Brothers, we must think of Jesus Christ as we would think of God, as the judge of the living and the dead. And we must not think lightly about our salvation.
2 For if we think little of him, we will hope to receive little. And those who hear and think of it as small will sin, and we sin not knowing from where we were called, by whom, and to what place, nor do we know what Jesus Christ endured for us.
3 What then shall we give him in return, or what worthy fruit can we offer for what he has given us? How much do we owe him in gratitude?
4 For he granted us light, called us his sons like a father, and saved us when we were lost.
5 What praise then shall we give him, or what reward can we offer in return for what we have received?
6 Being blind in our minds, worshipping stones and wood and gold and silver and bronze, works of human hands; and our whole life was nothing but death. Surrounded by such darkness and filled with such a cloud in our sight, we looked up and cast off that cloud by his will.
7 For he had mercy on us and, feeling compassion, he saved us, seeing in us much wandering and destruction, and having no hope of salvation except from him.
8 For he called us who were not, and he wanted us to be from nothing.
Ⅱ
Rejoice, barren woman who does not give birth; break forth and shout, you who are not in labor, for more are the children of the deserted woman than of her who has a husband. He said: Rejoice, barren woman who does not give birth—he meant us, for our church was barren before children were given to her.
2 And what he said: Shout, you who are not in labor, this means: simply bring our prayers to God, let us not grow weary like women in labor.
3 And what he said: For more are the children of the deserted woman than of her who has a husband; because our people seemed to be deserted by God, but now, believing, we have become more than those who seemed to have God.
4 And another scripture says, I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.
5 This means that the lost must be saved.
6 For it is great and wonderful not to support those who are standing, but to lift up those who are falling.
7 So also Christ wanted to save the lost, and He saved many by coming and calling us who were already lost.
Ⅲ
Because He showed us so much mercy, first of all, we, who used to worship dead gods, now do not sacrifice or bow down to them, but through Him, we have come to know the Father of truth. What is this knowledge of Him but refusing to deny the one through whom we have known Him?
2 He also says, "Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will acknowledge before my Father."
3 This, then, is our reward if we acknowledge the one through whom we were saved.
4 And how do we acknowledge him? By doing what he says and not ignoring his commands, and not only honoring him with our lips, but with all our heart and all our mind.
5 He also says in Isaiah: "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me."
Ⅳ
So, let us not only call him "Lord"; for that will not save us.
2 For he says: "Not everyone who says to me 'Lord, Lord' will be saved, but only the one who does what is right."
3 So, brothers and sisters, let us show our faith through our actions, by loving each other, not by committing adultery or speaking badly of each other or being jealous. Instead, let us be self-controlled, merciful, and good. We should support and care for one another, and not love money. By doing these things, we show our faith in him and not by doing the opposite.
4 And we should not be more afraid of people, but of God.
5 Because of this, if you do these things, the Lord said: "If you are gathered with me but do not follow my commands, I will reject you and say to you: 'Go away from me; I do not know you, where you are from, you workers of lawlessness.'"
Ⅴ
Therefore, brothers and sisters, let us leave behind the ways of this world and do the will of the one who called us, and not be afraid to depart from this world.
2 For the Lord says, "You will be like lambs among wolves."
3 Peter answered him, saying, "So what if the wolves tear the lambs apart?"
4 Jesus said to Peter, "Let the lambs not fear the wolves after they die; and you, do not fear those who kill you and can do nothing more to you, but fear the One who has the power to throw both soul and body into the fire of hell after you die."
5 And know this, brothers, that our time in this world in the flesh is brief and short-lived, but Christ's promise is great and wonderful, and it brings rest in the coming kingdom and eternal life.
6 What then is there to do to achieve these things, except to live piously and justly, and to regard these worldly things as foreign and not desire them?
7 For when we desire to acquire these things, we fall away from the path of righteousness.
Ⅵ
The Lord says: No servant can serve two masters. If we want to serve both God and money, it is not good for us.
