Mandates

Mandate 1

1 First of all believe that God is one, “who made all things and perfected them, and made all things to be out of that which was not,” and contains all things, and is himself alone uncontained.

Believe then in him, and fear him, and in your fear be continent. Keep these things, and you shall cast away from yourself all wickedness, and shall put on every virtue of righteousness, and shall live to God, if you keep this commandment.

Mandate 2

1 He said to me: “Have simplicity and be innocent and you shall be as the children who do not know the wickedness that destroys the life of men.

“In the first place, speak evil of no one, and do not listen gladly to him who speaks evil. Otherwise you also by listening share in the sin of him who speaks evil, if you believe in the evil-speaking which you hear. For by believing you yourself also will have somewhat against your brother; thus therefore, you will share the sin of the speaker of evil.

“Evil-speaking is wicked; it is a restless devil, never making peace, but always living in strife. Refrain from it then, and you shall have well-being at all times with all men.

“And put on reverence, in which is no evil stumbling-block, but all is smooth and joyful. Do good, and of all your toil which God gives you, give in simplicity to all who need, not doubting to whom you shall give and to whom not: give to all, for to all God wishes gifts to be made of his own bounties.

“Those then who receive shall render an account to God why they received it and for what. For those who accepted through distress shall not be punished, but those who accepted in hypocrisy shall pay the penalty.

“He therefore who gives is innocent; for as he received from the Lord the fulfilment of this ministry, he fulfilled it in simplicity, not doubting to whom he should give or not give. Therefore this ministry fulfilled in simplicity was honourable before God. He therefore who serves in simplicity shall live to God.

“Keep therefore this commandment as I have told you, that your repentance and that of your family may be found to be in simplicity, and that your innocence may be ‘pure and without stain.’”

Mandate 3

1 Again he said to me. “Love truth: and let all truth proceed from your mouth, that the spirit which God has made to dwell in this flesh may be found true by all men, and the Lord who dwells in you shall thus be glorified, for the Lord is true in every word and with him there is no lie.

“They therefore who lie set the Lord at nought, and become defrauders of the Lord, not restoring to him the deposit which they received. For they received from him a spirit free from lies. If they return this as a lying spirit, they have defiled the commandment of the Lord and have robbed him.”

When therefore I heard this I wept much, and when he saw me weeping he said, “Why do you weep?” “Because, sir,” said I, “I do not know if I can be saved.” “Why?” said he. “Because, sir,” said I, “I have never yet in my life spoken a true word, but have ever spoken deceitfully with all men, and gave out that my lie was true among all, and no one ever contradicted me but believed my word. How then, sir,” said I, “can I live after having done this?”

“Your thought,” said he, “is good and true; for you ought to have walked in truth as God’s servant, and an evil conscience ought not to dwell with the spirit of truth, nor ought grief to come on a spirit which is holy and true.” “Never, sir,” said I, “have I accurately understood such words.”

“Now then,” said he, “you do understand them. Keep them that your former lies in your business may themselves become trustworthy now that these have been found true. For it is possible for those also to become trustworthy. If you keep these things and from henceforth keep the whole truth, you can obtain life for yourself; and whoever shall hear this commandment, and abstain from the sin of lying shall live to God.”

Mandate 4

1 “I command you,” he said, “to keep purity and let not any thought come into your heart about another man’s wife, or about fornication or any such wicked things; for by doing this you do great sin. But if you always remember your own wife you will never sin.

“For if this desire enter your heart you will sin, and if you do other such-like wicked things you commit sin. For this desire is a great sin for the servant of God. And if any man commit this wicked deed he works death for himself.

“See to it then, abstain from this desire, for where holiness lives, lawlessness ought not to enter the heart of a righteous man.”

I said to him, “Sir, allow me to ask you a few questions.” “Say on,” said he. “Sir,” said I, “if a man have a wife faithful in the Lord, and he finds her out in some adultery, does the husband sin if he lives with her?”

“So long as he is ignorant,” said he, “he does not sin, but if the husband knows her sin, and the wife does not repent, but remains in her fornication, and the husband go on living with her, he becomes a partaker of her sin, and shares in her adultery.”

“What then,” said I, “sir, shall the husband do if the wife remain in this disposition?” “Let him put her away,” he said, “and let the husband remain by himself. But ‘if he put his wife away and marry another he also commits adultery himself.’”

“If then,” said I, “sir, after the wife be put away she repent, and wish to return to her own husband, shall she not be received?”

