospel to all the land, in order to give it to him who should believe by us as privilege to us who do the signs; nay more, ye too (shall do it), whoever is believing among you;

50 that they who were not satisfied by the words might be put to shame by the power of the miracles. For the signs are not for us the believers, but they are for the unbelievers, the Jews and the Greeks. And it is not for our gain when we cast out devils, but the gain is for him who is purified by the will of Christ, as the Lord teaches us in a place, explaining the work and saying: Rejoice not because the devils obey you, but rejoice because your names are written in the heavens. The casting out of devils is by his power, but as for our names being written in the heavens, this is by our will and our mind and our teaching, with assistance from him as the purifier. It is not now necessary that every believer should cast out devils, or raise the dead, or speak with languages, but he who is worthy of this gift shall be worthy of it for a cause, and it shall be a reason for him who believes, and produces it (sc. the sign). Because they received not the declaration of the word; therefore he sent the working of signs, that perhaps they might be saved. In that case the unbelievers and hypocrites would not even be ashamed though they were put to shame by the miracles.

51 And God testified to this as he said in the Law: With tongues and lips I will speak unto this people, and even so they will not obey me, said the Lord. Nor did the Egyptians believe when Moses worked those great miracles and those signs among them. Nor did the multitude of the Jews believe him who was greater than 5 Moses, who was Christ, when he healed all sicknesses and infirmities amongst them. And that rod also when (it) was changed into a serpent put them not to shame, nor the hand which became white, nor the water which was made blood. Neither also were those others content when the blind saw and the lame ran and the dead were raised up. And that one was opposed by Yānās and Yamrās, and this also was insulted by Nānās and Ḳayāfās. Thus it is that miracles do not put everyone to shame, but the proud alone, and for their sake God is pleased (to act) as a wise physician, a steward, so that mighty works should be not of the power of man, but by his permission.

52 We say this, lest those who obtain a gift should magnify themselves above those who have not obtained it. We have spoken concerning the gift of God such as is shown by signs, because there is no man who believed in God by his holy Son, who has not received a spiritual gift. For the escape from the delusion of many gods and the entrance into the faith of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit is a gift from God and a grace, all the more because we have repudiated the folly of the Jews and have believed in the will of the Father and the Son coeternal with the Father before all ages, born of the immaculate virgin without seed of man, and he followed the course of men without the seed of men, and fulfilled all the righteousness of the Law, and by the consent of God the Father the Word endured the cross and was ignominiously derided and died and was buried and rose again the third day, and after he had risen from the dead he stayed forty days with the Apostles, and after he had given them all his commands he ascended in their presence to him who sent him, God the Father. He who believed in this did not believe thus merely and without reason, but by choice and consent he received the gift which is from God. Thus also he who became free from all heresy. None of you now should judge any who has become a believer and who is not considered worthy of signs or miracles, gifts which are of God. Various are the gifts which are given by him to men, and thou hast received this. This one has received the words of wisdom or knowledge, and another has received something else, and they know beforehand what is certain to come to pass, or the words of teaching, or endurance or excellence of virtue.

53 Moses himself also, the man of God, wrought signs in Egypt and did not magnify himself above his brother, not even when he was called god did he not magnify himself above his prophet who was Aaron. Nor did Joshua the son of Nūn, who led forth the people after him, magnify himself, nor was his heart exalted above Phinehas or Caleb when he made the sun stand still in the ravine of Ablūm and the moon over Alūm in the battle with the Aūsiyīn because all the day did not suffice him for the pursuit. Nor did Samuel consider David, the beloved of God, to be nothing when he did such signs, though both were prophets, the one (being) chief of the prophets and the other (being) king. 5 And among the seven thousand pure men who did not bow their knee to Baal the idol, none of them was chosen except Elias alone and Liyūsh'a his disciple that they should work signs and miracles, and Elias did not mock Yabadias the steward because he feared God, and worked (no) signs.

