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The Didache: Teachings of the 12 Apostles



THE DIDACHE

Originally translated by Roswell D. Hitchcock and Ron Cameron

Teaching of the Messiyah to the nations through the twelve apostles.

ONE

Two ways there are, one of life and one of death, and there is a great difference between the two ways.

The way of life is indeed this: First, you will love Yahwah who made you. Secondly, you will love your neighbor as yourself. Now all the things that you do not want to have happen to you, you too do not do these to one another.

Now the teaching of these sayings is this: Praise those who curse you. Pray for your enemies, fast for those who are persecuting you. For what favor is it if you love those who love you? Don't the gentiles do the same? Love those who hate you, and you will have no enemies.

Hold yourself away from the fleshly and kosmic strong desires. If someone should give you a blow to your right cheek, turn to him the left one also, and you will be complete. If anyone should force you to go one mile, go with him two. If anyone takes your cloak, give him your tunic also. If anyone takes what is yours away from you, do not ask for it back. For neither are you able. Give to everyone who asks from you, and do not ask for it back. For the Father wants to give of His own free gifts to everyone.

Blessed is the one who gives according to the precept, for he is guiltless. Woe to the one who takes. If someone who has a need takes, he will be guiltless. The one who has no need will give a judgment as to why he took, and for what reason. He will come under arrest, and will be examined about what he did. And he will not go out from there until he pays the last quadrans. But it was also said about this: Let your charitable gifts sweat in your hands, until indeed you know who to give to.

Now the second precept of the teaching is: You will not murder. You will not commit adultery. You will not sodomize young boys. You will not have unlawful sex. You will not steal. Do not practice magic. Do not practice sorcery. Do not murder a child by abortion, nor destroy what is born. You will not strongly desire your neighbor's things. You will not make oaths. You will not bear false testimony. You will not say bad things. You will not remember bad things. You will not be double-minded or double-tongued, for the double-tongue is a snare of death. Your message is to not be false or empty, but being filled with practice. You should not be greedy nor a swindler, nor hypocrite, nor malicious, nor high-minded. You will not take evil counsel against your neighbor. You will not hate any people. You will reprove some, you will pray for some, and some you will love more than your life.

My child, flee from every evil thing, and from everything like it. Do not become angry, for anger is the way to murder. You should not be jealous, nor one who creates strife, nor emotional. For murders are born out of all of these.

My child, do not become strongly desirous, for strong desire is the way to sexual sin. Do not be a speaker of filth, nor high-eyed. For adulteries are born out of all of these.

My child, do not become someone who looks for omens, since it is the way to idolatry. Do not be an enchanter, nor an astrologer, nor a cleanser. Nor should you want to look at these things, for idolatry is born out of all of these things.

My child, do not become a liar, since lying is the way to theft. Do not be greedy, nor a lover of money, nor worthlessly conceited. For thefts are born out of all of these things. My child, do not become a grumbler, since it leads to evil speaking. Do not be assumers, nor evil-minded. For evil-speakings are born out of all of these.

But be meek, since the meek will inherit the land. Become longsuffering, merciful, guiltless, quiet, good, and throughout everything tremble at the sayings that you heard.

You will not exalt yourself, nor will you give over-boldness to your soul. Your soul will not cling with the high people, you will conduct yourself with the just and lowly ones. Accept the things that transpire to you as good workings, knowing that nothing happens without Yahwah.

My child, remember night and day the one who is speaking Yahwah's message to you. You will honor him as you would honor Yahwah. For where the worship is spoken, there is Yahwah. Seek out daily the faces of the set-apart ones, so that you would be refreshed by their words. You will not want division, but you will make peace with those who are fighting. You will judge justly. In giving a reproof of a wandering, you will not respect anyone's presence. You will not be two-souled regarding whether or not it should be. Do not become like one who stretches out his hands for taking, but who draws them in for giving. If you have, you will give a ransom for your sins by your hands. You will not hesitate to give, nor will you grumble while giving. For you will know who it is that is the nice payer of the reward. You will not turn away the one who is needy, you will share all things together with your brother, and you will not claim them to be your own things. If you are partners in what is immortal, how much more are you partners in what is mortal?