“Yes,” said he; “if the husband do not receive her he sins and covers himself with great sin; but it is necessary to receive the sinner who repents, but not often, for the servants of God have but one repentance. Therefore, for the sake of repentance the husband ought not to marry. This is the course of action for wife and husband.

“Not only,” said he, “is it adultery if a man defile his flesh, but whosoever acts as do the heathen is also guilty of adultery, so that if anyone continue in such practices, and repent not, depart from him and do not live with him, otherwise you are also a sharer in his sin.

“For this reason it was enjoined on you to live by yourselves, whether husband or wife, for in such cases repentance is possible.

“I, therefore,” said he, “am not giving an opportunity to laxity that this business be thus concluded, but in order that he who has sinned sin no more, and for his former sin there is one who can give healing, for he it is who has the power over all.”

2 And I asked him again, saying: “If the Lord has thought me worthy for you always to live with me, suffer yet a few words of mine, since I have no understanding and my heart has been hardened by my former deeds; give me understanding, for I am very foolish and have absolutely no understanding.”

He answered me and said, “I am set over repentance, and I give understanding to all those who repent. Or do you not think,” said he, “that this very repentance is itself understanding? To repent,” said he, “is great understanding. For the sinner understands that he ‘has done wickedly before the Lord,’ and the deed which he wrought comes into his heart, and he repents and no longer does wickedly, but does good abundantly, and humbles his soul and punishes it because he sinned. You see, therefore, that repentance is great understanding.”

“For this reason then, sir,” said I, “I enquire accurately from you as to all things. First, because I am a sinner, that I may know what I must do to live, because my sins are many and manifold.”

“You shall live,” he said, “if you keep my commandments and walk in them, and whosoever shall hear and keep these commandments shall live to God.”

3 “I will yet, sir,” said I, “continue to ask.” “Say on,” said he. “I have heard, sir,” said I, “from some teachers that there is no second repentance beyond the one given when we went down into the water and received remission of our former sins.”

He said to me, “You have heard correctly, for that is so. For he who has received remission of sin ought never to sin again, but to live in purity.

“But since you ask accurately concerning all things, I will explain this also to you without giving an excuse to those who in the future shall believe or to those who have already believed on the Lord. For those who have already believed or shall believe in the future, have no repentance of sins, but have remission of their former sin.

“For those, then, who were called before these days, did the Lord appoint repentance, for the Lord knows the heart, and knowing all things beforehand he knew the weakness of man and the subtlety of the devil, that he will do some evil to the servants of God, and will do them mischief.

“The Lord, therefore, being merciful, had mercy on his creation, and established this repentance, and to me was the control of this repentance given.

“But I tell you,” said he, “after that great and holy calling, if a man be tempted by the devil and sin, he has one repentance, but if he sin and repent repeatedly it is unprofitable for such a man, for scarcely shall he live.”

I said to him, “I attained life when I heard these things thus accurately from you, for I know that if I do not again add to my sins I shall be saved.” “You shall be saved,” said he, “and all who do these things.”

4 I asked him again, saying, “Sir, since you for once endure me explain this also to me.” “Say on,” said he. “If, sir,” said I, “a wife, or on the other hand a husband, die, and the survivor marry, does the one who marries commit sin?”

“He does not sin,” said he, “but if he remain single he gains for himself more exceeding honour and great glory with the Lord, but even if he marry he does not sin.

“Preserve therefore purity and holiness, and you shall live to God. Keep from henceforth, from the day on which you were handed over to me, these things which I tell you and shall tell you, and I will dwell in your house.

“And for your former transgression there shall be remission if you keep my commandments, and all men shall obtain a remission, if they keep these commandments of mine and walk in this purity.”

Mandate 5

1 “Be,” said he, “long-suffering and prudent and you shall have power over all evil deeds and shalt do all righteousness.

“For if you are courageous the Holy Spirit which dwells in you will be pure, not obscured by another evil spirit, but will dwell at large and rejoice and be glad with the body in which it dwells, and will serve God in great cheerfulness, having well-being in itself.

“But if any ill temper enter, at once the Holy Spirit, which is delicate, is oppressed, finding the place impure, and seeks to depart out of the place, for it is choked by the evil spirit, having no room to serve the Lord as it will, but is contaminated by the bitterness. For the Lord dwells in long-suffering and the devil dwells in ill temper.