54 Nor did Elīsh'a forget or neglect his servant when he trembled at the enemy enclosing him in. Nor did the three children deride their companions when they were saved from the furnace of fire, for they knew that it was not by their own power that they were saved from that evil, but by the power of God they worked those signs and escaped from the sufferings. So let not any one of you magnify himself above his brother if he is a prophet and works miracles; and if it was given that there should 20 (not) be an unbelieving man in any place [before] any sign would be for nothing. That a man should be a servant of God—this (is) from his good heart. If he work miracles, this is by the power of the Most High, which (really) works: [and] the former is our (concern), the latter is God's (work), the same power which works for the works which we have just mentioned.

55 But let not the king despise the troops and soldiers who are below him. The forty-ninth chapter: Let not the chiefs despise those who are below them, nor let the chiefs despise those who are over them as chiefs: the chiefs would be nothing if they had not those over whom they rule: the kingdom would not stand if there were no troops and soldiers. And let not the bishop exalt himself over the deacons and presbyters, nor the presbyters over the people, because the standing of the Church depends upon one another. If there were no lay people, over whom would be the bishop and presbyter? It is of ourselves that we all become Christians, viz. Nazarenes, but as for becoming apostles and bishops or anything else, from this time it is not by ourselves but by God who gives the gifts. This we have said up to this place, concerning those who are worthy of the gifts or the Orders, and this further we add to these words.

56 The fifty: Everyone who prophesies is not a servant of God, nor is everyone who casts out devils holy, for Balaam the son of Fāghūr the soothsayer was without goodness and prophesied; and Ḳayāfās, by name chief priest, and having a false name: Iblīs, and the devils who are before him, said many things beforehand, and there is not in them any service of God at all. They please themselves alone in ignorance because of the wickedness which they commit. It is clear that when the hypocrites prophesy they cannot conceal their hypocrisy in their prophecy, nor when the devils cast out devils; for they do not become pure (thereby), because when they do it they lead one another astray, like conjurers for merriment, they lead astray, and those who support them go astray. The king if he becomes a hypocrite is no longer a king, henceforth he is the opposite (of a king).

57 5 The fifty-first: Concerning the bishop who is contented with little learning, and ignorance and malice. 58 Every bishop who is contented with little learning or is in ignorance or in malice is no bishop, but he bears a false name. He is not (a bishop) before God but (only) 10 before men, like Hanāniyā and Sīmānūs in Israel, and like Sadākiyā and Akiyāb, whom the king of Bābel slew and roasted in iron pitchers, as said Jeremiah the prophet; this he says. We do not indeed disparage the true prophets; we know that the work in them and in the holy ones is from the Spirit of God. But we are causing to cease the hardness of heart of the covetous, and we inform them this, that God causes to cease his gift from such as these, because God resisteth the proud and giveth his grace to the humble. Sīlās and Gāyūs were two before us, but they did not magnify themselves above the Apostles, nor went out of their limits, because they loved God. And women also prophesied in the old (testament), Miriam the sister of Moses and Aaron, and after her Dafūrā, and after them Aūdlā and Judith, the one in (the time of) Adratarsīs and the other in the time of Darius, and in the new (testament) the Mother of the Lord and Alish'a her cousin and Hannah, and also the daughters of Philip, and these did not magnify themselves above the men, but kept their limits. But women and men when they share in these graces shall be humble. God being pleased with it said: Unto whom shall I look but to those who are humble and tremble at my words. First we sent out these words concerning the gifts which God gave to the men according to his will. As they indeed acquire for themselves the similitude of those who take to falsehood and are moved by alien spirits: so God causes reprobate men to prophesy and work signs.

59 And now the words will draw us on to come to the chapter which is for the definitions of the Church, that ye who have become bishops through us by the command of Christ, having learnt this arrangement from us, might do everything according to the commands of Christ, as the statute which he gave to you, and know that he who receives from us receives from Christ and receives from God the Father, to whom (be) glory for ever, Amin. The fifty-second canon: Concerning the ordination of the Bishop and the ordinance of the Kiddās. 60 It is seemly for a bishop to be ordained as we have already said, and we command all the people: Choose a man, virtuous, holy in everything, and choose him (all) the people. When they have recorded their consent as to this (man), let all the people assemble, and the presbyters and bishops, and they shall assemble on Sunday, and the greatest among them shall ask the presbyters and the deacons and shall say: Is this he whom ye are pleased that he should be your chief? So when they have said: Yes, he shall ask them and say: Is this man worthy of this honourable position, and has he continued virtuous in everything, with goodness in God's sight, and kept the truth with man, and has he ordered well the people of his house and established his character in correctness, with nothing found against him? And when all have answered together and said: He is thus in truth and not in hypocrisy, God the Father and Christ and the Holy Spirit being Judge of those things, let them ask again three times: Is this man worthy of this government? that from the mouth of two or three every word may be established. When they have said three times:

