Constitutions of the holy apostles via Clement.
[Sec. I.—General Commandments.]
[That We Ought Not to Return Injuries, Nor Revenge Ourselves on Him that Does Us Wrong.]
[What Books of Scripture We Ought to Read.]
[That We Ought to Abstain from All the Books of Those that are Out of the Church.]
[Concerning the Subjection of a Wife to Her Husband, and that She Must Be Loving and Modest.]
[That a Woman Must Not Bathe with Men.]
[Concerning a Contentious and Brawling Woman.]
constitutions of the holy apostles
[That a Bishop Must Be Well Instructed and Experienced in the Word.]
[What Ought to Be the Characters of a Bishop and of the Rest of the Clergy.]
[In What Things a Bishop is to Be Examined Before He is Ordained.]
[That a Bishop Must Not Be Given to Filthy Lucre, Nor Be a Surety Nor an Advocate.]
[What Ought to Be the Character of the Initiated.]
[Concerning a Person Falsely Accused, or a Person Convicted.]
[That a Bishop Ought Not to Receive Bribes.]
[That a Bishop Who by Wrong Judgment Spares an Offender is Himself Guilty.]
[How a Bishop Ought to Judge Offenders.]
[Instruction as to How a Bishop Ought to Behave Himself to the Penitent.]
[That We Ought to Beware How We Make Trial of Any Sinful Course.]
[That a Priest Must Neither Overlook Offences, Nor Be Rash in Punishing Them.]
[Of Repentance, the Manner of It, and Rules About It.]
[That a Bishop Must Be Unblameable, and a Pattern for Those Who are Under His Charge.]
[How the Governed are to Obey the Bishops Who are Set Over Them.]
[Amon May be an Example to Such as Sin with an High Hand.]
[That Christ Jesus Our Lord Came to Save Sinners by Repentance.]
[According to What Patterns and Dignity Every Order of the Clergy is Appointed by God.]
[What is the Dignity of a Bishop and of a Deacon.]
[After What Manner the Laity are to Be Obedient to the Deacon.]
[That the Deacon Must Not Do Anything Without the Bishop.]
[After What Manner the Bishops are to Be Honoured, and to Be Reverenced as Our Spiritual Parents.]
[That Priests are to Be Preferred Before Rulers and Kings.]
[That Both the Law and the Gospel Prescribe Offerings.]
[The Recital of the Ten Commandments, and After What Manner They Do Here Prescribe to Us.]
[That We are Not to Be Implacable to Him Who Has Once or Twice Offended.]
[That a Judge Must Not Be a Respecter of Persons.]
[After What Manner False Accusers are to Be Punished.]
[That the Deacon is to Ease the Burden of the Bishops, and to Order the Smaller Matters Himself.]
[That Contentions and Quarrels are Unbecoming Christians.]
[That the Judicatures of Christians Ought to Be Held on the Second Day of the Week.]
[What are to Be the Characters of Accusers and Witnesses.]
[That Former Offences Do Sometimes Render After Accusations Credible.]
[Against Judging Without Hearing Both Sides.]
[That Christians Ought Not to Be Contentious One with Another.]
[That Every Christian Ought to Frequent the Church Diligently Both Morning and Evening.]
[That We Must Not Prefer the Affairs of This Life to Those Which Concern the Worship of God.]
[That Christians Must Abstain from All the Impious Practices of the Heathens.]
constitutions of the holy apostles
[The Age at Which Widows Should Be Chosen.]
[That We Must Avoid the Choice of Younger Widows, Because of Suspicion.]
[What Character the Widows Ought to Be Of, and How They Ought to Be Supported by the Bishop.]
[That We Ought to Be Charitable to All Sorts of Persons in Want.]
[That the Widows are to Be Very Careful of Their Behavior.]
[That Women Ought Not to Teach, Because It is Unseemly And What Women Followed Our Lord.]
[What are the Characters of Widows Falsely So Called.]
[That Women Ought Not to Baptize, Because It is Impious, and Contrary to the Doctrine of Christ.]
[The Rejection of All Uncharitable Actions.]
[How the Widows are to Pray for Those that Supply Their Necessities.]
