The call of the prophet
1 The word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, say to this people, ‘Why do you add sin toc your sins and angerd the Lord God who created you?’”
2 Don't love the world or the things which are in the world, for the boasting of the world and its destruction belong to the devil.
Deliverance from captivity is through the Incarnate Son
3 Rememberh that the Lord of glory, who created everything, had mercy upon
4 you so that he might save us from the captivity of this age. For many times the devil desired not to let the sun rise above the earth and not to let the earth yield fruit, since he desires to consume men like a fire which rages in stubble, and
5 he desires to swallow them like water. Therefore, on account of this, the God of glory had mercy upon us, and he sent his son to the world so that he might
6 save us from the captivity. He did not inform an angel or an archangel or any principality when he was about to come to us, but he changed himself to be like a many when he was about to come to us so that he might save us [from flesh].
7 Therefore become sons to him since he is a father to you.
What is prepared for both the sealed and the sinners
8 Remember that he has prepared thrones and crowns for you in heaven, saying, “Everyone who will obey me will receive thrones and crowns among those who
9 are mine.” The Lord said, “I will write my name upon their forehead and I
10 will seal their right hand, and they will not hunger or thirst. Neither will the son of lawlessness prevail over them, nor will the thrones hinder them, but they
11 will walk with the angels up to my city.” Now, as for the sinners, they will be sharned and they will not pass by the thrones, but the thrones of death will
12 seize them and rule over them because the angels will not agree with them. They have alienated themselves from his dwellings.
The deceivers who the fast
13 Hear, O wise men of the land, conceming the deceivers who will multiply in the last times so that they will set down for themselves doctrines which do not belong to God, setting aside the Law of God, those who have made their belly their God, saying, “The fast does not exist, nor did God create it,” making themselves strangers to the covenant of God and robbings themselves of the
14 glorious promises. Now these are not ever correctly established in the firm faith. Therefore, don't let those people lead you astray.
The benefits of the fast
15 Remember that from the time when he created the heavens, the Lord created the fast for a benefit to men on account of the passions and desires which fight
16 against you so that the evil will not inflame you. “But it is a pure fast which
17 I have created,” said the Lord. The one who fasts continually will not sin
18 although jealousy and strife are within him. Let the pure one fast, but whenever
19 the one who fasts is not pure he has angered the Lord and also the angels. And has grieved his soul, gathering up wrath for himself for the day of wrath.
20 But a pure fast is what I created,
with a pure heart and pure hands.
21 It releases sin.
It heals diseases.
It casts out demons.
22 It is effective up to the throne of God for an ointmentm
and for a release from sin by means of a pure prayer.
The need for singie-mindednes
23 Who among you, if he is honored in his craft, will go forth to the field without a tool in his hand? Or who will go forth to the battle to fight without a
24 breastplate on? If he is found, will he be killed because he despised the
25 servicen of the king? Likewise no one is able to enter the holy place if he is
26 double-minded. The one who is double-minded in his prayer is darkness to
27 himself. And even the angels do not trust him. Therefore be single-minded in the Lord at all times so that you might know every moment.