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La Doctrine des Douze Apôtres (Didache)
IV.
Mon enfant, souviens-toi nuit et jour de celui qui t'annonce la parole de Dieu ; honore-le comme le Seigneur, car là où est annoncée sa souveraineté, là est aussi le Seigneur. [2] Recherche tous les jours la com-pagnie des Saints, afin de te réconforter par leurs conversations. [3] Tu ne feras point de schisme, mais tu mettras la paix entre ceux qui se combattent. « Tu jugeras avec justice » ; tu ne feras pas acception de la per-sonne en reprenant les fautes. [4] Tu ne demanderas pas avec inquiétude si une chose arrivera ou non.
[5] « Ne tiens pas les mains étendues quand il s'agit de recevoir, et fermées quand il faut donner ». [6] Si tu possèdes quelque chose grâce au travail de tes mains, donne afin de racheter tes péchés. [7] Ne balance pas avant de donner, mais donne sans murmure et tu reconnaîtras un jour qui sait récompenser dignement. [8] Ne repousse pas l'indigent, mets tout en commun avec ton frère et ne dis pas que tu as des biens en propre, car si vous entrez en partage pour les biens immortels combien plus y entrez-vous pour les biens périssables?
[9] Tu ne retireras pas la main de dessus ton fils et ta fille; mais dès leur enfance tu leur enseigneras la crainte de Dieu. [10] Tu ne commanderas pas avec aigreur à ton esclave ou à ta servante qui mettent leur es-pérance dans le même Dieu que toi, de peur qu'ils ne perdent la crainte de Dieu, qui est au-dessus des uns et des autres; car il n'appelle pas suivant la qualité de la personne, mais il vient à ceux que l'esprit a préparés. [11] Pour vous, esclaves, vous serez soumis à vos seigneurs comme à une image de Dieu, avec respect et avec crainte.
[12] Hais toute hypocrisie et tout ce qui déplaît au Seigneur ; [13] ne mets pas de côté les « commande-ments du Seigneur, mais observe » ceux que tu as reçus « sans rien ajouter ni rien retrancher ». [14] Dans l'as-semblée, tu feras l'exomologèse de tes péchés et tu n'iras pas à la prière avec une conscience mauvaise.
Tel est le chemin de la vie.
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The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles
Chapter IV. 1 --Various Precepts.
1. My child, him that speaketh to thee the word of God remember night and day; and thou shalt honour him as the Lord; 2 for in the place whence lordly rule is uttered, 3 there is the Lord. 2. And thou shalt seek out day by day the faces of the saints, in order that thou mayest rest upon 4 their words. 3. Thou shalt not long for 5 division, but shalt bring those who contend to peace. Thou shalt judge righteously, thou shalt not respect persons in reproving for transgressions. 4. Thou shalt not be undecided whether it shall be or no. 6 5. Be not a stretcher forth of the hands to receive and a drawer of them back to give. 7 6. If thou hast aught, through thy hands thou shalt give ransom for thy sins. 8 7. Thou shalt not hesitate to give, nor murmur when thou givest; for thou shalt know who is the good repayer of the hire. 8. Thou shalt not turn away from him that is in want, but thou shalt share all things with thy brother, and shalt not say that they are thine own; for if ye are partakers in that which is immortal, how much more in things which are mortal? 9 9. Thou shalt not remove thy hand from thy son or from thy daughter, but from their youth shalt teach them the fear of God. 10 10. Thou shalt not enjoin aught in thy bitterness upon thy bondman or maidservant, who hope in the same God, lest ever they shall fear not God who is over both; 11 for he cometh not to call according to the outward appearance, but unto them whom the Spirit hath prepared. 11. And ye bondmen shall be subject to your 12 masters as to a type of God, in modesty and fear. 13 12. Thou shalt hate all hypocrisy and everything which is not pleasing to the Lord. 13. Do thou in no wise forsake the commandments of the Lord; but thou shalt keep what thou hast received, neither adding thereto nor taking away therefrom. 14 14. In the church 15 thou shalt acknowledge thy transgressions, and thou shalt not come near for thy prayer 16 with an evil conscience. 17 This is the way of life. 18
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This chapter, with the exception of a few clauses and words, is found in Apostolic Constitutions, vii. 9-17. There are verbal variations, but the order is exact. In Barnabas not so much of the matter is found. There is, however, even greater verbal agreement in many cases, though the order is quite different. Two important clauses (verses 8, 14) find an exact parallel only in Barnabas. One phrase is peculiar to the Teaching; see ver. 14. ↩
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Comp. Heb. xiii. 7. In Apostolic Constitutions there is a transposition of words. ↩
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Schaff: "The Lordship is spoken of." Apostolic Constitutions, "where the doctrine concerning God is," etc. ↩
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Or, "acquiesce in" (Apostolic Constitutions). ↩
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Some read poieseis, "make," as in Apostolic Constitutions and Barnabas, instead of potheseis, Codex. ↩
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Comp. Ecclus. i. 28. The verse occurs in Barnabas; and in Apostolic Constitutions "in thy prayer" is inserted, which is probably the sense here. ↩
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Ecclus. iv. 31. The Greek word suspon occurs here and in Barnabas, but not in Apostolic Constitutions. ↩
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Apostolic Constitutions adds, in explanation, Prov. xvi. 6. ↩
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Comp. Acts iv. 32; Rom. xv. 27. The latter half of the verse is in Barnabas (not in Apostolic Constitutions), but with the substitution of "incorruptible" and "corruptible." ↩
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Comp. Eph. vi. 4. ↩
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Comp. Eph. vi. 9; Col. iv. 1. ↩
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Codex reads "our;" editors correct to "your. " ↩
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Comp. Eph. vi. 5; Col. iii. 22. ↩
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Deut. xii. 32. ↩
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"In the congregation;" i.e., assembly of believers. This phrase is omitted in both Barnabas and Apostolic Constitutions. Comp. Jas. v. 16. ↩
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Or, "to thy place of prayer" (Schaff). ↩
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So Barnabas; but Apostolic Constitutions, "in the day of thy bitterness." ↩
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So Apostolic Constitutions; but Barnabas, "the way of light." See note on chap. i. 1. ↩