61 He is worthy, let them all give assent with their hands, and having done this with cheerful mind, let there be silence, and let a great one from the great bishops take two other bishops with him, and all the rest of the bishops and presbyters standing up at the altar shall pray in silence, and the deacons shall hold the holy Gospels spread open upon the head of him who is to be ordained, and all shall pray to God for him, and the bishop shall pray to God for him, and one of the bishops shall offer incense over the hand of him who is to be ordained. And the bishops shall cause him to sit upon a seat which was prepared for him, and when they have all kissed him (with) the kiss of the Lord, let them read in the holy Scriptures, and when they have finished what should be read in the Gospel, let the bishop who is signed salute all the Church and say: The grace of our Master Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit (be) with you all. And all shall say: And with thy spirit. And when he has finished what should be said, let him speak the words of consolation to the people. And when he has finished what he may teach (them), let the deacon go up on a high place and call out and say: Let none stand here but the Faithful.

62 And thus when the bishop has completed all the prayers which it is proper for him to make for the sick and the rest, let the deacon say to them: Kiss one another with a pure kiss. And the priests shall kiss the bishop, and the laymen shall kiss the laymen, and the women shall kiss the women. And the young children shall stand at the ambon, and another deacon shall stand with them, lest they should be disorderly, and other deacons shall walk about watching the men and the females, lest there should be disturbance among them, and lest they should wink one to the other or make signs, or go to sleep. And the subdeacon shall stand at the doors of the women, and the deacon shall stand at the doors of the men, lest anyone should go out, and lest they should open the doors at the time of the pure Kiddās, even if there should be a believer at the door. And let the subdeacon bring water to the priests that they may wash their hands as a sign of the purity of the souls of those who lift them up to God. And let another deacon cry: Let no catechumen stand here, nor be any here who hears the words. He shall not partake of the Mysteries, nor any of the unbelievers, nor any of the heretics;

63 O women, hold your children, nor let any have anything against another in his heart, and let none stand here with hypocrisy, be upright with the Lord, and stand with fear and trembling. Prosperin. When this has been done let the deacon bring the bread to the bishop to the altar, and let the presbyters stand on his right and left, like disciples standing before their teacher, and let the two deacons stand on either side of the altar holding the flabella made of some delicate material, or of peacocks' feather or delicate silk, and they shall drive away the little flying creatures, lest any of them should fall into the cup. And thus let the arch-priest pray over the sacrifice and make supplication that the Holy Spirit may descend upon them, and upon the bread that it may become the Body of Christ, and the cup that it may become the Blood of Christ. And when he has com- 15 pleted the prayer which it is proper to say, let the bishop first communicate, and after him the presbyters and the deacons likewise, and the subdeacons, and after them all the people shall receive. And the bishop shall administer and say: This is the Body of Christ, and he who receives shall say, Amín. Then the deacons shall administer the cup, and they shall say: This is the Blood of Christ, this is the cup of life, and he who receives shall say, Amín; and they shall sing until all have received.

64 And when all have received the women shall receive, and when there is an end of the singing with which they praise, the deacon shall cry out and say: We have received of the venerable Body of Christ, and let us give thanks to him who has made us worthy that we should partake of his mysteries, honourable and holy. And after that the bishop shall pray and give thanks for the eating of the Body of Christ and the drinking of his Blood, and when he has finished what he prays, the deacon shall say: Bow your heads before the Lord that he may bless you; and when they have finished the being blessed, let the deacon say: Go away in peace. And the little (pieces) which remain over let the deacons take care of, lest any should be left of the Oblation, and let the priests take great care that there should not be much left, lest it should be a great judgment upon them, like the sons of Aaron and the sons of Eli whom the Holy Spirit destroyed because they despised the sacrifice of the Lord; how much more those who make light of the Body of Christ and his Blood, and think that it is carnal food and not spiritual which they receive. This we command to all, O bishops and presbyters and deacons, concerning the service of the holy Mysteries.

