Constitutions of the holy apostles via Clement.

 [Sec. I.—General Commandments.]

 [Concerning Covetousness.]

 [That We Ought Not to Return Injuries, Nor Revenge Ourselves on Him that Does Us Wrong.]

 [That We Ought Not to Be Over-Curious About Those Who Live Wickedly, But to Be Intent Upon Our Own Proper Employment.]

 [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 a Bad Woman.]

 [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 Charitable Distributions are Not to Be Made to Every Widow, But that Sometimes a Woman Who Has a Husband is to Be Preferred: and that No Distrib

 [That a Bishop Must Be No Accepter of Persons in Judgment That He Must Possess a Gentle Disposition, and Be Temperate in His Mode of Life. ]

 [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.]

 [Concerning Those Who Affirm that Penitents are Not to Be Received into the Church. That a Righteous Person, Although He Converse with a Sinner, Will

 [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.]

 [That a Bishop Must Take Care that His People Do Not Sin, Considering that He is Set for a Watchman Among Them.]

 [That a Shepherd Who is Careless of His Sheep Will Be Condemned, and that a Sheep Which Will Not Be Led by the Shepherd is to Be Punished. ]

 [How the Governed are to Obey the Bishops Who are Set Over Them.]

 [That It is a Dangerous Thing to Judge Without Hearing Both Sides, or to Determine of Punishment Against a Person Before He is Convicted. ]

 [That David, the Ninevites, Hezekiah, and His Son Manasseh, are Eminent Examples of Repentance, the Prayer of Manasseh King of Judah. ]

 [Amon May be an Example to Such as Sin with an High Hand.]

 [That Christ Jesus Our Lord Came to Save Sinners by Repentance.]

 [Of First-Fruits and Tithes, and After What Manner the Bishop is Himself to Partake of Them, or to Distribute Them to Others.]

 [According to What Patterns and Dignity Every Order of the Clergy is Appointed by God.]

 [That It is a Horrible Thing for a Man to Thrust Himself into Any Sacerdotal Office, as Did Corah and His Company, Saul and Uzziah. ]

 [Of an Entertainment, and After What Manner Each Distinct Order of the Clergy is to Be Treated by Those Who Invite Them to It. ]

 [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.]

 [That the Deacon Must Not Make Any Distributions Without the Consent of the Bishop, Because that Will Turn to the Reproach of 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.]

 [Concerning Accusers and False Accusers, and How a Judge is Not Rashly Either to Believe Them or Disbelieve Them, But After an Accurate Examination. ]

 [That Sinners are Privately to Be Reproved, and the Penitent to Be Received, According to the Constitution of Our Lord.]

 [Examples of Repentance.]

 [That We are Not to Be Implacable to Him Who Has Once or Twice Offended.]

 [After What Manner We Ought to Receive a Penitent How We Ought to Deal with Offenders, and When They are to Be Cut Off from the Church. ]

 [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 Believers Ought Not to Go to Law Before Unbelievers Nor Ought Any Unbeliever to Be Called for a Witness Against Believers.]

 [That the Judicatures of Christians Ought to Be Held on the Second Day of the Week.]

 [That the Same Punishment is Not to Be Inflicted for Every Offence, But Different Punishments for Different Offenders.]

 [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.]

 [The Caution Observed at Heathen Tribunals Before the Condemnation of Criminals Affords Christians a Good Example.]

 [That Christians Ought Not to Be Contentious One with Another.]

 [That the Bishops Must by Their Deacon Put the People in Mind of the Obligation They are Under to Live Peaceably Together.]

 [An Enumeration of the Several Instances of Divine Providence, and How in Every Age from the Beginning of the World God Has Invited All Men to Repenta

 [That It is the Will of God that Men Should Be of One Mind in Matters of Religion, in Accord with the Heavenly Powers.]

 [An Exact Description of a Church and the Clergy, and What Things in Particular Every One is to Do in the Solemn Assemblies of the Clergy and Laity Fo

 [Of Commendatory Letters in Favour of Strangers, Lay Persons, Clergymen, and Bishops And that Those Who Come into the Church Assemblies are to Be Rec

 [That Every Christian Ought to Frequent the Church Diligently Both Morning and Evening.]

 [The Vain Zeal Which the Heathens and Jews Show in Frequenting Their Temples and Synagogues is a Proper Example and Motive to Excite Christians to Fre

 [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.]

