Appoint worthy leaders and correct one another in peace

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The community is being instructed on how to order its common life: appointing local leaders, honoring them, and practicing mutual correction.

So appoint for yourselves bishops and deacons who are worthy of the Lord—men who are gentle, not money-loving, truthful, and tested. For they also minister to you the ministry of the prophets and teachers.

Do not look down on them, then, for they are your honored ones, along with the prophets and teachers.

Correct one another not in anger but in peace, as you have it in the gospel. And if anyone wrongs another, let no one speak to him or hear anything from him until he repents.

Perform your prayers, your acts of mercy, and all your deeds just as you have it in the gospel of our Lord.

Greek

Χειροτονήσατε οὖν ἑαυτοῖς ἐπισκόπους καὶ διακόνους ἀξίους τοῦ κυρίου, ἄνδρας πραεῖς καὶ ἀφιλαργύρους καὶ ἀληθεῖς καὶ δεδοκιμασμένους: ὑμῖν γὰρ λειτουργοῦσι καὶ αὐτοὶ τὴν λειτουργίαν τῶν προφητῶν καὶ διδασκάλων.

μὴ οὖν ὑπερίδητε αὐτούς: αὐτοὶ γάρ εἰσιν οἱ τετιμημένοι ὑμῶν μετὰ τῶν προφητῶν καὶ διδασκάλων.

Ἐλέγχετε δὲ ἀλλήλους μὴ ἐν ὀργῇ, ἀλλ’ ἐν εἰρήνῃ ὡς ἔχετε ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ: καὶ παντὶ ἀστοχοῦντι κατὰ τοῦ ἑτέρου μηδεὶς λαλείτω μηδὲ παῤ ὑμῶν ἀκουέτω, ἕως οὗ μετανοήσῃ.

τὰς δὲ εὐχὰς ὑμῶν καὶ τὰς ἐλεημοσύνας καὶ πάσας τὰς πράξεις οὕτω ποιήσατε, ὡς ἔχετε ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν.

About this text

This work was written by Anonymous (Didache) (c. 100).

This work was written by Anonymous (Didache) (c. 100). It is addressed to Christian communities, called 'children' and treated as a congregation.

The work opens with the Two Ways, a way of life and a way of death, and urges the reader to follow the way of life by loving God and neighbor and obeying commandments. It then gives instructions for baptism, fasting and prayer, including the Lord's Prayer three times daily, and the Eucharist with set prayers. It offers rules for receiving and testing apostles, prophets, and teachers, and for supporting true prophets with first fruits. It closes with instructions to appoint bishops and deacons, to practice mutual correction, and to stay watchful for the Lord's coming amid the final tribulation.

The author quotes sayings of the Lord and gives liturgical prayers for the community to speak. The author cites the gospel and the Lord's Prayer in forms close to Matthew, and quotes material resembling Malachi in section 14.

New English from the Greek base text; no published English used as wording.

Printed text used

Translated from Anonymus Kirsopp Lake The Apostolic Fathers William Heinemann The Macmillan Company London New York 1912 1 Hathi Trust (Greek)

This work has passed this project's source check. This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.