The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, the Pseudo-Clementine Recognitions and Homilies, apocryphal gospels and acts, the False Decretals and early Syriac documents: texts the church did not receive as Scripture or as genuine, kept for their historical value.
Edition: Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 8 · www.ccel.org
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From the opening: Chapters I–V
Chapter I — The Salutation
To all those who love and cherish their life which is in Christ through God the Father, and obey the truth of God in hope of eternal life; to those who bear affection towards their brethren and towards their neighbours in the love of God; to the blessed brother virgins, who devote themselves to preserve virginity "for the sake of the kingdom of heaven;" and to the holy sister virgins: the peace which is in God.
Chapter II — For True Virginity Perfect Virtue is Necessary
Of all virgins of either sex who have truly resolved to preserve virginity for the sake of the kingdom of heaven--of each and every one of them it is required that he be worthy of the kingdom of heaven in every thing. For not by eloquence or renown, by station and descent, or by beauty or strength, or by length of life, is the kingdom of heaven obtained; but it is obtained by the power of faith, when a man exhibits the works of faith. For whosoever is truly righteous, his works testify concerning his faith, that he is truly a believer, with a faith which is great, a faith which is perfect, a faith which is in God, a faith which shines in good works, that the Father of all may be glorified through Christ. Now, those who are truly virgins for the sake of God give heed to Him who hath said, "Let not righteousness and faith fail thee; bind them on thy neck, and thou shalt find favour for thyself; and devise thou good things before God and before men." "The paths," therefore, "of the righteous shine as the light, and the light of them advances until the day is perfect." For the beams of their light illumine the whole creation even now by good works, as those who are truly "the light of the world," giving light to "those who sit in darkness," that they may arise and go forth from the darkness by the light of the good works of the fear of God, "that they may see our good works and glorify our Father who is in heaven." For it is required of the man of God, that in all his words and works he be perfect, and that in his life he be adorned with all exemplary and well-ordered behaviour, and do all his deeds in righteousness, as a man of God.
Chapter III — True Virgins Prove Themselves Such by Self-Denial, as Does the True…
For virgins are a beautiful pattern to believers, and to those who shall believe. The name alone, indeed, without works, does not introduce into the kingdom of heaven; but, if a man be truly a believer, such an one can be saved. For, if a person be only called a believer in name, whilst he is not such in works, he cannot…
Contents (287 sections)
- About this edition
- Title page
- Introductory Notice
- Introductory Notice
- Introductory Notice (continued)
- Introductory Notice (continued)
- Introductory Notice (continued)
- Introductory Notice
- Introductory Notice
- Chapters I–V
- Chapters VI–X
- Chapters XI–XII
- Chapter XIII — What Priests Should Be and Should Not Be
- Chapters I–V
- Chapters VI–XI
- Chapters XII–XVI
- Introductory Notice
- Introductory Notice
- Chapters I–VI
- Chapters VII–XI
- Chapters XII–XVII
- Chapters XVIII–XXII
- Chapters XXIII–XXVII
- Chapters XXVIII–XXXIV
- Chapters XXXV–XL
- Chapters XLI–XLVI
- Chapters XLVII–LII
- Chapters LIII–LIX
- Chapters LX–LXVI
- Chapters LXVII–LXXII
- Chapters LXXIII–LXXIV
- Chapters I–VI
- Chapters VII–XIII
- Chapters XIV–XVIII
- Chapters XIX–XXIV
- Chapters XXV–XXIX
- Chapters XXX–XXXV
- Chapters XXXVI–XLI
- Chapters XLII–XLVI
- Chapters XLVII–LIII
- Chapters LIV–LVIII
- Chapters LIX–LXIV
- Chapters LXV–LXXI
- Chapter LXXII — The Remedy
- Chapters I–XVI
- Chapters XVII–XXII
- Chapters XXIII–XXVIII
- Chapters XXIX–XXXIV
- Chapters XXXV–XL
- Chapters XLI–XLV
- Chapters XLVI–LII
- Chapters LIII–LIX
- Chapters LX–LXV
- Chapters LXVI–LXXI
- Chapters LXXII–LXXV
- Chapters I–V
- Chapters VI–XIII
- Chapters XIV–XX
- Chapters XXI–XXVII
- Chapters XXVIII–XXXIV
- Chapters XXXV–XXXVII
- Chapters I–VIII
- Chapters IX–XV
- Chapters XVI–XXI
- Chapters XXII–XXVI
- Chapters XXVII–XXXI
- Chapters XXXII–XXXVI
- Chapters I–VI
- Chapters VII–XI
- Chapters XII–XV
- Chapters I–VII
- Chapters VIII–XVI
- Chapters XVII–XXIV
- Chapters XXV–XXX
- Chapters XXXI–XXXVII
- Chapter XXXVIII — Reward of Chastity
- Chapters I–VI
- Chapters VII–XII
- Chapters XIII–XVIII
- Chapters XIX–XXIV
- Chapters XXV–XXIX
- Chapters XXX–XXXV
- Chapters XXXVI–XLI
- Chapters XLII–XLVI
- Chapters XLVII–LII
- Chapters LIII–LVII
- Chapters LVIII–LXII
- Chapters I–VI
- Chapters VII–XI
- Chapters XII–XVIII
- Chapters XIX–XXV