“If therefore, both spirits dwell in the same place it is unprofitable and evil for that man in whom they dwell.

“For if you take a little wormwood, and pour into it a jar of honey, is not the whole honey spoilt? And a great quantity of honey is ruined by a very little wormwood, and it spoils the sweetness of the honey, and it has no longer the same favour with the master, because it has been mixed and he has lost its use. But if no wormwood be put into the honey, the honey is found to be sweet, and becomes valuable to the master.

“You see that long suffering is very sweet, surpassing honey, and is valuable to the Lord and he dwells in it. But ill temper is bitter and useless. If, therefore, ill temper be mixed with courage, the courage is defiled, and its intercession is no longer valuable before God.”

“I would like, sir,” said I, “to know the working of ill temper, that I may be preserved from it.” “Indeed,” said he, “if you do not keep from it, both you and your house, you have destroyed all your hope. But keep from it, for I am with you. And all shall refrain from it, who repent with all their heart; for I will be with them, and will preserve them, for all have been made righteous by the most revered angel.

2 “Hear, then,” said he, “the working of ill temper, and how evil it is and how it destroys the servants of God by its working, and how it leads them astray from righteousness. But it does not lead astray those who are filled with faith, nor can it work evil to them, because my power is with them, but it leads astray those who are vain and are double-minded.

“And when it sees such men in tranquillity, it forces its way into the heart of that man, and the man or woman is made bitter out of nothing, because of daily business or of food or some trifle, or about some friend, or about giving or receiving, or about some such foolish matters. For all these things are foolish and vain and meaningless, and unprofitable to the servants of God.

“But long-suffering is great and mighty and has steadfast power and prospers in great breadth, is joyful, glad, without care, ‘glorifying the Lord at every time,’ has nothing bitter in itself, but remains ever meek and gentle. Therefore this long-suffering dwells with those who have faith in perfectness.

“But ill temper is first foolish, frivolous, and silly; then from silliness comes bitterness, from bitterness wrath, from wrath rage, and from rage fury; then fury, being compounded of such great evils, becomes great and inexpiable sin.

“For when these spirits dwell in one vessel, where also the Holy Spirit dwells, there is no room in that vessel, but it is overcrowded.

“Therefore the delicate spirit which is unaccustomed to dwell with an evil spirit, or with hardness, departs from such a man, and seeks to dwell with gentleness and quietness.

“Then, when it departs from that man where it was dwelling, that man becomes empty of the righteous spirit, and for the future is filled with the evil spirits, and is disorderly in all his actions, being dragged here and there by the evil spirits, and is wholly blinded from goodness of thought. Thus, then, it happens with all who are ill tempered.

“Abstain then from ill temper, that most evil spirit, but put on long suffering and withstand ill temper, and be found with the holiness which is beloved of the Lord. See then that you forget not this commandment, for if you master this commandment you will also be able to keep the other commandments which I am going to give you. Be strong in them and strengthen yourself, and let all strengthen themselves who wish to walk in them.”

Mandate 6

1 “I commanded you,” said he, “in the first commandment to keep faith and fear and continence.” “Yes, sir,” said I. “But now I wish,” said he, “to explain also their qualities that you may understand what is the quality of each and its working, for their working is of two sorts. They relate, then, to the righteous and to the unrighteous:

“do you therefore believe the righteous, but do not believe the unrighteous. For that which is righteous has a straight path, but that which is unrighteous a crooked path. But do you walk in the straight path, but leave the crooked path alone.

“For the crooked path has no road, but rough ground and many stumbling-blocks, and is steep and thorny. It is therefore harmful to those who walk in it.

“But those who go in the straight path walk smoothly and without stumbling, for it is neither rough nor thorny. You see, then, that it is better to walk in this path.”

“It pleases me, sir”, said I, “to walk in this path.” “You shall do so,” said he, “and whoever ‘turns to the Lord with all his heart,’ shall walk in it.

2 “Hear now,” said he, “concerning faith. There are two angels with man, one of righteousness and one of wickedness.”

“How then, sir,” said I, “shall I know their workings, because both angels dwell with me?”

“Listen,” said he, “and understand them. The angel of righteousness is delicate and modest and meek and gentle. When, then, he comes into your heart he at once speaks with you of righteousness, of purity, of reverence, of self-control, of every righteous deed, and of all glorious virtue. When all these things come into your heart, know that the angel of righteousness is with you. These things, then, are the deeds of the angel of righteousness. Therefore believe him and his works.