 [That a Christian Who Will Not Work Must Not Eat, as Peter and the Rest of the Apostles Were Fishermen, But Paul and Aquila Tentmakers, Jude the Son o

 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 the Widows Ought Not to Accept of Alms from the Unworthy No More Than the Bishop, or Any Other of the Faithful.]

 [That Women Ought Not to Baptize, Because It is Impious, and Contrary to the Doctrine of Christ.]

 [That a Layman Ought Not to Do Any Office of the Priesthood: He Ought Neither to Baptize, Nor Offer, Nor Lay on Hands, Nor Give the Blessing. ]

 [That None But a Bishop and Presbyter, None Even of the Inferior Ranks of the Clergy, are Permitted to Do the Offices of the Priests That Ordination

 [The Rejection of All Uncharitable Actions.]

 [How the Widows are to Pray for Those that Supply Their Necessities.]

 [That She Who Has Been Kind to the Poor Ought Not to Make a Stir and Tell Abroad Her Name, According to the Constitution of the Lord. ]

 [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.]

 [That a Bishop Ought to Be Ordained by Three or by Two Bishops, But Not by One For that Would Be Invalid.]

 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.]

 [Of the Love of Money.]

 [With What Fear Men Ought to Partake of the Lord’s Oblations.]

 [Whose Oblations are to Be Received, and Whose Not to Be Received.]

 [That the Oblations of the Unworthy, While They are Such, Do Not Only Not Propitiate God, But on the Contrary Provoke Him to Indignation. ]

 [That It is Better to Afford, Though It Be Inconsiderable and Few, Contributions to the Widows from Our Own Labours, Than Those Which are Many and Lar

 [That the People Ought to Be Exhorted by the Priest to Do Good to the Needy, as Says Solomon the Wise.]

 [A Constitution, that If Any One of the Ungodly by Force Will Cast Money to the Priests, They Spend It in Wood and Coals, But Not in Food. ]

 [Of Parents and Children.]

 [Of Servants and Masters.]

 [In What Things We Ought to Be Subject to the Rulers of This World.]

 [Of Virgins.]

 constitutions of the holy apostles

 [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 Con

 [That We are to Avoid Intercourse with False Brethren When They Continue in Their Wickedness.]

 [That We Ought to Afford an Helping Hand to Such as are Spoiled for the Sake of Christ, Although We Should Incur Danger Ourselves.]

 [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.]

 [That a Believer Ought Neither Rashly to Run into Danger Through Security, Nor to Be Over-Timorous Through Pusillanimity, But to Fly Away for Fear Ye

 [Several Demonstrations Concerning the Resurrection, Concerning the Sibyl, and What the Stoics Say Concerning the Bird Called the Phoenix. ]

 [Concerning James the Brother of the Lord, and Stephen the First Martyr.]

 [Concerning False Martyrs.]

 [A Moral Admonition, that We are to Abstain from Vain Talking, Obscene Talking, Jesting, Drunkenness, Lasciviousness, and Luxury.]

 [An Admonition Instructing Men to Avoid the Abominable Sin of Idolatry.]

 [That We Ought Not to Sing an Heathen or an Obscene Song, Nor to Swear by an Idol Because It is an Impious Thing, and Contrary to the Knowledge of Go

 [A Catalogue of the Feasts of the Lord Which are to Be Kept, and When Each of Them Ought to Be Observed.]

 [Concerning the Passion of Our Lord, and What Was Done on Each Day of His Sufferings And Concerning Judas, and that Judas Was Not Present When the Lo

 [Of the Great Week, and on What Account They Enjoin Us to Fast on Wednesday and Friday.]

 [An Enumeration of the Prophetical Predictions Which Declare Christ, Whose Completion Though the Jews Saw, Yet Out of the Evil Temper of Their Mind Th

 [How the Passover Ought to Be Celebrated.]

 [A Constitution Concerning the Great Passover Week.]

 [Concerning the Watching All the Night of the Great Sabbath, and Concerning the Day of the Resurrection.]

 [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.]

 [Concerning the Virtue of Moses and the Incredulity of the Jewish Nation, and What Wonderful Works God Did Among Them.]

 [That Schism is Made, Not by Him Who Separates Himself from the Ungodly, But Who Departs from the Godly.]

 [Upon What Account Israel, Falsely So Named, is Rejected by God, Demonstrated from the Prophetic Predictions.]

 [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 Simon, Desiring to Fly by Some Magical Arts, Fell Down Headlong from on High at the Prayers of Peter, and Brake His Feet, and Hands, and Ankle-Bo

 [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.]

