The General Epistle of Barnabas
Chapter I
Preface to the Epistle.
ALL happiness to you my sons
and daughters, in the name
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
loved us, in peace.
2 Having perceived abundance
of knowledge of the great and
excellent laws of God to be in you,
I exceedingly rejoice in your blessed
and admirable souls, because ye
have so worthily received the
grace which was grafted in you.
3 For which cause I am full of
joy, hoping the rather to be saved;
inasmuch as I truly see a spirit
infused into you, from the pure
fountain of God:
4 Having this persuasion, and
being fully convinced thereof,
because that since I have begun to
speak unto you, I have had a more
than ordinary good success in the
way of the law of the Lord, which
is in Christ,
5 For which cause brethren, I
also think verily that I love you
above my own soul; because that
therein dwelleth the greatness of
faith and charity, as also the hope
of that life which is to come.
6 Wherefore considering this,
that if I shall take care to
communicate to you a part of what
I have received, it shall turn to
my reward, that I have served such
good souls. I gave diligence to
write in a few words unto you;
that together with your faith, your
knowledge also may be perfect.
7 There are therefore three
things ordained by the Lord; the
hope of life, the beginning, and
the completion of it.
8 For the Lord hath both
declared unto us, by the prophets,
those things that are past; and
opened to us the beginnings of
those that are to come.
9 Wherefore, it will behove us,
as he has spoken, to come more
holily, and nearer to his altar.
10 I therefore, not as a teacher
but as one of you, will endeavour
to lay before you a few things by
which you may, on many accounts,
become the more joyful.