Apostolic Church Order 1

1These are the Canons of our Fathers the Holy Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, which they appointed in the Churches. Rejoice, O our sons and daughters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, said John and Matfhew, and Peter, and Andrew, Philip and Simon, James and Nathanael, Thomas and Cephas, Bartholomew, and Judas the brother of James. According to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour*, that we should assemble together, he enjoined us, saying (whereas we had not yet divided the countries among us), Ye shall divide them among you so that each one may take his place according to your number. Appoint the orders for Bishops, stations for Presbyters, and continual service for Deacons : prudent persons for readers, and blameless for widowsf ; and appoint all other things by which it is meet the foundation of the Church should be established, that by them may be known the type of the things * neffCCOTHp, our Saviour, in the Sahidic, which corrects the Coptic. t " Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old — well-reported of for good works ; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work." — 1 Tim. v. 9, 10. 5. A.cep2LOKirr 2^6 ftAft eepe jiioyaj jiioyai r. nexe luuArtftHc xe rnpuujui iticrmoY errccuoYrr xe Term<vf- ?\oroc £>* whct Aftcoejuioy rrejui rrHGT" AYgorrgerr juuuiuuoy epoit jlinepepe jtioyai jtioyai juumoit tff xtngo juinequ^cj>np a2\?\A. ^pety^rt oyai itay xe neqcxj4>Hp xuu JtrfHexeprfoqpi Aft jmApeqTAgrto juuutoq xe neTeiotuujiiuuioq oy ertAffeq Aft Acep^oKiit 2l6 itcx)OY eepe icju^rtrrHC caxi itJ^opn. in heaven, that they may keep themselves from every spot. And they should know that they shall give account to God in the great day of judgment for all the things which they have heard and have not kept. And He commanded us to make known these words in all the world.