THE EPISTLE OF BARNABAS. HAIL in peace, ye sons and daughters, in the name of the Lord who loved us. Since God's acts of justification upon you have been many and rich, I rejoice beyond any thing and overabundantly over your happy and glorious spirits, that from Him ye have received grace as the graft of the spiritual gift. Therefore I also rejoice rather in myself, hoping to be saved, because I truly see in you a spirit poured upon you from the Lord who is rich in love; thus the longed-for sight of you has greatly struck me about you. Being therefore persuaded of this also, and being convinced in myself, that having spoken many things among you I am assured that the Lord hath travelled with me in the way of righteousness; and I myself am altogether forced into this loving of you above my own soul, because a great faith and love dwells in you by a hope of the life [promised] by Him. Therefore considering this, that if I should be careful about you to communicate some part of what I have received, there will be to me a payment for having been of service to such souls, I have hastened to send to you little by little, so that together with your faith ye should have your knowledge perfect. ΒΑΡΝΑΒΑ ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΗ. ΧΑΙΡΕΤΕ υἱοι και θυγατέρες εν ονοματι Κυρίου του αγαπησαντος ἡμας εν ειρηνῃ. Μεγαλων μεν οντων και πλουσιων των του Θεου δικαιωματων εις ύμας, ύπερ τι και καθ' ὑπερβολην ὑπερευφραινομαι επι τοις μακαριοις και ενδοξοις ύμων πνευμασιν, οὗ το εμφυτον της δωρεας πνευματικης χαριν ειληφατε. Διο και μαλλον συνχαιρω εμαυτῳ, ελπίζων σωθηναι, ότι αληθως βλεπω εν ύμιν εκκεχυμενον απο του πλουσιου της αγαπης Κυριου πνευμα εφ' ὑμας· οὕτω με εξεπληξεν επι ὑμων ἡ επιποθητη οψις ύμων. Πεπεισμενος ουν τουτο, και συνειδως εμαυτῷ ότι εν ύμιν λαλησας πολλα επισταμαι ότι εμοι συνωδευσεν εν όδῳ δικαιοσυνης Κυριος, και παντως αναγκαζομαι κάγω εις τουτο αγαπαν ύμας ύπερ την ψυχην μου, ότι μεγαλη πίστις και αγαπη εγκατοικει εν υμιν ελπιδι ζωης αυτου. 4 5 7 Λογισάμενος ουν τουτο ότι εαν μελησῃ μοι περι ύμων του μερος τι μεταδούναι αφ' οὗ ελαβον, ότι εσται μοι τοιούτοις πνευμασιν υπηρετησαντι εις μισθον, εσπουδασα κατα μικρον ὑμῖν πεμπειν, ἵνα μετα της πιστεως ύμων There are therefore three things taught by the Lord, Life [hereafter], Faith, Hope; they are our beginning and end. And also Righteousness of judging is the beginning; and the end is Love, Cheerfulness, and the witness of Joyfulness of works done in righteousness. For the Almighty made known to us through the prophets the things which are past, and those which are beginning; and of those which are to come he has given to us the first fruits of the taste, of which things we, looking at them one by one as they are effected, ought, as he said, to press forward more richly and more loftily unto the fear of him. And I, not as a teacher, but as one of yourselves, will set forth a few things by which in the present state of affairs ye may be gladdened. ii.] Therefore, since the days are evil, and he that worketh has got the power, we ought to give heed to ourselves, and to seek for the acts of justification by the Lord. The helps therefore of our faith are Fear, Patience, and moreover Long-suffering and Self-restraint, which fight for us. While these things remain, those things which are pure in relation to the Lord, and rejoice together with them, are Wisdom, Understanding, Science, Knowledge. For He has made manifest to us through all the prophets that He has no need of sacrifices or burnt offerings or oblations, saying at one time indeed, "What is the multitude of your sacrifices to me? saith the Lord; I am full of burnt offerings; and I do not wish for the fat of rams, and the blood of bullocks and goats, not even when ye come to appear before me; for who hath required these of your hands? Nor shall ye continue to walk my court, not even if ye should bring a vain offering of fine flour. Incense is an abomination to me; your new-moon days and sabbaths I cannot bear." |