 [That We Ought Not to Rebaptize, Nor to Receive that Baptism Which is Given by the Ungodly, Which is Not Baptism, But a Pollution.]

 [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.]

 [How Christ Became a Fulfiller of the Law, and What Parts of It He Put a Period To, or Changed, or Transferred.]

 [That It Pleased the Lord that the Law of Righteousness Should Be Demonstrated by the Romans.]

 [How God, on Account of Their Impiety Towards Christ, Made the Jews Captives, and Placed Them Under Tribute.]

 [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.]

 [That It is the Custom of Jews and Gentiles to Observe Natural Purgations, and to Abominate the Remains of the Dead But that All This is Contrary to

 constitutions of the holy apostles

 [That There are Two Ways,—The One Natural, of Life, and the Other Introduced Afterwards, of Death And that the Former is from God, and the Latter of

 [Moral Exhortations of the Lord’s Constitutions Agreeing with the Ancient Prohibitions of the Divine Laws. The Prohibition of Anger, Spite, Corruption

 [The Prohibition of Conjuring, Murder of Infants, Perjury, and False Witness.]

 [The Prohibition of Evil-Speaking and Passion, of Deceitful Conduct, or Idle Words, Lies, Covetousness, and Hypocrisy.]

 [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.]

 [That It is Our Duty to Esteem Our Christian Teachers Above Our Parents—The Former Being the Means of Our Well-Being, the Other Only of Our Being. ]

 [That We Ought Not to Divide Ourselves from the Saints, But to Make Peace Between Those that Quarrel, to Judge Righteously, and Not to Accept Persons.

 [Concerning Him that is Double-Minded and Desponding.]

 [Concerning Doing Good.]

 [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 the Way Which Was Afterward Introduced by the Snares of the Adversary is Full of Impiety and Wickedness.]

 [That We Must Not Turn from the Way of Piety Either to the Right Hand or to the Left. An Exhortation of the Lawgiver.]

 [That We Ought Not to Despise Any of the Sorts of Food that are Set Before Us, But Gratefully and Orderly to Partake of Them.]

 [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 Mystical Thanksgiving.]

 [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.]

 [How We Ought to Assemble Together, and to Celebrate the Festival Day of Our Saviour’s Resurrection.]

 [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 Containing the Memorial of His Providence, and an Enumeration of the Various Benefits Afforded the Saints by the Providence of God Through C

 [A Prayer for the Assistance of the Righteous.]

 [How the Catechumens are to Be Instructed in the Elements.]

 [A Constitution How the Catechumens are to Be Blessed by the Priests in Their Initiation, and What Things are to Be Taught Them. ]

 [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? ]

 [A Morning Prayer.]

 [An Evening Prayer.]

 [A Prayer at Dinner.]

 constitutions of the holy apostles.

 [On Whose Account the Powers of Miracles are Performed.]

 [Concerning Unworthy Bishops and Presbyters.]

 [That to Make Constitutions About the Offices to Be Performed in the Churches is of Great Consequence.]

 [Concerning Ordinations.]

 [The Form of Prayer for the Ordination of a Bishop.]

 [Oxford Ms. ]

 [The Divine Liturgy, Wherein is the Bidding Prayer for the Catechumens.]

 [For the Energumens.]

 [For the Baptized.]

 [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.]

 [Various Canons of Paul the Apostle Concerning Those that Offer Themselves to Be Baptized—Whom We are to Receive, and Whom to Reject. ]

 [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.]

 [How and When We Ought to Celebrate the Memorials of the Faithful Departed, and that We Ought Then to Give Somewhat Out of Their Goods to the Poor. ]

 [That Memorials or Mandates Do Not at All Profit the Ungodly Who are Dead.]

 [Concerning Drunkards.]

 [Concerning the Receiving Such as are Persecuted for Christ’s Sake.]