[That It Does Not Become Us to Revile Our Neighbours, Because Cursing is Contrary to Christianity.]
[Concerning the Sacred Initiation of Holy Baptism.]
[What is the Meaning of Baptism into Christ, and on What Account Everything is There Said or Done.]
[Of What Character He Ought to Be Who is Initiated.]
[What are the Characters of a Deacon.]
constitutions of the holy apostles
[Those Who Have No Children Should Adopt Orphans, and Treat Them as Their Own Children.]
[How the Bishop Ought to Provide for the Orphans.]
[Who Ought to Be Supported According to the Lord’s Constitution.]
[With What Fear Men Ought to Partake of the Lord’s Oblations.]
[Whose Oblations are to Be Received, and Whose Not to Be Received.]
[In What Things We Ought to Be Subject to the Rulers of This World.]
constitutions of the holy apostles
[That We are to Avoid Intercourse with False Brethren When They Continue in Their Wickedness.]
[That It is an Horrible and Destructive Thing to Deny Christ.]
[That We Ought to Imitate Christ in Suffering, and with Zeal to Follow His Patience.]
[Concerning James the Brother of the Lord, and Stephen the First Martyr.]
[An Admonition Instructing Men to Avoid the Abominable Sin of Idolatry.]
[Of the Great Week, and on What Account They Enjoin Us to Fast on Wednesday and Friday.]
[How the Passover Ought to Be Celebrated.]
[A Constitution Concerning the Great Passover Week.]
[A Prophetic Prediction Concerning Christ Jesus.]
constitutions of the holy apostles
[Who They Were that Ventured to Make Schisms, and Did Not Escape Punishment.]
[That It is Not Lawful to Rise Up Either Against the Kingly or the Priestly Office.]
[That Even Among the Jews There Arose the Doctrine of Several Heresies Hateful to God.]
[Whence the Heresies Sprang, and Who Was the Ringleader of Their Impiety.]
[Who Were the Successors of Simon’s Impiety, and What Heresies They Set Up.]
[How the Heresies Differ from Each Other, and from the Truth.]
[An Exposition of the Preaching of the Apostles.]
[For Those that Confess Christ, But are Desirous to Judaize.]
[That We Must Separate from Heretics.]
[Who Were the Preachers of the Catholic Doctrine, and Which are the Commandments Given by Them.]
[Concerning Books with False Inscriptions.]
[Matrimonial Precepts Concerning Clergymen.]
[An Exhortation Commanding to Avoid the Communion of the Impious Heretics.]
[To Those that Speak Evil of the Law.]
[Which is the Law of Nature, and Which is that Afterwards Introduced, and Why It Was Introduced.]
[That We Who Believe in Christ are Under Grace, and Not Under the Servitude of that Additional Law.]
[That the Law for Sacrifices is Additional, Which Christ When He Came Took Away.]
[That It Pleased the Lord that the Law of Righteousness Should Be Demonstrated by the Romans.]
[That We Ought to Avoid the Heretics as the Corrupters of Souls.]
[Of Some Jewish and Gentile Observances.]
[Of the Love of Boys, Adultery, and Fornication.]
[How Wives Ought to Be Subject to Their Own Husbands, and Husbands Ought to Love Their Own Wives.]
constitutions of the holy apostles
[The Prohibition of Conjuring, Murder of Infants, Perjury, and False Witness.]
[The Prohibition of Malignity, Acceptation of Persons, Wrath, Malice, and Envy.]
[Concerning Augury and Enchantments.]
[The Prohibition of Murmuring, Insolence, Pride, and Arrogance.]
[Concerning Long-Suffering, Simplicity, Meekness, and Patience.]
[Concerning Him that is Double-Minded and Desponding.]
[How Masters Ought to Behave Themselves to Their Servants, and How Servants Ought to Be Subject.]
[Concerning Hypocrisy, and Obedience to the Laws, and Confession of Sins.]
[Concerning the Observance Due to Parents.]
[Concerning the Subjection Due to the King and to Rulers.]
[Concerning the Pure Conscience of Those that Pray.]
[That We Ought to Avoid the Eating of Things Offered to Idols.]
