Read Lost scriptures: books that did not make it into the New Testament Online
Authors: [edited by] Bart D. Ehrman
Tags: #Biblical Reference, #Bible Study Guides, #Bibles, #Other Translations, #Apocryphal books (New Testament), #New Testament, #Christianity, #Religion, #Biblical Commentary, #Biblical Studies, #General, #History
that redemption will come to all who
some ordinary harm, but to real danger,
believe and hope in God.
if we rashly hand ourselves over to the
8
You see, loved ones, not only was
desires of those who rush headlong into
faith found in the woman, but prophecy
strife and faction and so estrange us from
as well.
what is good for us.
3
We should treat one another kindly,
And so we should be humble13
according to the compassion and sweet
minded, brothers, laying aside
character of the one who made us.
all arrogance, conceit, foolishness, and
4
For it is written, “Those who are kind
forms of anger; and we should act in
will inhabit the land, and the innocent
accordance with what is written. For the
will be left upon it; but those who break
Holy Spirit says, “The one who is wise
the law will be destroyed from it.”34
should not boast about his wisdom, nor
5
And again it says, “I saw one who
the one who is strong about his strength,
was impious greatly exalted and raised
nor the one who is wealthy about his
high as the cedars of Lebanon. Then I
wealth; instead, the one who boasts
passed by and look! He was no more.
should boast about the Lord, seeking af
And I searched for his place, but did not
ter him and doing what is just and
find it. Protect what is innocent and focus
right.”31 We should especially remember
on what is upright, because the one who
the words the Lord Jesus spoke when
lives in peace will have a posterity.”35 . . .
teaching about gentleness and patience.
2
For he said: “Show mercy, that you
may be shown mercy; forgive, that it may
be forgiven you. As you do, so it will be
hOr:
in
addition
they
told
her
to
give
a
sign
done to you; as you give, so it will be
31
given to you; as you judge, so you will
Jer 9:23–24; 1 Cor 1:31; 2 Cor 10:17. 32Matt 5:7; 6:
14–15; 7:1–2, 12; Luke 6:31, 36–38. 33Isa 66:2.
be judged; as you show kindness, so will
34Prov 2:21–22; Ps 37:9, 38. 35Ps 37:35–37.
174
NON-CANONICAL EPISTLES AND RELATED WRITINGS
The humility and obedient low19
straining barriers, but acts just as he
liness of so many people with
ordered.
such a strong reputation have improved
7
For he said, “You shall come this far,
not only us, but also the generations that
and your waves shall crash down within
came before us—indeed all those who
you.”37
received the sayings of God in reverential
8
The ocean, boundless to humans, and
awe and truth.
the worlds beyond it are governed by the
2
And so, since we have shared in such
same decrees of the Master.
numerous, great, and glorious deeds, we
9
The seasons—spring, summer, fall,
should forge ahead to the goal of peace
and winter—succeed one another in
that has been delivered to us from the
peace.
beginning.36 And we should gaze intently
10
The forcesi of the winds complete
on the Father and Creator of the entire
their service in their own proper seaworld and cling to his magnificent and son, without faltering. And the eternal
superior gifts of peace and acts of
fountains, created for enjoyment and
kindness.
health, provide their life-giving breasts
3
We should observe him with underto humans without ceasing. The most standing and look upon his patient will
insignificant living creatures associate
with the eyes of our soul. We should
with one anotherj in harmony and
realize how he feels no anger towards his
peace.
entire creation.
11
The great Creator and Master of all
appointed all these things to be in peace
and harmony, bringing great benefits to
The heavens, which move
20
all things, but most especially to us, who
about under his management,
flee to his compassion through our Lord
are peacefully subject to him.
Jesus Christ.
2
Day and night complete the race
12
To him be the glory and the majesty
course laid out by him, without impeding
forever and ever. Amen.
one another in the least.
3
Sun and moon and the chorus of stars
Loved ones, you should take
21
roll along the tracks that have been apcare that his many acts of kindpointed to them, in harmony, never ness do not lead to judgment against all
crossing their lines, in accordance with
of us. For this will happen if we fail to
the arrangement he has made.
conduct ourselves worthily of him and do
4
By his will and in the proper seasons,
the things that are good and pleasing bethe fertile earth brings forth its rich abunfore him, in harmony.
dance of nourishment for humans, beasts,
2
For somewhere it says, “The Spirit
and all living things that dwell on it,
of the Lord is a lamp that searches out
without dissenting or altering any of the
the recesses deep within us.”38
decrees he has set forth.
3
We should realize how near he is,
5
Both the inscrutable regions of the
and that none of our thoughts or the disabysses and the indescribable realms of putes we have had is hidden from him.
the depths are constrained by the same
commands.
6
The basin of the boundless sea, esiOr:
stations
jOr:
have
sexual
intercourse
tablished by his workmanship to hold the
waters collected, does not cross its re36Cf. Heb 12:1–2. 37Job 38:11. 38Prov 20:27.
