from the Didache – The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles
My child, thou shalt remember him that speaks unto thee the word of God night and day, and shalt honor him as the Lord; for whenever the Lordship speaks, there is the Lord.
Moreover thou shalt seek out day by day the persons of the saints, that thou may find rest in their words.
Thou shalt not make a schism, but thou shalt pacify them that contend; thou shalt judge righteously, thou shalt not make a difference in a person to reprove him for transgressions. Thou shalt not doubt whether a thing shall be or not be. Be not thou found holding out thy hands to receive, but drawing them in as to giving. If thou hast ought passing through thy hands, thou shalt give a ransom for thy sins.
Thou shalt not hesitate to give, neither shalt thou murmur when giving; for thou shalt know who is the good paymaster of thy reward. Thou shalt not turn away from him that is in want, but shalt make thy brother partaker in all things, and shalt not say that anything is thine own. For if ye are fellow-partakers in that which is imperishable, how much rather in the things which are perishable? Thou shalt not withhold thy hand from thy son or from thy daughter, but from their youth thou shalt teach them the fear of God.
Thou shalt not command thy bondservant or thine handmaid in thy bitterness, who trust in the same God as thyself, lest haply they should cease to fear the God who is over both of you; for He comes, not to call men with respect of persons, but He comes to those whom the Spirit hath prepared. But ye, servants, shall be subject unto your masters, as to a type of God, in shame and fear Thou shalt hate all hypocrisy, and everything that is not pleasing to the Lord.
Thou shalt never forsake the commandments of the Lord; but shalt keep those things which thou hast received, neither adding to them nor taking away from them. In church thou shalt confess thy transgressions, and shalt not betake thyself to prayer with an evil conscience.
This is the way of life.
Didache, Chapter 4