[A Constitution of Our Lord, How We Ought to Baptize, and into Whose Death.]
[Which Days of the Week We are to Fast, and Which Not, and for What Reasons.]
[What Sort of People Ought to Pray that Prayer that Was Given by the Lord.]
[A Thanksgiving at the Divine Participation.]
[A Thanksgiving About the Mystical Ointment.]
[That We Ought Not to Be Indifferent About Communicating.]
[A Constitution Concerning Oblations.]
[What Qualifications They Ought to Have Who are to Be Ordained.]
[A Prediction Concerning Futurities.]
[A Prayer Declarative of God’s Various Providence.]
[A Prayer Declarative of God’s Various Creation.]
[A Prayer, with Thanksgiving, Declarative of God’s Providence Over the Beings He Has Made.]
[A Prayer Commemorative of the Incarnation of Christ, and His Various Providence to the Saints.]
[A Prayer for the Assistance of the Righteous.]
[How the Catechumens are to Be Instructed in the Elements.]
[The Renunciation of the Adversary, and the Dedication to the Christ of God.]
[A Thanksgiving Concerning the Anointing with the Mystical Oil.]
[A Thanksgiving Concerning the Mystical Water.]
[A Thanksgiving Concerning the Mystical Ointment.]
[A Prayer for the New Fruits.]
[Who Were They that the Holy Apostles Sent and Ordained? ]
constitutions of the holy apostles.
[On Whose Account the Powers of Miracles are Performed.]
[Concerning Unworthy Bishops and Presbyters.]
[The Form of Prayer for the Ordination of a Bishop.]
[The Divine Liturgy, Wherein is the Bidding Prayer for the Catechumens.]
[Imposition of Hands Prayer for PenItents.]
[The Form of Prayer for the Faithful.]
[The Constitution of James the Brother of John, the Son of Zebedee.]
[The Bidding Prayer for the Faithful After the Divine Oblation.]
[The Bidding Prayer After the Participation.]
[The Form of Prayer After the Participation.]
[Concerning the Ordination of Presbyters—The Constitution of John, Who Was Beloved by the Lord.]
[Concerning the Ordination of Deacons—The Constitution of Philip.]
[The Form of Prayer for the Ordination of a Deacon.]
[Concerning the Deaconess—The Constitution of Bartholomew.]
[The Form of Prayer for the Ordination of a Deaconess.]
[Concerning the Sub-Deacons—The Constitution of Thomas. ]
[Concerning the Readers—The Constitution of Matthew.]
[Concerning the Confessors—The Constitution of James the Son of Alpheus.]
[The Same Apostle’s Constitution Concerning Virgins.]
[The Constitution of Lebbæus, Who Was Surnamed Thaddæus, Concerning Widows.]
[The Same Apostle Concerning the Exorcist.]
[Simon the Canaanite Concerning the Number Necessary for the Ordination of a Bishop.]
[The Same Apostle’s Canons Concerning Bishops, Presbyters, Deacons, and the Rest of the Clergy.]
[Concerning the Blessing of Water and Oil—The Constitution of Matthias.]
[The Same Apostle’s Constitution Concerning First-Fruits and Tithes.]
[The Same Apostle’s Constitutions Concerning the Remaining Oblations.]
[Upon Which Days Servants are Not to Work.]
[At What Hours, and Why, We are to Pray.]
[The Constitution of James the Brother of Christ Concerning Evening Prayer.]
[The Bidding Prayer for the Evening.]
[The Thanksgiving for the Evening.]
[The Thanksgiving for the Morning.]
[The Imposition of Hands for the Morning.]
[The Form of Prayer for the First-Fruits.]
[The Bidding Prayer for Those Departed.]
[That Memorials or Mandates Do Not at All Profit the Ungodly Who are Dead.]
[Concerning the Receiving Such as are Persecuted for Christ’s Sake.]
[Of First-Fruits and Tithes, and After What Manner the Bishop is Himself to Partake of Them, or to Distribute Them to Others.]