2 For what good is it if someone gains the whole world but loses their soul?
3 This world and the next are two enemies.
4 This one speaks of adultery, corruption, greed, and deceit; the other rejects these things.
5 We cannot be friends with both; we must say goodbye to this one and follow the other.
6 We believe it is better to hate the things here because they are small, short-lived, and perishable, and to love those good things that never fade.
7 For by doing the will of Christ, we will find rest; but if we do not, nothing will save us from eternal punishment if we ignore his commandments.
8 The scripture in Ezekiel also says that even if Noah, Job, and Daniel rise up, they will not save their children in captivity.
9 If even such righteous men cannot save their children by their own righteousness, how can we, if we do not keep our baptism pure and unstained, have confidence to enter the kingdom of God? Or who will be our advocate if we are not found having holy and just deeds?
Ⅶ
Therefore, my brothers, let us strive, knowing that the battle is in our hands and that many compete in mortal contests, but not all are crowned, only those who work hard and fight well.
2 So let us strive so that we may all be crowned.
3 So let us run the straight path, the incorruptible race, and many of us shall compete and strive so that we may be crowned; and if we cannot all be crowned, at least let us come close to the crown.
4 We must know that if someone competing in the corruptible race is found cheating, he will be whipped and thrown out of the stadium.
5 What do you think? If someone cheats in the race for immortality, what will happen to him?
6 For those who do not keep the seal, he says, their worm will not die and their fire will not be quenched, and they will be a sight for all flesh.
Ⅷ
So, since we are on earth, let us repent.
2 For we are clay in the hands of the craftsman; just as the potter, if he is making a vessel and it is spoiled or broken in his hands, he reshapes it again, but if he has already put it in the fiery furnace, he can no longer help it. So too, while we are in this world, let us repent with all our heart for the evil we have done in the flesh, so we may be saved by the Lord, as long as we still have the chance to repent.
3 For after we leave this world, we can no longer confess or repent there.
4 So, brothers, if we do the will of the Father, keep our bodies pure, and obey the Lord's commands, we will receive eternal life.
5 For the Lord says in the Gospel: If you have not been faithful in little things, who will give you big things? I tell you, the one who is faithful in small matters is also faithful in big ones.
6 So, does He mean: Keep your body pure and your seal spotless, so that we may receive eternal life.
Ⅸ
And none of you should say that this body will not be judged or raised.
2 Know this: In what were you saved, in what did you see again, if not in this very body?
3 Therefore, we must keep our bodies as a temple of God.
4 For just as you were called in the body, so you will come in the body.
5 If Christ, our Lord who saved us, being first spirit, became flesh and called us this way, then we too will receive our reward in this flesh.
6 Let us love one another so that we may all come into the kingdom of God.
7 As we have the chance to be healed, let us give ourselves to the healing God, giving Him our thanks in return.
8 What kind? To repent from a sincere heart.
9 For He knows everything and understands what is in our hearts.
10 So let us praise Him, not just with our lips but also with our hearts, so that He may accept us as His children.
11 For the Lord said, "These are my brothers who do the will of my Father."
Ⅹ
So, my brothers, let us do the will of the Father who called us, so that we may live, and let us pursue virtue and leave behind wickedness as the forerunner of our sins, and flee from impiety, so that evil does not overtake us.
2 For if we strive to do good, peace will follow us.
3 For this reason, it is impossible to find people who cause human fears, choosing rather the enjoyment of the present life than the promise of the future.
4 For they do not know how much suffering the enjoyment of this life has, and what delight the promise of the future holds.
5 And if they only did these things themselves, it would be bearable; but now they persist in teaching their harmful ways to innocent souls, not knowing that they will face double judgment, both they and those who listen to them.
Ⅺ
So let us serve God with a pure heart, and we will be righteous; but if we do not serve because we do not believe in God's promise, we will be miserable.
