LETTER OF BARNABAS

CHAPTER 1
Greetings, sons and daughters, in the name of the Lord,1 who loves us in peace.
2 Indeed the righteous-decrees of God are great and rich toward you, and I rejoice exceedingly above
measure at your happy and glorious spirits, because2 the favor of the spiritual gift which you have received is so
deeply engrafted. 3 For this reason, I also inwardly rejoice all the more in the hope of salvation, because I truly
perceive in you a spirit gushing out from the rich Lord of love. 3 Your greatly desired appearance has filled me
with astonishment over you.4 4 Therefore, I am persuaded of this, and fully convinced in my own
consciousness, that while talking much among you, I have understood many things, because the Lord has
accompanied me on a road of righteousness. And I am compelled by the strictest obligation to love you above
my own soul, because great are the faith and love dwelling in you, due to the hope of the life which is his.
5 Therefore, calculating this, that if I should take the trouble to share with you some portion of what I
myself have received, it will prove to be a sufficient reward for having served such spirits. I have hastened
briefly to send to you, in order that, along with your faith, you might make your knowledge perfect.
6 Therefore, the decrees of the Lord are three: a hope of life, which is the beginning and end of our faith;
and righteousness, which is the beginning and end of judgment; love from joy and gladness, which is a
testimony5 of works of righteousness.6 7 For by the prophets, the Master has made known to us both the things
which are past and present, and has given us the first-fruits of the knowledge7 of things to come; and, as we talk
about these things coming to pass one by one, we must, more richly and higher, approach his fear.8 8 Now I, not
as a teacher, but instead as one of yourselves, will set forth a few things which will render you more joyful in
the present circumstances.

CHAPTER 2
Therefore, since the days are wicked, and the worker of it himself possesses the authority,9 we must give heed
to ourselves, diligently seeking out the righteous-decrees of the Lord. 2 Therefore, the helpers of our faith are
fear and endurance; but our allies are longsuffering and self-restraint. 3 Therefore, while these remain pure in
matters relating to the Lord, wisdom, intelligence, experience, and knowledge rejoice along with them.
4 For he has made known to us through all the prophets that he needs neither sacrifices, nor holocausts, nor
oblations, indeed saying the following:

5 “What is the multitude of your sacrifices to me, says the Lord?

I am full of holocausts, and neither desire the fat of lambs,
nor the blood of bulls and goats;
nor when you come to appear before me!
For who has required these things from your hands?
Do not tread my courts any longer.
If you bring flour, it is in vain.
Incense is an abomination to me.
And your new-moons and your sabbaths I cannot bear.”

6 Therefore, he has abolished these things, so that the new law of our Lord Jesus the Anointed-One, which
is without the yoke of necessity, might not10 have a human-made oblation.
1
[Bar1:1] HS / CO, L “of our Lord Jesus the Anointed-One”
2
[Bar1:2] S “in this way”
3
[Bar1:3] S / HL “a spirit infused into you from the bounteous fountain of God”
4
[Bar1:3] Lat omits “Your greatly…over you.”
5
[Bar1:7] H / S “love which is joyfulness and a testimony of the gladness”
6
[Bar1:7] Greek / Latin “are three: the hope of life, the beginning and the end of it.”
7
[Bar1:8] S “taste”
8
[Bar1:8] HS / Lat “altar”
9
[Bar2:1] Greek / Latin “and the Adversary possesses the power of this world”
10
[Bar2:6] Greek / Latin omits “not”
1
 7 But again he says to them:
“Did I instruct your fathers, when they went out from the land of Egypt, to offer me holocausts and
sacrifices? 8 Instead, I instructed this to them, ‘Do not let any one of you cherish any evil in his heart against his
neighbor, and do not love an oath of falsehood.’”

9 Therefore, if we are not without sense, we ought to understand the goodness of our Father; because he
speaks to us, desiring that we, not1 going astray like them, should ask how we may approach him.

10 Accordingly to us he says:
“A sacrifice to the Deity is a crushed heart;
an odor of sweet savor to the Lord is a heart which glorifies its Maker.”

11 Therefore, brothers, we ought to watch carefully after our salvation, lest the Wicked-One, having made
his entrance by deceit, should sling us out from our life.

CHAPTER 3
Therefore, he says to them again concerning these things:

“Why do you fast to me as on this day, says the Lord,

that your voice should be heard with a cry?
This is not the fast which I have chosen, says the Lord,
nor a day for a human to humble his soul.2
2 But even if you bend your neck like a ring,
and put sackcloth and ashes upon yourself,3
will you call it an acceptable fast?”

3 But to us he says:

“Behold, this is the fast which I have chosen, says the Lord,
not that a man should humble his soul,4
but that he should loose every band of unrighteousness,
release the knots of compulsory agreements,
send off to dismissal those who are broken-down,
and tear in pieces every unrighteous contract;
break your bread with the hungry,
and clothe the naked when you see him,
bring homeless men into your house,
and do not despise a lowly man if you see him,
nor anyone of your own house or of your family.5
4 Then your light will break forth at dawn,
and your healings6 will quickly spring up,
and the righteousness will go forth before you,
and the glory of God will encompass you;
5 then you will call, and God will hear you;
while you are yet speaking, he will say, ‘Behold, here I am’;
if you remove from yourself the bond,

1
[Bar2:9] Greek / Latin omits “not”
2
[Bar3:1] S / H omits “says the Lord” and adds “a day” / L “says the Lord, that someone should humiliate his soul without a cause”
3
[Bar3:2] H / S “and spread sackcloth and ashes under you” / L “and put on sackcloth and spread ashes under you”
4
[Bar3:3] S / HL omit “not that a man should humble his soul”
5
[Bar3:3] HS / L “hungry, and lead the homeless poor into your house, clothe the name when you see him, and do not despise those of your family.”
6
[Bar3:4] H / L “garments”
2
 and the stretching out of hands, and a word of murmuring,
and give your bread to the hungry from your soul,
and show mercy to1 a soul which is humbled.”

6 Therefore, brothers, for this reason, he is longsuffering, foreseeing how the people whom he has prepared
in his Beloved would put faith in him with simplicity. For he revealed all these things to us beforehand, so that
we should not be shipwrecked, like the uninitiated, by their law.2

CHAPTER 4
Therefore, it is necessary for us to look earnestly into the events at hand, to search diligently into those things
which are able to save us. Therefore, let us utterly flee from all the works of the lawlessness, lest these should
take hold of us; and let us hate the error of the present season, that we may set our love on what is to come. 2
Let us not give loose reins to our soul, that it should be enabled to run with sinners and wicked men, lest we
become like them.

3 The final stumbling-block approaches, concerning which it is written, as Enoch3 says:

“For to this purpose the Master has cut short the seasons and the days,
that his Beloved should hasten and come to his inheritance.”

4 Now the prophet also says the following:

“Ten kingdoms4 will reign upon the earth,
and after them5 a little king shall rise-up,
who will subdue three of the kings6 under one.”

5 In like manner Daniel says about them:

“And I saw the fourth beast, the wicked and powerful one,
and who was more savage than all the beasts of the earth,7
and how ten horns sprang up from it,
and out of them a little budding horn,
and how it subdued three of the great horns under one.”