XXV. Let him use those tenths and first-fruits, which are given according to the command of God, as a man of God; as also let him dispense in a right manner the free-will offerings which are brought in on account of the poor, to the orphans, the widows, the afflicted, and strangers in distress, as having that God for the examiner of his accounts who has committed the disposition to him. Distribute to all those in want with righteousness, and yourselves use the things which belong to the Lord, but do not abuse them; eating of them, but not eating them all up by yourselves: communicate with those that are in want, and thereby show yourselves unblameable before God. For if you shall consume them by yourselves, you will be reproached by God, who says to such unsatiable people, who alone devour all, “Ye eat up the milk, and clothe yourselves with the wool;” 130 Ezek. xxxiv. 3. and in another passage, “Must you alone live upon the earth”? 131 Isa. v. 8. Upon which account you are commanded in the law, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” 132 Lev. xix. 18. Now we say these things, not as if you might not partake of the fruits of your labours; for it is written, “Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox which treadeth out the corn;” 133 Deut. xxv. 4; 1 Cor. ix. 9. but that you should do it with moderation and righteousness. As, therefore, the ox that labours in the threshing-floor without a muzzle eats indeed, but does not eat all up; so do you who labour in the threshing-floor, that is, in the Church of God, eat of the Church: which was also the case of the Levites, who served in the tabernacle of the testimony, which was in all things a type of the Church. Nay, further, its very name implied that that tabernacle was fore-appointed for a testimony of the Church. Here, therefore, the Levites also, who attended upon the tabernacle partook of those things that were offered to God by all the people,—namely, gifts, offerings, and first-fruits, and tithes, and sacrifices, and oblations, without disturbance, they and their wives, and their sons and their daughters. Since their employment was the ministration to the tabernacle, therefore they had not any lot or inheritance in the land among the children of Israel, because the oblations of the people were the lot of Levi, and the inheritance of their tribe. You, therefore, O bishops, are to your people priests and Levites, ministering to the holy tabernacle, the holy Catholic Church; who stand at the altar of the Lord your God, and offer to Him reasonable and unbloody sacrifices through Jesus the great High Priest. You are to the laity prophets, rulers, governors, and kings; the mediators between God and His faithful people, who receive and declare His word, well acquainted with the Scriptures. Ye are the voice of God, and witnesses of His will, who bear the sins of all, and intercede for all; whom, as you have heard, the word severely threatens if you hide the key of knowledge from men, who are liable to perdition if you do not declare His will to the people that are under you; who shall have a certain reward from God, and unspeakable honour and glory, if you duly minister to the holy tabernacle. For as yours is the burden, so you receive as your fruit the supply of food and other necessaries. For you imitate Christ the Lord; and as He “bare the sins of us all upon the tree” at His crucifixion, the innocent for those who deserved punishment, so also you ought to make the sins of the people your own. For concerning our Saviour it is said in Isaiah, “He bears our sins, and is afflicted for us.” 134 Isa. liii. 4. And again: “He bare the sins of many, and was delivered for our offences.” 135 Isa. liii. 12. As, therefore, you are patterns for others, so have you Christ for your pattern. As, therefore, He is concerned for all, so be you for the laity under you. For do not thou imagine that the office of a bishop is an easy or light burden. As, therefore, you bear the weight, so have you a right to partake of the fruits before others, and to impart to those that are in want, as being to give an account to Him, who without bias will examine your accounts. For those who attend upon the Church ought to be maintained by the Church, as being priests, Levites, presidents, and ministers of God; as it is written in the book of Numbers concerning the priests: “And the Lord said unto Aaron, Thou, and thy sons, and the house of thy family, shall bear the iniquities of the holy things of priesthood.” 136 Num. xviii. 1. “Behold, I have given unto you the charge of the first-fruits, from all that are sanctified to me by the children of Israel; I have given them for a reward to thee, and to thy sons after thee, by an ordinance for ever. This shall be yours out of the holy things, out of the oblations, and out of the gifts, and out of all the sacrifices, and out of every trespass-offering, and sin-offerings; and all that they render unto me out of all their holy things, they shall belong to thee, and to thy sons: in the sanctuary shall they eat them.” 137 Num. xviii. 8, etc. And a little after: “All the first-fruits of the oil, and of the wine, and of the wheat, all which they shall give unto the Lord, to thee have I given them; and all that is first ripe, to thee have I given it, and every devoted thing. Every first-born of man and of beast, clean and unclean, and of sacrifice, with the breast, and the right shoulder, all these appertain to the priests, and to the rest of those belonging to them, even to the Levites.” 138 Num. xviii. 12, etc.
