Two Ways Material from Qumran

Two Ways Material from Qumran

[Teaching on the two spirits and the two paths set before humankind; gathered from fragments. The fuller teaching of the two spirits belongs to the Community Rule, filed under its own number.]

God set before man two spirits, that he should walk in them until the appointed time of his visitation: the spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood. From the spring of light come the generations of truth, and from the source of darkness the generations of falsehood. In the hand of the Prince of lights is the rule over all the sons of righteousness, who walk in the ways of light; and in the hand of the Angel of darkness is all the rule over the sons of falsehood, who walk in the ways of darkness.

These are the ways of the spirit of truth:

humility, patience, abundant mercy,

everlasting goodness, understanding, and discernment,

a zeal for righteous judgment,

and a holy purpose with a steadfast heart.

And these are the ways of the spirit of falsehood:

greed and slackness in the service of righteousness,

wickedness and lying, pride and haughtiness,

cruelty and impatience,

and a blind walking in the ways of darkness.

And the reward of all who walk in the spirit of truth is healing and length of days, fruitfulness of seed with everlasting blessing and eternal joy in life without end, a crown of glory and a robe of honor in everlasting light. But the reward of all who walk in the spirit of falsehood is many afflictions by the hand of all the destroying angels, and everlasting ruin in the wrath of God, eternal terror and reproach, with the disgrace of destruction in the fire of the dark places. [Text missing]

[Fragment breaks here]