65 The fifty-third: Concerning the ordination of the Presbyters and the Deacons, and concerning the Deaconesses and the Subdeaconesses and the women Readers. And thou, O bishop, ordain the presbyter, lay thy hand upon his head, and all the presbyters standing by and the deacons, and pray and ordain him. And the deacon also, ordain him and put thy hand upon him, and pray, and all the presbyters and deacons standing by. And concerning the deaconesses and the subdeaconesses and the women readers we have already spoken. The fifty-fourth: Concerning the confessors. The confessor shall not be ordained. This man is trustworthy by his mind, for he is worthy of great honour, for he confessed the name of God and his Son before the peoples and kings. If, however, necessity requires that he should be ordained bishop or presbyter, let him be ordained; and if the confessor is angry with such an ordinance because of his confession, let him be excommunicated, for he is not only (wrong in this), but also he has denied the command of Christ, and he has become worse than an unbeliever.

66 The fifty-fifth: Concerning the virgins and widows and exorcists. Hand shall not be laid upon a virgin, for it is not the commandment of the Lord. This is a sacred conflict, it is only by a secret resolve. It is not that marriage is depreciated, but that there may be leisure for the service of God. Concerning the widows. Hand shall not be laid upon a widow. When (there is) one whose husband has been dead a long time, and she has lived in chastity and nothing has been found against her and she has provided properly for the people of her house, like Judith and Hannah, let him put such into the rank of the widows; but if it is not a long time since her husband died, she shall not be trusted, but she shall be proved by length of time. For the solicitation even grows old [with the man] if it be not held back by a strong rein.

67 Concerning the exorcist. The exorcist shall not be ordained, because this thing is by voluntary intention, and it is by the gift of God and Christ Jesus. For when the Holy Spirit dwells in the man [and him] who obtains the grace of healing, he is declared by the grace which is in him, which enlightens men. If necessity require that he should become bishop or presbyter or deacon, the hand shall be laid upon him. The fifty-sixth: Concerning by how many bishops it is proper to ordain a bishop. It is proper for the bishop that he should be ordained by three bishops or two. And if it was only one bishop who laid hand upon him, let him be excommunicated. And if it was done through urgent necessity by one, and it was not possible to collect an assembly because of widely extended persecution or some other cause, then let him be justified by many bishops, and they shall make it thus lawful for him, and he shall be made by their command.

68 The fifty-seventh: The bishop shall bless and shall not be blessed, and he shall excommunicate him who is worthy of excommunication. The excommunication of the bishop, that it cannot be done by one bishop only. And the rule of the blessing. The bishop shall bless and shall not be blessed. He shall ordain men and offer the Oblation; and the Eulogia shall be offered by the bishops and not by the presbyters. The bishop shall excommunicate every priest who is worthy of excommunication: a bishop he cannot excommunicate by himself, but only with bishops like him. The presbyter shall bless and shall not be blessed. He shall receive the Eulogia from the bishop and from his fellow-presbyter, and he also shall give to his fellow-presbyter and shall lay his hand upon men, but he shall not ordain or excommunicate, or put out him who is faulty—if there was one who deserved this punishment.

69 The deacon shall not bless and shall not give the Eulogia, and shall take (it) from the bishop and the presbyter. He shall not baptise or offer the Oblation, and when the bishop and presbyter offer, he shall give the cup to the people. He being not priest, but servant to the priests. The fifty-eighth: It is not proper that there should be one of the priests in a rank inferior to the rank of the deacon, that he should perform any of the works of the deacon. It is not proper that there should be one in a rank inferior to the rank of the deacon, that he should perform the work of the deacon. And the deaconesses shall not bless, nor do anything of what the presbyters and the deacons do. But they (lit. she) shall guard the doors (and have) no other (duty). And they shall minister to the presbyters where they baptise the women, because this is what is proper.

