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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 James 3:8 and Didache 2:4

New Testament · Early Christian

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Summary

The Didache echoes James 3, describing the tongue as a deadly force that cannot be subdued, following Jewish wisdom traditions that warn of speech’s destructive power. The Didache integrates these Jewish teachings into early Christian tradition.

Passages

James 3:8

New Testament
7 For every kind of animal, bird, reptile, and sea creature is subdued and has been subdued by humankind. 8 But no human being can subdue the tongue; it is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse people made in God’s image. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. These things should not be so, my brothers and sisters.
80–90 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in James

Didache 2:4

Early Christian
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.
90–120 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in the Didache

References

"... Didache 2:4 ... This text seems dualistic at first, however, there is ample precedent in the Old Testament, especially the Wisdom tradition. Thus, Proverbs 21:6 comes quite close to the sense of this text. See also Proverbs 13:14; 14:27; Psalms 18:5; Tobit 14:10; Sirach 28:13-26. James 3:8 also contains the idea that the unruly tongue bears death ..."
Jonathan Alfred Draper, “A Commentary on the Didache in the Light of the Dead Sea Scrolls and Related Documents” (PhD diss., University of Cambridge, 1983), 53.

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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James 3:8 and Didache 2:4

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