6 Therefore, you ought to understand. But I also beg this of you, since I am one of you, but also because I
love you both individually and collectively more than my own soul: now8 take heed to yourselves, and do not be
be like some, who pile up sin upon sin, saying, that the covenant is both theirs and ours.
Indeed, it is ours;9 but instead they finally lost it in this way, when Moses had already received it. 7 For the
writing says, “And Moses was fasting on the mountain forty days and forty nights, and received the covenant
from the Lord, tablets of stone written with the finger of the hand of the Lord.” 8 Instead, turning away to idols,
they lost it. For the Lord says this, “Moses, Moses go down quickly, because the people whom you have
brought out of the land of Egypt have transgressed.” And Moses understood, and threw the two tablets out of
his hands; and their covenant was broken, in order that the covenant of the beloved Jesus might be sealed in our
heart by a hope which springs from the faith in him.
9 Now, wanting to write much to you, not as a teacher, but instead as is befitting of one who loves you, I
have made haste to write you without omitting anything from what I myself possess, with a view to your
purification.10 We take earnest11 heed in these last days; for the whole period of our life and faith1 will profit us

1
[Bar3:5] S / H “and satisfy” / Lat omits “and show…humbled”
2
[Bar3:6] Greek / Lat “that we should not rush forward as rash acceptors of their laws.”
3
[Bar4:3] HS / Lat ”Daniel”
4
[Bar4:4] SL / H “kings”
5
[Bar4:4] S / CL omit “them”
6
[Bar4:4] HS / L “kingdoms”
7
[Bar4:5] S / HL “sea”
8
[Bar4:6] HL / S adds
9
[Bar4:6] Lat / HS “some, compounding your sins by claiming that your covenant is irrevocably yours”
10
[Bar4:9] Lat omits this clause
11
[Bar4:9] Lat “Let us take”
3
nothing, unless now in this lawless season we also withstand the coming stumbling-blocks, as is befitting of
sons of God, so that2 the Black-One3 may not find a means of slipping-in.
10 Let us flee from every vanity. Let us utterly hate the works of the way of wicked-ones. Do not, by
drawing apart, live a solitary life, as if you were already deemed righteous; instead, gather together in one place
in order to seek the common welfare. 11 For the writing says:

“Woe to those who are intelligent to themselves,

and experienced in their own sight!”

Let us be spiritual. Let us be a perfect inner-sanctum to God. As far as it depends on us, let us meditate on
the fear of God, and let us contend to keep his instructions, so that we may rejoice in his righteous-decrees.
12 The Lord will judge the world without respect of persons. Each will receive according to his deeds. If he
is good, his righteousness will precede him; if he is wicked, the reward of wickedness is before him. 13 Since
we are called, take heed; lest resting at our ease, we should fall asleep in our sins, and the Wicked Chief,
acquiring authority over us, should drive us away from the kingdom of the Lord. 14 But remember this all the
more, my brothers, when you reflect and see how, after so many great signs and portents were wrought in Israel,
even they were abandoned. Let us beware, lest we be found, as it is written, “Many are invited, but few are
elected.”

CHAPTER 5
For this reason the Lord endured to deliver up his flesh to destruction, that we might be purified through the
remission of sins, that is, by the sprinkling of his blood. 2 For what is written concerning him refers, indeed
partly to Israel, but partly to us, but it says:

“He was wounded for our lawless-deeds,

and weakened for our sins:
by his stripe we are healed.
He was led as a sheep to a slaughter,
and as a lamb whicg is silent before its shearer.”

3 Doubtless we ought to be extremely-thankful to the Lord, because he has also made known to us both
things which are past, and has made us wise in the present, and has not left us unintelligent in the things which
are to come.
4 Now, the writing says, “Nets are not unrighteously spread out for birds.” This means that a human who
has knowledge of a way of righteousness, perishes deservedly if he rushes off into a way of darkness. 5 But
also, my brothers: if the Lord endured to suffer for our soul, although he is Lord of all the world, to whom God
spoke at the foundations of the world, “Let us make a human after our image, and after our likeness,” therefore,
how did he allow himself to suffer at the hand of humans? Learn.
6 The prophets, having obtained the favor from him, prophesied about him. But since it was necessary for
him to appear in flesh, that he might abolish the death and manifest the rising from the dead, 7 he endured in
order that he might fulfill the announcement which had been made to the fathers, and prepare for himself the
new people, and to show that, while still on the earth, he, when he has brought the rising, will be the judge.
8 Yet further, teaching Israel, and doing many portents and signs, he preached to them, and greatly-loved
them.4 9 But when he chose to have his good-message preached by his own envoys—men lawless beyond all
others—he showed that he came not to call righteous men, but instead sinners to a change-of-mind.5 Then he
manifested himself to be a son of God. 10 For if he had not come in flesh, there is no way in which humans

1
[Bar4:9] Emend / H “our life” / S “your faith” / Lat “our life and faith”
2
[Bar4:9] S omits “so that”
3
[Bar4:9] Lat departs entirely from the Greek here quoting as a saying of “the Son of God”: “Let us resist all iniquity, and hold it in hatred.”
4
[Bar5:8] G / HS“signs, the result was not that they loved him dearly for his preaching!” / L “signs, that they neither believed nor loved him” / S “signs, that they
believed and loved him”
5
[Bar5:9] HSL / G adds
4
could be saved by beholding him,1 since even when they look upon the sun, which will perish and is a work of
his hands, their eyes are not able to bear its rays.
11 Doubtless, for this purpose, the Son of God came in flesh, so that he might sum up the complete total of
their sins against those who had persecuted his2 prophets to death. 12 Doubtless, for this purpose he allowed
himself to suffer. For God says that they are the blow of his flesh; when they smite the Shepherd, then the sheep
of the flock will be scattered and fail.3 13 But it was his will to suffer in this manner, for it was necessary that he
should suffer on a tree.

For the prophet says about him:

“Spare my soul from a long-sword,
and4 fasten my flesh with nails;
because meetings5 of wicked men have risen up against me.”6

14 And again he says:

“Behold, I have given my back to whips,
but my jaws to strokes;
but I have set my face as a firm rock.”

CHAPTER 6
Therefore, when he gave the instruction, what does he say?
“Who is he that will condemn me? Let him oppose me.
Or, who is he that will demand to be right with me?
Let him draw near to the boy of the Lord.
Woe to you, because you will all grow old like a garment,
and a moth will consume you.”

2 And again, on being assigned7 as a mighty stone for crushing, the prophet says:
“Behold, for the foundations of Zion,
I will set down a precious stone, specifically chosen, a cornerstone.”

3 Next, what does he say?

“And he who hopes8 in it will live to the age.”

Therefore, is our hope set upon a stone? Far from it. Instead, it is because he laid his flesh with lordship; for
he says:
“And he set me as a hard rock.”

4 But again the prophet says:

“A stone which the builders rejected, this has become a head of a corner.”

And again he says:

“This is the great and marvelous day which the Lord has made.”

5 I write more simply to you, so that you may understand. I am the token of your love. 6 Therefore, what
again does the prophet say?