You will not take your hand away from your son or your daughter, but you will teach the fear of Yahwah from youth. You will not give directives to your slave or handmaid in your bitterness, these who are hoping in the same Yahwah. Otherwise they may not fear Yahwah who is over both of you. He is not coming to call people according to appearance, but upon those whom the Spirit made ready. Now you who are slaves should be submissive to your lords in sobriety and fear, as to a type of Yahwah.

You will hate every hypocrisy, all of what is not pleasing to Yahwah. You will by no means forget Yahwah's precepts, but you will guard what you have received, neither adding to them nor removing from them. You will acknowledge your wanderings in an assembly, you will not come forward to your prayer with an evil consciousness. This is The Way of life.

TWO

Now the way of death is this: First of all, it is evil, full of curses, murders, adulteries, strong desires, unlawful sex acts, thefts, idolatries, magic acts, sorceries, robberies, false testimonies, hypocrisies, two-heartedness, deceit, arrogance, badness, assumptions, greed, shameful speech, jealousy, an overbearing nature, loftiness, pride, persecutors of good. They hate truth and love falsehood, not knowing the reward of what is right, not clinging to good, nor to just judgment, watching for evil, not for good. Meekness and endurance are far from these people. They love worthless things, persuing revenge, not showing mercy to a poor person, not laboring for those who are weary, not knowing the one who made them, murderers of children, corrupters of molded images of gods, turning away those who are in need, oppressing the afflicted, comforters of the wealthy, lawless judges of the poor, universal sinners. Children, may you be rescued from all of these.

See to it that no one lead you astray from this way of the teaching, since it does not teach you without Yahwah. If you are able to bear the whole of Yahwah's yoke indeed, you will be complete. But if you are not able, do what you are able.

THREE

About food, bear what you are able to bear. Watch out for the idol-sacrifices, for this is a religious service of dead gods.

About baptism, baptize this way: after first uttering all of these things, baptize into the name of the Father and of the Son in running water. If you do not have running water, baptize in other water. Now if you are not able to do so in cold water, do it in warm water. Now if you don't have either, pour water three times on the head, into the name of the Father and the Son. Now before the ritual cleansing, the baptizer and the one being baptized should fast, and any others who are able. Now you will give word for the one who is being baptized to fast for one or two days beforehand.

Do not let your fasts be with the hypocrites. They fast on the second day of the week, and on the fifth. You fast on the fourth day, and the day of preparation. You should not pray like the hypocrites, but as Yahwah gave word in His good message. Pray like this: Our Father, the one who is in Heaven, your name is set-apart. Let your kingdom come. Let what you want be done on earth also, as in Heaven. Give us the bread we need today, and forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors. Don't carry us into trial, but rescue us from the evil one. Yours is the power and the glory for the age. Pray this way three times daily.

About the thanksgiving, give thanks this way:

First, about the cup: We thank you, our Father, for the holy vine of your boy David which you made known to us through your boy Yahushua. Glory be to you for the age.

About the broken loaf: We thank you, our Father, for the life and the knowledge that you made known to us through your boy Yahushua. Glory be to you for the age. Just as this broken loaf was scattered on top of the hills, and as it was gathered together and became one, in the same way let your assembly be gathered together from the remotest parts of the land into your kingdom. For your's is the glory and the power through Anointed Yahushua for the age. Now no one should either eat or drink from your thanksgiving meal, but those who are baptized into Yahushua's name. About this Yahushua said: Do not give what is holy to the dogs.

After you are filled, give thanks this way: We thank you, set-apart Father, for your set-apart name, which you made to live in our hearts, and for the knowledge, trust, and immortality you made known to us through Yahushua your boy. Glory be to you for the age.

Almighty master, it was you who created all for the sake of your name. You gave both food and drink to people for enjoyment, so that they might give thanks to you. You freely gave spiritual food, drink, and eternal life to us through your boy. Before all things, we are thankful to you that you are powerful. Glory be to you for the age.

O Father, remember your assembly which is made set-apart. Remember to rescue it from every evil, to make it complete in your love, and to gather it from the four winds into your kingdom which you prepared for it. Yours is the power and the glory for the age.

Let generosity come, and let this universe pass away. Hosanna to David's son! If someone is set-apart, let him come. If someone is not, he should change his mind. Marana-tha. A-mein. Now permit the prophets to give thanks as much as they want.