70 The fifty-ninth: Concerning the first-fruits and tithes. All firstlings shall be brought to the bishop and the presbyters and the deacons for them to eat. And all tithes they shall receive that they may be for the clergy and the virgins and the widows, and everyone who is poor shall eat thereof. The first-fruits which are the firstlings (are) for the priests alone and those who minister to them. The sixtieth: Concerning what is left over of the Oblation, what is not offered at the time of the Mysteries. The Eulogiae which are left over from the Mysteries of what was not offered, let the deacons divide it among the clergy, with the oversight of the bishop and the presbyter. He shall give to the bishop four portions, and he shall give to the presbyter three portions, and the deacon two, and lastly, the subdeacons and readers and the singers and the deaconesses—he shall give to all of these one portion. This is good (and) acceptable before God. Everyone shall be honoured according to his rank, and there is no church teaching confusion but good order.

71 The sixty-first: Concerning him who wishes to partake of the Mysteries. Those who wish to partake of the holy Mysteries, which are of the service of God, let them be brought by the deacons to the bishop and presbyters, and they shall ask what cause induced them to come and hear the words of the Lord, and those who bring them shall bear testimony to them, and they shall ask them to report of their occupations with great earnestness. The sixty-second: Concerning the trades and the works. Let them ask about their occupations and manner of life with earnestness, whether they are slaves or free. If anyone is a slave, let him ask his master whether he bears testimony to him. If he shall not bear testimony to him, let him be sent away, until he shall make himself worthy that his master should bear testimony to him. If he bears testimony to him he shall be received. If he was servant of an idolater, let him be taught to please his master, that the word of the Lord may not be blasphemed. If anyone has a wife, or a woman has a husband, let them be taught to be content (with one another). If they were not married according to the law. If the master was a believer and he knew that (his slave) was committing adultery and was not married to his wife, or she was a concubine and he was not married to her, let that master be excommunicated and expelled.

72 If there was anyone who has a devil, let him be taught that he must be cured, and not be brought in to partake of the Mysteries until he is first purified. If he is on the point of death he shall be brought in. Whatever man there be who is absorbed in the (work of the) world, let him desist or let him be rejected. If an adulteress desires to come in, let her desist or be sent away. If there was anyone who made idols, and he wished to come in, let him desist or be sent away. A man or a woman who is (concerned) in a theatre, or a chariot-driver or an Olympic contender, or a chorus flute-player or a harp-player, or one who plays on the pipe, or a dancer or a huckster, let him desist or be sent away. A soldier before he comes in must be taught not to oppress or accuse falsely, and he shall be content with his pay. If he is pleased (to be so), let him be brought in. If he be not willing, then let him be sent away.

73 One who does infamous crimes, or lies with male or female, or a magician or star-gazer, or a diviner or master of the astrolabe, or one who speaks about the hours and the choice of days, or a serpent-charmer or maker of phylacteries, or one who divines with any vessel, or interpreter of movements of limbs, or who augurs by birds of the heaven, or who watches that he may collect (signs) by the lame or the blind or by proof of birds when they cry, or who observes the words of men that they may be marks to him—these shall be proved by time, for the evil is hard to eradicate. If they desist from this occupation let them come in, and if they desist not let them be sent away. The sixty-third: Concerning the concubine of an unbeliever or believer, (and) the prohibition of many things. If the concubine of an unbeliever is a slave and kept herself to him alone, let her come in; if she was defiled by others, let her be sent away. If a believer has a concubine and she stays with him, let him desist from her if he is a Christian and marry her according to the law. If she is free, let him do with her according to the law, and if he is unwilling to do this, let him be sent away.

74 If there is one who follows the customs of the heathen, or the fabulous words of the Jews, let him desist or be sent away. One (who) is mad after and gazes at the theatre or gladiators or places of the lions, if he desists (let him come in), or let him be sent away. Let them who begin to be instructed be instructed three years. If a man has love and good-will and he displays upright life, let him be accepted, for the matter is not concerned with time, but it is only an affair of intention and conduct. If there is a layman teaching in the words, and he is quiet in manner of life, let him teach. For they shall be all taught of God, said the prophet. The sixty-fourth: Concerning the washing of their hands with water, and the prayer. Every believing man or woman when they rise in the morning from sleep, before they do any kind of business, let them wash their hands with water and pray. And if there should happen to be the words or conference in teaching, let them choose for themselves the words of teaching as better than work.