“Now see also the works of the angel of wickedness. First of all, he is ill tempered, and bitter, and foolish, and his deeds are evil, casting down the servants of God. Whenever therefore he comes into your heart, know him from his works.”

“I do not understand, sir,” said I, “how to perceive him.” “Listen,” said he. “When ill temper or bitterness come upon you, know that he is in you. Next the desire of many deeds and the luxury of much eating and drinking, and many feasts, and various and unnecessary foods, and the desire of women, and covetousness and haughtiness, and pride, and whatsoever things are akin and like to these,— when, therefore, these things come into your heart, know that the angel of wickedness is with you.

“When, therefore, you know his deeds, keep from him, and do not trust him, because his deeds are evil and unprofitable for the servants of God. You have, therefore, the workings of both the angels. Understand them and believe the angel of righteousness,

“but keep from the angel of wickedness because his teaching is evil in every act. For though a man be faithful, if the thought of that angel rise in his heart, it must be that that man or woman commit some sin.

“But again, though a man or woman be very evil, if there rise in his heart the deeds of the angel of righteousness, it must needs be that he do some good act.

“You see, therefore,” said he, “that it is good to follow the angel of righteousness, but to keep away from the angel of wickedness.

“This commandment makes plain the things of the faith, that you may believe the works of the angel of righteousness, and by doing them live to God. But believe that the works of the angel of wickedness are bad: by not doing them, therefore, you shall live to God.”

Mandate 7

1 “Fear,” said he, “‘the Lord and keep his commandments.’ By keeping, therefore, the commandments of God you shall be strong in every act, and your conduct shall be beyond compare. For by fearing the Lord you shall do all things well, and this is the fear with which you must fear and be saved.

“But the devil do not fear, for by fearing the Lord you have power over the devil because there is no might in him. But where there is no might, neither is there fear. But where there is glorious might, there is also fear. For everyone who has might gains fear. But he who has not might is despised by all.

“But fear the works of the devil, because they are evil. If therefore, you fear the Lord you shall not do them, but depart from them.

“There are therefore two sorts of fear. For if you wish to do that which is evil, fear the Lord and you shall not do it. But, on the other hand, if you wish to do that which is good, fear the Lord, and you shall do it. So that the fear of the Lord is mighty and great and glorious. Therefore fear the Lord and you shall live in him. And whosoever shall fear him and keep his commandments, shall live to God.”

“Wherefore, sir,” said I, “did you say of those who keep his commandments, ‘they shall live to God’?” “Because,” said he, “the whole creation fears the Lord, but it does not keep his commandments. Those, therefore who fear him and observe his commandments,—it is they who have life with God. But as for those who do not observe his commandments, neither have they life in him.”

Mandate 8

1 “I told you,” said he, “that the creatures of God are two-fold, and temperance is also two-fold. For from some things we must refrain and from some things not.”

“Let me know, sir,” said I, “from what we must refrain and from what not.” “Listen,” said he. “Refrain from evil, and do not do it, but do not refrain from good, but do it. For if you refrain from doing good, you do great sin; but if you refrain from doing evil, you do great righteousness. Refrain therefore from all evil, and do good.”

“What, sir,” said I, “are the wickednesses from which we must refrain?” “Listen,” said he. “From adultery and fornication, from the lawlessness of drunkenness, from evil luxury, from much eating, and extravagance of wealth, and boastfulness and haughtiness and pride, and from lying and evil speaking and hypocrisy, malice and all blasphemy.

“These deeds are the wickedest of all in the life of men. The servant of God must therefore refrain from these deeds. For he who does not refrain from these cannot live to God. Hear therefore what follows on these things.”

“But, sir,” said I, “are there still other evil deeds?” “Yes,” said he, “there are many from which the servant of God must refrain. Theft, lying, robbery, false witness, coveteousness, evil desire, deceit, vain-glory, pride, and whatever is like to these.

“Do you not think that these are wicked?” “Yes, very wicked,” said I, “for the servants of God.” “From all these he who is serving God must refrain. Refrain, therefore from all these, that you may live to God and be enrolled with those who refrain from them. These then are the things from which you must refrain.

“But now hear the things from which you must not refrain but do them,” said he. “Do not refrain from that which is good, but do it.”

“And explain to me, sir,” said I, “the power of the things which are good, that I may walk in them and serve them, that by doing them I may be saved.” “Listen, then,” said he, “to the deeds of goodness, which you must do and not refrain from them.

