Chapter 33

1But we, as children of God and sons of peace, preach this holy word to those who are uprightly obedient. We believe in one God, the Maker of the whole creation and the Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. His existence is without cause [?], as we said before, and he exists at all times, without beginning or end. In him is unquenchable light, and no one can approach him. He is not two or three, nor can he be increased, but he alone is one and abides forever. Yet he is not a hidden being who cannot be known. Rather, we have learned with certainty from the Law and the prophets that he is Almighty and the Ruler of the whole creation. He is the one God, the Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who was begotten before the world was created: the only-begotten Son, equal with him, the Maker of all hosts, powers, and dominions. In the latter days he was pleased to become human. He took flesh from the holy Virgin Mary, without the seed of a man, and grew up among human beings without sin or trespass, nor was there deceit in his mouth. Afterward he suffered and died sinlessly in the flesh, rose from the dead on the third day, ascended into heaven to the Father who had sent him, and sat down at the right hand of power. He sent us the Paraclete.

2For in those days ungodliness grew strong and led many astray, so that the Church was disturbed. Then we, the twelve apostles, gathered together in Jerusalem and appointed Matthias in the place of Judas Iscariot, as it is written, “Let another take his office.” We assembled with James, our Lord’s brother and the bishop of Jerusalem, and took counsel with the presbyters about speaking words of admonition to the people. Some had gone out from Judaea to Antioch to teach the brethren there, saying, “Unless you are circumcised according to the Law of Moses and walk according to his ordinance, you cannot be saved.” Enmity and strife arose. When the brethren in Antioch learned that we had gathered and had inquired into this matter, they sent us faithful men who knew the Holy Scriptures, so that the matter might be investigated. They came to us in Jerusalem and told us everything that had happened in Antioch. Some said to them, “You must be circumcised and do what is prescribed in the ordinances of the Law.” But I, Peter, stood up and said to the people, “Brethren, you know that God chose the Gentiles who listened to the preaching of the Gospel and believed, and God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them. An angel of the Lord appeared to Cornelius the centurion and told him to send for me, so that he might hear the word of life from my mouth. He sent for me in the city of Joppa and brought me to Caesarea. Before I came to him, I stood on a high place and prayed. I saw heaven opened, and a great sheet descended to the earth, held by its corners. In it were creeping things, beasts, and birds of heaven. I heard a voice saying, ‘Arise, Peter; kill and eat.’ But I said, ‘Nothing defiled or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ The voice came again and said, ‘What God has cleansed, do not count as unclean,’ and the whole sheet was drawn up again into heaven. While I was thinking, ‘What is this thing that has appeared to me?’ the Holy Spirit said to me, ‘Some men are looking for you. Arise and go with them without doubting, for I have sent them to you.’ These were the men whom the centurion had sent. Then I considered in my heart and believed what Scripture says: ‘Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ Again it says, ‘Let all the ends of the earth remember and turn to the Lord, and let all the lands of the nations worship before him; for the kingdom is the Lord’s, and he will judge the nations.’ I also remembered what is written concerning the calling of the Gentiles. I went with them, entered the man’s house, and preached the word. Immediately the Holy Spirit descended upon him and upon all who were with him, just as he had descended upon us. There was no distinction between us in faith or in the purification of our hearts. I perceived that God shows no partiality, but that people of every nation who fear God and do righteousness are well-pleasing before him.” Then the faithful stood up and said, “How long will you put God to the test and lay on the shoulders of the Gentiles a heavy burden that they cannot bear? We believe that we will be saved by grace, just as they will. The Lord has released us from the bond of sin and has lightened and removed the heavy burden from us.” When he had said this, all the people were silent.

3Then James, the brother of our Lord, answered them: “Listen to what I say to you. Simeon has already declared how God chose the Gentiles as his inheritance, as it is written: ‘I will come and rebuild the house of David, which lies in ruins, and I will raise up those who have fallen, so that all the Gentiles upon whom my name is called may turn to the Lord, says the Lord.’ Therefore I say to you: Lay no burden on the Gentiles who have turned to God, but command them to abstain from everything unclean, from eating what dies of itself or has been sacrificed to false gods, from fornication, and from what is not commanded in the Law and is not written in the book of the fathers—Enosh, Enoch, Noah, Melchizedek, Job, and others like them.” Then the apostles, James the bishop of Jerusalem, and the presbyters of the Church agreed. They chose from among us men to send with Barnabas and Paul the tentmaker: Judas, who was called Barsabbas, and Silas, who had been chosen from among the brethren.