2 For the prophetic word also says: Wretched are the double-minded, those who doubt in their hearts, those who say: We've heard these things long ago and from our fathers, but though we wait day after day, we have seen none of it.
3 You fools, consider the tree; take the vine; first, it sheds its leaves, then it sprouts, after that it bears fruit, and then it produces ripe grapes.
4 So too my people have had disorder and troubles; then they will receive the good things.
5 Therefore, my brothers, let us not be double-minded, but let us hope and endure, so that we may receive the reward.
6 For the one who promised is faithful to give each person the rewards of their work.
7 If we do what is right in the sight of God, we will enter His kingdom and receive the promises, which no ear has heard, no eye has seen, and no heart has imagined.
Ⅻ
So let us wait for the kingdom of God in love and righteousness, because we do not know the day of God's appearance.
2 When the Lord was asked by someone, "When will His kingdom come?" He said, "When the two become one, and the outside is like the inside, and the male with the female is neither male nor female."
3 The two become one when we speak truth to each other and have one true soul within two bodies.
4 And the outside being like the inside means this: the soul is the inside, and the body is the outside. So, just as your body is visible, let your soul be shown by your good deeds.
5 And the male being with the female, neither male nor female, means this: a brother seeing his sister should not think of her as female, and she should not think of him as male.
6 If you do these things, he says, the kingdom of my Father will come.
ⅩⅢ
So, brothers, let us finally repent and wake up to do good. For we are full of foolishness and wickedness. Let us wipe away our past sins and be saved by truly repenting from our hearts. Let us not seek to only please ourselves or others, but also act justly so that our name is not spoken badly of.
2 For the Lord says, "My name is always blasphemed among all the nations," and again, "Woe to the one through whom my name is blasphemed." How is it blasphemed? By you not doing what I want.
3 For the nations hear from our mouths the words of God and marvel at how good and great they are. But then, seeing our actions, which are not worthy of the words we speak, they turn to blasphemy, saying it's all just a myth and deception.
4 When they hear from us that God says, "It's no credit to you if you love those who love you, but it's credit to you if you love your enemies and those who hate you," they marvel at the greatness of this goodness. But when they see that we don't even love those who love us, much less those who hate us, they mock us, and God's name is blasphemed.
ⅩⅣ
So, brothers, by doing the will of our Father God, we will belong to the first church, the spiritual one, created before the sun and moon. But if we do not do the will of the Lord, we will be like in the scripture that says, "My house has become a den of robbers." Therefore, let us choose to be part of the church of life so that we may be saved.
2 I don't think you are unaware that the living church is the body of Christ, for scripture says, "God made humans male and female." The male is Christ, and the female is the church. Also, the scriptures and the apostles say that the church is not new but from above. It was spiritual, just like Jesus, and appeared in the last days to save us.
3 The church, being spiritual, appeared in the flesh of Christ to show us that if anyone among us keeps it in the flesh and does not defile it, he will receive it in the Holy Spirit. For the flesh is a symbol of the Spirit. Therefore, no one who destroys the symbol will partake of the authentic. So, brothers, this means: keep the flesh pure so that you may share in the Spirit.
4 If we say that the flesh is the church and the spirit is Christ, then anyone who dishonors the flesh dishonors the church. Such a person will not partake in the spirit, which is Christ.
5 This flesh can receive such great life and immortality when joined with the Holy Spirit that no one can describe or speak of the things the Lord has prepared for His chosen ones.
ⅩⅤ
I don't think I have given a small piece of advice on self-control, which anyone who follows will not regret. It will save both themselves and me, the one advising. For there is no small reward in turning a wandering and lost soul back to salvation.
2 We have this repayment to give to the God who created us: if the speaker and the listener speak and listen with faith and love.
3 Let's stay true to what we believed, being righteous and holy, so that we can confidently ask God, who says: "Even while you are still speaking, I will say, 'Here I am.'"