“First of all, faith, fear of God, love and harmony, words of righteousness, truth, patience; than these there is nothing better in the life of man. If any man keep these things and do not refrain from them, he becomes blessed in his life.

“Next hear the things which follow: To minister to widows, to look after orphans and the destitute, to redeem from distress the servants of God, to be hospitable, for in hospitality may be found the practice of good, to resist none, to be gentle, to be poorer than all men, to reverence the aged, to practise justice, to preserve brotherhood, to submit to insult, to be brave, to bear no malice, to comfort those who are oppressed in spirit, not to cast aside those who are offended in the faith, but to convert them and give them courage, to reprove sinners, not to oppress poor debtors, and whatever is like to these things.

“Do you not think,” said he, “that these things are good?” “Yes, sir,” said I, “for what is better than these things?” “Walk then,” said he, “in them, and do not refrain from them, and you shall live to God.

“Keep therefore this commandment. If you do good, and do not refrain from it, you shall live to God, and all who act so shall live to God. And again, if you do not do that which is wicked, and refrain from it, you shall live to God, and all shall live to God who keep these commandments and walk in them.”

Mandate 9

1 And he said to me: “Remove from yourself double-mindedness, and be not at all double-minded about asking anything from God, saying in yourself. How can I ask anything from the Lord and receive it after having sinned so greatly against him?

“Do not have these thoughts but ‘turn to the Lord with all your heart,’ and ask from him without doubting, and you shall know his great mercifulness, that he will not desert you, but will fulfil the petition of your soul.

“For God is not as men who bear malice, but is himself without malice, and has mercy on that which he made.

“Therefore purify your heart from all the vanities of this world, and from the words which were spoken to you beforehand, and ask from the Lord, and you shall receive all things, and shall not fail to obtain any of your petitions, if you ask from the Lord without doubting.

“But if you doubt in your heart, you shall receive none of your petitions. For those who have doubts towards God, these are the double-minded, and they shall not in any wise obtain any of their petitions.

“But they who are perfect, in faith ask for all things, ‘trusting in the Lord,’ and they receive them, because they ask without doubting, and are double-minded in nothing. For every double-minded man, unless he repent, shall with difficulty be saved.

“Therefore purify your heart from double-mindedness, but put on faith, because it is mighty, and believe God, that you shall obtain all your requests which you make. And if ever you make any petition from the Lord, and receive it but slowly, do not be double-minded because you have not received the request of your soul speedily, for in every case it is because of some temptation or some transgression, of which you are ignorant, that you receive your request slowly.

“Do not therefore cease from making the request of your soul, and you shall receive it. But if you grow weary, and are double-minded in your request, blame yourself and not him who gives to you.

“Consider this double-mindedness; for it is wicked and foolish, and uproots many from the faith, yes, even those who are very faithful and strong. For this double-mindedness is the daughter of the devil, and commits much wickedness against the servants of God.

“Despise therefore double-mindedness, and master it in every act, putting on the faith which is strong and powerful. For faith promises all things, perfects all things. But the double-mindedness which has no full faith in itself fails in all deeds which it undertakes.

“You see, then,” said he, “that faith is from above, from the Lord, and has great power; but double-mindedness is an earthly spirit, from the devil, and has no power.

“Do you, therefore, serve the faith which has power, and refrain from the double-mindedness which has no power, and you shall live to God, and all who have this mind shall live to God.”

Mandate 10

1 “Put away,” said he, “grief from yourself, for this also is a sister of double-mindedness and bitterness.”

“How, sir,” I said, “is she their sister, for it seems to me that bitterness is one thing and double-mindedness is another, and grief another?” “You are foolish, O man,” he said, “and do not understand that grief is more evil than all the spirits, and is most terrible to the servants of God, and corrupts man beyond all the spirits, and wears out the Holy Spirit—and again saves us.”

“Yes, sir,” said I, “I am a foolish man, and do not understand these parables, for how it can wear out and again save, I do not understand.”

“Listen,” he said, “those who have never inquired concerning the truth, nor made search concerning the Godhead, but only have faith, and are mixed up with business and riches, and heathen friendships, and many other occupations of this world,—such as are intent on these, do not understand the parables of the Godhead; for they are darkened by these deeds, and are corrupted and become sterile.

