Didascalia Apostolorum

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82 DIDASCALIA. ordinary manner. For they accept what is for the service of the provision for orphans and widows, from the rich who have put people in prison, who act badly towards their servants, or who deal hardly in their cities, or who oppress the poor, or from the impure and from those who use their bodies wickedly (S. C. + or from doers of evil), from those who diminish and lend with usury; (S. C. +or from villainous advocates); (S. + or from infamous accusers) ; or from judges who are accepters of persons; (S. C. + or from the concocters of poisons ; or from the makers of idols) ; from worshippers of gold or silver or brass (S. C. + as thieves ; or from unjust publicans ; or from seers of visions) ; from those who change weights, or f. 57 b from those who measure in deceit; or from tavern-keepers who mix [wine] with water; or from soldiers who conduct themselves iniquitously ; (S. C. + or from murderers ; or from guilty executioners) ; or from any arrogant princes who have been polluted in wars, and have shed innocent blood unjustly ; (S. C. + or from the reversers of judgments who for theft act un- justly and deceitfully towards the country people and all the poor ; and from worshippers of idols ; or from the polluted) ; or from the usurers and the covetous ; those therefore that from these [persons] provide for widows and the poor, will be found guilty in the judgment of the (S. C. + day of Prov. xv. the) Lord; because the Lord1 hath said, "Better is a dinner of herbs with love and peace than a slaughter of .fatted oxen with hatred." If a widow be nourished only with food from honest work, it will be of profit to her ; but if aught be given to her from abundance of iniquity, it will be a certain loss to her. If a widow be nourished by aught that is unjust, she cannot offer her service ancl her prayer (S. C. + in innocence) before God ; even if she be just who prays for the wicked, her prayer for them will not be heard, but only [that] for herself; for God is a trier of hearts and He receives prayers in righteousness (S. C. + and discrimination), but if they pray for those who have sinned and repent, their prayers will also be heard ; for those who are enchained in sins and do not repent, not only are they certainly unheard when they pray, but they also call their delinquencies to mind before God. Those Bishops are culpable who take alms from the guilty. Therefore, Deut. O Bishops, flee from such services ; for it is written, " Thou shalt not take up to the altar of the Lord the price of a dog nor the wages of a harlot." For if the widows in their blindness pray for adulterers and transgressors of the law, 2their prayers are not heard2. Ye cause a blasphemy to come upon the Word by your evil administration, as if there were not a good and 1 S. C. Scripture 2 S. C. they are not heard, not receiving their requests