4Then we wrote and sent a letter to the brethren in the churches of Antioch and Syria, saying: “Peace to you. We have heard that some have troubled your souls with words, though we gave them no such commandment. Therefore, having come to an agreement, we have chosen men to send to you with our brethren Barnabas and Paul, men who have surrendered their lives for the sake of Jesus Christ. We have sent Judas and Silas so that they may tell you these things. For the Holy Spirit has agreed with us that we should lay no burden upon you or add any other charge except this alone: that people should abstain from anything sacrificed to false gods, from what dies of itself, from blood, and from fornication; and that they should not do to their neighbours what they hate for themselves. Take heed to these things, and peace be with you.” We sent this letter, but we laboured in Jerusalem for many days, desiring to do what was good for us and for you [?].

5After a few days we visited the brethren, strengthened them with words of admonition, and commanded them to keep far from those who blasphemed the name of the Lord and spoke against Moses. Such people are ravening wolves who disguise themselves as sheep. They strive against the Lord, Moses, and the prophets. They are false Christs, false prophets, and lying apostles who destroy the nations, bow themselves down to the earth, devise every kind of evil, and plunder the holy vineyard. Because of them, the love of many will grow cold; but whoever patiently endures to the end will be saved. Concerning them our Lord commanded us, saying, “Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravening wolves. You will know them by their fruit.” For this reason we have all assembled in one place. We are the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: Peter and Andrew; James and John, the sons of Zebedee; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Cananaean; Thaddaeus and Matthias, who was numbered with us and appointed in place of Judas Iscariot; James the brother of our Lord Jesus Christ and bishop of Jerusalem; and Paul, the chosen vessel and teacher of the Gentiles. Having gathered in one place, we have sent you this holy message.

6You also, faithful brethren, have believed in Christ, through whom all things came to be. Now we tell you that there is one God Almighty and no other god besides him. We teach you to worship and adore him, to serve Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, and to read the Holy Scriptures of the Law and the prophets. Honour your parents and abstain from everything that opposes the Law. Believe in the resurrection and the day of judgment, and wait in hope for the time when he will repay everyone according to his works.

7The whole creation comes from God, not from Satan; but all evil comes from Satan. In lawful marriage there is neither defilement nor loss. Rather, marriage comes from God, for in the beginning he created male and female. For this reason it is said, “Let a man leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife, and let the two be one flesh.” After a man has married, he must not put away his wife except for fornication, for “she is your spirit and your flesh, for I created them and not another.” Again it says, “What God has joined together, let no one separate.” Whoever separates himself from his wife, dividing the one flesh, has transgressed God’s commandment. Whoever marries a divorced woman has defiled his flesh, and whoever cleaves to an adulteress has altogether transgressed the Law. Cut the adulteress off from your flesh, for she is not yours. Therefore do not defile your flesh, for circumcision of the heart in a pure spirit is sufficient for the faithful.

8[…] into the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Do not receive baptism at the hands of apostates from the faith. There is one baptism and one God, the Father, together with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit. The death of Jesus in the flesh is one; likewise, let the baptism you have received into his death be one. Whoever does not believe and does not act in this way will have his portion with the ungodly in their evil doctrine. To those who act in this way God says, “Because you have rejected my doctrine, I also will reject and forsake you, and I will not make you priests for me.” Those baptized by them are not cleansed but remain unclean, and they have no remission of sin. The same is true of those who receive a second baptism, make a mockery of the work of Christ, despise holy things, blaspheme against the Holy Spirit, count his precious blood unclean, and set at nothing his sufferings and testimony. But those who do not believe and are not baptized into the right faith are transgressors of the Law and are condemned, for they reproach him and do not give him thanks. Our Lord says, “Whoever is not born again of water and the Holy Spirit cannot enter the Kingdom of heaven”; but “whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, and whoever does not believe will be condemned.”

