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Anonymous, Constitutions of the Holy Apostles
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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.]
[That It is Reasonable for the Faithful to Supply the Wants of Those Who are Afflicted for the Sake of Christ by the Unbelievers, According to the Constitution of the Lord. ]
I. If any Christian, on account of the name of Christ, and love and faith towards God, be condemned by the ungodly to the games, to the beasts, or to the mines, do not ye overlook him; but send to him from your labour and your very sweat for his sustenance, and for a reward to the soldiers, that he may be eased and be taken care of; that, as far as lies in your power, your blessed brother may not be afflicted: for he that is condemned for the name of the Lord God is an holy martyr, a brother of the Lord, the son of the Highest, a receptacle of the Holy Spirit, by whom every one of the faithful has received the illumination of the glory of the holy Gospel, by being vouchsafed the incorruptible crown, and the testimony of Christ’s sufferings, and the fellowship of His blood, to be made conformable to the death of Christ for the adoption of children. For this cause do you, all ye of the faithful, by your bishop, minister to the saints of your substance and of your labour. But if any one has not, let him fast a day, and set apart that, and order it for the saints. But if any one has superfluities, let him minister more to them according to the proportion of his ability. But if he can possibly sell all his livelihood, and redeem them out of prison, he will be blessed, and a friend of Christ. For if he that gives his goods to the poor be perfect, supposing his knowledge of divine things, much more is he so that does it on account of the martyrs. For such a one is worthy of God, and will fulfil His will by supplying those who have confessed Him before nations and kings, and the children of Israel; concerning whom our Lord declared, saying: “Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father.” 1 Prov. xxix. 17, xix. 18, xxiii. 14 Prov. xxix. 17, xix. 18, xxiii. 14 And if these be such as to be attested to by Christ before His Father, you ought not to be ashamed to go to them in the prisons. For if you do this, it will be esteemed to you for a testimony, because the real trial was to them a testimony; and your readiness will be so to you, as being partakers of their combat: for the Lord speaks somewhere to such as these, saying: “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was an hungry, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in; naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer, and say, Lord, when saw we Thee an hungered, and fed Thee? or thirsty, and gave Thee drink? When saw we Thee naked, and clothed Thee? or sick, and visited Thee? When saw we Thee a stranger, and took Thee in? or in prison, and came unto Thee? And He will answer and say unto them, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. And these shall go away into life everlasting. Then shall He say unto them on His left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry, and ye gave me no meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; naked, and ye clothed me not; sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer and say, Lord when saw we Thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto Thee? Then shall He answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have not done it unto one of the least of these, neither have ye done it unto me. And these shall go away unto everlasting punishment.” 2 Prov. xiii. 24 Prov. xiii. 24
