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1 that have not come since the day Ephraim turned away from Judah.” And all who walk in these, 2 the covenant of God stands firm for them, to deliver them from all the snares of the pit, for the simple pass on and are punished. 3 And the rule for the settlement of all the camps: they shall all be enrolled by their names, the priests first, 4 the Levites second, the sons of Israel third, and the proselyte fourth. And they shall be written by their names, 5 each after his brother: the priests first, the Levites second, the sons of Israel 6 third, and the proselyte fourth. And so they shall sit, and so they shall be asked about everything. And the priest who is appointed 7 at the head of the many shall be from thirty years old to sixty, learned in the Book of 8 Hagi and in all the judgments of the Torah, to speak them according to their rule. And the overseer who is 9 over all the camps shall be from thirty years old to fifty years old, master of every 10 secret of men and of every tongue according to their families. At his word those who enter the congregation shall enter, 11 each in his turn. And anything that any person has to say, let him say it to the overseer, 12 about any dispute or judgment. And this is the rule for the many, to provide for all their needs: the wages of⁠ 13 two days each month at the least, and they shall put it into the hand of the overseer and the judges. 14 From it they shall give for their wounded, and from it they shall support the poor and the needy, and the old man who 15 is bowed down, and the man who is afflicted, and the one taken captive by a foreign nation, and the virgin who 16 has no redeemer, and the youth who has no one to care for him: all the service of the association, and not 17 [shall the house of the association be cut off from] their [hand]. And this is the exact account of the settlement of the [camp, and these are the foundations of] 18 [the walls of the] assembly. And this is the exact account of the judgments by which [they shall be judged in the age of] 19 [wickedness, until there arises the messiah] of Aaron and Israel and atones for their iniquity, [a grain offering and a sin offering …] 20 […] And whoever lies about money, and he knows it, shall be [separated …] 21 [… and] punished for six days. And whoever speaks […] 22 [and whoever bears a grudge against his fellow] unjustly [shall be punished] … […] 23 […] … […] … […] … […]

Texts in conversation

Compare CD 14:12 and Acts 2:45

Dead Sea Scrolls, Sectarian and Community Texts · New Testament

Summary

Acts 2 describes believers selling their possessions and sharing the profits with those in need, a practice found earlier in the Dead Sea Scrolls where community members shared their resources to support the poor, orphans, widows, and captives.

Passages

CD 14:12

Dead Sea Scrolls, Sectarian and Community Texts · Damascus Document

11 each in his turn. And anything that any person has to say, let him say it to the overseer, 12 about any dispute or judgment. And this is the rule for the many, to provide for all their needs: the wages of 13 two days each month at the least, and they shall put it into the hand of the overseer and the judges. 14 From it they shall give for their wounded, and from it they shall support the poor and the needy, and the old man who 15 is bowed down, and the man who is afflicted, and the one taken captive by a foreign nation, and the virgin who 16 has no redeemer, and the youth who has no one to care for him: all the service of the association, and not 17 [shall the house of the association be cut off from] their [hand]. And this is the exact account of the settlement of the [camp, and these are the foundations of]

100–80 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in CD

Acts 2:45

New Testament

42 They were devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Reverential awe came over everyone, and many wonders and miraculous signs came about by the apostles. 44 All who believed were together and held everything in common, 45 and they began selling their property and possessions and distributing the proceeds to everyone, as anyone had need. 46 Every day they continued to gather together by common consent in the temple courts, breaking bread from house to house, sharing their food with glad and humble hearts, 47 praising God and having the good will of all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number every day those who were being saved.

70–90 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Acts

References

"... Many scholars have observed striking similarities between the descriptions of the Essenes and the sectarian documents found among the Dead Sea Scrolls as described by Philo and Josephus. These parallels have led to the prevailing belief that the scrolls offer valuable insights into the beliefs and practices of the Essenes. The scrolls, at the very least, reflect a Jewish sectarian group that emphasized communal living and shared possessions. The Community Rule (1QS) outlines the admission process, which involved a year of study and probation during which candidates were prohibited from participating in certain communal activities. Upon acceptance, their property and earnings would be entrusted to the Bursar of the Congregation and recorded in their account, with expenditures strictly regulated. Only after a second year of probation would their personal belongings become merged with the community's resources. Interestingly, Iamblichus notes a similar probationary period in Pythagoras' group, with rejected candidates receiving double their property back. The Dead Sea sect, however, was not uniform in its practices, as indicated by variations in rules regarding marriage and communal possessions found in the Damascus Document (CD) and mentioned by Josephus ..."

Christopher R. Hutson, “All Things in Common: Mutual Aid in Acts 2.42–47 and 4.32–37,” Leaven (2010): 1–6.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

Column 14

CD18 chapters

Compare CD 14:12 and Acts 2:45

Summary

Passages

CD 14:12

Acts 2:45

References

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