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About this book

Didache

About this book

Welcoming Traveling Apostles and Prophets

Chapter 11

1 If anyone comes and teaches you everything mentioned above, accept him.⁠ 2 But if the teacher himself is corrupt and teaches a different doctrine that undermines these truths, do not listen to him. However, if his teaching promotes righteousness and knowledge of the Lord, receive him as you would the Lord. 3 Regarding the Apostles and Prophets, act in accordance with the guidelines of the Gospel. 4 Receive every Apostle who comes to you as if he were the Lord.⁠ 5 But do not let him stay more than one day, or two if necessary.⁠ If he stays three days, he is a false prophet. 6 When an Apostle departs, let him take only bread until he reaches his lodging for the night. If he asks for money, he is a false prophet. 7 Do not test or judge any prophet who is speaking under inspiration, for every sin may be forgiven, but this sin will not.⁠ 8 Not everyone who speaks under inspiration is a prophet, but only one who has the ways of the Lord. You can distinguish a false prophet from a true one by his actions.⁠ 9 No prophet who orders a meal while in a state of inspiration should eat from it; if he does, he is a false prophet. 10 Any prophet who teaches the truth but does not practice what he preaches is a false prophet. 11 But do not judge a tested and genuine prophet who may enact a symbolic ritual of the Church but doesn't teach others to do the same. He will be judged by God, just like the ancient prophets. 12 If anyone requests money or something else while claiming to be inspired, do not listen to him. But if he asks you to give to others in need, do not judge him.

Texts in conversation

Compare Matthew 12:31 and Didache 11:7

New Testament · Early Christian

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Summary

In Matthew, Jesus says every sin will be forgiven except blasphemy against the Spirit. In the Didache, an early church manual, the same saying covers anyone who tests or judges a prophet speaking in the Spirit, the one sin left unforgiven.

Passages

Matthew 12:31

New Testament
31 For this reason I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
70–90 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Matthew

Didache 11:7

Early Christian
7 Do not test or judge any prophet who is speaking under inspiration, for every sin may be forgiven, but this sin will not. 8 Not everyone who speaks under inspiration is a prophet, but only one who has the ways of the Lord. You can distinguish a false prophet from a true one by his actions. 9 No prophet who orders a meal while in a state of inspiration should eat from it; if he does, he is a false prophet. 10 Any prophet who teaches the truth but does not practice what he preaches is a false prophet.
90–120 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in the Didache

References

“... The saying about the unforgivable sin here may provide further evidence for some form of dependence by the Didache on Matthew. The evidence is very slight in extent, and the synoptic evidence is somewhat complicated. On the ‘standard’ Two Source theory, the passage constitutes a ‘Mark–Q overlap’. However, in so far as it is possible to determine the Q wording, Didache here appears to show agreement with Matthew’s redaction of Mark, rather than with the Q version. [...] Köster admits that the Didache is closer to Matthew than to the other synoptic versions here, but denies direct dependence in view of the lack of any significant features. However, it remains the case that such links as exist seem to be with features that are redactional in Matthew. ...”
Andrew Gregory and Christopher Tuckett, eds., The Reception of the New Testament in the Apostolic Fathers (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005), 108.

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

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Matthew 12:31 and Didache 11:7

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