Hear this, you of the laity also, the elect Church of God. For the people were formerly called “the people of God,” 139 Ex. xix. 5, 6. and “an holy nation.” 140 Heb. xii. 23. You, therefore, are the holy and sacred “Church of God, enrolled in heaven, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people,” 141 Pet. ii. 9. a bride adorned for the Lord God, a great Church, a faithful Church. Hear attentively now what was said formerly: oblations and tithes belong to Christ our High Priest, and to those who minister to Him. Tenths of salvation are the first letter of the name of Jesus. Hear, O thou Holy Catholic Church, who hast escaped the ten plagues, and hast received the ten commandments, and hast learned the law, and hast kept the faith, and hast believed in Jesus, and hast known the decad, and hast believed in the iota which is the first letter of the name of Jesus , 142 Inserted from V. mss. and art named after His name, and art established, and shinest in the consummation of His glory. Those which were then the sacrifices now are prayers, and intercessions, and thanksgivings. Those which were then first-fruits, and tithes, and offerings, and gifts, now are oblations, which are presented by holy bishops to the Lord God, through Jesus Christ, who has died for them. For these are your high priests, as the presbyters are your priests, and your present deacons instead of your Levites; as are also your readers, your singers, your porters, your deaconesses, your widows, your virgins, and your orphans: but He who is above all these is the High Priest.
[25] Αὐτάρκη ἐχέτω τροφὴν καὶ ἀμφιασμὸν ὁ ἐπίσκοπος τὸν τῇ χρείᾳ καὶ τῇ σεμνότητι προσήκοντα: μὴ τοῖς κυριακοῖς ὡς ἀλλοτρίοις κεχρήσθω, ἀλλὰ μεμετρημένως: »Ἄξιος γὰρ ὁ ἐργάτης τοῦ μισθοῦ αὐτοῦ ἐστιν.« Μὴ σπαταλὸς μηδὲ πέρπερος, ἀλλὰ μόνων τῶν πρὸς σύστασιν ἐφιέμενος, τὰ διδόμενα κατ' ἐντολὴν Θεοῦ τῶν δεκατῶν καὶ τῶν ἀπαρχῶν ὡς Θεοῦ ἄνθρωπος ἀναλισκέτω: τὰ εἰσφερόμενα ἐπὶ προφάσει πενήτων ἑκούσια καλῶς οἰκονομείτω ὀρφανοῖς καὶ χήραις καὶ θλιβομένοις καὶ ξένοις ἀπορουμένοις, ὡς ἔχων Θεὸν λογιστευτὴν τούτων τὸν ἐγχειρίσαντα αὐτῷ ταύτην τὴν οἰκονομίαν. Πᾶσι δὲ τοῖς δεομένοις μετὰ δικαιοσύνης ἐπιμερίζοντες, καὶ ὑμεῖς αὐτοὶ χρώμενοι ἐκ τῶν κυριακῶν, ἀλλὰ μὴ παραχρώμενοι, ἐσθίοντες ἐξ αὐτῶν, ἀλλὰ μὴ κατεσθίοντες αὐτὰ μόνοι, κοινωνοῦντες δὲ τοῖς χρῄζουσιν, ἀπρόσκοποι Θεῷ γίνεσθε: ἐὰν γὰρ μόνοι αὐτὰ ἀναλώσητε, ὀνειδισθήσεσθε παρὰ Θεοῦ λέγοντος ὡς πρὸς ἀπλήστους καὶ μονοφάγους: »Τὸ γάλα κατεσθίετε καὶ τὰ ἔρια περιβάλλεσθε«, καὶ ἐν ἄλλοις: »Μὴ οἰκήσητε μόνοι ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς;« Διὸ καὶ ἐν τῷ Νόμῳ προστέτακται ὑμῖν: »Ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν.« Καὶ ταῦτα λέγομεν, οὐχ ἵνα μὴ μεταλαμβάνητε ὑμῶν τῶν πόνων, γέγραπται γάρ: »Οὐ φιμώσεις βοῦν ἀλοῶντα«, ἀλλ' ἵνα μεμετρημένως μετὰ δικαιοσύνης. Ὃν τρόπον οὖν ὁ βοῦς, ἐργαζόμενος ἐν τῇ ἅλῳ ἀκήμωτος, ἐσθίει μέν, ἀλλ' οὐ τὸ πᾶν κατεσθίει, οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς, ἐργαζόμενοι εἰς τὴν ἅλω, τοῦτ' ἔστιν εἰς τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἐκ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἐσθίετε, ὃν τρόπον καὶ οἱ λευῖται οἱ λειτουργοῦντες τῇ σκηνῇ τοῦ μαρτυρίου, ἥτις ἦν τύπος τῆς Ἐκκλησίας κατὰ πάντα, προσέτι δὲ καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ὀνόματος μαρτύριον τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἡ σκηνὴ προωρίζετο. Ἐνταῦθα γοῦν οἱ λευῖται τῇ σκηνῇ προσεδρεύοντες ἐκ τῶν εἰς τὴν προσφορὰν τοῦ Θεοῦ διδομένων ὑπὸ παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ δώρων καὶ ἀφαιρεμάτων καὶ ἀπαρχῶν καὶ δεκατῶν καὶ θυσιῶν καὶ προσφορῶν μετεῖχον ἀκωλύτως, αὐτοὶ καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες αὐτῶν καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες αὐτῶν: ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὸ ἔργον αὐτῶν ἦν λειτουργία τῆς σκηνῆς, διὰ τοῦτο κληροδοσίαν γῆς οὐκ ἔλαβον ἐν τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραήλ, ὅτι αἱ εἰσφοραὶ τοῦ λαοῦ κληροδοσία τοῦ Λευὶ καὶ κληρονομία τῆς φυλῆς αὐτοῦ. Ὑμεῖς οὖν σήμερον, ὦ ἐπίσκοποι, ἐστὲ τῷ λαῷ ὑμῶν ἱερεῖς λευῖται, οἱ λειτουργοῦντες τῇ ἱερᾷ σκηνῇ, τῇ ἁγίᾳ καὶ καθολικῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ, καὶ παρεστῶτες τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν καὶ προσάγοντες αὐτῷ τὰς λογικὰς καὶ ἀναιμάκτους θυσίας διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ μεγάλου ἀρχιερέως: ὑμεῖς τοῖς ἐν ὑμῖν λαϊκοῖς ἐστε προφῆται, ἄρχοντες καὶ ἡγούμενοι καὶ βασιλεῖς, οἱ μεσῖται Θεοῦ καὶ τῶν πιστῶν αὐτοῦ, οἱ δοχεῖς τοῦ λόγου καὶ ἀγγελτῆρες, οἱ γνῶσται τῶν γραφῶν καὶ φθόγγοι τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ μάρτυρες τοῦ θελήματος αὐτοῦ, οἱ πάντων τὰς ἁμαρτίας βαστάζοντες καὶ περὶ πάντων ἀπολογούμενοι: οἷς, ὡς ἠκούσατε, ἐμβριθῶς ὁ λόγος ἀπειλεῖ, ἐὰν κρύψητε ἐξ ἀνθρώπων τὴν τῆς γνώσεως κλεῖδα: οἷς κίνδυνος ὀλέθριος, ἐὰν μὴ διαγγείλητε τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ τῷ ὑφ' ὑμᾶς λαῷ: οἷς παρὰ Θεοῦ μισθὸς ἀψευδὴς καὶ κλέος ἀνεκδιήγητον ἐν