[1] Εἴ τις χριστιανὸς διὰ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ τὴν εἰς τὸν Θεὸν πίστιν καὶ ἀγάπην κατακριθῇ ὑπὸ ἀσεβῶν εἰς λοῦδον ἢ θηρία ἢ μέταλλον, μὴ παρίδητε αὐτόν, ἀλλ' ἐκ τοῦ κόπου καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ἱδρῶτος ὑμῶν πέμψατε αὐτῷ εἰς διατροφὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς μισθαποδοσίαν τῶν στρατιωτῶν, ἵνα ἐλαφρυνθῇ καὶ ἐπιμελείας τύχῃ, ἵν' ὅσον τὸ ἐφ' ὑμῖν μὴ θλίβηται ὁ μακάριος ἀδελφὸς ὑμῶν. Ὁ γὰρ διὰ τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ καταδικαζόμενος, οὗτος μάρτυς ἅγιος, ἀδελφὸς τοῦ Κυρίου, υἱὸς τοῦ Ὑψίστου, δοχεῖον τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος, δι' οὗ καὶ τὸν φωτισμὸν τῆς δόξης τοῦ εὐαγγελίου ἔλαβεν ἕκαστος τῶν πιστῶν ἐν τῷ καταξιωθῆναι τοῦ ἀφθάρτου στεφάνου καὶ τῆς μαρτυρίας τῶν παθημάτων αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς κοινωνίας τοῦ αἵματος αὐτοῦ, συμμορφωθῆναι τῷ θανάτῳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ εἰς υἱοθεσίαν. Τούτου οὖν ἕνεκεν ἅπαντες οἱ πιστοὶ διὰ τοῦ ἐπισκόπου ὑμῶν ἐκ τῶν ὑπαρχόντων ὑμῶν καὶ ἐκ τοῦ κόπου διακονήσατε τοῖς ἁγίοις: εἰ δὲ οὐκ ἔχει τις, νηστεύσας τὸ τῆς ἡμέρας καὶ μερίσας τοῦτο ἐκταξάτω τοῖς ὁσίοις: εἰ δέ τις ἐν περιουσίᾳ ὑπάρχει, καὶ πλεῖόν τι κατὰ ἀναλογίαν τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ διακονείτω αὐτοῖς. Εἰ δὲ καὶ οἷός τέ ἐστιν ἅπαντα τὸν βίον ἑαυτοῦ ἀποδόμενος ῥύσασθαι αὐτοὺς ἐκ τοῦ δεσμωτηρίου, μακάριος ἔσται καὶ φίλος τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Εἰ γὰρ ὁ τὰ ὑπάρχοντα πτωχοῖς δοὺς τέλειος μετὰ τὴν περὶ τῶν θείων γνῶσιν, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὁ ὑπὲρ μαρτύρων: ὁ γὰρ τοιοῦτος, ἄξιος Θεοῦ ὑπάρξας, πληρώσει τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ, χορηγήσας ἐκείνοις, οἵτινες αὐτὸν ὡμολόγησαν ἐνώπιον ἐθνῶν καὶ βασιλέων υἱῶν τε Ἰσραήλ, περὶ ὧν ὁ Κύριος ἀπεφήνατο λέγων: «Ὃς ἂν ὁμολογήσῃ ἐν ἐμοὶ ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὁμολογήσω κἀγὼ ἐν αὐτῷ ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ πατρός μου τοῦ ἐν οὐρανοῖς.» Καὶ εἰ τοιοῦτοί εἰσιν, ὡς καὶ ὑπὸ Χριστοῦ ἐπὶ τοῦ Πατρὸς αὐτοὺς μαρτυρεῖσθαι, ὑμεῖς οὐκ ὀφείλετε ἐπαισχυνθῆναι ἀπιέναι πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἐν ταῖς φυλακαῖς: τοῦτο γὰρ ποιησάντων ὑμῶν, μαρτύριον ὑμῖν λογισθήσεται, ὅτι ἐκείνοις μὲν πείρᾳ τὸ μαρτύριον ὑπῆρξεν, ὑμῖν δὲ τέως προθυμίᾳ, ὡς κοινωνοῖς τῆς ἀθλήσεως αὐτῶν. Λέγει γάρ που ὁ Κύριος πρὸς τοὺς τοιούτους φάσκων: «Δεῦτε οἱ εὐλογημένοι τοῦ Πατρός μου, κληρονομήσατε τὴν ἡτοιμασμένην ὑμῖν βασιλείαν ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου: ἐπείνασα γὰρ καὶ ἐδώκατέ μοι φαγεῖν, ἐδίψησα καὶ ἐποτίσατέ με, ξένος ἤμην καὶ συνηγάγετέ με, γυμνὸς καὶ περιεβάλετέ με, ἀσθενὴς ἤμην καὶ ἐπεσκέψασθέ με, ἐν φυλακῇ ἤμην καὶ ἤλθετε πρὸς μέ. Τότε ἀποκριθήσονται οἱ δίκαιοι λέγοντες: Κύριε, πότε σε εἴδομεν πεινῶντα καὶ ἐθρέψαμεν; Ἢ διψῶντα καὶ ἐποτίσαμεν; Ἢ γυμνὸν καὶ περιεβάλομεν; Ἢ ἀσθενῆ καὶ ἐπεσκεψάμεθα; Ἢ ξένον καὶ συνηγάγομεν; Ἢ ἐν φυλακῇ καὶ ἤλθομεν πρὸς σέ; Καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ἐρεῖ αὐτοῖς: Ἐφ' ὅσον ἐποιήσατε ἑνὶ τούτων τῶν ἀδελφῶν μου τῶν ἐλαχίστων, ἐμοὶ ἐποιήσατε. Καὶ ἀπελεύσονται οὗτοι εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον.»