1
[Bar5:10] S / others “flesh, how could men be saved by beholding him?”
2
[Bar5:11] S “their” (later corrected as above)
3
[Bar5:12] S / others “from them, when “I shall smite the Shepherd, then the sheep of the flock will be scattered.” / L “For Isaiah says, “by the affliction of his body we
are all headed.” And another prophet, “I will smite the shepherd and the sheep of the fold will be dispersed.”
4
[Bar5:13] S adds
5
[Bar5:13] G / HSL “meeting”
6
[Bar5:13] SGL / H “have encompassed me”
7
[Bar6:2] Lat omits “on being assigned”
8
[Bar6:3] G / HSL “who puts faith”
5
 “A meeting of wicked men have encompassed me;
they encircle me as bees do a honeycomb.”

And:
“They cast lots for my clothing.”

7 Therefore, since he was to be manifested and to suffer in flesh, his suffering was revealed in advance. For
the prophet says concerning Israel:
“Woe to their soul, because they have counseled a wicked counsel against themselves, speaking, ‘Let us
bind the righteous-one, because he is obnoxious to us.’”

8 And Moses also says to them:1 “Behold, says the Lord God, enter into the land of the goodness which the
Lord swore to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, and inherit it, a land flowing with milk and honey.”

9 But what does the knowledge say? Learn: Hope, it declares,2 in the one who will be manifested to you in
flesh—in Jesus. For a human is land in a suffering state, for the formation of Adam was from the face of the
land. 10 Therefore, what does, “into the land of the goodness, a land flowing with milk and honey” mean?
Blessed be our Lord, brothers, who has placed in us the wisdom and understanding of secret things.
For the prophet says: “Who has knowledge of a parable of the Lord, except a man who is wise and
experienced, and who loves his Lord?”

11 Therefore, since he has renewed us by the remission of our sins, he has made us to be a new pattern, that
we should possess the soul of little-ones, as though he were creating us anew by his spirit.3
12 For the writing says about us, while he speaks to the Son: “Let us make the human after our image, and
after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the wild-beasts of the land, and the birds of the heaven, and
the fishes of the sea.” And, on seeing the beauty of our creation,4 the Lord spoke, “Increase and multiply, and
fill the land.” These things were spoken to the Son.5
13 Again, I will show you how he refers to us: the Lord says,6 he has accomplished a second creation in
these last days. Now the Lord says:
“Behold, I will7 make the last like the first.”

Therefore, in reference to this, the prophet preached:

“Enter into a land flowing with milk and honey, and have dominion over it.”

14 Therefore, behold that we have been created anew, as he says again in another prophet:
“Behold, says the Lord, I will take out from them”
—that is, from those whom the spirit of the Lord foresaw—
“their hearts of stone, and I will put into them hearts of flesh,”
because he himself8 was to be manifested in flesh and dwell among us. 15 For, my brothers, the habitation
of the heart is an inner-sanctum holy to the Lord.

16 For again the Lord says:

“And in what shall I appear before the Lord my God, and be glorified?”
He says,9 “I will confess to you in an assembly in the midst10 of my brothers;
and I will praise you in the midst of an assembly of holy-ones.”
1
[Bar6:8] GL / S “What says the other prophet Moses to them”
2
RG / NC, CL, Clement Alex add
3
[Bar6:11] Lat adds
4
[Bar6:12] S / others “the beautiful creature man”
5
[Bar6:12] SG / HL omits “These things were spoken to the Son”
6
[Bar6:13] S adds
7
[Bar6:13] S / other add
8
[Bar6:14] S adds
9
[Bar6:16] S / others adds
10
[Bar6:16] S / others add
6
 Doubtless, we are those whom he has led into the land of the goodness. 17 Therefore, what does the milk
and the honey mean? This: because the little-one is kept alive first by honey, then by milk. Therefore, we also,
being kept alive by the faith of the announcement and by the account, will live ruling over the land. 18 Now as
he1 spoke above, “And let them increase and multiply and rule over the fishes.”
Therefore, who at present is able to rule over the wild-beasts, or the fishes, or the birds of the heaven? For
we ought to perceive that to rule is a sign of authority, so that one who enjoins truly has lordship. 19 Therefore,
even if this is not happening at present, it will still come as he has promised it to us. When? When we ourselves
have also been made perfect so as to become heirs of the covenant of the Lord.

CHAPTER 7
Doubtless, children of gladness,2 I understand that the beautiful Lord has made all things known to us in
advance, that we might know to whom we ought to render thanksgiving, praising him for all things. 2 Therefore,
if the Son of God, who is Lord of all things, and who will judge the living and the dead, suffered, so that his
wound might give us life, let us have faith that the Son of God could not have suffered except for our sakes. 3
Instead, even when crucified, he was given vinegar and gall to drink.
Listen how the priests of the people3 gave previous indications of this. An instruction was written:
“Whosoever does not keep the fast should be put to death.”
This was enjoined by the Lord, because even he himself was going to offer the vessel of his spirit as a
sacrifice for our sins, so that the type signified by Isaac, when he was offered upon the sacrificial-altar, might be
fully accomplished. 4 Therefore, what does he say in the prophet?
“And let them eat of the goat which is offered, with fasting, for all of their sins.”
Attend carefully:
“And let all the priests alone eat the entrails unwashed with vinegar.”
5 Why? Because you are to give to me gall and vinegar to drink when I offer my flesh for the sins of my
new people. But you will eat alone, while the people fast and beat their breasts in lamentation in sackcloth and
ashes to show that it was necessary for him to suffer many things for them.4
6 What was instructed?5 Give your attention:
“Take two goats, beautiful and similar to each other, and offer them. And let the priest take one as a
holocaust for sins.”

7 But what should they do with the other?

“Accursed is the other,” he declares.

Notice how the type of Jesus6 is manifested.

8 “And all of you spit upon it, and kick it, and encircle its head with scarlet wool, and then let it be driven
into the wilderness.”

And when all this has been done, he who bears the goat, leads it into the desert, and takes the wool off from
it, and places it upon a shrub which is called Rachia,7 of whose shoots8 are usually eaten when we find them in
the country. The fruits of this9 kind of shrub alone are sweet.
9 Therefore, what does this mean? Give your attention:
“Indeed, one upon the sacrificial-altar, but the other accursed.”

1
[Bar6:18] S “we”
2
[Bar7:1] HSG / L “love”
3
[Bar7:4] S “inner-sanctum”
4
[Bar7:6] G / HL “suffer at their hands” / S “suffer many things at their hands”
5
[Bar7:7] S “What did he command?”
6
[Bar7:8] S “God” (later corrected as above)
7
[Bar7:9] S “Rachel”
8
[Bar7:9] Lat “fruits”
9
[Bar7:9] S “thus”
7
 And why is the one which is accursed crowned? Because in that day, they will see him having a scarlet robe
about his body down to his feet; and they shall state, “Is this not him whom we once despised, and pierced, and
spit upon, and crucified? Truly this was the man who said that he was a Son of God.”
10 For how is he like this goat?1 In this way, “the goats shall be beautiful and equal,” that when they see
him coming, they may be amazed by the likeness of the goat. Then, behold the goat,2 the type of Jesus who was
was to suffer. 11 But why did they place the wool in the middle of the thorns? It is a type of Jesus displayed
before the assembly,3 that whoever wishes to take it away might find it necessary to suffer much, because the
thorns are fearsome, and the only way that it can be taken hold of is through suffering. 12 He also declares the
following: “Those who wish to behold me and lay hold of my kingdom, must lay hold of me through tribulation
and suffering.”

