[This is part of a running series on the Didache. See the introductory post for more information — RWB]

Phrasing/Translation

Αἱ δὲ νηστεῖαι ὑμῶν μὴ ἔστωσαν μετὰ τῶν ὑποκριτῶν.
Do not have your fasts with the hypocrites.

νηστεύουσι γὰρ δευτέρᾳ σαββάτων καὶ πέμπτῃ·
For they fast on the second day after the sabbath [Mondays], and the fifth [Thursdays].
   ὑμεῖς δὲ νηστεύσατε τετράδα καὶ παρασκευήν.
   But you are to fast on the fourth day [Wednesdays] and the day of preparation [Fridays].

μηδὲ προσεύχεσθε ὡς οἱ ὑποκριταί,
Neither are you to pray as the hypocrites,
   ἀλλ ̓ ὡς ἐκέλευσεν ὁ κύριος ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ αὐτοῦ,
   but as the Lord commanded in his gospel,
   οὕτω προσεύχεσθε·
   pray in this way:
      Πάτερ ἡμῶν ὁ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ,
      Our Father who is in Heaven,
      ἁγιασθήτω τὸ ὄνομά σου,
      Let your name be holy,
      ἐλθέτω ἡ βασιλεία σου,
      May your kingdom come,
      γενηθήτω τὸ θέλημά σου
      Let your will be done
         ὡς ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς·
         as in heaven so on earth;
      τὸν ἄρτον ἡμῶν τὸ ἐπιούσιον δὸς ἡμῖν σήμερον,
      our daily bread, give us daily,
      καὶ ἄφες ἡμῖν τὴν ὀφειλὴν ἡμῶν,
      and forgive us our debts,
         ὡς καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀφίεμεν τοῖς ὀφειλέταις ἡμῶν,
         as we forgive those indebted to us,
      καὶ μὴ εἰσενέγκῃς ἡμᾶς εἰς πειρασμόν,
      and do not lead us into temptation,
      ἀλλὰ ῥῦσαι ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ·
      but rescue us from the evil one,
         ὅτι σοῦ ἐστιν ἡ δύναμις καὶ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας.
         because yours is the power and the glory for the ages.

τρὶς τῆς ἡμέρας οὕτω προσεύχεσθε.
Pray in this way three times daily.

Notes

This short chapter provides information on when to fast. The Christian is to differentiate fasting practice from the "hypocrites" by fasting on different days.

Additionally, the prayer of the Christian is to differ from the prayers of the hypocrites. No information on the prayer of the hypocrites is given, but a sample prayer is given to the baptismal candidate. It is the Lord's Prayer in the form we find it in Matthew (Mt 6.9-13) with one or two small differences ("in the heaven" Did 8.2 vs. "in the heavens" Mt 6.9).

The Christian is to pray this way three times daily. So, in the past few chapters, we've got a bit of insight into the life the baptismal candidate was expected to live. He was to fast for a few days before the baptism. He was to fast on Wednesdays and Fridays. And he was to pray the Lord's prayer three times daily.

Looking in this light, we begin to see that the Didache had information on how one who claims Christ should live. The practices described by the Didache are very practially oriented. Now, I don't want to get into legalism and works-based salvation, but sometimes it is good to be reminded -- as the Didache reminds us -- that our confession of Christ is to have visible effect in our lives. The Didache, then, recommended ways for Christians in the early church to evidence their confession.

Next: I'll probably have a short digression comparing the Didache's form of the Lord's Prayer to that found in Matthew and Luke. Or not. Maybe I'll just dive into Didache 9.