Epistle of Barnabas 1

1I greet you, sons and daughters, in the name of the Lord who loved us, in peace. Seeing that the ordinances of God are great and rich unto you, I rejoice with exceedingly great and overflowing joy over your blessed and glorious spirits; so innate is the grace of the spiritual gift you have received. Therefore, I congratulate myself all the more, hoping to be saved, because I truly see that the Spirit has been poured out among you from the riches of the Lord’s fountain. The greatly desired sight of you amazed me so much concerning you. Being persuaded of this, and knowing within myself that, after saying many things among you, I know that the Lord traveled with me on the way of righteousness, I am also wholly compelled to love you more than my own soul—for great faith and love dwell in you through the hope of the life that is his—considering this, therefore, that, if I take care to share with you some portion of what I received, it will become my reward for having ministered to such spirits, I was eager to send you something small, so that together with your faith you might also have complete knowledge. Well then, there are three ordinances of the Lord: *the hope of life, which is the beginning and end of our faith; righteousness, which is the beginning and end of judgment; and love displayed in gladness and exultation, the testimony of works of righteousness.* For the Lord made known to us through his prophets things past and present, giving us likewise the firstfruits of the taste of things future. Seeing each of these things coming to pass one by one, just as he said, we ought to offer a richer and higher offering to the fear of him. But I, not as though I were a teacher, but as one of you, will set out a few things by which you will be gladdened in the present circumstances.