9Whoever says, “I will be baptized later,” and makes light of baptism will be condemned and separated from God. Do not delay turning to the Lord, for no one knows what will come upon him. Baptize your children while they are infants, feed them with spiritual food, and bring them up with admonition and wisdom, for it is said, “Permit the little children; do not forbid them to come to me.”

10Beloved brethren, we have written all this to you so that you may understand wisdom and knowledge and not accept the idle words that the ungodly put forward in our name. Do not say, “We have apostles who will pray for us,” but examine whether their deeds are right. Some perform many mighty works in the name of Christ, yet those works are full of the poison of death. They are like Simon the Sorcerer, [Cleobius], and those associated with them in every place, who lead people astray. [You also are those who have loved Christ; we are his servants.] Others among the ancients have written apocryphal books attributed to Moses, Enoch, Adam, Seth, Isaiah, David, Elijah, and the three patriarchs, who strove against those who transgressed the Law. Certain others have written vain books. They consider themselves elect and pure and say, “Our Scriptures are sure,” although they themselves are unclean. Keep far from those who do such things, lest you be condemned with those who have written books to lead astray the faithful, who are blameless disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ.

11We have said concerning bishops and presbyters that they should have lived with one wife before ordination, but that after ordination they must not marry. We also command that the servants obedient to the Church—subdeacons, readers, and doorkeepers—should live with one wife and in one marriage. After they have received baptism and ordination, they must not sin, lest they fall under condemnation. We command that they must not marry a harlot, a servant, a divorced woman, or a widow, as it is written in the Law. A deaconess, moreover, is to be a pure virgin or a faithful widow who was married to one man. Such women ought to be appointed. Also receive women who turn away from sin. This is the will of God in Jesus Christ.

12As for catechumens, when they understand the teaching, baptize them into the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Command the faithful to separate themselves from those who do not serve God and not to have fellowship with them in anything, whether in counsel, speech, or prayer. Put them out of the Church of God, for they are strangers—evil and corrupt people who destroy the sheep of Christ’s flock. Concerning them the wise Solomon says, “Woe to the unbelieving who consider themselves wise, for their latter end comes to the condemnation of Sheol.” These are the people who teach false doctrine and blaspheme against the Holy Spirit. The portion of the inheritance they received from him has been taken from them, and they have forgiveness neither in this world nor in the world to come. They have transgressed more grievously than the Jews and the heathen, for they have blasphemed against God, the Creator of all things who is above all. They have risen against his Son, denied the Holy Spirit, nullified the Holy Scriptures, made blasphemy their portion, and plundered the Church of Christ. These are the foxes that spoil the vineyard. We command you to keep far from them.

13Whoever follows a wise person will become wise like him, but whoever follows a fool will become a fool like him. You must not dwell with robbers or share in the deeds of adulterers. Hear what holy David says: “O Lord, I have hated those who hate you, and I have been troubled because of your enemies. I have hated them with a perfect hatred, and they have become my enemies.” God cursed Jehoshaphat because he loved and helped King Ahab; and through the prophet he said to King [Uzziah], “You have helped a sinner. Will you then save the one whom the Lord has hated?” Therefore the Lord’s anger came upon him quickly. Because his heart was not right with him, his works were diminished on the earth. Keep far from them, and [do not?] receive their greeting. Concerning them he says, “The wicked have no rejoicing before God.” They are ravening wolves and dogs that have no mercy. When the day draws near and the hour comes, they will become evil, just as our Lord says in the Gospel: “In the latter days faith and love will diminish, sin will multiply, and false Christs and false prophets will come. They will perform signs in heaven and lead many of the elect astray.” Let us therefore pray to God, through Jesus Christ, to save us from their error and deliver us from the ungodly people, so that we may strengthen the Church, save many, and heal them through abundant admonition and the word of grace. But those who did not receive our preaching could not be healed and have gone out from the flock, lest they corrupt other undefiled sheep in whom there was no blemish.

14Thus we have ordained in every land and have set forth for you this right doctrine of the Didascalia in truth and purity, as a memorial for those who have believed in our Lord Jesus Christ. We have sent it with Clement the beloved, the elect Barnabas, our beloved son Timothy, the blessed Mark, and with them Titus, Luke, Jason, Lucius, and Sosipater. We therefore beseech you: imitate them and listen to their words. Shun your former way of life, for the former things have passed away. Become new yourselves, for you have known our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom all things came to be. He has given us a pure law for the salvation of our souls, in which he placed his own perfect name, without division, defect, change, or spot, and which converts souls.