“Just as good vineyards when they meet with neglect, are made barren by the thorns and various weeds, so men, who have believed, and fall into these many occupations, which have been mentioned above, are deceived in their understanding, and understand nothing completely about righteousness. But even when they listen concerning the Godhead and truth their mind is taken up with their business, and they understand nothing properly.

“But they who have the fear of God, and inquire concerning the Godhead and truth, and have their heart towards the Lord, perceive quickly and understand all that is said to them, because they have the fear of the Lord in themselves; for where the Lord dwells, there also is great understanding. ‘Cleave therefore to the Lord,’ and you shall understand and perceive all things.

2 “Hear, now,” said he, “foolish man, how grief wears out the Holy Spirit, and again brings salvation.

“When the double-minded undertakes any work, and fails in it because of his double-mindedness, this grief enters into the man, and grieves the Holy Spirit and wears it out.

“Then again, when for any matter ill temper cleave to a man, and he become exceedingly bitter, again grief enters into the heart of the ill tempered man, and he is grieved at the act which he did, and repents because he did wickedly.

“Therefore this grief seems to bring salvation, because he repented of having done wickedly. Therefore both deeds grieve the Spirit; double-mindedness, because he did not obtain his purpose, and ill temper grieves the Spirit, because he acted wickedly. Both, therefore, are grievous to the Holy Spirit, double-mindedness and ill temper.

“Put therefore away from yourself grief, and do not oppress the Holy Spirit which dwells in you, lest it beseech God, and it depart from you.

“For the Spirit of God which is given to this flesh endures neither grief nor oppression.

3 “Put on, therefore, joyfulness, which always has favour with God and is acceptable to him, and flourish in it; for every joyful man does good deeds, and has good thoughts, and despises grief.

“But the mournful man always does wickedly. First of all he does wickedly because he grieves the Holy Spirit, which is given to man in joyfulness, and secondly he grieves the Holy Spirit by doing wickedly, not praying nor confessing to the Lord. For the intercession of the mournful man has nowhere power to ascend to the altar of God.”

“Why,” said I, “does not the intercession of the mournful man ascend to the altar?” “Because,” said he, “grief sits in his heart. Therefore, the grief which is mixed with his intercession does not permit the intercession to ascend in purity to the altar. For just as vinegar mixed with wine has not the same agreeableness, so also grief mixed with the Holy Spirit, has not the same power of intercession.

“Therefore purify yourself from this wicked grief, and you shall live to God, and all shall live to God who cast away from themselves grief, and put on all joyfulness.”

Mandate 11

1 He showed me men sitting on a bench, and another man sitting on a chair, and he said to me: “Do you see the men sitting on the bench?” “Yes, sir,” said I; “I see them.” “They,” said he, “are faithful, and he who is sitting on the chair is a false prophet, who is corrupting the understanding of the servants of God. He corrupts the understanding of the double-minded, not of the faithful.

“Therefore these double-minded men come to him as to a wizard, and ask him concerning their future; and that false prophet, having no power of the Divine Spirit in himself, speaks with them according to their requests, and according to the desires of their wickedness, and fills their souls, as they themselves wish.

“For he is empty and makes empty answers to empty men; for whatever question is put he answers according to the emptiness of the man. But he also speaks some true words, for the devil fills him with his spirit, to see if he can break any of the righteous.

“Therefore, as many as are strong in the faith of the Lord, and have put on the truth, do not cleave to such spirits, but refrain from them. But as many as are double-minded, and constantly repent, practise soothsaying, like the heathen, and bring greater shame upon themselves by their idolatry. For he who asks a false prophet concerning any act is an idolator, and empty of the truth and foolish.

“For every spirit which is given from God is not asked questions, but has the power of the Godhead and speaks all things of itself, because it is from above, from the power of the Divine spirit.

“But the spirit which is questioned and speaks according to the lusts of man is earthly and light, and has no power, and it does not speak at all unless it be questioned.”

“How, then,” said I, “sir, shall a man know which of them is a true prophet and which a false prophet?” “Listen,” said he, “concerning both the prophets, and as I shall tell you, so you shall judge the true prophet and the false prophet. Test the man who has the Divine Spirit by his life.

“In the first place, he who has the spirit which is from above, is meek and gentle, and lowly-minded, and refrains from all wickedness and evil desire of this world, and makes himself poorer than all men, and gives no answers to anyone when he is consulted, nor does he speak by himself (for the Holy Spirit does not speak when a man wishes to speak), but he speaks at that time when God wishes him to speak.

