General Epistle of Barnabas: Chapter IV

1. FOR this cause did our Lord vouchsafe to give up his body to destruction, that through the forgiveness of our sins we might be sanctified; that is, by the sprinkling of his blood.

2. Now for what concerns the things that are written about him, some belong to the people of the Jews, and some to us.

3. For thus saith the Scripture: He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, and by his blood we are healed. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before his shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.

4. Wherefore we ought the more to give thanks unto God, for that he hath both declared unto us what is passed, and not suffered us to be without understanding of those things that are to come.

5. But to them he saith; The nests are not unjustly spread for the birds.

6. This he spake, because a man will justly perish, if having the knowledge of the way of truth, he shall nevertheless not refrain himself from the way of darkness.

7. And for this cause the Lord was content to suffer for our souls, although he be the Lord of the whole earth; to whom God said before the beginning of the world, Let us make man after our own image and likeness.

8. Now how he suffered for us, seeing it was by men that he underwent it, I will shew you.

9. The prophets having received from him the gift of prophecy, spake before concerning him:

10. But he, that he might abolish death, and make known the resurrection from the dead, was content, as it was necessary, to appear in the flesh, that he might make good the promise before given to our fathers, and preparing himself a new people, might demonstrate to them whilst he was upon earth, that after the resurrection he would judge the world.

11. And finally teaching the people of Israel, and doing many wonders and signs among them, he preached to them, and shewed the exceeding great love which he bare towards them.

12. And when he chose his apostles, which were afterwards to publish his Gospel, he took men who had been very great sinners; that thereby he might plainly shew, That he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.

13. Then he clearly manifested himself to be the Son of God. For had he not come in the flesh, how should men have been able to look upon him, that they might be saved?

14. Seeing if they beheld only the sun, which was the work of his hands, and shall hereafter cease to be, they are not able to endure steadfastly to look against the rays of it.

15. Wherefore the Son of God came in the flesh for this cause, that he might fill up the measure of their iniquity, who have persecuted his prophets unto death. And for the same reason also he suffered.

16. For God hath said of the stripes of his flesh, that they were from them. And, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered.

17. Thus he would suffer, because it behooved him to suffer upon the cross.

18. For thus one saith, prophesying concerning him; Spare my soul from the sword. And again, Pierce my flesh from thy fear.

19. And again, the congregation of wicked doers rose up against me, (They have pierced my hands and my feet).

20. And again he saith, I gave my back to the smiters, and my face I set as an hard rock.