15When the Hebrews forgot this, he gave them a reminder through the prophet Malachi, who says, “Remember the Law of Moses, the man of God, who commanded you these ordinances of righteousness and holiness.” But our Lord Jesus Christ did not abolish or diminish the ordinances of the Law. Rather, he said, “Not one word will pass from the Law until all this is fulfilled.” Again he says, “I have not come to abolish the Law and the prophets, but to fulfil them.” Moses the lawgiver, prophet, and king, and Elijah the prophet appeared with our Lord when he was transfigured before them. As friends and members of his household, not as strangers, they bore witness concerning his passion, death, and incarnation. The Lord gave the ordinance, the ten words that are in the Law and the holy prophets, and they continually heard his voice before they made for themselves the calf that the Egyptians called Apis. The ordinance is righteous and was therefore called the Law, and he judges uprightly. Simon and those with him hate this ordinance and praise themselves, but they will descend to Gehenna.

16The Law is good and holy, for he says, “If you make an altar for me, build it for me in the land.” He does not say, “Build for me,” except [the reading is damaged here] “out of the land of Egypt.” They worshipped a calf in their foolishness, and the loving God sent Moses to them and brought them out of severe affliction. God performed signs by the hand of Moses his servant and with the rod that destroyed the Egyptians through the ten plagues. With it Moses divided the Red Sea and made the people cross on dry ground, as though on a course for horses, while he overwhelmed their enemies in it. He made the spring of bitter water sweet, split the rock, and caused water to pour out for them. By day he overshadowed them with a cloud, and by night with a pillar of fire. He gave them light and led them, though they did not know where they were going. He brought down manna from heaven for them to eat, gave them flesh like dust, gave them the Law in the wilderness, and prepared them to hear his voice. Yet they forsook the one who had done all this and said to Aaron, “Make us gods who will go with us.” Aaron made them a calf, and they bowed before it. God knew that they felt no gratitude for all he had done for them, so they were bound with bonds that could not be loosened and cast into a net from which there was no escape.

17God said to them, “When you make an altar, offer sacrifices upon it at all times.” For he says, “You forgot the God who saved you and gave no thanks to my name. Therefore present your offerings, so that there you may remember to give thanks to my name. Do not substitute an unclean animal for a clean one. If you do so, I will bring severe punishment upon you, as upon an evil, slothful, and foolish servant, and you will [not?] be bound with the bonds of the commandment.” Take heed, therefore, and do not fall into the error of worshipping many gods, lest the saying come upon you: “Where is your God, O Israel?” Remember what is written: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God is one.” Abide in this ordinance and know that there is no other god besides him in heaven or on earth. Love him with all your heart, all your strength, and all your mind. Fear him alone. Do not set the names of strange gods in your heart or mention them with your mouth. Because of the deceit in their hearts, God bound them.

18But as for you, since you have known the one God with a pure heart and sound understanding and have heard the voice of the Saviour, blessed are your eyes because they have seen and your ears because they have heard. You have been released from the bonds and freed from servitude. Moreover, he says, “I will no longer call you my servants, for a servant does not know what his lord is doing; but you are my friends. I have taught you everything I heard from my Father.” But those who do not desire to see or hear have hardened hearts and are far from him. Blessed are you from whom God has taken away his curse. Christ the Son of God came, established and fulfilled the Law, removed the heavy burden that was in it, saved us, freed us from the service of sin, had mercy on us, and gave us eternal life. Again he says, “Whoever wishes to come after me, let him await my second coming.” But he did not accept the sacrifices and offerings presented by the nations, even though they often offered to him. They thought that by multiplying sacrifices they would be saved from the scourge of God’s anger without repentance.

