Original - The Coptic Orthodox Church

the chief of the twelve tribes of Israel. But God set him
undder
the judgment of the judge that was to come, which
is
52
concubine, rj7 we have found that after his death Moses did
save his soul and raise it up from destruction, saying, 58
Let Reuben live and not die. (These words,) Let him live
and not die were spoken concerning Reuben because that
he, when he died, because of his father s curse was not
received into the light neither into the darkness. Neither
did God receive him because of his father s curse nor could
Satan receive him because of his holy descent; for he was
Moses. For when Moses arose, through God became he
chief, like as He gave unto Peter to be the chief of the
church. And as unto him it was said, 59 Whatsoever thou hast
f - ll $ bound" on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever
thou hast loosed on earth shall be loosed in heaven ; so
also did Moses, when he loosed the curse/ that was on
Reuben, whereof there was no forgiveness, because that the
latter law was not yet given. And for this did Moses appoint
the law, saying, t;0 Whoso lieth with his father s wife shall
die the death. These things have we said (for a testimony)
that the living hath power to save them s that are dead
from their sins s, as Paul the apostle/ saith, Ol
If the dead
are not raised, wherefore are ye baptized for them? If they
were baptized for the dead for the salvation of their bodies,
let them give also because of them, for the salvation of
their souls. But haply one will say, I am poor. If the rich
be able to give on behalf of his son, let him save his soul;
but I, being poor, am not able to do this . But unto him
I say, If the news of death had not saddened the heart
/ M. because of the curse. Ss M. the sins of the dead.
/ M. >
" Gen
the
- XLIX
apostle.
- 4- M Deut. XXXIII 6
M Mt. XVI. 19. 80 Lev. XX. n.
I Cor. XV. 29.