4 This word is a sign of a great promise: the Lord says He is more ready to give than we are to ask.
5 So, since we share in such great kindness, let’s not envy ourselves for getting so many good things. For as much joy as these words bring to those who do them, that's how much judgment they bring to those who ignore them.
ⅩⅥ
So, brothers, given a great opportunity to repent, let’s return to the God who called us while we still have the chance and He accepts us.
2 For if we give up these pleasures and conquer our soul by not following its evil desires, we will receive the mercy of Jesus.
3 You know that the day of judgment is coming like a burning oven. Some of the heavens and all the earth will melt like lead in a fire. Then the hidden and visible deeds of people will be shown.
4 So, giving to the poor is good as repentance for sin. Fasting is better than prayer, and giving to the poor is better than both. Love covers a multitude of sins, and prayer from a good conscience saves from death. Blessed is everyone who is full of these things, for giving to the poor eases sin.
ⅩⅦ
So, let us repent with all our heart, so that none of us will be lost. For if we have commands to do this, to turn away from idols and teach others, how much more should a soul that already knows God not be lost?
2 So, let us help ourselves and bring the weak towards the good, so that we may all be saved and turn each other back and teach each other.
3 And let us not only seem to believe now and pay attention when we are being instructed by the elders, but also when we return home, let us remember the Lord's commandments and not be distracted by worldly desires. Instead, let us come together more often, striving to advance in the Lord's commands, so that we may all be united with the same mind for life.
4 For the Lord said, "I am coming to gather all nations, tribes, and tongues." This refers to the day of His appearance, when He will come to redeem us, each one according to their deeds.
5 And the unbelievers will see His glory and power, and they will be amazed to see the kingdom of the world in Jesus, saying, "Woe to us, for it was You, and we did not know, and we did not believe, and we did not obey the elders who told us about our salvation." And their worm will not die and their fire will not be quenched, and they will be a sight for all flesh.
6 That day is called the Day of Judgment, when they will see those among us who were ungodly and ignored the commandments of Jesus Christ.
7 But the righteous, who have done good and endured hardships, and who have hated the pleasures of the soul, when they see those who have failed and denied Jesus through words or actions, being punished with terrible torments in unquenchable fire, will give glory to their God, saying, “There is hope for the one who has served God with all their heart.”
ⅩⅧ
So let us be among those who give thanks and have served God, and not among the judged wicked ones.
2 For even though I am a sinner and have not yet escaped temptation, but am still among the devil’s traps, I strive to pursue righteousness, so that I might at least come close to it, fearing the coming judgment.
ⅩⅨ
So, brothers and sisters, in the name of the God of truth, I encourage you to pay attention to what is written, so that you may save both yourselves and the reader among you. For I ask you to repent with all your heart, giving yourselves salvation and life. In doing this, we will set an example for all the young people who wish to work hard for the piety and goodness of God.
2 Let us not be foolish and resentful when someone advises us and turns us from wrongdoing to righteousness. Sometimes we do evil things without realizing it because of our doubts and lack of faith in our hearts, and our minds are darkened by worthless desires.
3 So let us do what is right so that we may be saved in the end. Blessed are those who follow these commands; even if they suffer for a little while in this world, they will reap the eternal reward of resurrection.
4 So let the righteous not be sad if they face hardships now; a blessed time awaits them. They will live again with the ancestors and rejoice forever in an endless, painless age.
ⅩⅩ
But let not even this trouble your mind, that we see the wicked becoming rich and the servants of God facing difficulties.
2 So let us believe, brothers and sisters; we are being tested and trained by the living God in this life so that we may be crowned in the next.
3 None of the righteous received quick rewards, but waits for them.
4 For if God gave the rewards to the righteous quickly, we would practice trade and not piety; we would seem to be righteous, not pursuing holiness, but profit. And so divine judgment harms a spirit that is not righteous and weighs it down with chains.
5 To the only invisible God, the Father of truth, who sent us the Savior and leader of immortality, through whom He revealed to us the truth and eternal life, to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. Second Letter of Clement to the Corinthians.