CHAPTER 8
But what kind of type do you suppose this is? An instruction was given to Israel, that the men whose sins are
perfect should offer a heifer, and slaughter and completely-burn it; and then that boys should take the ashes and
put them into vessels, and bind scarlet wool around a stick4 (see again the type of the cross, both the scarlet
wool and the hyssop)5 along with hyssop; and after this the boys should sprinkle the people one by one, in order
order that they might be purified from their sins.
2 Consider how he speaks to you with simplicity. The calf 6 is the Anointed-One7 Jesus. The sinful men
offering it are those who offered him for the slaughter. Then there are no longer men; there is no longer the
glory for sinners.8 3 The boys who sprinkle are those who have brought a good-message to us concerning the
remission of the sins and the purification of the heart.9 To them he gave the authority to preach the good-
message. They are twelve in number, as a testimony to the tribes, because there are twelve tribes of Israel.
4 But why are there three boys who sprinkle? As a testimony of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, because they
are great in the sight of God. 5 But why was the wool on the tree? Because the Kingdom of Jesus is held by the
tree, so that those who hope for him will live to the age. 6 But why was the wool and the hyssop joined
together? Because in his kingdom there will be wicked and filthy days, in which we will be saved, because he
who suffers in the flesh is healed through the filth of the hyssop. 7 And for this reason, the things which were
done in this way are indeed visible to us, but obscure to them, because they did not hear a voice of the Lord.

CHAPTER 9
For again, he says about our ears, how he has circumcised the ears of10 the heart. The Lord says in the prophet:
“In a hearing of the ear they heeded me.”

2 And again he says:

“Those who are far off will surely hear;
they will know what I have done.”

3 And:
“Be circumcised in your hearts,11 says the Lord.”

4 And again he says:

“Hear, O Israel, because this is what the Lord your God says.”

5 And again the Spirit of the Lord proclaims:1

1
[Bar7:11] S / others “For how is He like Him.”
2
[Bar7:11] S adds
3
[Bar7:12] S “for as he who…so says he,” etc
4
[Bar8:1] S “upon sticks”
5
[Bar8:1] S adds
6
[Bar8:2] S “law”
7
[Bar8:2] S adds
8
[Bar8:2] Greek / others “But now the men are no longer guilty, are no longer regarded as sinners.”
9
[Bar8:3] GL / HS omit “of the heart”
10
[Bar9:1] L / HSG omit “the ears of”
11
[Bar9:2] HSG / L “ears”
8
 “Who is he who wants to live to the age?
Let him carefully hear the voice of my boy.”2

6 And again he says:

“Hear, O heaven, and give ear, O earth, for God3 has spoken these things for a testimony.”

7 And again he says:

“Hear an account of the Lord, all you chiefs of the people.”

8 And again he says:

“Every one of you children, hear a voice of one crying in the desert.”4

9 Doubtless, he has circumcised our ears, that we might hear his account and not only5 put our faith in him.
Instead, even the circumcision in which they trusted has been abolished. For he stated that circumcision was not
of flesh. Instead, they were mistaken because a wicked messenger deluded6 them. 10 He says to them:
“This is what the Lord your God says.”
(here I find a new7 instruction)
“Do not sow among thorns,
but8 circumcise yourselves to the Lord.”

11 And why does he speak?

“Circumcise your hardness of heart, and do not stiffen your neck”?9

Again he says:10
“Behold, says the Lord, all of the nations are uncircumcised in flesh,11
but this people is uncircumcised in heart.”

12 Instead you will state, “And in truth, the people have been circumcised as a seal.” Yes, even is every
Syrian and Arabian and all the priests of the idols. Therefore, are they within the bond of their12 covenant? Yes,
even the Egyptians practice circumcision.
13 Therefore, children of love,13 learn about all things, that Abraham, who first instituted circumcision,
practicing that rite, richly14 looked forward in a spirit to Jesus, for he received the decrees of the three letters.
For it says:
“And Abraham circumcised ‘eighteen men and three hundred’.”

14 Therefore, what was this knowledge which was taught to him? Learn, because it says the ‘eighteen’ first,
and, then after a pause,15 the ‘three hundred.’ The ‘ten’ and the ‘eight’ are denoted in this way—‘ten’ is ‘I’, and
‘eight’ is ‘H’.16 You have Jesus. Now because17 the cross was to express the favor of God by the letter ‘T’, he
also says, “and three hundred.” Therefore, he signifies Jesus by two characters and the cross by one. 15 He, who

1
[Bar9:5] GL / HS omit “And again the Spirit of the Lord proclaims”
2
[Bar9:5] S omits the first clause of this sentence
3
[Bar9:6] S “the Lord”
4
[Bar9:8] S “it is the voice” (later corrected as above)
5
[Bar9:9] S adds
6
[Bar9:9] S “killed” (later corrected as above)
7
[Bar9:10] S, others omit “new”
8
[Bar9:10] HSG / L “Woe to those who sow among thorns;”
9
[Bar9:11] Greek / Lat “This is, hear your Lord and circumcise the hardness from your heart.”
10
[Bar9:11] G / HS “Take it again:” / L “And again he says”
11
[Bar9:11] S “Behold, receive again”
12
[Bar9:12] S / others “His”
13
[Bar9:13] S / others “then, my children”
14
[Bar9:13] S / others place “richly” after “all things”
15
[Bar9:14] S / others omit “then after a pause”
16
[Bar9:14] S omits (by error) this sentence
17
[Bar9:14] S / others “further”
9
has planted the innate gift of his teaching1 within us, knows this. No one has heard from me a more excellent
account; instead, I know that you are worthy.

CHAPTER 10
Now why did Moses speak:
“You shall not eat a pig, nor an eagle, nor a hawk, nor a raven, nor any scaleless2 fish?”
He included three decrees in his meaning. 2 Yet further, he says to them in Deuteronomy:
“And I will establish my righteous-decrees as a covenant on this people.”
Therefore, is there not an instruction of God to abstain from eating these? There is, but Moses spoke
spiritually. 3 Therefore, he spoke about the pig for the following reason, as meaning to declare, that you shall
not adhere to humans who are like pigs. For when they prosper, they forget their Lord; but when they are in
need, they acknowledge the Lord. Even as the pig, when it has munched, ignores its lord; but when it is hungry
it cries out, and after receiving food is silent again.

4 He says: “Nor shall you eat an eagle, nor a hawk, nor a kite, nor a raven.”
He means that you shall not associate with or be like humans who do not know how to provide their own
food by labor and sweat, but instead in their lawlessness, seize what belongs to others; and they give the
impression of walking in guilelessness, but gaze about to see whom they may strip bare on account of their
greediness, exactly as these birds do not provide food for themselves by their own efforts.3 Instead, these birds
sit idle, seeking how to4 devour the flesh of others, proving themselves pests by their wickedness.

5 And he declares: “And you shall not eat a lamprey, nor a multi-legged fish, nor a cuttlefish.”
He means that you shall not adhere to or5 be like humans who are utterly impious, and are already6
condemned to the death, exactly as these fish who alone are accursed, swimming in the deep, not rising like the
rest, but instead make their abode in the mud below in the depths.

6 Instead: “You shall not eat the rabbit.”

Why? He is declaring, that you shall not be a pedophilic, nor shall any of you be like such people. Because
the hare multiplies its discharge year by year; for as many years as it lives, so it has just as many holes.