 [That Every One Ought to Remain in that Rank Wherein He is Placed, But Not Snatch Such Offices to Himself Which are Not Entrusted to Him. ]

 [The Ecclesiastical Canons of the Same Holy Apostles. ]

 Let these canonical rules be established by us for you, O ye bishops and if you continue to observe them, ye shall be saved, and shall have peace bu

[That David, the Ninevites, Hezekiah, and His Son Manasseh, are Eminent Examples of Repentance, the Prayer of Manasseh King of Judah. ]

XXII. It is also thy duty, O bishop, to have before thine eyes the examples of those that have gone before, and to apply them skilfully to the cases of those who want words of severity or of consolation. Besides, it is reasonable that in thy administration of justice thou shouldest follow the will of God; and as God deals with sinners, and with those who return, that thou shouldest act accordingly in thy judging. Now, did not God by Nathan reproach David for his offence? And yet as soon as he said he repented, He delivered him from death, saying, “Be of good cheer; thou shalt not die.”  121  2 Sam. xii. 13. So also, when God had caused Jonah  122  Jonah i. 17, and ii. to be swallowed up by the sea and the whale, upon his refusal to preach to the Ninevites, when yet he prayed to Him out of the belly of the whale, He retrieved his life from corruption. And when Hezekiah had been puffed up for a while, yet, as soon as he prayed with lamentation, He remitted his offence. But, O ye bishops, hearken to an instance useful upon this occasion. For it is written thus in the fourth book of Kings and the second book of Chronicles: “And Hezekiah died; and Manasseh his son reigned. He was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Hephzibah. And he did evil in the sight of the Lord: he did not abstain from the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord destroyed from the face of the children of Israel. And Manasseh returned and built the high places which Hezekiah his father had overthrown; and he reared pillars for Baal, and set up an altar for Baal, and made groves, as did Ahab king of Israel. And he made altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord spake to David and to Solomon his son, saying, Therein will I put my name. And Manasseh set up altars, and by them served Baal, and said, My name shall continue for ever.  123  From “said” to “ever” is not in Scripture. And he built altars to the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord; and he made his children pass through the fire in a place named Ge Benennom;  124  Taken from 2 Chron. xxiii. 3, LXX., instead of the reading of the mss. “Gebanai.” and he consulted enchanters, and dealt with wizards and familiar spirits, and with conjurers and observers of times, and with teraphim. And he sinned exceedingly in the eyes of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger. And he set a molten and a graven image, the image of his grove, which he made in the house of the Lord, wherein the Lord had chosen to put His name in Jerusalem, the holy city, for ever, and had said, I will no more remove my foot from the land of Israel, which I gave to their fathers; only if they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the precepts that my servant Moses commanded them. And they hearkened not. And Manasseh seduced them to do more evil before the Lord than did the nations whom the Lord cast out from the face of the children of Israel. And the Lord spake concerning Manasseh and concerning His people by the hand of His servants the prophets, saying, Because Manasseh king of Judah has done all these wicked abominations in a higher degree than the Amorite did which was before him, and hath made Judah to sin with his idols, thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Behold, I bring evils upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of them, both his ears shall tingle. And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab; and I will blot out Jerusalem as a table-book is blotted out by wiping it. And I will turn it upside down; and I will give up the remnant of my inheritance, and will deliver them into the hands of their enemies, and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies, because of all the evils which they have done in mine eyes, and have provoked me to anger from the day that I brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt even until this day. Moreover, Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another, beside his sins wherewith he made Judah to sin in doing evil in the sight of the Lord. And the Lord brought upon him the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, and they caught Manasseh in bonds, and they bound him in fetters of brass, and brought him to Babylon; and he was bound and shackled with iron all over in the house of the prison. And bread made of bran was given unto him scantily, and by weight, and water mixed with vinegar but a little and by measure, so much as would keep him alive; and he was in straits and sore affliction. And when he was violently afflicted, he besought the face of the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the face of the Lord God of his fathers. And he prayed unto the Lord, saying, O Lord, almighty God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and of their righteous seed, who hast made heaven and earth, with all the ornament thereof, who hast bound the sea by the word of Thy commandment, who hast shut up the deep, and sealed it by Thy terrible and glorious name, whom all men fear and tremble before Thy power; for the majesty of Thy glory cannot be borne, and Thine angry threatening towards sinners is insupportable. But Thy merciful promise is unmeasurable and unsearchable; for Thou art  the most high Lord ,  125  Not in mss. of great compassion, long-suffering, very merciful, and repentest of the evils of men. Thou, O Lord, according to Thy great goodness, hast promised repentance and forgiveness to them that have sinned against Thee, and of Thine infinite mercy hast appointed repentance unto sinners, that they may be saved. Thou therefore, O Lord, that art the God of the just, has not appointed repentance to the just as to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, which have not sinned against Thee; but Thou hast appointed repentance unto me that am a sinner: for I have sinned above the number of the sands of the sea. My transgressions, O Lord, are multiplied; my transgressions are multiplied, and I am not worthy to behold and see the height of heaven for the multitude of mine iniquity. I am bowed down with many iron bands; for I have provoked Thy wrath, and done evil before Thee, setting up abominations, and multiplying offences. Now, therefore, I bow the knee of mine heart, beseeching Thee of grace. I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, and I acknowledge mine iniquities; wherefore I humbly beseech Thee, forgive me, O Lord, forgive me, and destroy me not with mine iniquities. Be not angry with me for ever, by reserving evil for me; neither condemn me into the lower part of the earth. For Thou art the God, even the God of them that repent, and in me Thou wilt show Thy goodness; for Thou wilt save me that am unworthy, according to Thy great mercy. Therefore I will praise Thee for ever all the days of my life; for all the powers of the heavens do praise Thee, and Thine is the glory for ever and ever. Amen. And the Lord heard his voice, and had compassion upon him. And there appeared a flame of fire about him, and all the iron shackles and chains which were about him fell off; and the Lord healed Manasseh from his affliction, and brought him back to Jerusalem unto his kingdom: and Manasseh knew that the Lord He is God alone. And he worshipped the Lord God alone with all his heart, and with all his soul, all the days of his life; and he was esteemed righteous. And he took away the strange gods and the graven image out of the house of the Lord, and all the altars which he had built in the house of the Lord, and all the altars in Jerusalem, and he cast them out of the city. And he repaired the altar of the Lord, and sacrificed thereon peace-offerings and thank-offerings. And Manasseh spake to Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel. And he slept in peace with his fathers; and Amon his son reigned in his stead. And he did evil in the sight of the Lord according to all things that Manasseh his father had done in the former part of his reign. And he provoked the Lord his God to anger.”  126  Kings xx., xxi.; 2 Chron. xxxii., xxxiii.

