Contestatio [Sp.]

When James had read the letter, he summoned the presbyters and read it to them, saying: "Necessarily and fittingly our Peter reminded us to secure the truth, so that we should not hand over the books of his preachings sent to us to just anyone, but only to a good and pious person, one who is both willing to teach and is a faithful circumcised believer. And not all at once, so that if in the first matters he is found ungrateful, the second matters should not be entrusted to him. Therefore let him be tested for no fewer than six years; and then, according to the custom of Moses, after leading him to a river or a spring—that is, living water—where the regeneration of the righteous takes place, not to administer an oath, since that is not permitted, but to order him to stand by the water and to call upon witnesses, just as we ourselves, when being regenerated, were commanded to do for the sake of not sinning.

Let him say: "I call as witnesses heaven, earth, and water, in which all things are contained, and in addition to all these, the air that pervades all things, without which I do not breathe, that I will always be obedient to the one who gives me my books of preachings, and I will not impart my books themselves, which he may give me, to anyone in any manner—neither by copying, nor by giving a copy already written, nor by supplying to one who is copying, neither myself nor through another, nor by any other means or deceit or contrivance, nor by guarding them carelessly, nor by adding anything, nor by adulterating, nor by transmitting them to another in any other way or by any other device. Except if I judge someone worthy, as I myself was judged, or even after more thorough testing, but not in less than six years; then to a reverent and good person who undertakes to teach, I will hand them over as I received them, and this I will do with the approval of the bishop.

Otherwise, if a child or brother or friend or anyone else ever related to me should be unworthy, I must not impart this grace to them, as is not fitting. I will not be afraid of conspiracy, nor will I be flattered by gifts. But even if it should ever seem to me that the books of the teachings given to me are not true, I will not impart them even so, but I will give them back. When traveling with me, I will carry them with me, whatever I happen to possess. But if I do not wish to carry them about with me, I will not leave them at home when I am away, but I will deposit them with my bishop, who holds the same faith and proceeds from the same sources. And if I should happen to fall ill and suspect death, if I am childless, I will do likewise. But even if I die having a child who is worthy or not yet able, I will do likewise. For I will deposit them with my bishop, so that if the child should come of age and be worthy of the faith, he may give back the deposit to the child as a paternal trust, according to the terms of the testament.

And that I will do thus, I again for the second time call to witness the heaven, the earth, the water, in which all things are contained, and in addition to all these, the air that pervades all things, without which I do not breathe, that I will always be obedient to the one who gives me my books of proclamations, and I will keep in every respect all that I have sworn, and even more. Therefore, if I keep the covenants, I will have a portion among the holy ones; but if I act contrary to what I have agreed, may the whole and the aether that pervades all things and the God above all things, than whom there is no greater or mightier, be hostile to me. But if I should even come to suspect another God, I now swear by that one also that I will not act otherwise, whether that one exists or does not exist. In addition to all these things, if I lie, may I be accursed living and dead, and may I be punished with eternal punishment. And after this, let him partake of bread and salt with the one who delivers.

When James said this, the elders grew pale with anxiety. Realizing that they were greatly afraid, James said, "Listen to me, brothers and fellow servants. If we provide the books to everyone indiscriminately, they may be falsified by some audacious men or distorted in their interpretations, as you have already heard some have done. Then even those who truly seek the truth will always be led astray. Therefore it is better for them to remain with us, and to be transmitted with all the aforementioned caution to those who wish to live and to save others. But if anyone, after this solemn warning, acts otherwise, he will justly fall under eternal punishment. For by what reasoning will he who has become the cause of others' destruction not himself be destroyed?" Then the elders, pleased with James's opinion, said, "Blessed is the one who, foreseeing everything, has appointed you as our bishop." And after they said this, we rose and prayed to the Father and God of all things, to whom is glory forever. Amen. So James, having read the letter, summoned the elders and, after reading it to them, said, "Our Peter has necessarily and appropriately reminded us to secure the truth, so that we do not transmit the books of his preachings sent to us to anyone indiscriminately, or even to a good and pious person who is also willing to teach and is a faithful circumcised one. And not all of them at once, so that if in the first ones he is found to be ungrateful, the second ones will not be entrusted to him. Therefore let him be tested for no less than six years.

And then, in this manner, according to the Mosaic discipline, having led him to a river or a spring, which is living water, where the regeneration of the righteous takes place, not to administer an oath, since that is not permitted, but to order him to stand by the water and to call to witness, as we ourselves, when being regenerated, were commanded to do for the sake of not sinning. And let him say: "I have as witnesses heaven, earth, water, in which all things are contained, and in addition to all these, the air that pervades all things, without which I do not breathe, that I will always be obedient to the one who gives me my books of the preachings, and as for my books themselves, which he may give me, I will not share them with anyone in any manner, neither by writing, nor by giving a written copy, nor by handing them over to someone writing, neither myself nor through another, nor by any other method or deceit or contrivance, nor by guarding them carelessly, nor by adding anything or falsifying them, nor by transmitting them to another in any other way or by any other device. Except if I deem someone worthy, as I myself was judged, or after even greater testing, but not less than six years; then to a reverent and good person who undertakes to teach, as I received, I will deliver them, and this after having done so with the approval of the bishop. But otherwise, even if it be a child or a brother or a friend or anyone else related to me in any way, if he is unworthy, not to share this for the sake of grace, as is not fitting. Neither will I fear conspiracy, nor be flattered by gifts; but if it should ever seem to me that the books of the preachings given to me are not true, even then I will not share them, but I will return them. And when traveling with me, I will carry with me those which I happen to possess.

But if I do not wish to carry them about with me, I will not leave them in my house, but I will deposit them with my bishop, who holds the same faith and proceeds from the same principles. And if I should fall ill and suspect death, if I am childless, I will do likewise. But even if I die having a child who is worthy or not yet able, I will do likewise. For I will deposit them with my bishop, so that if the child should come of age and be worthy of the faith, he may give back the deposit to the child as a paternal trust, according to the terms of the solemn declaration. And that I will do this, I again solemnly declare a second time, by heaven, earth, water, in which all things are contained, and in addition to all these, the air that pervades all things, without which I do not breathe, that I will always be obedient to the one who gives me my books of teachings, and I will keep in every respect all that I have solemnly declared, and even more. Therefore, if I keep the agreements, I will have a portion among the righteous; but if I act contrary to what I have agreed, may the whole universe be hostile to me, and the aether that pervades all things, and the God who is above all things, than whom there is none mightier, none greater. But if I should even come to a suspicion of another God, I now swear by that one as well that I will not act otherwise, whether that one exists or does not exist. In addition to all these things, if I lie, may I be accursed living and dead, and may I be punished with eternal punishment. And after this, let him partake of bread and salt with the one who delivers it. When James said these things, the presbyters grew pale with anxiety. Perceiving this, that they were exceedingly afraid, James said: Hear me, brothers and fellow servants.

if we provide the books to everyone indiscriminately as it may happen, they will be falsified by some audacious men or distorted in their interpretations, as you have already heard some have done, and then it will be that even those who truly seek the truth will always be led astray. Therefore it is better that they remain with us, and that we share them with all the aforementioned caution to those who wish to live and to save others. But if someone, after this solemn warning, acts otherwise, he will reasonably fall under eternal punishment. For on what account, having become the cause of the destruction of others, will he himself not be destroyed? Then, when the presbyters were pleased with the opinion of James and said, "Blessed is he who, foreseeing everything, has well appointed you as our bishop," and after they said these things, we rose and prayed to the Father and God of all, to whom is the glory for the ages. Amen.