FOUR

Accept the one who comes and teaches you all of these things which were spoken previously. But if he, the teacher, should turn to teach another teaching, so as to release this one, do not listen to him. If he teaches to promote what is right and knowledge of Yahushua, accept him as you would Yahushua.

About the envoys and prophets, do just as according to the tenet of the good message. Now each envoy who comes to you, accept as you would Yahushua. He will not remain for one day. Now if there is need, also the next day. If he remains for three, he is a false prophet.

When the envoy departs, he should take nothing except bread, until he lodges. If he should ask for money, he is a false prophet.

You will not test or judge every prophet who speaks with the spirit, for every sin will be forgiven. But not everyone who speaks with the spirit is a prophet, but if he has the conduct of Yahushua. The false prophet and the prophet will be made known from their conduct. No prophet with the spirit who orders a meal eats from it, unless indeed he is a false prophet. Now every prophet who teaches the truth, if he does not do as he teaches, is a false prophet. Every prophet who is proved, who is true, who does things for the kosmic secrets of the assembly, but who does not teach to do as he does, will not be judged among you. The ancient prophets did it this way also. But whoever with the Spirit says: Give me money (or something else); you will not listen to him. If he says to give on behalf of others who are in need, no one should judge him.

Everyone who comes in Yahushua's name should be accepted. But afterward, you will examine him to know him. You will have understanding, right and left. If the one who comes is a traveller, help him as much as you are able. He will not remain with you except for two or three days, if there is a necessity. If he wants to dwell with you, since he is a craftsman, he should work to eat. If he has no craft, provide according to your understanding, so that no lazy person would be living among you as an Anointed. If he does not want to do this, he is one who profits financially from the Anointed One. Be careful about such people.

Every true prophet who wants to settle near you is worthy of his wage. In the same way, a true teacher is also worthy of his wage, just as the workman. Therefore, every foremost part of the products of the press and threshing floor, both of oxen and of sheep, you will take and give to the prophets. For they are your high priests.

If you do not have a prophet, give these to the poor. If you make baked bread, take the foremost part and give according to the precept. In the same way, when you open a jar of wine or of oil, take the foremost part and give to the prophets. Of money, clothing, and every possession, take the foremost part as you think it right, and give according to the precept.

FIVE

According to Yahushua's day [day one of seven], gather together, break bread, and give thanks, after acknowledging your wanderings [sins] to one another, so your sacrifice would be a clean one. Each one who has something against his friend, do not let him come together with you until they are reconciled, so that your sacrifice would not be made common. This is what was declared by Yahwah: In every place and time, carry to me a clean sacrifice. I am a great king: says Yahwah. My name is a wondrous thing among the nations.

SIX

Now hand pick for yourselves overseers and servants worthy of Yahwah. Men who are meek, not lovers of money, true and proved. For they are giving religious service to you also, as the prophets and teachers are giving religious service.

SEVEN

Reprove one another, not in anger, but in peace, as you have it in the good message. No one should speak to each one who misses the mark against another one, nor should he hear from you, until he changes his mind. But your vows, your charitable works, and all your practices, do these, as you have it in the good message of Yahwah.

Be vigilant on behalf of your life. Do not let your lamps be extinguished, and do not relax your loins. Be prepared. You do not know the hour in which Yahushua is coming. Gather together often, seeking the things that are appropriate for your souls. All the time of your trust will not profit you, if you do not become complete in the last season.

In the last days, the false prophets and the corruptors will be multiplied, the sheep will be turned into wolves, and love will be turned into hate. When the lawlessness [christianity] increases, they will hate one another, and they will persecute and deliver up. Then the deceiver of creation [satan] will appear as God's son [Jesus!], and he will do signs and wonders. The land will be given up into his hands. He will do lawless things which were never done from the age.

Human creation will come into the fire of examination, and many will stumble and be destroyed. Those who endure in their trust [in Yahwah] will be saved from this accursed thing [Jesus!]. Then the signs of truth will appear. First, the sign of an opening in Heaven. Then the sign of a trumpet's sound. Thirdly, a resurrection of dead people, but not of all people. On the contrary, as it was declared: Yahushua will come, and all the set-apart ones with Him. Then creation will see Yahushua coming on the clouds of the sky.

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