« I Clem. 7 | I Clem. 8 | I Clem. 9 | About This Work »
8The ministers of the grace of God spoke through the Holy Spirit concerning repentance, 2and even the Master of the universe himself spoke with an oath concerning repentance; “For as I live, said the Lord, I do not desire the death of the sinner so much as his repentance,” and he added a gracious declaration, 3“Repent, O house of Israel, from your iniquity. Say to the sons of my people, If your sins reach from the earth to Heaven, and if they be redder than scarlet, and blacker than sack cloth, and ye turn to me with all your hearts and say Father, I will listen to you as a holy people.”[7] 4And in another place he speaks thus, “Wash you, and make you clean, put away your wickedness from your souls before my eyes, cease from your wickedness, learn to do good, seek out judgment, rescue the wronged, give judgment for the orphan, do justice to the widow, and come and let us reason together, saith the Lord; and if your sins be as crimson, I will make them white as snow, and if they be as scarlet, I will make them white as wool, and if ye be willing and hearken to me, ye shall eat the good things of the land, but if ye be not willing, and hearken not to me, a sword shall devour you, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken these things.” 5Thus desiring to give to all his beloved a share in repentance, he established it by his Almighty will.
« I Clem. 7 | I Clem. 8 | I Clem. 9 | About This Work »
Notes
[7] The origin of this quotation is obscure: possibly Clement's text of Ezekiel was different from ours and really contained it.