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The Testament of Gad Concerning Hatred

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Section 4

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Author: Unknown

4. Take heed therefore, my children, of hatred

‹ Section 3 Section 5 ›

;

for

it

worketh

iniquity

against

the

Lord

Himself

:

for

it

will

not

hear

the

words

of

His

commandments

concerning

the

loving

of

one’s

neighbour

,

and

it

sinneth

against

God

.

For

if

a

brother

stumble

,

immediately

it

wisheth

to

proclaim

it

to

all

men

,

and

is

urgent

that

he

should

be

judged

for

it

,

and

be

punished

and

slain

.

And

if

it

be

a

servant

,

it

accuseth

him

to

his

master

,

and

with

all

affliction

it

deviseth

against

him

,

if

it

be

possible

to

slay

him

.

For

hatred

worketh

in

envy

,

and

it

ever

sickeneth

with

envy

against

them

that

prosper

in

well

-

doing

,

when

it

seeth

or

heareth

thereof

.

For

as

love

would

even

restore

to

life

the

dead

,

and

would

call

back

them

that

are

condemned

to

die

,

so

hatred

would

slay

the

living

,

and

those

that

have

offended

in

a

small

matter

it

would

not

suffer

to

live

.

For

the

spirit

of

hatred

worketh

together

with

Satan

through

hastiness

of

spirit

in

all

things

unto

men’s

death

;

but

the

spirit

of

love

worketh

together

with

the

law

of

God

in

long

-

suffering

unto

the

salvation

of

men

.

Notes

3
For this unusual use of ὀλιγοψυχία, cf. Prov. xiv. 29, LXX., where there is the same contrast with μακροθυμία.
4
[This passage is cited by Lardner as conspicuously fine.]