δόξῃ, καλῶς λειτουργήσασιν τῇ σκηνῇ τῇ ἁγίᾳ. Ὡς γὰρ τὸ βάρος ὑμέτερον, οὕτως καὶ τὰς διακονίας τῶν τροφῶν καὶ τὰς ἄλλας χρείας ὑμεῖς καρποῦσθε. Μιμηταὶ γὰρ ἔστε Χριστοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ ὡς αὐτὸς πάντων ἡμῶν τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἀνήνεγκεν ἐπὶ τὸ ξύλον, σταυρωθεὶς ὁ ἄμωμος ὑπὲρ τῶν κολάσεως ἀξίων, οὕτως καὶ ὑμᾶς τοῦ λαοῦ τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἐξιδιοποιεῖσθαι χρή. Εἴρηται γὰρ περὶ τοῦ σωτῆρος ἐν Ἡσαΐᾳ, ὅτι »Οὗτος τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν φέρει καὶ περὶ ἡμῶν ὀδυνᾶται.« Καὶ πάλιν: »Ὁ αὐτὸς τὰς ἁμαρτίας πολλῶν ἀνήνεγκεν καὶ διὰ τὰς ἀνομίας αὐτῶν παρεδόθη.« Ὥσπερ οὖν ὑμεῖς σκοποί ἐστε, οὕτως καὶ σκοπὸν ἔχετε τὸν Χριστόν: ὡς οὖν αὐτὸς πάντων ὑμῶν, οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς τῶν ὑφ' ὑμᾶς λαϊκῶν. Μὴ γὰρ νομίζετε, ὅτι εὐχερὲς ἢ ἐλαφρὸν φορτίον ἐστὶν ἡ ἐπισκοπή. Χρὴ οὖν, ὡς τὸ βάρος φέρετε, οὕτως καὶ τῶν καρπῶν πρώτους μεταλαμβάνειν καὶ τοῖς δεομένοις μεταδιδόναι, ὡς λόγον ὑφέξοντας τῷ ἀπαραλογίστως ὑμᾶς μέλλοντι λογιστεύειν. Δεῖ γὰρ τοὺς τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ προσεδρεύοντας ἐκ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας διατρέφεσθαι, ἅτε ἱερεῖς, λευίτας, προέδρους, λειτουργοὺς Θεοῦ, καθὼς ἐν βίβλῳ τῶν Ἀριθμῶν γέγραπται περὶ τῶν ἱερέων: »Καὶ εἶπεν Κύριος πρὸς Ἀαρών: σὺ καὶ οἱ υἱοί σου καὶ ὁ οἶκος πατριᾶς σου λήψεσθε τὰς ἁμαρτίας τῶν ἁγίων, τῆς ἱερατείας ὑμῶν. Ἰδοὺ δέδωκα ὑμῖν τὴν διατήρησιν τῶν ἀπαρχῶν ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν ἡγιασμένων μοι παρὰ τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ: σοὶ δέδωκα αὐτὰ εἰς γέρας καὶ τοῖς υἱοῖς σου μετὰ σέ, νόμιμον αἰώνιον: καὶ τοῦτο ἔσται ὑμῖν ἀπὸ τῶν ἡγιασμένων, ἐκ τῶν καρπωμάτων καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν δώρων καὶ ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν θυσιῶν καὶ ἀπὸ πάσης πλημμελείας καὶ περὶ ἁμαρτιῶν, καὶ ὅσα ἀποδιδόασίν μοι ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν ἁγίων, σοὶ ἔσται καὶ τοῖς υἱοῖς σου: ἐν τῷ ἁγίῳ φάγεσθε αὐτά.« Καὶ μετ' ὀλίγα: »Πᾶσα ἀπαρχὴ ἐλαίου καὶ οἴνου καὶ σίτου, ὅσα ἂν δίδωσιν Κυρίῳ, σοὶ δέδωκα αὐτά, καὶ τὰ πρωτογεννήματα πάντα σοι δέδωκα, καὶ σοὶ ἐρεῖ πᾶν ἀνάθεμα: πᾶν πρωτότοκον ἀνθρώπου καὶ κτήνους καθαροῦ καὶ ἀκαθάρτου καὶ θυσίας καὶ στηθυνίου καὶ βραχίονος δεξιοῦ τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν προσανήκει καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς τοῖς παραμένουσιν αὐτοῖς λευίταις.«