Epistle of Barnabas, Chapter 9
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.
Numbering: Greek verse 9 has no English counterpart under that number. Compare by content.
How was this verified? (Provenance)
1λεγει γαρ παλιν περι των ωτιων πωϲ περιετεμεν ημω την ϲαρκαν λεγει κϲ εν τω προφητη ειϲ ακοην ωτιου ϋπηκουϲαν μου και παλιν λεγει ακοη ακουϲονται οι πορρωθεν α εποιηϲα γνωϲονται και περιτμηται λεγει κϲ ταϲ καρδιαϲ ϋμων 2και παλιν λεγει ακουε ϊϲλ οτι ταδε λεγει κϲ ο θϲ ϲου τιϲ εϲτι ο θελων ζηϲε ειϲ τον αιωνα ακοη ακουϲαται τηϲ φωνηϲ του παιδοϲ μου · 3και παλιν λεγει ακουε ουνε και ενωτιζου γη οτι κϲ ελαληϲεν ταυτα ειϲ μαρτυριον και παλιν λεγει · ακουϲατε λογον κυ αρχοντεϲ του λαου τουτου · και παλιν λεγει ακουϲατε τεκνα φωνη βοωντοϲ εν τη ερημω 4ουκουν περιετεμεν ημων ταϲ ακοαϲ ινα ακουϲωμεν λογον και μη μονον πιϲτευϲωμεν ημιϲ αλλα και η περιτομη εφ ηϲ πεποιθαϲιν κατηργηται · περιτομην γαρ ειρηκε ου ϲαρκοϲ γενηθηναι αλλα παρεβηϲα οτι αγγελοϲ πονηροϲ εϲφαξεν αυτουϲ 5λεγει προϲ αυτουϲ ταδε λεγει κϲ ο θϲ ϋμων ωδε ευριϲκω εντολην μη ϲπειρεται επ ακανθαιϲ περιτμηθηται τω θω ϋμων και τι λεγει περιτμηται την ϲκληροκαρδιαν ϋμων και τον τραχηλον ϋμων ου ϲκληρυνειτε ϊδου λαβε παλιν ϊδου λεγει κϲ παντα τα εθνη ακροβυϲτιαν ο δε λαοϲ ουτοϲ απεριτμητοϲ καρδιαϲ
1Furthermore He saith concerning the ears, how that it is our heart which He circumcised. The Lord saith in the prophet; With the hearing of the ears they listened to Me. And again He saith; They that are afar off shall hear with their ears, and shall perceive what I have done. And; Be ye circumcised in your hearts, saith the Lord. 2And again He saith; Hear, O Israel, for thus saith the Lord thy God. Who is he that desireth to live forever, let him hear with his ears the voice of My servant. ~y And again He saith; Hear, O heaven, and give ear, O earth, for the Lord hath spoken these things for a testimony. And again He saith; Hear the words of the Lord, ye rulers of this people. And again He saith; Hear, O my children, the voice of one crying in the wilderness. Therefore He circumcised our ears, that hearing the word we might believe. 3But moreover the circumcision, in which they have confidence, is abolished; for He hath said that a circumcision not of the flesh should be practiced. But they transgressed, for an evil angel taught them cleverness. 4He saith unto them; Thus saith the Lord your God (so I find the commandment); sow not upon thorns, be ye circumcised in to your Lord. And what saith He? Be ye circumcised in the hardness of your heart; and then ye will not harden your neck. Take this again; Behold, sayith the Lord, all the Gentiles are uncircumcised in their foreskin, but this people is uncircumcised in their hearts. 5But thou wilt say; In truth the people hath been circumcised for a seal. Nay, but so likewise is every Syrian and Arabian and all the priests of the idols. Do all those then too belong to their covenant? Moreover the Egyptians also are included among the circumcised.
6αλλ εριϲ και μην περιτετμηται ο λαοϲ ειϲ ϲφραγιδα αλλα και παϲ ϲυροϲ και αραψ και παντεϲ οι ϊερειϲ των ϊδωλων αρα ουν κακεινοι εκ τηϲ διαθηκηϲ αυτων ειϲιν αλλα και οι αιγυπτιοι εν περιτομη ειϲι 7μαθετε ουν τεκνα αγαπηϲ περι παντων οτι αβρααμ πρωτοϲ περιτομην δουϲ εν πνι πλουϲιωϲ προβλεψαϲ ειϲ τον ιν περιετεμεν λαβω γ γραμματων δογματα 8λεγει γαρ και περιετεμεν αβρααμ εκ του οικου αυτου ανδραϲ δεκαοκτω και τριακοϲιουϲ · τριϲ ουν η δοθιϲα αυτω γνωϲιϲ μαθετε · οτι τουϲ δεκαοκτω πρωτουϲ και διαϲτημα ποιηϲαϲ λεγει τριακοϲιουϲ · το δεκαοκτω εχειϲ ιν οτι δε ο ϲταυροϲ εν τριακοϲτω ημελλεν εχιν την χαριν λεγει και τριακοϲιουϲ · δηλοι ουν τον μεν ιν εν τοιϲ δυϲιν γραμμαϲιν και εν τω ενι τον ϲταυρον 9οιδεν · οτι την εμφυτον δωρεαν τηϲ διαθηκηϲ αυτου θεμενοϲ εν ημιν ουδειϲ γνηϲιωτερον εμαθεν απ εμου λογον αλλα οτι αξιοι εϲτε ϋμειϲ
6Learn therefore, children of love, concerning all things abundantly, that Abraham, who first appointed circumcision, looked forward in the spirit unto Jesus, when he circumcised having received the ordinances of three letters. 7For the scripture saith; And Abraham circumcised of his household eighteen males and three hundred. What then was the knowledge given unto him? Understand ye that He saith the eighteen first, and then after an interval three hundred In the eighteen 'I' stands for ten, 'H' for eight. Here thou hast JESUS (IHSOYS). And because the cross in the 'T' was to have grace, He saith also three hundred . So He revealeth Jesus in the two letters, and in the remaining one the cross. 8He who placed within us the innate gift of His covenant knoweth; no man hath ever learnt from me a more genuine word; but I know that ye are worthy.
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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