Testament of Our Lord

tr. Cooper and Maclean, 1902

40. Book I, Chapter 40

Of Widows

Let a widow be appointed,¹ being chosen, if for a long time past she have abided without a husband; if though often pressed by men² to be married³ because of the faith she have not been married.³ But if not, it is not yet right that she should be chosen; but let her be proved for a time, if she be pious, if having⁴ children she have brought them up⁵ in holiness, if she have not taught them worldly wisdom, if she have made them examples of the holy law and of the Church, if she have loved and honoured strangers,⁶ if she have been constant in prayers, if she have lived meekly, if she have cheerfully aided those who are afflicted,⁶ if it have been revealed to the saints about her, if she have not neglected the saints,⁶ if she have ministered with all her power, if she be fit to bear and endure the burden, being one who prayeth without ceasing,⁷ being perfect in all things, being fervent in spirit,⁸ having the eyes of her heart⁹ opened in everything, being alway kind, loving innocency, not possessing anything in this world, but alway taking and bearing about the cross, crucifying¹⁰ all evil, by night and by day¹¹ abiding by the altar, working cheerfully and secretly. If she have one or two or three likeminded¹² in my Name, I am among them.¹³ But let her be perfect in the Lord, as one who is visited by the Spirit. Let her do the things which are made known to her with fear and earnestness. Let her instruct those women who do not obey; let her teach those¹⁴ [women] who have not learnt; let her convert those who are foolish; let her instruct them to be grave¹⁵; let her prove the deaconesses; let her make those who enter¹⁶ to know of what sort and who they are; also let her instruct them that they abide. To those who hear¹⁷ let her patiently counsel those things which are proper. To those who are disobedient after three instructions let her not speak. Let her love¹⁸ those who desire to be in virginity or in purity; those who oppose themselves let her correct modestly and quietly. With every one let her be peaceful. Let her privately shut the mouth of¹⁹ those who talk much and idly; but if they do not hear, let her take with her an aged woman, or let her take [it] up to the hearing of the bishop. But in the church let her be silent.²⁰ In prayer let her be persistent. Let her visit those [women] who are sick; on each first day of the week let her take with her one deacon or two and help them.²¹ If she have any possession²² let her give²³ it for the poor and the faithful.²⁴ But if she have nothing, let her be helped by the Church. Let her do no secular work, as it were for a trial. But let her have these works of the Spirit; let her continue in prayers and fasts; let her ask for nothing deep; let her receive those things which the Lord giveth; let her not be anxious for [her] children²⁵; let her deliver them to the Church, so that they living in the house of God may be fit for the service of the priesthood Her requests to God will be acceptable; they are the sacrifice and altar of God. For those²⁶ who have ministered well shall be praised²⁷ by the archangels. But as for them who are dissolute and raging and drunken, and babblers and curious and evil, that is, those who love pleasures much, the figures of their souls, which stand before the Father of light, perish and are carried to darkness to dwell. For their deeds which are visible, going up before the most High, drag them easily²⁸ to the pit, so that after this world is changed and passeth away the figures of their souls may stand against them as witnesses, not allowing them to look up. For the figure and type of every soul standeth before God from the foundation of the world.²⁹ Therefore let her be chosen who can go to meet the holy phials. Of them³⁰ are the twelve presbyters who praise My Father who is in heaven. These who receive the prayers of every holy soul, offer [them] to the most High [as] a sweet savour.

Notes

Same word as above, pp. 90, 97, etc.
homines; lit.: sons of men.
Lit.: for a husband.
Lit.: having gained, or possessed.
Same word as in 1 Tim. v. 10.
Cf. 1 Tim. v. 10.
1 Thess. v. 17.
Rom. xii. 11.
Eph. i. 18.
Or: torturing.
See Note, p. 159.
See pp. 68, 109.
St. Matt. xviii. 20. The var. lect. of M. (which is not grammatical) is the Pshitta unaltered.
Feminine pronouns throughout.
Not 1 Tim. iii. 8, 11, or Tit. ii. 2, Pshitta.
Heathen enquirers.
Catechumens.
Or: cherish.
Lit.: muzzle. Cf. St. Matt. xviii. 16.
Cf. 1 Tim. ii. 12.
Fem. (i.e. the sick women).
Lit.: anything of her possession.
Or: offer; lit.: make.
Plural.
Lit.: sons.
Feminine.
Or: glorified.
Or: plainly; or: openly.
Does this illustrate St. Matt. xviii. 10?
Masc. (phials is fem.). Cf. Rev. v. 8.