Epistle of Barnabas, Chapter 7
Introduction
This entry meets the strict three-criteria standard of the Theosis Library:
- Manuscript scan: The actual folio(s) of Codex Sinaiticus containing this chapter, from the Codex Sinaiticus Project (codexsinaiticus.org). Each section links to the specific folio holding its verses.
- Original text: The Codex Sinaiticus Project's verbatim transcription of the folio shown (uncial letters, lunate sigma, nomina sacra preserved).
- English translation: J. B. Lightfoot, The Apostolic Fathers (1891), public domain, retrieved verbatim from Lightfoot 1891 via earlychristianwritings.com transcription.
Why this is here: Codex Sinaiticus binds this text after Revelation, alongside the canonical books. Reading it on the same parchment as the Gospels is primary evidence for how a 4th-century Christian community treated it.
How was this verified? (Provenance)
1ουκουν νοειται τεκνα ευφροϲυνηϲ οτι παντα ο καλοϲ κϲ προεφανερωϲεν ημι ϊνα γνωμεν ω κατα παντα ευχαριϲτουντεϲ οφιλομεν αινιν 2ει ουν ο υ̇ϊοϲ του θυ ων κϲ προεφανερωϲεν ϊνα γνωμεν ω κατα παντα ευχαριϲτουντεϲ και μελλων κρινιν ζωνταϲ και νεκρουϲ επαθεν ϊνα η πληγη αυτου ζωοποιηϲι ημαϲ πιϲτευϲωμεν οτι ο υ̇ϊοϲ του θυ ουκ ηδυνατο παθειν ει μη δι ημαϲ 3αλλα και ϲταυρωθιϲ εποτιζετο οξει και ολη ακουϲατε περι τουτου πεφανερωκα οι ϊεριϲ του ναου γεγραμμενηϲ εντοληϲ οϲ αν μη νηϲτευϲη την νηϲτιαν εξολεθρευθηϲετε ενετιλατο κϲ · αυτ επι και αυτοϲ επι των ημετερω αμαρτιων εμελλεν το ϲκευοϲ του πνϲ προϲφεριν θυϲιαν ινα και ουτοϲ ο γενομενοϲ επι ϊϲακ του προϲενεχθεντοϲ επι το θυϲιαν τελεϲθηναι · 4τι ουν λεγει εν τω προφητη και φαγετωϲαν εκ του τραγου του προϲφερομενου τη νηϲτια ϋπερ παϲων τω αμαρτιων προϲεχεται ακριβωϲ και φαγετωϲαν οι ϊερειϲ μονοι παντεϲ το εντερον απλυτον μετα οξουϲ 5προϲ τι · επι εμεν ϋπερ αμαρτιων μελλοντα του λαου μου του κενου προϲφεριν την ϲαρκαν μου μελλεται ποτιζειν χολη μετα οξουϲ φαγεται ϋμιϲ μονοι του λαου νηϲτευοντοϲ και κοπτομενου επι ϲακκου και ϲποδου ϊνα διξη οτι δι αυτο πολλα παθειν ϋπ αυτων
1Understand therefore, children of gladness, that the good Lord manifested all things to us beforehand, that we might know to whom we ought in all things to render thanksgiving and praise. 2If then the Son of God, being Lord and future Judge of quick and dead, suffered that His wound might give us life, let us believe that the Son of God could not suffer except for our sakes. 3But moreover when crucified He had vinegar and gall given Him to drink. Hear how on this matter the priests of the temple have revealed. Seeing that there is a commandment in scripture, Whatsoever shall not observe the fast shall surely die, the Lord commanded, because He was in His own person about to offer the vessel of His Spirit a sacrifice for our sins, that the type also which was given in Isaac who was offered upon the alter should be fulfilled. 4What then saith He in the prophet? And let them eat of the goat that is offered at the fast for all their sins. Attend carefully; And let all the priests alone eat the entrails unwashed with vinegar. 5Wherefore? Since ye are to give Me, who am to offer My flesh for the sins of My new people, gall with vinegar to drink, eat ye alone, while the people fasteth and waileth in sackcloth and ashes; that He might shew that He must suffer at their hands.
