First Christian Voices: Practices of the Apostolic Fathers

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First Christian Voices

Teaching the Way of Death D idache 5–6: And the way of death is this. First of all, it is evil and ill-fated: murders, adultery, lust, fornication, thefts, idolatries, magic arts, witchcrafts, rape, false witness, hypocrisy, double-heartedness, deceit, haughtiness, depravity, self-will, greediness, filthy talking, jealousy, over-confidence, loftiness, boastfulness. It is a persecutor of the good, hating truth, loving a lie, not knowing a reward for righteousness, not cleaving to good nor to righteous judgment, not watching for that which is good, but for that which is evil. Meekness and endurance are far from it. It loves vanities and pursues revenge. It does not sympathize with a poor man. It does not work for the afflicted. It does not know Him who made them. It is a murderer of children, destroyer of the handiwork of God. It turns away from him who is in need, afflicts him who is distressed, advocates for the rich. It lawlessly judges the poor and is utterly sinful. Be delivered, children, from all these. See that no one causes you to stumble from this way of teaching, since they teach you deprived of God. For if you are able to bear the entire yoke of the Lord, you will be complete. However, if you are not able to do this, do what you can. Now concerning food, bear what you can. However, against that which is sacrificed to idols be exceedingly careful, for it is the service of dead gods. False Prophets in the Last Days D idache 16 b : For in the last days false prophets and corrupters will be multiplied, and the sheep will be turned into wolves, and love will be turned into hate. For when lawlessness increases, they will hate and persecute and