75 5 The sixty-fifth: Every believing man or woman shall be (kindly) disposed to their servants. And the rest of the sabbath and Sunday. Let every believing man or woman be disposed to his servants with kindness, as we commanded at first and have taught thus in the Epistles. Let the servants be appointed to work five days, and on the sabbaths and Sundays they shall devote themselves to the Church, that they may learn the service of God, for God rested on the sabbath day when he completed all the world. 15 The Sunday is the day of the resurrection of the Lord. The sixty-sixth: They shall not work (in) the week of the Pascha. And the mention of the feasts. 76 They shall not work also in the week of the great Pascha and that which comes after it, the first solemnity, viz. the day in which the Lord was crucified, and the other the day on which he rose from the dead. And is there not need that they should learn that he died and rose from the dead? They shall not work on the day of the solemnity of the Ascension, for the purpose of Christ was completed on it. They shall not work on the completion of the Pentecost, for it was the manifestation of the Holy Spirit who came down upon those who believed in Christ. They shall not work also on the day of the Birth of Christ, for on it was given favour to men. On that very day with haste when the God the Word was born for us, Jesus Christ, of Mary the Virgin, (to be) the salvation of the world. They shall not work also on the solemnity of the Bathing, for on that day was the appearance of the Divinity of Christ, and the Father bore witness to him in the Baptism, and the Holy Spirit came down upon him like a dove, which bore witness to him before those standing by, that this was the true God. They shall not work also on the day of the Apostles, for they are those who became to you teachers of the doctrine of Christ, and made you worthy to partake of the gift of the Holy Spirit. They shall not work on the day of Stephen the first martyr, (and) of the other holy martyrs who loved Christ better than their own lives.

77 The sixty-seventh: The times of the prayers. When ye rise in the early morning, pray, (and pray) at the third hour, and pray at the sixth hour, and pray at the ninth hour, and pray (in) the evening and the time when the cock crows. In the early morning because God causes (it) to shine upon us and makes the night pass and brings us the day. The third hour, being the hour in which Pilate gave sentence upon the Lord. The sixth hour, and the Lord was crucified at that hour. And (in) the ninth hour he gave up the spirit and all the earth was shaken, and when his side was pierced there came forth blood and water, and when the Lord was crucified (all) creation was afraid and trembled before him at what the godless Jews did, and they could not endure to look upon the Lord in his being mocked. At night ye shall give thanks because he has given you rest from toil of the day, and at the time of cock-crow because already at that hour ye are told the news of the appearing of the day that ye may turn to your works, and to the works of the light that ye may do them.

78 The sixty-eighth: If ye cannot go to the church, the bishop shall celebrate the Kiddās in his house. It is the holy man that sanctifies the church. 10 If ye cannot go to the church because of the unbelievers, thou, O bishop, celebrate the Kiddās in thy house, that the servants of God may not be gathered together with the profane; and the church does not sanctify the man, but it is the man who sanctifies the church. If the profane make a raid on the church, flee away from it, for they have defiled it, for as it is the holy man that sanctifies the church, so also it is defiled by the impure. 20 If it is not possible to assemble together in the house or in the church, each one shall sing praise wherever he is by himself, and let him read and pray, if there are two or three, for the Lord said that in the place in which two or three are gathered in my name I am at once with them in their midst.

79 The Faithful shall not pray with the catechumens in a house. It is not right that he should partake of the holy Mysteries if he has been defiled by those who do not partake. The servant of God shall not pray with a heretic nor in his house. What fellowship has light with darkness? If a believer, man or woman, has intercourse with slaves, let them be excommunicated and go out of the church. The sixty-ninth: 'Concerning the days on which they make celebration for those who slept. They shall keep the third for those who slept, with psalms and prayers, because of him who rose again on the third day. They shall keep the seventh for memorial of the living and the dead. They shall keep also the fulness of the month in likeness of the ancient (practice): thus mourned the people for Moses. And thus they shall also keep the fulness of the year in likeness of their memorial. They shall give to the poor of the goods of him who died as a memorial for him. This we say concerning only the servants of God. As for the profane, if everything in the world was given to the poor for him it would not profit him, because those who were enemies of God in the world, the thing is clear that they will remain to be his enemies when they go out of the world. There is indeed no hypocrisy with him, for the Lord is righteous and loveth the righteous, and also, 'Behold the man and his work.'

