Page 4 - Adiabene letters_Neat

Letikrs t<) ’ii i !• Qataris 45

Translation

Letter 17: To the Bishops of Qatar
It is written in the Gospel that our Lord said to those who at that
time were ordained7 to hear the word: “I have come that they may
have life and that they may have it more fully”? Indeed he calls life
knowing1 the truth, as he explained when he said: “'This then is
eternal life: that they may know that you are the only God and the
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one whom you sent, Jesus Christ”.* By “that... more fully” he

indicates the grace of the Spirit which they would receive, both
those who underwent baptism in his name, and those who had
imbibed6 7the gift of his honour in this Church of his which is on

earth and in that which is in heaven. Indeed, T wrote something
similar to this to you a little earlier7 and invited you to come to me,
so that you might receive not only the strength and confirmation8
from the Church of God like that “life” which was mentioned, but
also that you might obtain a yet filler unhoped for honour, similar
to the “that.. .more fully” which was spoken of by our Lord.
You, however, like those to whom tliis word was spoken to
before,9 have determined that you yourselves are worthy neither of
the exalted honour similar to the “that ... more fully”, nor of the
communion with God, similar to the “life” which was mentioned.
You have hindered yourselves from coming to the Church of God
and have set off with thoughtless haste10 towards the leader of your
rebellion11 and you have with unintelligent madness written and
scaled the rebellion against God. Furthermore, you have also
brought the book of your rebellion to the door of the temporal

3 John 10:10.

5John 17:3.
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