- Chapters XXVI–XXXII
- Chapters XXXIII–XXXVIII
- Chapters I–V
- Chapters VI–XI
- Chapters XII–XVII
- Chapters XVIII–XXII
- Chapters XXIII–XXIX
- Chapters XXX–XXXV
- Chapters XXXVI–XLI
- Chapters XLII–XLVIII
- Chapters XLIX–LIV
- Chapters LV–LX
- Chapters LXI–LXVI
- Chapters LXVII–LXXII
- Introductory Notice
- Epistle of Peter to James
- Chapter V — The Adjuration Accepted
- Epistle of Clement to James
- Chapters VII–XIV
- Chapters XV–XX
- Chapters I–VI
- Chapters VII–XI
- Chapters XII–XVIII
- Chapters XIX–XXII
- Chapters I–X
- Chapters XI–XIX
- Chapters XX–XXVI
- Chapters XXVII–XXXIII
- Chapters XXXIV–XLII
- Chapters XLIII–LIII
- Chapters I–IX
- Chapters X–XVIII
- Chapters XIX–XXVII
- Chapters XXVIII–XXXVI
- Chapters XXXVII–XLIII
- Chapters XLIV–LIV
- Chapters LV–LXIV
- Chapters LXV–LXXIII
- Chapters I–X
- Chapters XI–XX
- Chapters XXI–XXV
- Chapters I–VIII
- Chapters IX–XV
- Chapters XVI–XXIII
- Chapters XXIV–XXX
- Chapters I–V
- Chapters VI–XIV
- Chapters XV–XXII
- Chapters XXIII–XXVI
- Chapters I–VIII
- Chapters IX–XII
- Chapters I–VIII
- Chapters IX–XVII
- Chapters XVIII–XXIV
- Chapters I–IX
- Chapters X–XVI
- Chapters XVII–XXIII
- Chapters I–IX
- Chapters X–XIX
- Chapters XX–XXVI
- Chapters I–IX
- Chapters X–XV
- Chapters XVI–XXII
- Chapters XXIII–XXXI
- Chapters XXXII–XXXVI
- Chapters I–VII
- Chapters VIII–XV
- Chapters XVI–XXIII
- Chapters XXIV–XXIX
- Chapters XXX–XXXIII
- Chapters I–VI
- Chapters VII–XIV
- Chapters XV–XXI
- Chapters I–VI
- Chapters VII–XII
- Chapters I–VI
- Chapters VII–XI
- Chapters I–VI
- Chapters VII–XIII
- Chapters XIV–XX
- Chapter XXI — Simon Promises to Appeal to the Teaching of Christ. Peter Dismisses the…
- Chapters I–VI
- Chapters VII–XI
- Chapters XII–XVI
- Chapters XVII–XX
- Chapters I–V
- Chapters VI–XI
- Chapters XII–XVII
- Chapters XVIII–XXIII
- Chapters I–VI
- Chapters VII–XII
- Chapters XIII–XVIII
- Chapters XIX–XXII
- Chapters XXIII–XXV
- Chapters I–V
- Chapters VI–IX
- Chapters X–XVI
- Chapters XVII–XXII
- Chapter XXIII — Peter Goes to Antioch
- Introductory Notice
- Part I. — Apocryphal Gospels
- Part II. — The Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles
- Part III. — Apocryphal Apocalypses
- The First Latin Form is edited from three Italian mss., the oldest of the thirteenth…
- Chapters 1–3
- Chapters 4–8
- Chapters 9–13
- Chapters 14–19
- Chapters 20–26
- Chapters 27–31
- Chapters 32–39
- Chapters 40–3
- Chapters 4–9
- Chapter 10
- Chapter 10 (continued)
- Chapters I–VI
- Chapters VII–XV
- Chapter VII — How Jesus Raised a Boy to Life (continued)
- Part I. — The Acts of Pilate
- Chapters 3–8
- Chapters 9–12
- Chapters 13–15
- Chapter 16
- Chapters 1–3
- Chapters 4–9
- Chapters 10–11
- Chapters 12–15
- Chapter 16
- Part II. — The Descent of Christ into Hell
- Chapters 5–11
- Part I. — The Acts of Pilate
- Chapters 3–8
- Chapters 9–12
- Chapters 13–15
- Chapter 16
- Part II. — Christ's Descent into Hell
- Chapters 5–7
- Chapters 8–11
- Chapters 12–1
- Chapters 2–6
- Chapters 7–11
- Chapters 1–3
- Chapters 4–5
- Chapter 4 (continued)
- Chapter 4 (continued)
- Chapter 4 (continued)
- Chapter 4 (continued)
- Chapter 4 (continued)
- Chapter 4 (continued)
- Chapter 4 (continued)
- Chapter 4 (continued)
- Chapter 4 (continued)
- Chapter 4 (continued)
- Chapter 4 (continued)
- Chapter 4 (continued)
- Chapter 4 (continued)
- Chapter 4 (continued)
- Introductory Notice
- The First Epistle
- The Second Epistle
- The First Epistle
- The Second Epistle
- IV
- The Epistle of Pope Urban First
- III
- The First Epistle
- The Second Epistle
- The Epistle
- The First Epistle
- The Second Epistle
- The Third Epistle
- I
- II
- Introductory Notice
- I
- VIII
- VIII (continued)
- VIII (continued)
- VIII (continued)
- VIII (continued)
- VIII (continued)
- Homily on Habib the Martyr, Composed by Mar Jacob
- Homily on Habib the Martyr, Composed by Mar Jacob (continued)
- Introduction
- Introduction (continued)
- Introduction (continued)
- I
- Introductory Notice
- I
- II
- I
- VI
- I
- I
- I (continued)
- I (continued)
How to cite it
- Chicago
- Various. Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 8: The Twelve Patriarchs, the Clementina, Apocrypha, Decretals, and Syriac Documents. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 8, 1886. https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf08
- MLA
- Various. Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 8: The Twelve Patriarchs, the Clementina, Apocrypha, Decretals, and Syriac Documents. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 8, 1886. https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf08
- APA
- Various (1886). Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 8: The Twelve Patriarchs, the Clementina, Apocrypha, Decretals, and Syriac Documents. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 8. https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf08
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