Lost scriptures: books that did not make it into the New Testament (57 page)

face, which I have so desired.

these will gladden your hearts in the pres

4
And so, since I have been persuaded

ent circumstances.

about this and realize that I who have

spoken to you know many things (since

Since, then, the days are evil and

the Lord has traveled along with me in

2 the one who is at work holds sway,

the path of righteousness), I have also

we should commit ourselves to seeking

felt fully compelled to love you more

after the righteous acts of the Lord.

than my own soul. For a great faith and

2
Reverential awe and endurance assist

love dwell within you in the hope of his

our faith, and patience and self-restraint

life.

do battle on our side.

5
I have thus come to realize that I will

3
And so while these things remain in

be rewarded for serving spirits like yours,

a holy state before the Lord, wisdom,

if I care for you enough to hand over a

understanding, perception, and knowlportion of what I have received. I have edge rejoice together with them.

hastened, then, to send you a brief letter,

that you may have perfect knowledge to

accompany your faith.

aOr:
I
congratulate
myself
all
the
more
THE LETTER OF BARNABAS

221

4
For through all the prophets he has

the Lord—not a person humbling his

shown us that he has no need of sacrisoul.

fices, whole burnt offerings, or regular

2
Not even if you bend your neck into

offerings. For he says in one place,

a circle and put on sackcloth and make

5
“What is the multitude of your sacfor yourself a bed of ashes—not even so rifices to me? says the Lord. I am sated

should you call this a proper fast.”6

with whole burnt offerings, and have no

3
But he says to us, “See, this is the

desire for the fat of lambs, the blood of

fast I have chosen, says the Lord. Loosen

bulls and goats—not even if you should

every bond of injustice; unravel the

come to appear before me. For who

strangle-hold of coercive agreements;

sought these things from your hands?

send forth in forgiveness those who are

Trample my court no longer. If you bring

downtrodden; tear up every unfair confine flour, it is futile; incense is loathsome tract. Break your bread for the hungry,

to me. I cannot stand your new moons

and provide clothing for anyone you see

and sabbaths.”2

naked. Bring the homeless under your

6
And so he nullified these things that

roof. And if you see anyone who has been

the new law of our Lord Jesus Christ,

humbled, do not despise him—neither

which is without the yoke of compulsion,

you nor anyone from your children’s

should provide an offering not made by

household.

humans.

4
Then your light will burst forth at

7
And again he says to them, “Did I

dawn, your garments will quickly rise up,

command your fathers who came out

your righteousness will go forth before

from the land of Egypt to offer whole

you, and the glory of God will clothe

burnt offerings and sacrifices to me?”3

you.

8
“No, this is what I commanded them:

5
Then you will cry out and God will

Let none of you bear a grudge against

hear you. While you are still speaking he

your neighbor in your heart, and do not

will say, ‘See! Here I am!’—if, that is,

love a false oath.”4

you remove from yourself bondage, the

9
And so, since we are not ignorant,

threatening gesture, and the word of comwe should perceive the good intention of plaint, and from your heart you give your

our Father. For he is speaking to us, wantbread to the poor and show mercy to the ing us to seek how to make an offering

person who has been humbled.”7

to him without being deceived like them.

6
The one who is patient anticipated,

10
And so he says to us: “A sacrifice

brothers, that the people he prepared in

to the Lord is a crushed heart; a sweet

his beloved would believe, in a state of

fragrance to the Lord is a heart that gloinnocence. And so he revealed all things rifies the one who made it.”5 And so,

to us in advance, that we not be dashed

brothers, we ought to learn clearly about

againstb their law as newcomers.c

our salvation, to keep the Evil One from

hurling us away from our life after bring

And so by carefully investigating

ing error in through the backdoor.

4 what is here and now, we must seek

And so he speaks to them again

3 concerning these things, “Why do bOr:
shipwrecked
on
cOr:
proselytes
you fast for me, says the Lord, so that

your voice is heard crying out today?

2Isa 1:11–13. 3Jer 7:22. 4Zech 8:17. 5Ps 51:17.

This is not the fast I have chosen, says

6Isa 58:3–5. 7Isa 58:6–10.

222

NON-CANONICAL EPISTLES AND RELATED WRITINGS

for the things that can save us. We should

cause your people, whom you led from

flee, entirely, all the works of lawlessthe land of Egypt, has broken the law.”11

ness; otherwise, they may overwhelm us.

Moses understood and cast the two tab

And we should hate the error of the preslets from his hands. And their covenant ent age, that we may be loved in the age

was smashed—that the covenant of his

to come.

beloved, Jesus, might be sealed in our

2
We should not allow our souls to

hearts, in the hope brought by faith in

relax, thinking they can consort with sinhim.

ners and the wicked; otherwise we may

9
Since I want to write many things,

become like them.

not as a teacher, but as is fitting for one

3
The final stumbling block is at hand,

who is eager to abandon none of the

about which it has been written, just as

things we have, I hasten to write, as your

Enoch says, “For this reason the Master

lowly scapegoat.d Therefore, we should

shortened the seasons and the days, that

pay close attention here in the final days.

his beloved may hurry and arrive at his

For the entire time of our faith will be of

inheritance.”

no use to us if we do not stand in resis

4
For also the prophet says, “Ten kingtance, as is fitting for the children of God, doms will rule the earth and a small king

both against this present lawless age and

will rise up afterwards; he will humble

against the stumbling blocks that are yet

three of the kings at one time.”8

to come,

5
So too Daniel speaks about the same

10
that the Black One not sneak in

thing: “I saw the fourth beast, wicked

among us. We should flee from all that is

and strong, and worse than all the beasts

futile and completely hate the works of

of the sea, and I saw how ten horns rose

the evil path. Do not sink into yourselves

up from him, and from them a small horn

and live alone, as if you were already

as an offshoot; and I saw how he humbled

made upright; instead, gathering together

three of the great horns at one time.”9

for the same purpose, seek out what is

6
And so you should understand. And

profitable for the common good.

yet again, I am asking you this as one

11
For the Scripture says, “Woe to

who is from among you and who loves

those who have understanding in themeach and every one of you more than my selves and are knowledgeable before

own soul: watch yourselves now and do

their own eyes.”12 We should be spiritual;

not become like some people by piling

we should be a perfect temple to God.

up your sins, saying that the covenant is

As much as we can, we should concern

both theirs and ours.

ourselves with the reverential awe of God

7
For it is ours. But they permanently

and struggle to guard his commandments,

lost it, in this way, when Moses had just

that we may be glad in his righteous acts.e

received it. For the Scripture says,

12
The Lord will judge the world,

“Moses was on the mountain fasting for

playing no favorites. Each will receive

forty days and forty nights, and he reaccording to what he has done. If he is ceived the covenant from the Lord, stone

tablets written with the finger of the

Lord’s own hand.”10

dOr:
your
humble
servant;
literally:
offscouring
eOr:
righteous
demands

8
But when they turned back to idols

they lost it. For the Lord says this:

8Dan 7:24. 9Dan 7:7–8. 10Exod 31:18; 34:28.

“Moses, Moses, go down quickly, be11Exod 32:7. 12Isa 5:21.

THE LETTER OF BARNABAS

223

good, his righteousness will precede him;

at the foundation of the world, “Let us

if evil, the reward for his wickedness will

make a human according to our image

be before him.

and likeness,”16 how then did he allow

13
As those who are called we must

himself to suffer at the hands of humans?

never lie down and lose consciousness of

Learn this!

our sins, allowing the evil ruler to receive

6
Because the prophets received his

the authority against us and force us out

gracious gift, they prophesied looking

of the Lord’s kingdom.

ahead to him. He allowed himself to suf

14
And still, my brothers, consider:

fer in order to destroy death and to show

when you observe that Israel was abanthat there is a resurrection of the dead.

doned even after such signs and wonders

For he had to be manifest in the flesh.

had occurred in it, we too should pay

7
And he allowed himself to suffer in

close attention, lest, as it is written,

order to redeem the promise given to the

“many of us were found called, but few

fathers and to show, while he was on

chosen.”13

earth preparing a new people for himself,

that he is to execute judgment after rais

This is why the Lord allowed his

5

ing the dead.

flesh to be given over to corruption,

8
Moreover, while teaching Israel and

that we might be made holy through the

doing such wonders and signs, he

forgiveness of sins, which comes in the

preached to them and loved them deeply.

sprinkling of his blood.

9
And when he selected his own apos

2
For some of the things written about

tles who were about to preach his gospel,

him concern Israel; others concern us.

they were altogether lawless beyond all

And so it says: “He was wounded besin. This was to show that he did not cause of our lawless acts and weakened

come to call the upright but sinners. Then

because of our sins. By his bruising we

he revealed that he was the Son of God.

were healed. He was led like a sheep

10
For if he had not come in the flesh,

going to slaughter; and like a lamb, silent

how would people have been able to look

before the one who shears it.”14

upon him and survive? For they cannot

3
Therefore we ought to give thanks to

even look intently at the sun, gazing dithe Lord even more abundantly, because rectly into its rays, even though it is the

he revealed to us the things that have

work of his hands and will eventually

taken place and made us wise in the

cease to exist.

things that are now; and we are not ig

11
Therefore, the Son of God came in

norant of the things that are yet to

the flesh for this reason, that he might

happen.

total up all the sins of those who perse

4
And the Scripture says, “Not uncuted his prophets to death.

justly are the nets spread out for the

12
And so this is why he allowed himbirds.”15 It says this because the person self to suffer. For God speaks of the blow

who knows the path of righteousness but