7 Instead: “Nor you shall eat the hyena.”

He is declaring, that you shall not be an adulterer, nor a seducer, nor be like such people. Why? Because that
animal7 changes its nature every year; and indeed, at one time it is male, but at another female.

8 Instead, he even rightly detests the weasel. He is declaring, that you shall not be like those whom we hear
of as committing lawlessness with their mouth, on account of their uncleanness;8 nor shall you adhere to those
unclean women who commit this lawlessness with their mouth.9 For this animal conceives by the mouth.

9 Moses, indeed having received10 three decrees concerning meats, uttered them in a spiritual-sense;11 but
they received them according to their fleshly desire,12 as if he had merely spoken of meats. 10 But David
comprehends the knowledge of these three decrees, and says:
“Happy is a man who has not walked in a counsel of impious men,”
as the fishes go in darkness into the depths,

1
[Bar9:15] GL / HS “covenant”
2
[Bar10:1] S “portionless”
3
[Bar10:4] S / others “innocence, and are on the watch to plunder others.”
4
[Bar10:4] S / others “idle, inquire how they may”
5
[Bar10:5] GL / HS omit “associate with or”
6
[Bar10:5] S / others omit “already”
7
more literally “living-creature” (also in verse 8)
8
[Bar10:8] S “with the body through uncleanness”
9
[Bar10:8] H lacks reference to the female offenders / Lat “do not be…such a one who hears iniquity and speaks uncleanness”
10
[Bar10:9] S / others omit “having received”, thus forcing it to be translated as “Moses issued three doctrines concerning meats in a spiritual sense”
11
literally “in a spirit”
12
literally “desire of the flesh”
10
 “and has not stood in the way of sinners,”
as those who profess to fear the Lord, but sin like the pig,
“and has not sat in the seat of pests,”
as those birds who lie in wait for prey.

Now take a full and firm grasp of this perfect1 knowledge.

11 Moses says again: “You shall eat every animal which is cloven-hoofed and ruminates.”
What does he mean? That whoever receives food recognizes him who nourishes, and relying upon him,
seems to rejoice. He spoke beautifully in regard to the instruction.
12 Therefore, what does he mean? That we ought to adhere to those who fear the Lord, with those who
meditate in their heart upon the command which they have received, with those who utter the judgments of the
Lord and observe them, with those who know that meditation is a work of joy, and one who ruminates2 upon the
the account of the Lord. But what does “the cloven-hoofed” mean? That the righteous man walks in this world,
yet also looks forward to the holy age.
13 Behold how beautifully Moses legislated. Instead, how was it possible for them to understand or
comprehend these things? But rightly understanding his instructions rightly,3 we then utter them as the Lord
wanted. For this reason, he circumcised our ears and our hearts, that we should understand these things.

CHAPTER 11
Now let us inquire whether the Lord took any care to give a revelation beforehand about the water and about the
cross. Indeed, about the water, it is written in reference to Israel, that they would not receive the immersion
which brings the remission of sins; instead, they will build another for themselves.
2 For the prophet says:
“Be astonished, O heaven, and let the earth tremble still more4 at this,
because this people has committed two wicked-deeds:
they have forsaken me, a fountain of life,5
and have dug a pit of death6 for themselves which cannot hold water.7
3 Is the mountain of my holy-one Sinai a desert rock?
For you will be as the fledglings of a bird,
fluttering about when they are ejected from the nest.”8

4 And again the prophet says:

“I will go before you and level mountains,
and I will break gates of bronze,
and shatter bars of iron;
and I will give you treasures—dark9, secret, unseen—
that they may know that I am the Lord God.”

5 And:
“He10 will dwell in a lofty cave of a strong rock.”

And what does he say in reference to the Son?11

“His water is trustworthy;
you will see a king with glory,

1
[Bar10:10] S, most “perfectly”
2
[Bar10:12] S had singular instead of plural
3
[Bar10:13] S adds
4
[Bar11:2] S “earth confine still more”, corrected to “tremble still more”
5
[Bar11:2] S / HG “the living fountain of water” / Lat “the fountain of the water of life”
6
[Bar11:2] HS / GL “have hewn out broken cisterns”
7
[Bar11:2] Lat adds
8
[Bar11:2] HS / G “when their nest is stolen”
9
[Bar11:3] S “darkness”
10
[Bar11:4] S “You”
11
[Bar11:5] G / HSL omits “what does he say in reference to the Son?”
11
 and your soul will meditate on fear of the Lord.”

6 And again he says in another prophet:

“And the man who does these things will be like the tree planted near the channels of the waters,
which will bring forth its fruit in due time.
And his leaf will not fall off,
and all that he does will prosper.
7 Not so are the impious, not so;
instead, they are like the dust, which the wind sweeps away from the face of the earth.
For this reason, impious men will not rise in judgment,
nor sinners in a counsel of righteous men.
For the Lord knows the way of righteous men,
and the way of impious men will perish.”

8 Notice how he has described both the water and the cross at the same time. For these words mean: Happy
are those who have placed their hope in the cross and have descended into the water. Because, indeed, he
speaks of their reward “in due time”. At that time he declares, “I will repay.” But now he says, 1 “Their leaves
will not fall off.” This means, that every word which proceeds out of your mouth in faith and love will profit
many for conversion and hope and rising.2

9 And again, another prophet says:

“And the land of Jacob was praised above all the earth.”
This means3 that he glorifies4 the vessel of his spirit.

10 Then, what does he say?

“And there was a river flowing on the right and blooming trees arose from it;
and whoever eats of them will live to the age.”

11 This means, that we indeed descend into the water full of sins and filth, and come up bearing fruit in our
hearts, having fear and hope in Jesus in the spirit. 12 “And whosoever eats of them will live to the age.” He
declares that this means, that whoever hears these things uttered and puts faith in them, will live to the age.

CHAPTER 12
In like manner, he points to the cross of the Anointed-One in another prophet, who says:
“‘And when will these things come to pass?’
“And the Lord said,5 ‘When a tree falls down and rises, and when blood drips from a tree.’”
Here again you have a reference about the cross, and to him who was to be crucified.

2 But again he speaks of this in Moses,6 when war was made on Israel by the foreigners, in order to remind
those who were warred against, that it was on account of their sins that they were delivered to death. 3 The
spirit speaks to the heart of Moses to make a type of the cross, and 7 of him who would suffer upon it; because it
declares, that unless they put their hope in him, war will be made against them even to the age. 4 Therefore,
Moses placed one weapon above another in the midst of the struggle, 8 and standing high above them all, he
stretched forth his hands, and so Israel again was victorious. 5 Then, whenever he let down his hands, they
began to be put to death again. For what reason? That they might know that they cannot be saved unless they
put their hope in him.

1
[Bar11:8B] S “What does it mean?”
2
[Bar11:8B] HSG / L adds
3
[Bar11:9] S omits
4
[Bar11:9] HS / GS(2) “he will glorify”
5
[Bar12:1] others “pass? And the Lord said,” / S “pass?’ says the Lord
6
[Bar12:2] S “He speaks to Moses”
7
[Bar12:2] S omits “and”
8
[Bar12:4] S / others “hill”
12
 6 And in another prophet, he says:
“All day long I have stretched out my hands to a disobedient people,
and one who walk after their own thought in a way which is not righteous.”