19Moreover, it is said, “Why do you bring me incense from Saba and cinnamon from a distant land? I take no pleasure in your sacrifices and will not accept your incense.” Again Isaiah says, “Why do you offer me your sacrifices? I am sated with the sacrifices of rams and oxen and with the fat of sheep. I do not desire the blood of oxen and goats. If you bring […], will you not show me who required this from your hands? You shall no longer tread the courts of my house. If you bring fine flour, it is in vain. I do not desire your incense, your feasts, your sabbaths, or your great day. I do not desire your fasts and prayers. My soul has hated [them], and you are an abomination to me.” Moreover, the prophet says, “Remove from me the sound of your anger.” Again Samuel the prophet said to Saul when he wished to sacrifice, “To listen is better than sacrifice, and knowledge is better than the fat of sheep. The Lord does not desire you to sacrifice to him, but rather to listen to his word.” David also says, “I will take no oxen from your house or rams from your flock, for all the beasts of the field are mine, as are the cattle and oxen of the field. I know all the birds of heaven, and the beauty of the field is with me. If I am hungry, I will not ask you, for the whole world and all its fullness are mine. I will not eat the flesh of oxen or drink the blood of goats. Sacrifice to God the sacrifice of praise, and send up your prayer to the Most High.” Scripture also says that he does not desire the incense of those who have sinned against him. The sacrifice of the ungodly, who offer contrary to the Law, is unclean before him, and everyone who eats from it is unclean. Above all, he desires a meek heart and a humble spirit, which are better than sacrifice. He therefore came to bring an end to the sacrifices of blood that they offered.

20For he said in the Law, “The Lord your God is one.” Again he said in the Gospel, “This is eternal life: that they should know the one true God.” He also said, “Love your neighbour as yourself,” and repeated it in the Gospel, saying, “I have given you a commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” In the Law he said, “You shall not kill,” but he has commanded us never to hate anyone. He who said, “You shall not commit adultery or desire your neighbour’s wife,” has commanded us [not even to look at a woman in order to lust after her]. He said, “You shall not steal,” but he has commanded us to abstain from every evil deed and to love our enemies. He who said, “You shall not repay evil to the one who injures you,” has commanded us to be at peace with everyone, for mercy is better than those who unjustly desire vengeance [?]. He said, “Honour your parents,” but he has commanded us to humble ourselves before everyone. He put an end to circumcision and himself fulfilled circumcision. He fulfilled the hope for which the whole world was waiting. He who said, “Fulfil your oath to the Lord,” has commanded us not to swear by anything. Instead of sacrifices of blood, he has given us a rational and bloodless offering. Instead of sacrifices offered in one place, he has commanded that our offering be made throughout the whole earth, from the rising of the sun to its setting. […]

21Moses says in the Law, “Read the words I have commanded you while you work, while you sit, while you stand, and while you walk on the road.” David also says, “His delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in his Law he meditates day and night.” Everywhere he has commanded them to do what is written in the Law and not to transgress the ordinance. Again it is said, “Blessed are those whose way is pure, who walk in his ways and seek him with all their heart.” Moreover, it is said in the Gospel, “Blessed are you if you do this.” For this reason the Law is revealed in righteousness and gives light to the whole world: to those who believe in our Lord, have forsaken the worship of idols, have kept far from wickedness, and have received all that is good.

22The Jews rejected the covenants. Their hearts were blinded, and they followed the way of those who said, “We have no king but Caesar,” and again, “If we leave this man alone, the Romans will come and take away our nation and our land.” They prophesied against him and said, “It is better for us to put one man to death than for the nation to perish.” Yet all nations have believed in him, and the Romans have taken away the Jews’ authority and all their ordinances. Therefore they are accursed because they have not been able to perform his commandment. Moreover, it is said, “Cursed is the one who does not perform all the commandments written in the book of the Law.”

23[The opening words of the sentence are missing.] They do not believe in Christ, the Son of God, but separate [?] his birth in the flesh, blaspheme against his sufferings in the flesh, revile his cross, mock his death, disbelieve his resurrection, and nullify his generation from the Father before the whole creation. [They say that in him there are flesh and soul, but not the Godhead.] Others say that Jesus Christ is above the whole creation and glorify him, saying that he alone is the Father; yet they also say that he is the Son and the Paraclete. Are these not more impious than all others? Still others say that the resurrection of the dead is a resurrection of souls without bodies. To them he says, “Depart into eternal fire.” Keep far from such people, beloved brethren, lest you be condemned together with them.