Ye have heard, our beloved children, how the Lord God for a while punished him that was addicted to idols, and had slain many innocent persons; and yet that He received him when he repented, and forgave him his offences, and restored him to his kingdom. For He not only forgives the penitent, but reinstates them in their former dignity.

121 2 Sam. xii. 13.
122 Jonah i. 17, and ii.
123 From “said” to “ever” is not in Scripture.
124 Taken from 2 Chron. xxiii. 3, LXX., instead of the reading of the mss. “Gebanai.”
125 Not in mss.
126 Kings xx., xxi.; 2 Chron. xxxii., xxxiii.

[22] Χρὴ δέ σε, ὦ ἐπίσκοπε, πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν ἔχειν καὶ τὰ προωδευκότα καὶ ἐμπείρως αὐτοῖς κεχρῆσθαι πρὸς νουθεσίαν τῶν στυπτικῶν ἢ παρακλητικῶν δεομένων λόγων: ἔτι καὶ ἐν τῷ κρίνειν σε δίκαιον τῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐξακολουθεῖν θελήματι, καὶ ᾗ ὁ Θεὸς δικάζει τοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας καὶ ἐπιστρέφοντας, παραπλησίως καὶ σὲ κρίνειν. Ἢ γὰρ οὐχὶ καὶ τὸν Δαυὶδ ὀλισθήσαντα ὀνειδίσας διὰ τοῦ Νάθαν καὶ εἰπόντα μετανοεῖν εὐθὺς καὶ τοῦ θανάτου λυτροῦται λέγων: «Θάρσει, οὐ μὴ ἀποθάνῃς»; Ἰωνᾶν μὴ θελήσαντα Νινευίταις κηρῦξαι ὑπὸ θαλάσσης καὶ κήτους καταποθῆναι ποιήσας, εὐξαμένου ἐν κοιλίᾳ, ἀνήγαγεν ἐκ φθορᾶς τὴν ζωὴν αὐτοῦ; Ἐζεκίαν πρὸς ὀλίγον τυφωθέντα, εὐξάμενον μετὰ δακρύων, ἀφῆκεν τοῦ ἐγκλήματος; Ἀκούσατε δή, ὦ ἐπίσκοποι, πρὸς τὰ τοιαῦτα ὠφέλιμον ὑπόδειγμα: γέγραπται γὰρ ἐν τῇ τετάρτῃ τῶν Βασιλειῶν καὶ ἐν τῇ δευτέρᾳ τῶν Παραλειπομένων τῇ τῶν ἡμερῶν οὕτως: «Μανασσῆς υἱὸς Ἐζεκίου ἐν τῷ βασιλεύειν αὐτὸν δωδεκαετής, καὶ πεντήκοντα πέντε ἔτη ἐβασίλευσεν ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ, καὶ ὄνομα τῇ μητρὶ αὐτοῦ Ἐψιβά. Καὶ ἐποίησεν τὸ πονηρὸν ἐνώπιον Κυρίου καὶ οὐκ ἀπέστρεψεν ἀπὸ τῶν βδελυγμάτων τῶν ἐθνῶν ὧν ἐξωλόθρευσεν Κύριος ἀπὸ προσώπου τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ: καὶ ἐπέστρεψεν Μανασσῆς καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν τὰ ὑψηλά, ἃ κατέσπασεν Ἐζεκίας ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔστησεν στήλας τῇ Βάαλ καὶ ἀνέστησεν θυσιαστήριον τῇ Βάαλ, καὶ ἐποίησεν ἄλση, καθὼς ἐποίησεν Ἀχαὰβ βασιλεὺς Ἰσραήλ: καὶ ἐποίησεν θυσιαστήρια πάσῃ τῇ στρατιᾷ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν θυσιαστήριον ἐν οἴκῳ Κυρίου, ἐν ᾧ εἶπεν Κύριος πρὸς Δαυὶδ καὶ πρὸς Σολομῶνα τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ λέγων, ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ θήσω τὸ ὄνομά μου. Καὶ ἔστησεν Μανασσῆς θυσιαστήρια, καὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐδούλευσεν τῇ Βάαλ, καὶ εἶπεν: Ἔσται τὸ ὄνομά μου εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. Καὶ ᾠκοδόμησε θυσιαστήρια ἐν ταῖς δυσὶν αὐλαῖς οἴκου Κυρίου τῇ στρατιᾷ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ: καὶ αὐτὸς διῆγεν τὰ τέκνα αὐτοῦ ἐν πυρὶ ἐν Γὲ Βενεννόμ, καὶ ἐκληδονίζετο καὶ ἐφαρμακεύετο καὶ ἐποίησεν ἐγγαστριμύθους καὶ ἐπαοιδοὺς καὶ γνώστας καὶ θεραφείν, καὶ ἐπλήθυνεν τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ πονηρὸν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς Κυρίου τοῦ παροργίσαι αὐτόν. Καὶ ἔθηκεν τὸν χωνευτὸν καὶ τὸν γλυπτὸν τοῦ ἄλσους, τὴν εἰκόνα ἣν ἐποίησεν, ἐν οἴκῳ Κυρίου, ἐν ᾧ ἐξελέξατο Κύριος θέσθαι τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἐκεῖ ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ τῇ ἁγίᾳ πόλει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, καὶ εἶπεν: Οὐ προσθήσω τὸν πόδα μου σαλεῦσαι ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς Ἰσραὴλ, ἣν ἔδωκα τοῖς πατράσιν αὐτῶν, πλὴν ἐὰν φυλάξωνται κατὰ πάντα ὅσα ἐνετειλάμην αὐτοῖς, κατὰ πᾶσαν ἐντολήν, ἣν ἐνετείλατο Μωϋσῆς ὁ δοῦλός μου. Καὶ οὐκ ἤκουσαν, καὶ ἐπλάνησεν αὐτοὺς Μανασσῆς τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ πονηρὸν ἐνώπιον Κυρίου ὑπὲρ τὰ ἔθνη ἃ ἐξῆρεν Κύριος ἀπὸ προσώπου τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ. Καὶ ἐλάλησεν Κύριος ἐπὶ Μανασσῆν καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν χειρὶ δούλων αὐτοῦ τῶν προφητῶν λέγων: Ἀνθ' ὧν ὅσα ἐποίησεν Μανασσῆς ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἰούδα τὰ βδελύγματα τὰ πονηρὰ ταῦτα ἀπὸ πάντων ὧν ἐποίησεν ὁ Ἀμορραῖος ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐξήμαρτεν τὸν Ἰούδαν ἐν τοῖς εἰδώλοις αὐτοῦ, τάδε λέγει Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς Ἰσραήλ: Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ φέρω κακὰ ἐπὶ Ἱερουσαλὴμ καὶ Ἰούδαν, ὥστε παντὸς ἀκούοντος αὐτὰ ἠχήσει ἀμφότερα τὰ ὦτα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐκτενῶ ἐπὶ Ἱερουσαλὴμ τὸ μέτρον Σαμαρείας καὶ τὸν σταθμὸν τοῦ οἴκου Ἀχαάβ, καὶ ἀπαλείψω τὴν Ἱερουσαλήμ, καθὼς ἀπαλείφεται τὸ πυξίον ἀπαλειφόμενον, καὶ καταστρέψω ἐπὶ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀποδώσομαι τὸ ὑπόλειμμα τῆς κληρονομίας μου, καὶ παραδώσω αὐτοὺς εἰς χεῖρας ἐχθρῶν αὐτῶν, καὶ ἔσονται εἰς διαρπαγὴν καὶ προνομὴν