Ethiopic Sinodos

Ethiopic Sinodos — Horner 1904 English translation of the Statutes — sourcepage 238

TRANSLATION OF THE ETHIOPIC TEXT I9I may be is not of ourselves but of God who gives grace. As much as this then we ourselves say concerning those who have graces imparted to them, and this further we say, going on in speaking. S Statute 51. That not everyone who prophesies is righteous, nor everyone who casts out demons is holy. " Because Bala'am even, the son of Bl'or, prophesied by divination, (being) wicked, and ]^ayafas with false name of Chief Priest prophesied. And Satan ^ even lo foretold, and the demons who are with him, but not on account of this have they so much as a spark of fear of God, in ignorance they are trusting to the will of the malice of their thoughts. It is clear then that the impious if they prophesy do not reveal their wickedness 15 in their prophesying. Nor do those who cast out demons (belong) to the righteous by their casting them out. They lead one another astray : like the teaching of laughter, (they who do it) and they who consort with them go to ruin. And «> a lawless king was not a king, but is a tyrant Statute 52. And the bishop who is persuaded by error or by evil thought is not a bishop, but one with a false name. And he was not ordained by God, but ^5 by man. Like Ananyas and Samyas in Israel ; and Sedekyas and Akiya, who were false prophets in Babilon. And Bala'am indeed the diviner was punished with punishment for corrupting the people of Israel with Be'el 1 'Saytan.' 13