24[As for those who watch the stars, worship the host of heaven, and observe days and hours—will he accept their prayers and be pleased with their offerings? Will they read the Holy Scriptures? Such people are devoid [?] of the Holy Spirit, who abides in the hearts of the faithful. Solomon says concerning the saints, “Let them be prepared, if they sleep, to watch; if they sleep and awake, to be wise in truth and love.”]

25The Holy Spirit is not far from faithful Christian people from the day of their birth until they die. After childbirth, let a woman remain in her separation for seven days. But if she thinks in her heart, “How can the Holy Spirit abide upon me while I am unclean?” and if her faith grows weak and she is without good works, the Holy Spirit will not abide upon her. This matter is not a transgression of the Law. Marriage, the customary separation of women, and nocturnal emissions do not hinder the Holy Spirit. But the Holy Spirit will not abide with ungodly and unbelieving people who have transgressed the Law and its ordinances. Those who do not have the Holy Spirit are dwellings of unclean spirits; but the Holy Spirit abides upon those who have believed and hope in his second coming.

26[The Paraclete hates lies and every work, while the devil hates works of righteousness and goodness. Whoever is baptized in faith is separated from the spirit of Satan and becomes a dwelling of the Holy Spirit. Whoever does the will of the Holy Spirit is filled with wisdom and knowledge, and the unclean spirit cannot come near him. The unclean spirit loves those who are ungrateful, slothful, sinful, or sorcerers. Through his ingratitude the devil fell from his throne and was deprived of the glory of God. He chose to become Satan rather than remain an archangel.

27Therefore women ought to beware of every evil and vain thing, to remember God who created all things, to follow his Law, and not to perform the desires of the flesh except within lawful marriage. Beware of the counsel of evil people and of union with them. Therefore separate yourselves, beloved brethren, from all the heathen who practise evil, and keep far from them. Do not count the flesh of human corpses as an abomination. We believe that the dead will live and rise again. Likewise, lawful marriage is not an abomination, for the union of man and woman is righteous before God, who created man and woman, blessed them, and said to them, “Increase and multiply, and fill the earth.” We understand, therefore, that all these things come from God; without him nothing came to be.

28Nevertheless, the men of Sodom sinned. They perverted nature and committed abomination. Those who practise bestiality likewise sin, for this is unclean and is a transgression of the Law. Those who do such things will not escape punishment, for they defile pure marriage and do what is shameful and not commanded in the Law. As it is said, “They are joined to one another, man with man. They perform their own shame, and their iniquity will return upon their own heads.” Scripture says, “If any man lies with a man as with a woman, they have committed uncleanness; let both of them die the death”; “Whoever lies with a beast, let him die the death”; and “Whoever commits adultery with his neighbour’s wife, let him die the death,” for it is a shame in Israel. “They shall not offer the hire of a harlot or the price of a dog in the house of the Lord.” This is what the Law forbids, but marriage is pure. God blessed the union of man and woman. Solomon also says, “The union of man and man is abominable before the Lord.”

29David says, “Let your wife be like a pleasant vine in the chamber of your house, and your children like young olive plants around your table. See, this is how the man who fears the Lord will be blessed.” A man who loves God must not be subject to lust. Let women also obey their own husbands in love and fear, just as the blessed Sarah obeyed her husband Abraham and called him, “My lord.” She did not call him by his name, but said of him, “My lord is old.” Likewise, you men, love your wives, for they are your members and share with you in the begetting of children. It is said, “Love the wife of your youth as the deer loves the springs of water, for she is yours, is with you at all times, and is one of your members.” It is also said, “Take heed to yourselves, and do not forsake your wives.”

30As for the lawful union of husband and wife, when they rise from sleep, they must pay no attention to ceremonial washings but should instead give thought to prayer and supplication to God. But if a man lies with his neighbour’s wife or defiles himself with a harlot, then rises and washes himself in the sea and in all the waters of the rivers, he will not be able to cleanse himself. Rather, his portion will be eternal condemnation. Therefore pay no attention to laws concerning the flesh, for lawful marriage is not unclean. Do not seek after the way of the Jews, continually perform ceremonial washings, or practise their customary purifications.]