The First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians
Clemens Romanus (Clement of Rome)
Clement of Rome. The Apostolic Fathers, Volume 1. Lake, Kirsopp, editor. London: William Heinemann Ltd.; New York: The Macmillan Company, 1912.
In love did the Master receive us; for the sake of the love which he
had towards us did Jesus Christ our Lord give his blood by the will of God for us, and his flesh for our flesh, and his soul[*](Or, perhaps life for our lives; but there seems to be an antithesis in the Greek between σάρξ, flesh, and ψυχή, soul.) for our souls.See, beloved, how great and wonderful is love,[*](Exhortation to pray for love) and that of its perfection there is no expression.
Who is able to be found in it save those to whom God grants it? Let us then beg and pray of his mercy that we may be found in love, without human partisanship, free from blame.
All the generations from Adam until this day have passed away; but those who were perfected in love by the grace of God have a place among the pious who shall be made manifest at the visitation of the Kingdom of Christ.
For it is written, Enter into thy chambers for a very little while, until my wrath and fury pass away, and I will remember a good day, and will raise you up out of your graves.
Blessed are we, beloved, if we perform the commandments of God in the concord of love, that through love our sins may be forgiven.
For it is written Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not reckon, and in whose mouth is no guile.
This blessing was given to those who have been chosen by God through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Let us then pray that for our transgressions,[*](And for forgiveness) and for what we have done through any attacks of the adversary, forgiveness may be granted to us. And those also who were the leaders of sedition and disagreement are bound to consider the common hope.
For those who live in fear and love are willing to suffer torture themselves rather than their neighbours, and they suffer the blame of themselves, rather than that of our tradition of noble and righteous harmony,
for it is better for man to confess his transgressions than to harden his heart, even as the heart of those was hardened who rebelled against God’s servant Moses, and their condemnation was made manifest,
for they went down into Hades alive and death shall be their shepherd.
Pharaoh and his army and all the rulers of Egypt, the chariots and their riders, were sunk in the Red Sea, and perished for no other cause than that their foolish hearts were hardened, after Unit signs and wonders had been wrought in the land of Egypt by God’s servant Moses.
The Master, brethren, is in need of nothing: he[*](Let the wrongdoers confess their sins) asks nothing of anyone, save that confession be made to him.
For David the chosen says:—I will confess to the Lord, and it shall please him more than a young calf that groweth horns and hoofs: let the poor see it and be glad.
And again he says Sacrifice to God a sacrifice of praise, and pay to the Highest thy vows; and call upon me in the day of thy affliction, and I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorify me.