2 [ 36 ]: 9 Thou seest then," saith he, "that it is good to follow the angel of righteousness, and to bid
farewell to the angel of wickedness.
2 [ 36 ]: 10 This commandment declareth what concerneth faith, that thou mayest trust the works of
the angel of righteousness, and doing them mayest live unto God. But believe that the works of
the angel of wickedness are difficult; so by not doing them thou shalt live unto God."
Mandate 7
1 [ 37 ]: 1 "Fear the Lord," saith he, "and keep His commandments. So keeping the commandments
of God thou shalt be powerful in every deed, and thy doing shall be incomparable. For whilst
thou fearest the Lord, thou shalt do all things well. But this is the fear wherewith thou oughtest to
be afraid, and thou shalt be saved.
1 [ 37 ]: 2 But fear not the devil; for, if thou fear the Lord, thou shalt be master over the devil, for
there is no power in him. [For] in whom is no power, neither is there fear of him; but in whom
power is glorious, of him is fear likewise. For every one that hath power hath fear, whereas he
that hath no power is despised of all.
1 [ 37 ]: 3 But fear thou the works of the devil, for they are evil. While then thou fearest the Lord,
thou wilt fear the works of the devil, and wilt not do them, but abstain from them.
1 [ 37 ]: 4 Fear therefore is of two kinds. If thou desire to do evil, fear the Lord, and thou shalt not
do it. If again thou desire to do good, fear the Lord and thou shalt do it. Therefore the fear of the
Lord is powerful and great and glorious. Fear the Lord then, and thou shalt live unto Him; yea,
and as many of them that keep His commandments as shall fear Him, shall live unto God."
1 [ 37 ]: 5 "Wherefore, Sir," say I, "didst thou say concerning those that keep His commandments,
"They shall live unto God"?" "Because," saith he, "every creature feareth the Lord, but not every
one keepeth His commandments. Those then that fear Him and keep His commandments, they
have life unto God; but they that keep not His commandments have no life in them."
Mandate 8
1 [ 38 ]: 1 "I told thee," saith he, "that the creatures of God are twofold; for temperance also is
twofold. For in some things it is right to be temperate, but in other things it is not right."
1 [ 38 ]: 2 "Make known unto me, Sir," say I, "in what things it is right to be temperate, and in what
things it is not right." "Listen," saith he. "Be temperate as to what is evil, and do it not; but be not
temperate as to what is good, but do it. For if thou be temperate as to what is good, so as not to
do it, thou committest a great sin; but if thou be temperate as to what is evil, so as not to do it,
thou doest great righteousness. Be temperate therefore in abstaining from all wickedness, and do
that which is good."
1 [ 38 ]: 3 "What kinds of wickedness, Sir," say I, "are they from which we must be temperate and
abstain?" "Listen," saith he; "from adultery and fornication, from the lawlessness of drunkenness,
from wicked luxury, from many viands and the costliness of riches, and vaunting and
haughtiness and pride, and from falsehood and evil speaking and hypocrisy, malice and all
blasphemy.
1 [ 38 ]: 4 These works are the most wicked of all in the life of men. From these works therefore
the servant of God must be temperate and abstain; for he that is not temperate so as to abstain
from these cannot live unto God. Listen then to what follows upon these."
1 [ 38 ]: 5 "Why, are there still other evil deeds, Sir?" say I. "Aye, saith he, "there are many, from
which the servant of God must be temperate and abstain; theft, falsehood, deprivation, false
ron
(Ron)
#1