Original - The Coptic Orthodox Church

saith also, 52 Ask diligently j/ of the Lord your God. O all
that ask of Him, let them bring Him offerings z, that is to
say, the servants of the holy altar.
( 84). ab The Lord hath need of no man, but He would
that we should seek Him. He is bound to nought, yet bindeth
He himself to us. What then shall we do with that which
we have,
if we make not God a sharer in what we have ?
And if there be* one poor like Elias 53 widow or sick like Rf.
the lame man which received alms, 54r he shall be held as
one that maketh offering for himself unto God. And be that
which he offereth small, yet
shall it be a remembrance of
himself. For not he only is remembered that giveth gold
to the sanctuary, but he that giveth an earthen cup or bread
or a little wine or a water-vessel or that filleth the water
tank as a gift; 55 the same shall God remember as him that
giveth according
( 85).
to his means much riches.
hi For if the son of a rich man hath died and if
his father give on his account much riches, or again if he
make unto the Lord s housed many vows for the salvation
of the soul of his son, verily God shall accept them of him
and shall save him from his sins, by
reason of his com
passion toward the poor. For Solomon saith, 5G The ransom
of a man s soul is through his riches .
( 86). mn Likewise Reuben, after that he had been cast
out from Jacob s his father s blessing, because of the great
sin that he had committed when he lay with his father s
y M. > diligently.
z M. and bring Him offerings.
ab M. . 83. R. Contents: That almsgiving is incumbent upon every man.
hi M. . 84. R. Contents: Of the alms and offerings for him that is dead.
k M. to the house to the Lord.
mn M. . 85. R. Contents: Of the offerings for the dead according to a
testimony from the Old (Testament).
52 ? p s . CV. 4.
s* Ac. III. 2.
56 Prov. XIII. 8.
53 i Kings XVII. 10.
55 Mt. X. 42.