First Christian Voices: Practices of the Apostolic Fathers

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First Christian Voices

You will not join yourself to those who walk in the way of death. You will hate doing what is unpleasing to God. You will hate all hypocrisy. You will not abandon the commandments of the Lord. You will not exalt yourself, but will be of a humble mind. You will not take glory to yourself. You will not entertain evil counsel against your neighbor. You will not allow pride to enter into your soul. You will not commit fornication. You will not commit adultery. You will not be a corrupter of youth. You will not let the word of God issue from your lips with any kind of impurity. You will not be biased toward anyone you accuse of sin. You will be meek. You will be peaceable. You will respect the words which you hear. You will not hold a grudge against your brother or sister. You will not be double-minded as to whether something will be or will not be. You will not take the name of the Lord in vain. You will love your neighbor more than your own soul. You will not slay the child by performing an abortion, neither will you destroy it after it is born. You will not withdraw your hand from your son or from your daughter, but from their infancy you will teach them the fear of the Lord. You will not covet what is your neighbor’s, nor will you be greedy. You will not be joined in soul with the proud, but you will be counted among those who are righteous and humble. Receive as good things the trials which come upon you. You will not be double-minded or double-tongued, for a double tongue is a snare of death. You will be subject to your masters as the image of God, with modesty and fear. You will not issue orders with bitterness to your maidservant or your manservant who trust in the same God in case they should not fear the God who is above you all. For