Baptism in living water

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The anonymous author is giving the community its instructions for performing baptism, after finishing the moral teaching of the Two Ways.

Now about baptism, this is how you are to baptize: after saying all these things beforehand, baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit in living water.

If you do not have living water, baptize in other water; and if you cannot do it in cold water, use warm.

If you have neither, pour water on the head three times in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Before the baptism, the one baptizing and the one being baptized are to fast beforehand, and any others who are able. You are to command the one being baptized to fast for one or two days beforehand.

Greek

Περὶ δὲ τοῦ βαπτίσματος, οὕτω βαπτίσατε: ταῦτα πάντα προειπόντες, βαπτίσατε εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος ἐν ὕδατι ζῶντι.

ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἔχῃς ὕδωρ ζῶν, εἰς ἄλλο ὕδωρ βάπτισον: εἰ δ’ οὐ δύνασαι ἐν ψυχρῷ, ἐν θερμῷ.

ἐὰν δὲ ἀμφότερα μὴ ἔχῃς, ἔκχεον εἰς τὴν κεφαλὴν τρὶς ὕδωρ εἰς ὄνομα πατρὸς καὶ υἱοῦ καὶ ἁγίου πνεύματος.

πρὸ δὲ τοῦ βαπτίσματος προνηστευσάτω ὁ βαπτίζων καὶ ὁ βαπτιζόμενος καὶ εἴ τινες ἄλλοι δύνανται: κελεύεις δὲ νηστεῦσαι τὸν βαπτιζόμενον πρὸ μιᾶς ἢ δύο.

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.