7 Again, Moses makes a type of Jesus, that it was necessary for him to suffer, and that he himself will give
1
life (although they will expect that he has perished), by a sign given when Israel was falling. 8 For since a
transgression was committed by Eva through means of the serpent, he brought it to pass that every serpent bit
them, and they died. This was done so that he might shame them, that on account of their transgression, they
were given over to an affliction of death.
9 Yet Moses had instructed:
“You shall not have any graven nor molten2 image for your God,”
so that he might reveal a type of Jesus. Therefore, Moses makes a carved serpent, and places it upon a
beam,3 and called together the people by a proclamation. 10 Therefore, when they came together, they begged
for Moses to offer supplication4 on their behalf, to pray for their healing.
11 But Moses spoke to them, saying, “Whenever any one of you is bitten, let him come to the serpent placed
on the tree; and hoping in him, have faith, that even though dead, it is able to give him life, and immediately he
will be saved.” And they did so. In this, you also have the glory of Jesus, because in him and for him are all
things.

12 Again, what does Moses say to Joshua5 son of Nun, when, as a prophet, he gave6 him this name, that all
of the people might listen to him alone? It was because the Father revealed all things about his son Jesus. Moses
says to Joshua7 son of Nun, after giving him this name, when he sent him to spy out the land, saying, “Take a
book into your hands, and write what the Lord declares, how Jesus8 the Son of God will cut off the entire house
of Amalek from the roots in the last days.” 13 See again: Jesus, who was manifested, by a type in the flesh, is
not a son of a human,9 but instead a son of God.

14 Therefore, since they were to say that the Anointed-One was a son of David, David himself, fearing and
understanding the error of the sinners, says:
“The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies your footstool.’”

15 And again, it is said by Isaiah:

“The Lord said to my Anointed-One, the Lord,10 whose right hand I hold,11
that nations should yield obedience before him;
and I will break in pieces the strength of kings.”

16 See how David says he is “Lord”, and does not say “son of God.”12

CHAPTER 13
But let us see whether this people or the former people is the heir, and whether the covenant belongs to us or to
them. 2 Therefore, hear what the writing says about the people:
“Now Isaac prayed concerning his wife Rebecca, because she was barren; and she conceived.”13
1
[Bar12:7] S / others “that He would be the author of life”
2
[Bar12:9] S “any molten or graven”
3
[Bar12:9] S “places it conspicuously”
4
[Bar12:10] S / others “sacrifice”
5
[Bar12:12] “Jesus” (Jeshua) and “Joshua” are both written as “Jesus” in the Greek
6
[Bar12:12] S “when he put on”
7
[Bar12:12] S / others omit “Moses says to Joshua”
8
[Bar12:12] HSG / L adds
9
[Bar12:13] HSG / L “Nun”
10
[Bar12:15] GSL / H “to my Lord” / S* “to Cyrus”
11
[Bar12:15] S / others “I have held”
12
[Bar12:16] HS* / GS add
13
[Bar13:2] SG / H “and she did not conceive” / L omits altogether
13
 Then, Rebecca went forth to learn from the Lord, and the Lord spoke to her:
“There are two nations in your womb, and two peoples in your belly;
and one people will overcome the other people, and the greater will be enslaved to the younger.”
3 You ought to understand who Isaac is, and who Rebecca is, and in regard to whom he has shown that this
people is greater than the former.

4 And in another prophecy Jacob says more clearly to his son Joseph, saying:
“Behold, the Lord did not deprive me of your presence;
bring your sons to me, that I may bless them.”

5 And he brought Ephraim and Manasseh, desiring that Manasseh 1 should be blessed, because he was the
elder. For with this view, Joseph led him to the right hand of his father Jacob. But Jacob saw in a spirit the type
of people to come.

6 And what does he say?

“And Jacob crossed his hands, and placed his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, the
second and younger, and blessed him. And Joseph spoke to Jacob, ‘Transfer your right hand
to the head of Manasseh, because he is my firstborn son.’
And Jacob spoke, ‘I know, my child, I know. Instead, the greater will be enslaved to the
younger, but this one will even be blessed.’”
7 You see on whom he laid his hands, that this people should be first, and heir of the covenant.

8 Therefore, if besides this, the same thing was intimated through Abraham, we reach the perfection of our
knowledge. 9 Therefore, what does he say to Abraham when he alone had faith and it was imputed to him for
righteousness?2
“Behold, I have made you a father of the nations who put their faith in the Lord3 while in uncircumcision.”

CHAPTER 14
Yes, but instead, let us inquire whether the Lord has really given that covenant which he swore to the fathers
that he would give to the people. He gave it; but they were not worthy to receive it, on account of their sins. 2
For the prophet says:
“And Moses was fasting forty days and forty nights on Mount Sinai, that he might receive the covenant of
the Lord for the people.” 3 And Moses received from the Lord two tablets, written in a spirit by the finger of the
hand of the Lord. And having received them, Moses carried them down to give to the people. 4 And the Lord
spoke to Moses, “Moses, Moses, go down quickly; because your people, whom you have brought out of the
land of Egypt, have acted lawlessly.” And Moses understood that they had again made molten-images for
themselves;4 and he threw the tablets out of his hands, and the tablets of the covenant of the Lord were broken.
Indeed, Moses had received it, but they proved themselves unworthy.
5 Now, how did we receive it? Moses, a mere servant, received it; but the Lord himself, having suffered on
our behalf, has given it to us to be a people of an inheritance. 6 But he was manifested in order that they might
be perfected in their sins, and that we, being constituted heirs through him,5 might receive the covenant through
the Lord Jesus. 7 For he was prepared for this purpose, that by manifesting in person, he might redeem our
hearts from the darkness (which were already surrendered to death, and delivered to the lawlessness of error),
and that he might, by his account, enter into a covenant with us. 8 For it is written how the Father instructs him
to redeem us6 from the darkness, and to prepare a holy people for himself.
9 Therefore, the prophet says:
“I, the Lord your God, have called you in righteousness,

1
[Bar13:4] S “Ephraim”
2
[Bar13:9] S / others “Then what does he say to Abraham? “Because you have believed, it is imputed to you for righteousness.”
3
[Bar13:9] S “in God”
4
[Bar14:4] S / others omit “for themselves”
5
[Bar14:6] S, others “through Him who inherited”
6
[Bar14:8] S / others “how the Father, about to redeem us”
14
 and will take you by your hand, and will preserve you.
And I have given you for a covenant to a generation, for a light to nations,
to open the eyes of the blind,
and to bring those who are bound out of chains,
and those who sit in darkness out of the prison-house.”
Therefore, you1 realize from what we have been redeemed.

10 Again, the prophet says:

“Behold, I have appointed you as a light of nations,
that you might be my salvation to the farthest ends of the earth.
This is what the Lord God who redeems you says.”

11 And again, the prophet says:

“A spirit of the Lord is on me;
because he has anointed me to announce a good-message to poor men.2
He has sent me to heal the broken heart,3
to preach deliverance to captives, and recovery of sight to blind men;
to announce an acceptable year of the Lord, and a day of recompense;
to comfort all those who mourn.”

CHAPTER 15
Therefore,4 it is also written about the sabbath in the ten accounts which he spoke to Moses face to face on
Mount Sinai:
“And you shall make the sabbath of the Lord holy with clean hands and a clean heart.”

