Epistula Petri ad Jacobum [Sp.]

Peter to James, the lord and bishop of the holy church, by the father of all, through Jesus Christ, always in peace. Knowing that you, my brother, eagerly hasten toward what is beneficial to all of us in common, I ask and entreat you not to share the books of my preachings which I sent to you with anyone from the nations or with a fellow tribesman before testing, but if someone, after being tested, is found worthy, then to hand them over to him according to the tradition, just as Moses handed down to the seventy who succeeded to his seat. For this reason the fruit of security is evident up to the present day. For the same ones everywhere, of the same nation, preserve the rule of monarchy and polity, in no way able to be led astray by the many conflicting scriptures to think otherwise. For according to the rule handed down to them, they attempt to harmonize the discordant parts of the scriptures, if someone, not knowing the traditions, is numbed by the ambiguous utterances of the prophets. For this reason they do not permit anyone to teach unless he first learns how to use the scriptures. Therefore among them there is one God, one law, one hope.

I desire that the same thing happen among us as with the seventy, my brothers: give my books of the Preachings with the same discipline of mystery, so that they may equip those who wish to undertake the part of the teaching. For if this is not done, our word of truth will be divided into many opinions. I know this not as a prophet, but because I already see the beginning of this evil. For some from among the Gentiles have rejected the lawful proclamation through me, and have accepted a certain lawless and foolish teaching of the enemy man. And while I am still alive, some have attempted, by various interpretations, to transform my words into the dissolution of the law, as if I myself thought this way but did not proclaim it openly—which may it never be. For such a thing is to act against the law of God spoken through Moses and witnessed by our Lord concerning its eternal permanence. For he spoke thus: "Heaven and earth will pass away, but not one iota or one serif will pass away from the law." And he said this so that everything might be fulfilled. But those who claim to know my mind—how I do not know—attempt to interpret the words they heard from me more cleverly than I who spoke them, telling those they catechize that this is my opinion, which I never even conceived. If while I am still alive they dare to slander me thus, how much more will those after me dare to do so after I am gone?

So that such a thing may not happen, for this reason I have thought it right and have begged that you not share my books of the Preachings, which I sent to you, with anyone, whether of the same race or of a different race, before testing; but if someone, after being examined, is found worthy, then you should hand them over to him according to the training of Moses, just as he handed them over to the seventy who succeeded to his seat, so that they may thus preserve the faiths and everywhere transmit the rule of truth, interpreting everything according to our tradition, and not themselves, being dragged down by ignorance and drawn into error by the speculations of the soul, lead others into the same pit of destruction. I have indicated to you what seems good to me, and you, my lord, complete what seems fitting to you. Farewell. Peter to James, the lord and bishop of the holy church, by the father of all, through Jesus Christ, in peace always. Knowing you, my brother, as one who eagerly hastens toward what is beneficial to us all, I ask and beg that you not share my books of the Preachings, which I sent to you, with anyone from the nations or of the same race before testing; but if someone, after being examined, is found worthy, then you should hand them over to him according to the training, just as Moses handed them over to the seventy who succeeded to his seat. For this reason the fruit of security is evident to this day. For everywhere those of the same race preserve the same rule of monarchy and polity, having been unable to think otherwise in any way, even when led out by the many contradictory scriptures.

For according to the rule handed down to them, they attempt to reshape the discordant elements of the scriptures, if by chance someone ignorant of the traditions is numbed by the manifold voices of the prophets. For this reason, no one is permitted to teach unless they have first learned how to use the scriptures. Therefore among them there is one God, one law, one hope. So that the same may happen among us as with the seventy, our brothers, give my books of the Preachings with the same mystery of instruction, so that they may equip those who wish to undertake the part of teaching. For if this is not done, our word of truth will be divided into many opinions. I know this not as a prophet, but because I already see the beginning of this evil. For some from among the Gentiles have rejected the lawful preaching through me, having accepted some lawless and foolish teaching of the enemy man. And while I was still alive, some attempted to transform my words with various interpretations, leading to the dissolution of the law, as if I myself thought thus but did not preach openly—which may it not be. For such a thing is to act against the law of God spoken through Moses and witnessed by our Lord concerning its eternal endurance. For he said thus: Heaven and earth will pass away, but not one iota or one serif will pass away from the law. And he said this so that everything might happen.

But those who profess my mind—I know not how—attempt to interpret the words they heard from me more cleverly than I who spoke them, telling those they catechize that this is my opinion, which I never even conceived. If they dare to slander me thus while I am still alive, how much more will those after me dare to do so after I am gone? Therefore, that such a thing may not happen, for this reason I have requested and begged that the books of my preachings which I sent to you be given to no one, neither to a fellow tribesman nor to a foreigner, before a test; but if someone, after being examined, is found worthy, then to him, according to the training of Moses, you should deliver them, just as he delivered them to the seventy who succeeded to his seat; so that they may thus preserve the faiths and everywhere transmit the rule of truth, interpreting everything according to our tradition, and not themselves, being dragged down by ignorance and drawn into error by the conjectures of the soul, lead others into the same pit of destruction. And I have duly signified to you what seemed good to me; but what seems good to you, my lord, accomplish fittingly. Farewell.