1 Confronted with these truths and listening to them with attention, you shall know how much God bestows on those that love (Him) rightly, who become a Paradise of delight, a tree bearing all manner of fruits and flourishing, growing up in themselves and adorned with various fruits. 2 For in this garden a tree of knowledge and a tree of life has been planted; yet the tree of knowledge does not kill, but disobedience kills; 3 for the scriptures state clearly how God from the beginning planted a tree [of knowledge and a tree] of life in the midst of Paradise, revealing life through knowledge; and because our first parents did not use it genuinely they were made naked by the deceit of the serpent. 4 For neither is there life without knowledge, nor sound knowledge without true life; therefore the one (tree) is planted near the other. 5 Discerning the force of this and blaming the knowledge which is exercised apart from the truth of the injunction which leads to life, the apostle says, Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 6 For the man who supposes that he knows anything without the true knowledge which is testified by the life, is ignorant, he is deceived by the serpent, because he did not love life; whereas he who with fear recognizes and desires life plants in hope expecting fruit. 7 Let your heart be knowledge, and your life true reason, duly comprehended. 8 If you bear the tree of this and pluck the fruit, you shall always gather the harvest which God looks for, which the serpent does not touch, nor deceit infect, nor is Eve corrupted, but is believed on as a virgin, 9 and salvation is set forth, and the apostles are filled with understanding, and the passover of the Lord goes forward, and the congregations are gathered together, and [all things] are arranged in order, and as He teaches the saints the Word is gladdened, through Whom the Father is glorified, to Whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
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Epistle to Diognetus12 chapters
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Compare Genesis 2:9 and Genesis 3:3 and Epistle to Diognetus 12:2
Hebrew Bible · Early Christian
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Genesis 2:9
Hebrew BibleGenesis 3:3
Hebrew BibleEpistle to Diognetus 12:2
Early ChristianReferences
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