2 And he says in another place:

“If my sons keep the sabbath, then will I cause my mercy to rest on them.”

3 The sabbath is spoken about at the beginning of the creation:

“And in six days God made the works of his hands,
and on the seventh day he ended,
and rested on it, and made it holy.”

4 My children, attend to the meaning of this expression, “He finished in six days.” This means that the Lord
will finish all things in 6,000 years, for a day with him signifies5 a thousand years. 5 But he himself testifies to
me, saying,6 “Behold, a day of the Lord will be as a thousand years.”7 Doubtless, my children, in six days, that
is, in 6,000 years, all things will be finished.
6 “And he rested on the seventh day.” This means: When his son shall come, abolishing the time of the
lawless man,8 and judge the impious ones, and change the sun and the moon and the stars,9 then he will
beautifully rest on the seventh day.
7 Yet he says, “You shall make it holy with clean hands and a clean heart.” Therefore, if anyone is presently
able to make holy the day which God has made holy, by being10 clean in heart in all things, we are mislead. 8
But if11 he12 keeps it holy at that time by beautifully resting, when we ourselves are able to do so, since we have

1
[Bar14:9] GL / HS “We”
2
[Bar14:11] S / G “to oppressed men” / L “to men”
3
literally “the brokenness of the heart”
4
[Bar15:1] S “Because”
5
[Bar15:4] S / others “is”
6
[Bar15:5] S “For David bears me witness, saying that”
7
[Bar15:5] HS / GL “Today will be as a thousand years.”
8
[Bar15:6] L / G “shall cut short his time” / HS “and shall bring time to an end”
9
[Bar15:6] S “sun, and the stars, and the moon”
10
[Bar15:7] HS* / GSL “, except he who is”
11
[Bar15:8] H / GS* “But if not” / SL “Therefore, seeing that”
12
[Bar15:8] GL / HS “we”
15
been made righteous and have received the announcement—when the lawlessness no longer exists, but all
things have been made new by the Lord1—at that time we shall be able to make it holy, having been made holy
ourselves.2

9 Yet he says to them:

“I cannot endure your new moons and your sabbaths.”

You perceive what he means: The present sabbaths are unacceptable to me, instead, what I have made is
acceptable—even that in which, after giving rest to all things, I will make the beginning of the eighth day, that
is a beginning of another world. 10 For this reason, we also keep the eighth day with gladness, the day on which
Jesus also arose from the dead, and when he was made manifest, ascending into the heavens.

CHAPTER 16 & 17
Now I will also tell you about the inner-sanctum. These miserable men, wandering in error, set their hope on the
house which they built, and not on their God who made them, for they are a house of God. 2 For they confined
him by consecration within the inner-sanctum almost exactly like the other nations. Instead, learn how the Lord
speaks, when abolishing it:
“Who has measured the heaven with a span,
and the earth with his palm? Have not I?”
This is what the Lord says:
“The heaven is my throne, but the earth my footstool.
What kind of house will you build for me,
or what is the place of my rest?”

You understand now3 that their hope is vain.

3 Yet he says again:

“Behold those who have destroyed this inner-sanctum, even they will build it up again.”

4 And It is happening now.4 For because they went to war, it was demolished by their enemies. And now,
they, as5 the servants of the enemy, will rebuild it. 5 Again, it was revealed that the city and the inner-sanctum
and the people of Israel would be surrendered. For the writing says:
“And it will come to pass in the last days,
and the Lord will deliver up the sheep of his pasture,
and their sheepfold and their tower to destruction.”

And it happened as the Lord had uttered.

6 But let us inquire whether there is still an inner-sanctum of God. Yes, there is—where he himself says that
he is making and perfecting it. For it is written:
“And it will come to pass when the seventh week6 is completed,
that an inner-sanctum of God will be built in glory in the name of the Lord.”

7 Therefore, I find that an inner-sanctum does exist. Therefore, I shall tell you how it will be built in the
name of the Lord. Before we put our faith in God, the habitation of our heart was corrupt and without strength,
being like an inner-sanctum built with hands; because from doing things which were opposed to God, it was full
of idolatry and was a house of demons.
1
[Bar15:8] S / others “one properly resting certainly makes it holy, but only when we ourselves, having received the promise, wickedness no longer existing, and all
things having been made new by the Lord, shall be able to work righteousness.”
2
[Bar15:8] S “Shall we not then?”
3
[Bar16:2] HS / GL “You understood"
4
[Bar16:4] S omits this / L adds “And”
5
[Bar16:4] HGL / S “and”
6
may also be translated “the week”(?) (it is a reference to the parable of weeks in Enoch Chapter 93)
16
 8 But “it will be built in the name of the Lord.” Now, make sure that the inner-sanctum of the Lord is built
in glory. How? I shall tell you. Having received the forgiveness of our sins, and having put our hope in the
name of the Lord,1 we have become new creatures, formed again from the beginning. For this reason, God truly
dwells in us as in his habitation.
9 How? His account of the faith, the2 calling of the announcement, the wisdom of the righteous-decrees, the
instructions of the teaching, he himself prophesying in us, he himself dwelling in us; opening the doors of the
inner-sanctum, that is, the mouth, to us who were enslaved by that death; granting us a changed-mind. He leads
us into the incorruptible inner-sanctum. 10 For he who yearned to be saved does not look to a human, but
instead to the One who dwells within him and utters within him, being amazed that he has never heard such
things said from his own mouth, nor has he himself ever desired to hear them. This is the spiritual inner-
sanctum being built for the Lord.
17.1 As far as it was possible to give a simple explanation, my soul hopes that,3 according to my desire,
none of the things4 necessary for salvation have been omitted. 2 For if I should write to you about things present
present or5 future, you would not understand, because such knowledge is hid in parables. Indeed, the foregoing
things are enough.