“Therefore, when the man who has the Divine Spirit comes into a meeting of righteous men who have the faith of the Divine Spirit, and intercession is made to God from the assembly of those men, then the angel of the prophetic spirit rests on him and fills the man, and the man, being filled with the Holy Spirit, speaks to the congregation as the Lord wills.

“Thus, then, the Spirit of the Godhead will be plain. Such, then, is the power of the Lord concerning the Spirit of the Godhead.

“Listen, now,” said he, “concerning the spirit which is earthly, and empty, and has no power, but is foolish.

“In the first place, that man who seems to have a spirit exalts himself and wishes to have the first place, and he is instantly impudent and shameless and talkative, and lives in great luxury and in many other deceits, and accepts rewards for his prophecy, and if he does not receive them he does not prophesy. Is it then possible for a Divine Spirit to accept rewards and prophesy? It is not possible for a prophet of God to do this, but the spirit of such prophets is of the earth.

“Next, on no account does he come near to an assembly of righteous men, but shuns them. But he cleaves to the double-minded and empty, and prophesies to them in a corner, and deceives them by empty speech about everything according to their lusts, for he is also answering the empty. For an empty vessel which is put with others that are empty is not broken, but they match one another.

“But when he comes into a meeting full of righteous men, who have a spirit of the Godhead, and intercession is made by them, that man is made empty, and the earthly spirit flees from him in fear, and that man is made dumb and is altogether broken up, being able to say nothing.

“For if you stack wine or oil in a cellar, and put among them an empty jar, and again wish to unstack the cellar, the jar which you put in empty you will find still empty. So also the prophets who are empty, when they come to the spirits of just men, are found out to be such as when they came.

“You have the life of both the prophets. Test, then, from his life and deeds, the man who says that he is inspired.

“But believe yourself in the Spirit which comes from God and has power, but have no faith in the spirit which is from the earth and empty, because there is no power in it, for it comes from the devil.

“Hear, then, the parable which I will tell you. Take a stone and throw it up to Heaven and see if you can touch it; or take a syringe and squirt it towards the sky, and see if you can make a hole in the Heavens.”

“How, sir,” said I, “can these things be? For both these things which you have spoken of are impossible.” “Even,” said he, “as these are impossible, so also are the earthly spirits without power and feeble.

“Take now the power which comes from above. The hail is a very little grain, and when it falls on man’s head, how it hurts! Or, again, take a drop which falls on the ground from the roof, and makes a hole in stone.

“You see, then, that the smallest things which come from above and fall on the earth have great power; so also the Divine Spirit which comes from above is powerful. Have faith, then, in this Spirit, but refrain from the other.”

Mandate 12

1 He said to me, “Put away from yourself every evil desire, but put on the desire which is good and holy; for by putting on this desire you will hate the wicked desire, and will curb it as you will.

“For the wicked desire is cruel and hard to tame, for it is fearful, and destroys men greatly in its cruelty, but especially if a servant of God fall into it, and be not prudent, he is terribly destroyed by it. But it destroys such as have not the good desire as a covering, but are mixed with this world; these then it delivers to death.”

“What, sir,” said I, “are the deeds of the wicked desire, which deliver men to death? Let me know that I may refrain from them.” “Listen,” said he, “by what deeds the evil desire brings to death the servants of God.

2 “Before all is desire for the wife or husband of another, and of extravagance of wealth, and much needless food and drink, and many other foolish luxuries. For all luxury is foolish and vain for the servants of God.

“These desires then are wicked, and bring the servants of God to death, for this desire is the wicked daughter of the devil. It is necessary therefore, to refrain from the wicked desires, that by refraining you may live to God.

“But as many as are overcome by them, and do not resist them, shall perish finally, for these desires are deadly.

“But put on the desire of righteousness, and resist them, being armed with the fear of the Lord. For the fear of God dwells in the desire which is good. If the evil desire see you armed with the fear of God, and resisting it, it will flee far from you and will no longer be seen by you, for fear of your weapons.

“Do you, therefore, conquer it, and come in triumph over it to the desire of righteousness, and giving up to it the victory which you have gained, serve it as it wishes. If you serve the good desire, and submit to it, you will be able to overcome the wicked desire, and subdue it as you wish.”

