The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles by The Didache

The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles by The Didache

"There are two ways, one of life and one of death, and there is a great difference between the two ways." - The Didache

The Didache, or The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, is one of the earliest Christian texts outside of the New Testament. Believed to have been written in the late first or early second century, this short manual of faith and practice offers a rare glimpse into the life of the early church.

The text begins with the famous "Two Ways" section, a moral catechism contrasting the way of life with the way of death. It continues with instructions on baptism, fasting, prayer, and the Eucharist, before concluding with guidance on church leadership and an apocalyptic expectation of the Lord's return.

Rediscovered in the late nineteenth century after centuries of obscurity, The Didache has become an indispensable resource for understanding the beliefs, rituals, and organization of the earliest Christian communities. Both historically significant and spiritually rich, it bridges the apostolic age and the later writings of the Church Fathers, offering readers a direct link to Christianity's formative years.

Essential for students of theology, church history, early Christian studies, and biblical scholarship, The Didache remains one of the most important non-canonical documents of the early church.