CHAPTER 18 & 19
But let us also pass to another sort of knowledge and teaching. There are two ways of teaching and of authority:
both one of the light and one of the darkness. But there is a great difference between the two ways. For indeed
over one are stationed light-bearing messengers of God, but over the other are messengers of the Adversary. 2
And indeed, the first is the Lord from ages and to the ages, but the other is chief of the present6 time of the
lawlessness.
19.1 Therefore, this is the way of the light. If anyone wants to travel to the appointed region, he must be
zealous in his works. Therefore, the knowledge which is given to us for the purpose of walking in this way, is as
follows:
2 You shall love Him who made you.
You shall fear Him who formed you.7
3 You shall glorify Him who redeemed you from death.
You shall be simple in heart and rich in spirit.
4 You shall not adhere to those who walk8 in a way of death.
You shall hate everything which is not pleasing to God.
5 You shall hate all hypocrisy.
You shall not forsake instructions of the Lord.
6 You shall not exalt yourself, but shall be humble-minded in everything.9
You shall not take glory to yourself.
7 You shall not counsel wicked-things against your neighbor.
You shall not allow audacity into your soul.
8 You shall not commit sexual-immorality.
You shall not commit adultery.
9 You shall not commit pedophilia.
You shall not let the account of God come forth from your lips with any kind of uncleanness.
10 You shall not be a respecter of persons10 when rebuking anyone for blunders.
You shall be meek.
11 You shall be calm.
You shall tremble at the accounts which you have heard.
1
[Bar16:8] SL / HS* omit “of the Lord”
2
[Bar16:9] S / others “His”
3
[Bar17:1] S / others “explanation, I cherish the hope that”
4
[Bar17:1] S / others “desire, that anything”
5
[Bar17:2] HSL / G omits “present or”
6
[Bar18:3] S / others omit “present”
7
[Bar19:2] S / others omit “You shall fear Him who formed you”
8
[Bar19:4] H “who act wickedly”
9
[Bar19:6] S adds
10
literally “faces”
17
12 You shall not remember past injuries against your brother.
You shall not be double-souled as to whether something shall be or not.
13 You shall not take the1 name of the Lord in vain.
You shall love your neighbor more than2 your own soul.
14 You shall not murder a child by abortion;3 nor, again, by killing it after it is born.
15 You shall not remove your hand from your son or from your daughter; instead, from their youth, you shall
teach them fear of the Lord.4
16 You shall not be covetous of what belongs to your neighbor, nor shall you be avaricious.5
17 You shall not adhere in soul to the haughty, instead associate with humble and righteous men.
18 You shall receive the troubles which befall you as good knowing that without God nothing happens.6
19 You shall not be double-minded nor double-tongued,7 for a double-tongue is a snare of death.8
20 You shall be subject to your lords as a type of God,9 in shame and fear.
21 You shall not issue injunctions with bitterness to your slave or servant-girl, who hope10 in the same God,11
lest they12 should cease fearing the God who is over both of you; 22 because he came not to call persons
according to status, but instead those whom the Spirit has prepared.
23 You shall share all things with your neighbor.
24 You shall13 not claim anything as your own; for if you are partakers in common of the incorruptible-
things,14 how much more of the corruptible-things.15
25 You shall not be hasty-of-speech, for the mouth is a snare of death.
As far as possible, you shall be pure for the sake of your soul.
26 You shall indeed not stretch forth your hands to receive, while holding them back when it is time to give.
27 You shall love, as the apple of your eye, everyone who utters the account of the Lord to you.
28 You shall remember the day of judgment, night and day.
29 And seek out the faces of the holy ones each day,16 either laboring in the account and work and labor,17 and
going to exhort them, and being interested in saving souls by the account, or working with your hands to
provide a ransom for your sins.
30 You shall not be reluctant in giving, nor grumble when you do give; but give to every one who asks you. 18
But you should know who is the beautiful Recompenser of the reward.
31 Guard what you have received, neither adding nor subtracting.
32 Hate the evil-one19 to the last.20
And21 Pass righteous judgment.
33 Do not cause divisions; but you shall gather together and make peace among those who fight.
34 Confess your sins. Do not go to prayer with a wicked conscience.
This is the way of the light.22

CHAPTER 20

1
[Bar19:13] S “your” (in error)
2
[Bar19:13] S “neighbor as”
3
literally “destruction”
4
[Bar19:15] S, Didache “of God”
5
[Bar19:16] one omits “You shall not be covetous…avaricious”
6
[Bar19:18] S adds
7
[Bar19:19] most, Didache / S “nor talkative”
8
[Bar19:19] S omits “for a double-tongue is a snare of death”
9
[Bar19:20] S / others “You shall be subject to the Lord, and to your masters as the image of God”
10
[Bar19:21] others “trust”
11
[Bar19:21] S / others omit “God”
12
[Bar19:21] S / others “you”
13
[Bar19:24] S “neighbor, and”
14
[Bar19:24] S “of an incorruptible thing”
15
[Bar19:24] S, Didache “of moral things”
16
[Bar19:29] S omits this clause, but it is added by a corrector
17
[Bar19:29] S adds
18
[Bar19:30] S omits “But give to every one that asks you”, but it is added by a corrector
19
[Bar19:32] S / others “Hate the wicked-one”
20
[Bar19:32] S omits “to the last”
21
[Bar19:32] S adds
22
[Bar19:34] S omits “This is the way of light,” but it is inserted by a corrector
18
But the way of the Black-One is crooked and full of accursedness. For it is a way of perpetual 1 death with
retribution. 2 In it are the things which slay the soul: idolatry, audacity, grandeur of power, hypocrisy, double-
heartedness, adultery, murder, robbery, arrogance, transgressions,2 deceit, evil, willful-stubbornness, drug-use,3
use,3 magic, greediness,4 and lack of fear of God.5 3 Those who walk in this way are persecutors of the good
men, haters of truth, lovers of falsehood, who do not acknowledge any reward of righteousness, who do not
adhere to good men, who do not pass righteous judgment, who pay no attention to the cause of widow and
orphan. 4 They are vigilant, not for the fear of God, but instead for the wicked. They are far removed and distant
from meekness and patient-endurance. 5 They love vanities, pursue rewards, are without mercy for a poor man,
and do not labor to aid those oppressed by toil. 6 Prone to calumniate, they do not acknowledge their Maker, are
murderers of children, and corrupters of what God has formed. 7 They turn away from the needy, oppress the
afflicted, are advocates of rich men, and lawless judges of poor men—they are altogether sinful through and
through.

CHAPTER 21
Therefore,6 it is beautiful that a man who has learned all the righteous-decrees of the Lord,7 as many as have
been written here, should walk in them. For he who keeps these shall be glorified in the kingdom of God; but he
who chooses other things shall perish together with his works. For this reason, there will be a rising; 8 for this
reason there will be a reward.
2 I ask those of you who are prominent men, if you will receive any counsel of my goodwill, keep among
yourselves those to whom you may show kindness.9 Do not forsake them. 3 For the day is at hand on which all
things will perish with the Wicked-One. The Lord is at hand, and so is his reward.
4 I ask you, yet again and again: be good lawgivers10 one to another, remain faithful counselors of one
another, take all hypocrisy out from among you. 5 But may God, who is Lord over the whole world, give to you
wisdom, intelligence, experience, knowledge of his righteous-decrees,11 with endurance. 6 But be taught by
God, diligently seeking what the Lord seeks from you; and do it that you may be found worthy12 in the day of
judgment. 7 Now if you have any remembrance of what is good, meditate on these things, and remember me,
that both my desire and watchfulness may result in some good. I ask you, entreating this as a favor.
8 While yet the beautiful vessel is with you, do not fail in any one of those things, 13 instead seek after them
unceasingly, and fulfill every instruction; for these things are worthy. 14 9 For this reason, I have been all the
more eager to write to you, as best as I could,15 that I might make you glad. Keep safe, children of love and
peace. The Lord of the glory and of all favor be with your spirit. Let it be.16

1
[Bar20:1] S “a perpetual way of”
2
[Bar20:2] S “transgressions”
3
may also be translated to “poisoning” or “sorcery”
4
[Bar20:2] S omits “magic, greediness”
5
[Bar20:2] S omits “of God”
6
[Bar21:1] S omits “therefore”
7
[Bar21:1] S “of God”
8
[Bar21:3] S “be risings”
9
literally “beauty”
10
[Bar21:6] S “be lawgivers of good things”
11
[Bar21:7] S omits the preposition
12
[Bar21:8] S / others “be safe”
13
[Bar21:10] S “of yourselves”
14
[Bar21:10] S “for it is worthy”
15
[Bar21:11] S omits this clause, but it is inserted by a corrector
16
[Bar21:12] S omits “Amen” and adds “Letter of Barnabas”
19