3 “I would like, sir,” said I, “to know in what way I must serve the good desire.” “Listen,” said he, “‘work righteousness,’ and virtue, and fear of the Lord, faith and meekness, and whatever good things are like to these. For by working these you will be a well-pleasing servant of God, and shall live to him, and whoever shall serve the good desire, shall live to God.”

So he finished the twelve commandments, and said to me: “You have these commandments; walk in them, and exhort those who hear that their repentance may be pure for the rest of the days of their life.

“Fulfil carefully this ministry which I give you, and work much in it, for you will find favour with those who are about to repent, and they will obey your words, for I will be with you, and will force them to be persuaded by you.”

I said to him, “Sir, these commandments are great and beautiful and glorious, and ‘able to make glad the heart of man,’ if he be able to keep them. But I do not know if these commandments can be kept by man, because they are very hard.”

He answered and said to me, “If you set it before yourself that they can be kept you will easily keep them, and they will not be difficult; but if it already comes into your heart that they cannot be kept by man, you will not keep them.

“But now I say to you, if you do not keep them, but neglect them, you shall not have salvation, nor your children, nor your house, because you have already judged for yourself that these commandments cannot be kept by man.”

4 And he spoke these things to me very angrily, so that I was confounded, and greatly afraid of him, for his appearance was changed so that a man could not endure his wrath.

But when he saw me quite disturbed and confused he began to speak to me more gently and cheerfully, and said: “Foolish one without understanding and double-minded, do you not understand the glory of God, how great and mighty and wonderful it is, because ‘he created the world’ for man’s sake, and subdued all his creation to man, and gave him all power, to master all things under heaven?

“If, then,” said he, “man is the lord of all the creatures of God, and masters them, is it not possible to master these commandments also? The man,” said he, “who has the Lord in his heart, is able to master all things and all these commandments.

“But those who have the Lord on their lips, but their heart is hardened, and they are far from the Lord, for them these commandments are hard, and difficult to walk in.

“Do you, therefore, who are empty and light in the faith, put the Lord into your heart, and you shall know that nothing is easier or sweeter or more gentle than these commandments.

“Be converted, you who walk in the commandments of the devil, which are difficult and bitter and cruel and foul, and do not fear the devil, for there is no power in him against you.

“For I, the angel of repentance who masters him, will be with you. The devil can only cause fear, but fear of him has no force. Therefore do not fear him and he will fly from you.”

5 I said to him “Sir, listen to a few words from me.” “Say what you will,” he said. “Sir,” said I, “man desires to keep the commandments of God, and there is none that does not pray to the Lord, that he may be made strong in his commandments, and submit to them. But the devil is hard, and oppresses them.”

“He cannot,” said he, “oppress the servants of the Lord who hope in him with all their heart. The devil can wrestle with them, but he cannot throw them down. If then you ‘resist him,’ he will be conquered and ‘fly from you,’ in shame. But as many,” said he, “as are empty fear the devil as though he had power.

“When a man fills very many pots with good wine, and among those pots a few are half empty, he comes to the pots, and does not consider those which are full, for he knows that they are full, but he looks at those which are half empty, fearing that they have gone sour, for empty pots quickly go sour, and the flavour of the wine is spoilt.

“So also the devil comes to all the servants of God, tempting them; as many therefore as are full of faith withstand him powerfully, and he departs from them, having no room by which to enter. Then, therefore, he comes to those who are half empty and finding room he enters into them, and does what he will in them, and they become his servants.

6 “But I, the angel of repentance, say to you, Do not fear the devil. For I was sent,” said he, “to be with you who repent with all your heart, and to strengthen you in the faith.

“Believe, therefore, in God, though you have renounced your life through your sins, and have added to your sins, and have made your life heavy, that if you ‘turn to the Lord with all your heart, and do righteousness,’ for the rest of the days of your life, and serve him in uprightness, according to his will, he will heal your former sins, and you shall have power to master the works of the devil. But do not fear the threat of the devil at all, for he is powerless as the sinews of a dead man.

“Listen, therefore, to me, and fear him who has all power, ‘to save and to destroy,’ and keep these commandments, and you shall live to God.”

I said to him: “Sir, now I have received power in all the ordinances of the Lord, because you are with me, and I know that you will break down all the power of the devil, and we shall master him, and have power against all his deeds. And I hope, sir, that I shall now be able to keep these commandments which you have commanded, the Lord giving me strength.”

“You shall keep them,” said he, “if your heart be pure towards the Lord, and all who ever purify their hearts from the vain desires of this world shall keep them, and shall live to God.”