The Second 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.

So then, brethren, let us confess him in our deeds, by loving one another, by not committing adultery, nor speaking one against another, nor being jealous, but by being self-controlled, merciful, good; and we ought to

sympathise with each other, and not to be lovers of money. By these deeds we confess him, and not by the opposite kind.

And we must not fear men rather than God.

For this reason, if you do these things, the Lord said, If ye be gathered together with me in my bosom, and do not my commandments, I will cast you out, and will say to you, Depart from me, I know not whence ye are, ye workers of iniquity.[*](The source of this and the quotation in v. 2-4 is unknown: it is often supposed to have been the Gospel of the Egyptians, but there is no clear evidence of this.)

Whehefore, brethren, let us forsake our sojourning[*](Exhortation to abandon the world) in this world, and do the will of him who called us, and let us not fear to go forth from this world,

for the Lord said, Ye shall be as lambs in the midst of wolves,

and Peter answered and said to him, If then the wolves tear the lambs?

Jesus said to Peter, Let the lambs have no fear of the wolves after their death; and do ye have no fear of those that slay you, and can do nothing more to you, but fear him who after your death hath power over body and soul, to cast them into the flames of hell.