Book of Clement

In the name of the Father, says the holy Clement. After the ascension of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ into the heavens, the apostles were scattered to the ends of the earth to preach the tidings of the holy Gospel and to bring the nations to faith and understanding and to baptize them in the holy baptism of new birth. And for this reason they desired to travel about in the regions. And after this, Simon Peter took me and appointed me his assistant, because I believed in him and in what he had accomplished. And they contended that he was the head of the apostles, because of the word which our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ said to his assistant Peter: "You are a rock, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it, nor shall they shake it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven." And after the day of Pentecost, he took two brothers and appointed them as his apostles. And after this, when I had been with him for ten years, he took me and brought me to my father and to my mother, whose name is Mattoria. And he revealed to me the mystery which our Lord Jesus Christ taught him on the Mount of Olives. And at that time the apostles and all the faithful were in great tribulation and persecution from the rulers and the unbelieving Jews, because the Jews were killing all the faithful whom they found. And after this, the good Peter went and entered into a certain city, and I was with him.

And in that time, great affliction befell me from the persecution of the Jewish heretics and their questioning concerning the birth of Mary the holy, because they were asking about her, for she was not from the lineage of Judah, as they would hasten the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ into the world. For they were those who used to give much wealth to the men of the circumcision and to the men of Rome, so that they might help them in the destruction of the faithful. And they prevented the apostles from reading the Law, so that they might know the first creation of the world. And when I saw all this suffering and affliction that came upon us from the Jewish heretics, I desired to go to my teacher Simon Peter, and I asked him to instruct me and tell me how the first creation of the world came about, for he knew all the mysteries from our Lord Jesus Christ. And I myself know the matter of the circumcision and their books and all their mysteries and their arts. And I told all to my teacher, that which came upon me of hatred and envy because of what the Jews had hated me and persecuted me concerning Mary the holy, for I had instructed understanding in the Law and the Prophets. And many of the circumcision contend with me concerning the creation of our father Adam, and one after another they insult our Lady Mary the holy, and they find no pretext in what I bring forth to refute their falsehood and their cursed words.

And when I told all this to my teacher, he was greatly troubled, and anger came upon him, and he said to me: I will reveal to you, O my son, all that you have asked me, and I will inform you from the beginning of the creation of the world, and I will instruct you concerning the holy Mary, the mother of light, that she is pure, without stain, from the lineage of Judah, the son of Jacob. And further, I will tell you how Satan fell from heaven.

In the name of the Father, we begin. We write the power and the wonders which God displayed to the blessed Peter, head of the apostles, key of the kingdom of heaven, steward who was entrusted from the hand of his master, the dispenser of righteousness, that he might open and show and give to whom he wills, to those who are worthy of it in righteousness and equity, and a seal to those who are worthy of it, that he might place upon their faces the seal of the kingdom of heaven. In the name of the Father, we write this discourse which Peter, head of the apostles, spoke to Clement his disciple. This is the companion, it is said, in its interpretation, and he told him what shall take place in heaven and on earth, concerning the mercies of the children of men, and concerning the love of men for the Saviour of the world, while in the bosom of his Father, the fruit of divinity whose fragrance is good, and concerning our love, by the will of his Father he descended, which in the bosom of his Father sprouted the fruit of praise, and by its fragrance it perfumed the whole world.

In the name of the Father. This is the ordinance of the holy church, which our Lord Jesus Christ told to Peter, the foundation of the church, on the Mount of Olives with his brothers; and he also told it to Clement, his companion. For first he told it on Mount Sinai to Moses, the work of the holy tablets, as he ordained for holy Zion, that is, Jerusalem which is in heaven. On the rod of Moses In the name of the Father. The rod with which Christ struck is the rod of Moses, which performed a miracle by the word of God in the first law; it is a type and sign of the cross on which they crucified Christ. The vision of Simon bar Jona In the name of the Father. This is the vision which Simon bar Jona saw, to whom, together with the grace of his help, prophecy and salvation were given. Not like other prophets without the Holy Spirit being breathed, concerning the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Son of God, to whom belong glory and praise forever and ever, amen. But this father and teacher who was confirmed and established and increased two measures and received abundance from the Savior of the world, while saying to him, "Blessed are you, Simon bar Jona, because he revealed to you what is of flesh and blood, but my heavenly Father.