THE LETTER OF 1 CLEMENT
175
4
And so it is right for us not to desert
5
Seek after peace and pursue it.
from his will.
6
The eyes of the Lord are upon the
5
It is better for us to offend foolish,
upright, and his ears attend to their
senseless, and presumptuous people who
prayer. But the face of the Lord is against
boast in the arrogance of their own talk
those who do evil and destroys any recthan to offend God.
ollection of them from the face of the
6
We should revere the Lord Jesus
earth.
Christ, whose blood was given for us; we
7
The one who is upright has called
should respect our leaders; we should
out, and the Lord has heard him and
honor the elderly;k we should discipline
delivered him from all his afflictions.”39
our youth in the reverential fear of God;
8
“Many are the plagues of the sinner,
we should set our wives along the straight
but mercy will surround those who hope
path that leads to the good.
in the Lord.”40
7
Let them display a character of purity, worthy of love; let them exhibit the innocent will of their meekness; let them
23 The beneficent father, compassionate in every way, has manifest the gentleness of their tongues
pity on those who stand in awe of him;
through how they speak; let them show
gently and kindly does he bestow his
their love not with partiality, but equally
gracious gifts on those who approach him
to all those who stand in reverential awe
with a pure resolve.
of God in a holy way.
2
And so, we should not be of two
8
Let our children partake of the disminds, nor should we entertain wild nocipline that is in Christ. Let them learn tions about his superior and glorious
the strength of humility before God and
gifts.
the power of pure love before God. Let
3
May this Scripture be far removed
them learn how the reverential awe of
from us that says: “How miserable are
him is beautiful and great, and how it
those who are of two minds, who doubt
saves all those who conduct themselves
in their soul, who say, ‘We have heard
in itl in a holy way, with a clear underthese things from the time of our parents, standing.
and look! We have grown old, and none
9
For he is the one who explores our
of these things has happened to us.’
understandings and desires. His breath is
4
You fools! Compare yourselves to a
in us, and when he wishes, he will retree. Take a vine: first it sheds its leaves, move it.
then a bud appears, then a leaf, then a
flower, and after these an unripe grape,
The faith that is in Christ guar22
and then an entire bunch fully grown.”41
antees all these thing. For he
You see that the fruit of the tree becomes
himself calls to us through the Holy
ripe in just a short time.
Spirit: “Come, children, and hear me; I
5
In truth, his plan will come to comwill teach you the reverential awe of the pletion quickly and suddenly, as even the
Lord.
Scripture testifies, when it says, “He will
2
Who is the person who wants to live
and yearns to see good days?
3
Stop your tongue from speaking evil
kOr:
the
presbyters
lOr:
in
him
and your lips from spouting deceit.
4
Move away from evil and do what is
39Ps 34:11–17, 19. 40Ps 32:10. 41Source unknown.
good.
Cf. 2 Clem 11:2–3.
176
NON-CANONICAL EPISTLES AND RELATED WRITINGS
come quickly and not delay. And suddeposits these things, and so hastens denly the Lord will come to his temple—
back.
he who is holy, the one you await.”42
5
Then the priests examine the records
of the times and discover that it has come
We should consider, loved
24
after five hundred years have elapsed.
ones, how the Master continuously shows us the future resurrection that is about to occur, of which he made
26 Do we then think that it is so
great and marvelous that the
the Lord Jesus Christ the first-fruit by
Creator of all things will raise everyone
raising him from the dead.43
who has served him in a holy way with
2
We should look, loved ones, at the
the confidence of good faith, when he
resurrection that happens time after time.
shows us the magnificence of his promise
3
Day and night reveal to us a resureven through a bird?
rection: the night sleeps and the day
2
For it says somewhere, “You will
arises; the day departs and the night
raise me up and I will praise you,”45 and,
arrives.
“I lay down and slept, and I arose, be
4
We should consider the crops: how,
cause you are with me.”46
and in what way, does the sowing occur?
3
And again, Job says, “You will raise
5
The sower goes out and casts each
this flesh of mine, which has endured all
of the seeds onto the soil.44 Because they
these things.”47 . . .
are dry and barren they decay when they
fall onto the soil. But then the magnificent forethought of the Master raises 39 Those who are ignorant, unlearned, foolish, and uneduthem up out of their decay, and from the cated mock and ridicule us, wishing to
one seed grow more, and so bring forth
vaunt themselves in their own thoughts.
the crop.
2
But what can a mortal accomplish?
Or what power belongs to the one born
Let us consider the incredible
25
of earth?
sign that occurs in the eastern
3
For it is written, “There was no form
climes, that is, in the regions near Arabia.
before my eyes, but I heard a puff of air
2
For there is a bird called the Phoenix.
and the sound of a voice.
This unique creature lives five hundred
4
What then? Can a mortal be pure
years. And when at last it approaches its
before the Lord? Or can a man be blamedissolution through death, it makes a less in what he does, when he does not
tomb for itself out of frankincense,
trust his own servants and detects somemyrrh, and other spices. Then, when the thing crooked in his own messengers?m