First Christian Voices: Practices of the Apostolic Fathers

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First Christian Voices

and authority: the one of light and the other of darkness. But there is a great difference between these two ways. For the light-bringing angels of God are stationed over one, but over the other, the angels of Satan. And indeed, the one is Lord forever and ever, but the other is the prince of the time of wickedness. The Ways of Darkness B arnabas 20–21 a : But the way of darkness is crooked and full of cursing for it is the way of eternal death with punishment. In this way are the things that destroy the soul such as idolatry, overconfidence, the arrogance of power, hypocrisy, double-heartedness, adultery, murder, robbery, haughtiness, transgression, deceit, malice, self-sufficiency, poisoning, magic, greed, lack of the fear of God. Similarly, those who persecute the good, those who hate truth, those who love falsehood, those who do not know the reward of righteousness, those who do not hold to that which is good, those who do not adhere to just judgment, who ignore the widow and orphan, those who are not mindful of the fear of God, but of wickedness instead, from whom gentleness and patience are far removed, persons who love futility and follow after a reward, are compassionless toward the needy and do not strive in aid for him who is overcome with hardship, who are prone to evil-speaking, who do not know Him who made them, who are murderers of children, destroyers of the workmanship of God, who turn away him who is in need, who oppress the afflicted, who are advocates of the rich, who are unjust judges of the poor, and who are in every respect sinners.