πᾶσι τοῖς ἐχθροῖς αὐτῶν: ἀνθ' ὧν ὅσα ἐποίησαν πονηρὰ ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς μου, καὶ ἦσαν παροργίζοντές με ἀφ' ἧς ἡμέρας ἐξήγαγον τοὺς πατέρας αὐτῶν ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου καὶ ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης». «Καί γε αἷμα ἀθῶον ἐξέχεεν Μανασσῆς πολὺ σφόδρα, ἕως οὗ ἐπλήρωσεν τὴν Ἱερουσαλὴμ στόμα ἐπὶ στόματι, πλὴν ἀπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτοῦ ὧν ἐξήμαρτεν τὸν Ἰούδαν ποιῆσαι τὸ πονηρὸν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς Κυρίου. Καὶ ἤγαγεν Κύριος ἐπ' αὐτὸν τοὺς ἄρχοντας τῆς δυνάμεως τοῦ βασιλέως Ἀσούρ, καὶ κατελάβοντο τὸν Μανασσῆν ἐν δεσμοῖς καὶ ἔδησαν αὐτὸν ἐν πέδαις χαλκαῖς καὶ ἤγαγον αὐτὸν εἰς Βαβυλῶνα.» Καὶ ἦν δεδεμένος καὶ κατασεσιδηρωμένος ὅλος ἐν οἴκῳ φυλακῆς, καὶ ἐδίδοτο αὐτῷ ἐκ πιτύρων ἄρτος ἐν σταθμῷ βραχὺς καὶ ὕδωρ σὺν ὄξει ὀλίγον ἐν μέτρῳ, ὥστε ζῆν αὐτόν, καὶ ἦν συνεχόμενος καὶ ὀδυνώμενος σφόδρα. Καὶ ὡς βιαίως ἐθλίβη, ἐζήτησεν τὸ πρόσωπον Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐταπεινώθη σφόδρα ἀπὸ προσώπου Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν πατέρων αὐτοῦ, καὶ προσηύξατο πρὸς Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν λέγων: «Κύριε παντοκράτορ, ὁ Θεὸς τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν, τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἰακὼβ καὶ τοῦ σπέρματος αὐτῶν τοῦ δικαίου, ὁ ποιήσας τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν σὺν παντὶ τῷ κόσμῳ αὐτῶν, ὁ πεδήσας τὴν θάλασσαν τῷ λόγῳ τοῦ προστάγματός σου, ὁ κλείσας τὴν ἄβυσσον καὶ σφραγισάμενος αὐτὴν τῷ φοβερῷ καὶ ἐνδόξῳ ὀνόματί σου, ὃν πάντα φρίσσει καὶ τρέμει ἀπὸ προσώπου δυνάμεώς σου, ὅτι ἄστεκτος ἡ μεγαλοπρέπεια τῆς δόξης σου καὶ ἀνυπόστατος ἡ ὀργὴ τῆς ἐπὶ ἁμαρτωλοὺς ἀπειλῆς σου, ἀμέτρητόν τε καὶ ἀνεξιχνίαστον τὸ ἔλεος τῆς ἐπαγγελίας σου: ὅτι σὺ εἶ Κύριος μακρόθυμος, εὔσπλαγχνος καὶ πολυέλεος, μετανοῶν ἐπὶ ταῖς κακίαις τῶν ἀνθρώπων: ὅτι σύ, ὁ Θεός, κατὰ τὴν χρηστότητα τῆς ἀγαθωσύνης σου ἐπηγγείλω μετανοίας ἄφεσιν τοῖς ἡμαρτηκόσιν, καὶ τῷ πλήθει τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν σου ὥρισας μετάνοιαν ἁμαρτωλοῖς εἰς σωτηρίαν. Σὺ οὖν, Κύριε ὁ Θεὸς τῶν δικαίων, οὐκ ἔθου μετάνοιαν δικαίοις, τῷ Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἰακώβ, τοῖς οὐχ ἡμαρτηκόσιν σοι, ἀλλ' ἔθου μετάνοιαν ἐπ' ἐμοὶ τῷ ἁμαρτωλῷ, διότι ἥμαρτον ὑπὲρ ἀριθμὸν ψάμμου θαλάσσης. Ἐπλήθυναν αἱ ἀνομίαι μου, Κύριε, ἐπλήθυναν αἱ ἀνομίαι μου, καὶ οὐκέτι εἰμὶ ἄξιος ἀτενίσαι καὶ ἰδεῖν τὸ ὕψος τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἀπὸ πλήθους τῶν ἀδικιῶν μου, κατακαμπτόμενος πολλῷ δεσμῷ σιδηρῷ, διότι παρώργισα τὸν θυμόν σου καὶ τὸ πονηρὸν ἐνώπιόν σου ἐποίησα στήσας βδελύγματα καὶ πληθύνας προσοχθίσματα. Καὶ νῦν κλίνω γόνυ καρδίας μου, δεόμενος τῆς παρὰ σοῦ χρηστότητος. Ἡμάρτηκα, Κύριε, ἡμάρτηκα, καὶ τὰς ἀνομίας μου ἐγὼ γινώσκω: ἀλλ' αἰτοῦμαι δεόμενός σου: ἄνες μοι, Κύριε, ἄνες μοι, καὶ μὴ συναπολέσῃς με ταῖς ἀνομίαις μου, μηδὲ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα μηνίσας τηρήσῃς τὰ κακά μοι, μηδὲ καταδικάσῃς με ἐν τοῖς κατωτάτοις τῆς γῆς: ὅτι σὺ εἶ ὁ Θεὸς τῶν μετανοούντων, καὶ ἐν ἐμοὶ δείξεις πᾶσαν τὴν ἀγαθωσύνην σου, ὅτι ἀνάξιον ὄντα σώσεις με κατὰ τὸ πολὺ ἔλεός σου: καὶ αἰνέσω σε διαπαντὸς ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ἡμέραις τῆς ζωῆς μου, ὅτι σὲ ὑμνεῖ πᾶσα ἡ δύναμις τῶν οὐρανῶν καὶ σοῦ ἐστιν ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας: ἀμήν.» Καὶ ἐπήκουσεν Κύριος τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ καὶ ᾠκτείρησεν αὐτόν: καὶ ἐγένετο περὶ αὐτὸν φλὸξ πυρός, καὶ ἐτάκησαν πάντα τὰ περὶ αὐτὸν σίδηρα, καὶ ἰάσατο Κύριος τὸν Μανασσῆν ἐκ τῆς θλίψεως αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπέστρεψεν αὐτὸν εἰς Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐπὶ τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ἔγνω Μανασσῆς, ὅτι Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς αὐτός ἐστιν Θεὸς μόνος, καὶ ἐλάτρευσεν μόνῳ Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ ψυχῇ αὐτοῦ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐλογίσθη δίκαιος. Καὶ περιεῖλεν τοὺς θεοὺς τοὺς ἀλλοτρίους καὶ τὸ γλυπτὸν ἐξ οἴκου Κυρίου καὶ πάντα τὰ θυσιαστήρια, ἃ ᾠκοδόμησεν ἐν ὄρει οἴκου Κυρίου καὶ ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ, καὶ ἐξέβαλεν ἔξω τῆς πόλεως: καὶ κατώρθωσε τὸ θυσιαστήριον Κυρίου, καὶ ἐθυσίασεν ἐπ' αὐτῷ θυσίαν σωτηρίου καὶ αἰνέσεως, καὶ εἶπεν Μανασσῆς τῷ Ἰούδᾳ τοῦ δουλεύειν Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ Ἰσραήλ. Καὶ ἐκοιμήθη ἐν εἰρήνῃ μετὰ τῶν πατέρων αὐτοῦ: καὶ ἐβασίλευσεν Ἀμὼς ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ἀντ' αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐποίησεν τὸ πονηρὸν ἐνώπιον Κυρίου κατὰ πάντα, ὅσα ἐποίησε ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ ἐν πρώτοις, καὶ παρώξυνεν Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν αὐτοῦ«.