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About this book

Didache

About this book

What the Way of Life Forbids

Chapter 2

1 But the second commandment of the teaching is: 2 You shall not murder; you shall not commit adultery;⁠ you shall not corrupt boys; you shall not commit fornication; you shall not steal; you shall not practice magic; you shall not use love potions; you shall not cause abortion, nor kill newborns;⁠ you shall not desire your neighbor's possessions. 3 You shall not commit perjury; you shall not lie; you shall not speak ill; you shall not bear grudges. 4 You shall not be double-minded or double-tongued, because that leads to death.⁠ 5 Your words shall not be false or meaningless but followed by actions. 6 You shall not be greedy or exploitative, nor a hypocrite, nor evil-minded, nor arrogant; you shall not plan evil against your neighbor. 7 You shall not hate anyone; some you will correct, some you will pray for, and some you will love more than your own life.⁠

Texts in conversation

Compare 1 Enoch 91:4 and Didache 2:4

Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses · Early Christian

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Summary

The Didache follows traditions similar to 1 Enoch 91 and its call to avoid divided loyalties. In 1 Enoch, this follows the “two ways” tradition from Deuteronomy that requires choosing between life and death.

Passages

1 Enoch 91:4

Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses
3 And he spoke to all the children of righteousness and said: 'Listen, sons of Enoch, to all the words of your father, and pay close attention to the sound of my voice; for I urge you and say to you, beloved: Love integrity and walk in its ways. 4 And do not approach integrity with a double heart, and do not associate with those who have a double heart, but walk in righteousness, my sons. It will guide you on good paths, and righteousness will be your companion. 5 For I know that violence must increase on the earth, and a great punishment will be executed on the earth, and all wickedness will come to an end: yes, it will be completely eradicated from its roots, and its entire structure will be destroyed.
300 BCE – 100 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in 1 Enoch

Didache 2:4

Early Christian
2 You shall not murder; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not corrupt boys; you shall not commit fornication; you shall not steal; you shall not practice magic; you shall not use love potions; you shall not cause abortion, nor kill newborns; you shall not desire your neighbor's possessions. 3 You shall not commit perjury; you shall not lie; you shall not speak ill; you shall not bear grudges. 4 You shall not be double-minded or double-tongued, because that leads to death. 5 Your words shall not be false or meaningless but followed by actions.
90–120 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in the Didache

References

"... While the second instance, which brands “those of double heart” as a group, does not allow for ambiguity that conceives of them doing good as well as bad, the first occurrence holds open the possibility that anyone, perhaps even the righteous, might be subject to the “double heart”, and so warns them away. This point cannot, in the end, be pressed too far. The remaining emphasis on “two ways” throughout chapters 91–105 distinguishes the righteous and sinners or oppressors as social groups to such a degree that it is more likely that the righteous are simply being warned away from getting into a state of dividedness (i.e. sinfulness) to begin with ... A similar use of the motif of “double-mindedness” occurs within the “two ways” instruction in Didache 1:1–6:3; see especially 2:4 and 4:4 ..."
Loren T. Stuckenbruck, 1 Enoch 91–108 (Berlin: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co. KG, 2007), 167.

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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1 Enoch 91:4 and Didache 2:4

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