Translation
Hide
The Second Epistle of Clement
Chapter XVI.--Preparation for the Day of Judgment.
So, then, brethren, having received no small occasion to repent, while we have opportunity, let us turn to God who called us, while yet we have One to receive us. For if we renounce these indulgences and conquer the soul by not fulfilling its wicked desires, we shall be partakers of the mercy of Jesus. Know ye that the day 1 of judgment draweth nigh like a burning oven, and certain of the heavens and all the earth will melt, like lead melting in fire; and then will appear the hidden and manifest deeds of men. Good, then, is alms as repentance from sin; better is fasting than prayer, and alms than both; "charity covereth a multitude of sins," 2 and prayer out of a good conscience delivereth from death. Blessed is every one that shall be found complete in these; for alms lightens the burden of sin.
Translation
Hide
An ancient Homily, commonly styled the second epistle of Clement
Chap. xvi.--the excellence of almsgiving.
Wherefore, brethren, having received no small occasion 1 for repentance, while we have the opportunity, 2 3 let us turn unto God that called us, while we still have Him as One that receiveth us. For if we renounce 4 these enjoyments and conquer our soul in not doing these its evil desires, we shall partake of the mercy of Jesus. But ye know that the day of judgment even now "cometh as a burning oven," 5 6 and some "of the heavens shall melt," and all the earth shall be as lead melting on the fire, 7 8 and then the hidden and open works of men shall appear. Almsgiving therefore is a good thing, as repentance from sin; fasting is better than prayer, but almsgiving than both; 9 10 "but love covereth a multitude of sins." 11 12 But prayer out of a good conscience delivereth from death. Blessed is every one that is found full of these; for alms-giving lighteneth the burden of sin. 13 14
-
aphormen labo'ntes, as in Rom. vii. 8, 11. ↩
-
kairo`n echontes, "seeing that we have time" (Lightfoot). But "opportunity" is more exact. ↩
-
apotaxo'metha, "bid farewell to;" comp. chap. vi. ↩
-
Comp. Mal. iv. 1. ↩
-
Comp. Isa. xxxiv. 4, which resembles the former clause, and 2 Pet. iii. 7, 10, where the same figures occur. The text seems to be corrupt: tines ("some") is sustained by both the Greek and the Syriac, but this limitation is so peculiar as to awaken suspicion; still, the notion of several heavens might have been in the author's mind. ↩
-
Comp. Tobit xii. 8, 9; but the position given to almsgiving seems to be contradicted by the next sentence. Lightfoot seems to suspect a corruption of text here also, but in the early Church there was often an undue emphasis placed upon almsgiving. ↩
-
1 Pet. iv. 8. Comp. Prov. x. 12; Jas. v. 20. ↩
-
Literally, "becometh a lightener (kou'phisma) of sin;" comp. Ecclus. iii. 30. ↩