80 'And if ye are invited on a day, eat orderly and in the fear of God. It may be that ye shall pray for those who have been removed from this world. O presbyters and deacons of Christ, it is proper that ye should be watchful at all times, ye yourselves and others (also), that ye may be able to do according to the saying of the Scripture: The strong, the angry, shall not drink wine, lest they should drink and forget wisdom, and not be able to judge in uprightness. Because after God the almighty and his only Son, the presbyters and deacons are the authorities of the church. We say this, (but) we do not forbid them to drink (wine), because we cannot despise what God created for the joy of men, but that they should not drink to be drunken. The Scriptures say not that he shall not drink wine, but what is said is that he shall not drink wine to be drunken, and also that thorns spring up in the hand of the drunkard. This is not said only to the clergy, but to all the lay Christian people, those who follow the name of our Master Jesus Christ. These are they concerning whom they say: The woe, but also trouble and contentions and sorrows who hath; and whose eyes are darkened; or wars and wounds shall be to whom? Is it not they who are assiduous in drinking wine, who ask where is the place of drink?

81 The seventieth chapter: Concerning those who are persecuted for the Faith, and concerning him who flees from city to city because of the Faith, that they should be assisted withal for the sake of the Faith. 82 He who flees from city to city for the sake of the remembrance of the words of the Lord, and they know that the spirit is ready and the flesh weak, (and) they flee from place to place, and they accept the spoiling of their goods that they may keep the charge of the name of Christ and not deny him. Assist them and give to them all that they have need of, and fulfil the statute of the Lord which we command (you) withal. Stand each one in the Order which is given him, and go not beyond the limits which are its limits for him. It is not for ourselves but for God the Lord, who says: He who receiveth you receiveth me, and he who receiveth me receiveth him who sent me, and he who despiseth you despiseth me, and he who despiseth me despiseth him who sent me. If there are created things which have no souls (and which) keep the order which is given them, the day and the night, and the sun and the moon and the stars, and the elements and the changes of the seasons and the months and the weeks and the hours, and these are slaves to the necessity which was defined for them as it is said:

83 He made for them a limit (which) they do not pass over—and the sea I have made for it a limit, and I have made for it a barrier and doors, and I said to it, Reach as far as this, and thou shalt not pass beyond. How much more indeed is it not proper for you to move anything which has been defined for you according to the will of God; yet there are some who reckon this as nothing, that they confuse Orders. Do not ye confuse the ordination according to which each one of you was ordained to his Order, nor take by force Orders which are not given to you and pass beyond your own in an overbearing manner that ye may possess what belongs to another, over which ye have no authority. Concerning this they provoked God like the children of Korah and king 'Uzya, who took by force the priesthood without the commandment of God. The former were burnt with fire and the latter had his forehead marked with leprosy. And these (now) make angry the Lord Jesus, who commanded that this should be, and pained the heart of the Holy Spirit and despised his testimony, and they make light in truth of the charge laid upon those who do these deeds and the carelessness which they commit in regard to the Oblations and the Eucharistia, so that they are offered by means of those by whom it is not proper (to be done).

84 They regard the honour of the priesthood which is in the likeness of the great Chief Priesthood of Jesus Christ our King that it is a work of sport. And it is necessary that we should teach them this: for (lit. and) henceforth some of them make division (inciting others to follow) after their vanities. We speak of Moses the servant of God, to whom God spoke face to face as one who talks with his companion, who said to him, I know thee more than everyone, who talked with him face to face, (not) in signs and wonders and dreams and angels and interpretation. This (was) at the time when he commanded him the holy law, and strictly defined what was proper to be completed by the priesthood, and what was proper to be (done) by the priests, and not the things which belonged to the levites, and he kept each one apart for what was suitable for him, and he arranged the service, that which was commanded to the high-priest to do and was not suitable for the priests to do, and the law did not require it; and that with which the priests were commanded the levites were not able to approach, but each one should keep to his own service which he received and not go from it. And if anyone transgressed and went out from his Order and the service which he had received his punishment was death.