6α ενετιλατο προϲεχεται λαβετε δυο τραγουϲ καλουϲ και ομοιουϲ και προϲενεγκαται και λαβετω ο ϊερευϲ τον εναν ειϲ ολοκαυτωμα τον ενα υπερ αμαρτιων 7τον δε εναν τι ποιηϲωϲιν επικαταρατοϲ φηϲιν ο ειϲ προϲεχετε πωϲ ο τυποϲ του θυ φανερουται 8και εμπτυϲαται παντεϲ και κατακεντηϲαται και περιθεται το εριον το κοκκινο περι την κεφαλη αυτου και ουτωϲ ειϲ ερημον βληθητω και οταν γενηται ουτωϲ αγει ο βαϲταζων τον τραγον ειϲ την ερημον φερι το εριον και επιτιθηϲιον αυτο επι φρυγανο το γενομενον ραχηλʼ ου και τουϲ βλαϲτουϲ ειωθαμεν τρωγειν εν τη χωρα ευριϲκοτεϲ ουτω μονηϲ τηϲ ραχουϲ οι καρποι γλυκειϲ ειϲιν · 9τι ουν τουτο εϲτι προϲεχετε τον μεν ενα επι το θυϲιαϲτηριον τον δε ενα επικαταρατον και οτι τον εϲτεφανωμενο επικαταρατον επιδη οψονται αυτον τοτε τη ημερα τον ποδηρη εχοντα τον κοκκινον περι την ϲαρκα και ερουϲιν ουχ ουτοϲ εϲτιν ον ποτε ημιϲ εϲταυρωϲαμε και εξουθενηϲαμεν εμπτυϲατεϲ αληθωϲ ουτοϲ ην ο τοτε λεγων εαυτον υιο του θυ ειναι 10πωϲ γαρ ομοιοϲ εκεινω ειϲ τουτο ομοιουϲ τουϲ τραγουϲ καλουϲ ειϲουϲ · ϊνα οταν ειδωϲι αυτον τοτε ερχομενον εκπλαγωϲι επι τη ομοιοτητι του τραγου · ουκουν ειδε τον τραγον τον τυπον του μελλοντοϲ παϲχειν ιυ ·
6Attend ye to the commandments which He gave. Take two goats, fair and alike, and offer them, and let the priest take the one for a whole burnt offering for sins. 7But the other one--what must they do with it? Accursed, saith He, is the one. Give heed how the type of Jesus is revealed. 8And do ye all spit upon it and goad it, and place scarlet wool about its head, and so let it be cast into the wilderness. And when it is so done, he that taketh the goat into the wilderness leadeth it, and taketh off the wool, and putteth it upon the branch which is called Rachia, the same whereof we are wont to eat the shoots when we find them in the country. Of this briar alone is the fruit thus sweet. 9What then meaneth this? Give heed. The one at the alter, and the other accursed. And moreover the accursed one crowned. For they shall see Him in that day wearing the long scarlet robe about His flesh, and shall say, Is not this He, Whom once we crucified and set at nought and spat upon; verily this was He, Who then said that He was the Son of God. 10For how is He like the goat? For this reason it says the goats shall be fair and alike, that, when they shall see Him coming then, they may be astonished at the likeness of the goat. Therefore behold the type of Jesus that was to suffer.
11τι δε οτι το εριον μεϲον των ακανθων τιθεαϲιν τυποϲ εϲτιν του ιυ τη εκκληϲια θεμενοϲ οτι ωϲ εαν θελητο εριον αραι το κοκκινον εδει αυτον πολλα παθιν δια το ειναι φοβεραν την ακαθαν και θλιβεντα κυριευϲαι αυτου ουτω φηϲιν οι θελοντεϲ με ιδιν και αψαϲθαι μου τηϲ βαϲιλιαϲ οφιλουϲιν θλιβετεϲ μ και παθοντεϲ λαβειν με
11But what meaneth it, that they place the wool in the midst of the thorns? It is a type of Jesus set forth for the Church, since whosoever should desire to take away the scarlet wool it behoved him to suffer many things owing to the terrible nature of the thorn, and through affliction to win the mastery over it. Thus, He saith, they that desire to see Me, and to attain unto My kingdom, must lay hold on Me through tribulation and affliction.
Cite
Source & Cross-References
- Source text: Codex Sinaiticus folio + transcription (codexsinaiticus.org) + J. B. Lightfoot, The Apostolic Fathers (1891) — view original
- Critical edition: Tischendorf 8th edition (1869) / Codex Sinaiticus transcription
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