85 What happened to Saul makes this clear to us, especially when he thought to offer up victims rebelliously against the prophet and high-priest Samuel he brought on himself sin and curses for ever. But the prophet was not afraid because of the anointing with which he had anointed him to become king. God has made us know of a great deed, revealing (what) happened to Ūzya. Vengeance did not wait on account of the opposition which he made, and (in) his becoming a stranger from his kingdom because of the chief priesthood which he coveted. 86 The seventy-first chapter: Concerning the Order of the Priesthood and its limits. Ye are not ignorant of what we have defined. Ye are aware that there are some whom we have named Bishops, and others whom we have named Presbyters, and others Deacons, with prayer and laying on of hand. And we have made for each an Order according to the difference of the name. There is none among us who desires the filling of our hands, that he may receive from us what he desires, like the priests of the calves made by Jeroboam, those which (were) an abomination before God. If there was not a law of difference of Orders, it would have sufficed to perfect all the world with one name, but since we have been taught by the Lord a series of functions we have kept apart the Bishops for the chief priesthood, and the Presbyters for the priesthood, and the Deacons for the service, the service which comes to the two, that the works of the service may be perfected withal.

87 It is not proper for the Deacons to offer the Oblations or baptise, or give the Eulogia to great or small; nor for a Presbyter to sign, i.e. ordain, anyone, because it is not proper to alter his Order. God is not (the author) of confusion, so that the vicious may not seize for themselves with audacity what belongs to those who are (properly) chosen, and make for themselves a new law to their own destruction in their ignorance. The thing bears witness against them. They kick with their feet against the goad. Such men are not in opposition to us, but they are in opposition to the Bishop of all the earth, the Son of God, the great Priest Jesus Christ our Master. Constituted by Moses, the lover of God, were chief priests, priests, and levites, and constituted also were thirteen Apostles by the Saviour, and by the Apostles we have been constituted, Clement and James and the rest withal, not that we should describe every one of them. And we have also all of us constituted withal presbyters and deacons and readers. The first and only true Chief Priest is Christ, he who did not carry off this honour for himself, but (it was from) the Father who appointed him. He when he became Chief Priest for our sake offered up the spiritual Sacrifice to God the Father before he was crucified. And he commanded us alone to do this, and there were others with us who believed in him.

88 But it was not given to everyone who believes in him to be priest, nor to be worthy of the Order of chief priest. After that he ascended we offered by his command the holy Oblation without blood, and we have appointed bishops and presbyters and deacons, in number, seven, among them Stephen the holy martyr; he was not less than us in the love of God, but he displayed his service of God in faith and the love which he had for Christ Jesus our Master to such a degree that he even gave up his life for his sake, and the Jews, the murderers of the Lord, stoned him with stones and killed him. But this great man, who gushed with the Spirit, who saw the doors of the heavens opened and the Lord at the right hand of the Father, we did not observe him in any place doing what was not suitable for the deacons, or that he offered Oblations, or that he laid hand upon a man, but he kept to the Order of the deacons until the end, as was suitable for the Martyr of Christ to complete and keep the Order.

89 And if there is anyone who blames Philip the deacon and Hananiya the faithful brother, the former because he baptised the eunuch and the other (because) he baptised me, Paul, they know not what we say. We say that no one shall seize for himself the Order of Priesthood, but should obtain it from God like Melchizedeck or James, or should obtain it from the chief priest like Aaron. He obtained it from Moses. Philip and Hananiya did not choose for themselves that they should do that. But it was Christ who chose them, the true Chief Priest of God, and there is no god like him. The Apostolic Canons were finished, and they are seventy-one Canons, but their number in the Greek is eighty-one canons, and they are those which the Apostles transmitted by the hand of Clement. To God be glory continually, and upon us be his mercy for ever. Amin.