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English translation and notes by John Barach
Chapter 2
2:1 Ἡμερῶν οὖν οὐσῶν πονηρῶν καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ ἐνεργοῦντος ἔχοντος τὴν ἐξουσίαν, ὀφείλομεν ἑαυτοῖς προσέχοντες ἐκζητεῖν τὰ δικαιώματα κυρίου.
 So, since the days are evil and the worker himself [the Adversary] holds authority, we ought to pay attention to ourselves and seek out the righteous ordinances of the Lord.
2:2 τῆς οὖν πίστεως ἡμῶν εἰσιν βοηθοὶ φόβος καὶ ὑπομονή, τὰ δὲ συμμαχοῦντα ἡμῖν μακροθυμία καὶ ἐγκράτεια·
 Now, the helpers of our faith are fear and endurance, and our allies are patience and self-control.
2:3 τούτων οὖν μενόντων τὰ πρὸς κύριον ἁγνῶς, συνευφραίνονται αὐτοῖς σοφία, σύνεσις, ἐπιστήμη, γνῶσις.
 While these remain pure in things pertaining to the Lord, wisdom, understanding, insight, and knowledge rejoice together with them.
Sacrifices that please God
2:4 Πεφανέρωκεν γὰρ ἡμῖν διὰ πάντων τῶν προφητῶν, ὅτι οὔτε θυσιῶν οὔτε ὁλοκαυτωμάτων οὔτε προσφορῶν χρῄζει, λέγων ὅτε μέν·
 For He has made clear to us through all the prophets that He has no need of sacrifices, burnt offerings, or oblations, saying at one time:
2:5 Τί μοι πλῆθος τῶν θυσιῶν ὑμῶν;
λέγει κύριος.
πλήρης εἰμὶ ὁλοκαυτωμάτων, καὶ στέαρ ἀρνῶν καὶ αἷμα ταύρων καὶ τράγων οὐ βούλομαι, οὐδ' ἄν ἔρχησθε ὀφθῆναί μοι.
τίς γὰρ ἐξεζήτησεν ταῦτα ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν ὑμῶν;
πατεῖν μου τὴν αὐλὴν οὐ προσθήσεσθε.
ἐὰν φέρητε σεμίδαλιν, μάταιον·
θυμίαμα βδέλυγμά μοί ἐστιν·
τὰς νεομηνίας ὑμῶν καὶ τὰ σάββατα οὐκ ἀνέχομαι.
 “What is the abundance of your sacrifices to Me?” says the Lord.
“I am full of burnt offerings, and the fat of lambs and the blood of bulls and goats I do not desire; not even if you come to appear before Me.
For who has required these things at your hands? You shall no longer trample My court.
If you bring fine flour, it is futile; incense is an abomination to Me; your new moons and your sabbaths I cannot endure.”
2:6 ταῦτα οὖν κατήργησεν, ἵνα ὁ καινὸς νόμος τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἄνευ ζυγοῦ ἀνάγκης, ὤν, μὴ ἀνθρωποποίητον ἔχῃ τὴν προσφοράν.
 He therefore abolished these things so that the new law of our Lord Jesus Christ—being without a yoke of necessity—might not have a humanly made offering.
2:7 λέγει δὲ πάλιν πρὸς αὐτούς·
Μὴ ἐγὼ ἐνετειλάμην τοῖς πατράσιν ὑμῶν ἐκπορευομένοις ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου, προσενέγκαι μοι ὁλοκαυτώματα καὶ θυσίας;
 And again He says to them: “Did I command your fathers when they went out from the land of Egypt to offer Me burnt offerings and sacrifices?
2:8 ἀλλ' ἢ τοῦτο ἐνετειλάμην αὐτοῖς·
ἕκαστος ὑμῶν κατὰ τοῦ πλησίον ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ ἑαυτοῦ κακίαν μὴ μνησικακείτω, καὶ ὅρκον ψευδῆ μὴ ἀγαπᾶτε.
 But rather I commanded them this: ‘Let none of you harbor evil in his heart against his neighbor, and love not a false oath.’”
2:9 αἰσθάνεσθαι οὖν ὀφείλομεν, μὴ ὄντες ἀσύνετοι, τὴν γνώμην τῆς ἀγαθωσύνης τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν, ὅτι ἡμῖν λέγει, θέλων ἡμᾶς μὴ ὁμοίως πλανωμένους ἐκείνοις ζητεῖν, πῶς προσάγωμεν αὐτῷ.
 We ought therefore to perceive, not being devoid of understanding, the intention of the goodness of our Father; for He speaks to us because He desires that we, not being led astray like them, should seek how we may approach Him.
2:10 ἡμῖν οὖν οὕτως λέγει·
Θυσία τῷ κυρίῳ[1] καρδία συντετριμμένη, ὀσμὴ εὐωδίας τῷ κυρίῳ καρδία δοξάζουσα τὸν πεπλακότα αὐτήν.
ἀκριβεύεσθαι οὖν ὀφείλομεν, ἀδελφοί, περὶ τῆς σωτηρίας ἡμῶν, ἵνα μὴ ὁ πονηρὸς παρείσδυσιν πλάνης ποιήσας ἐν ἡμῖν ἐκσφενδονήσῃ ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τῆς ζωῆς ἡμῶν.
 To us, then, He speaks thus: “A sacrifice to the Lord is a broken heart; a fragrance of sweet savor to the Lord is a heart that glorifies the One who formed it.”
We ought therefore, brothers, to be careful concerning our salvation, lest the Evil One make a deceitful entry among us and sling us away from our life.
[1] Alt. text: σώθητε
Summary
In this passage from the Epistle of Barnabas (Chapter 2), the author urges believers to remain vigilant in evil times under the influence of the Adversary.
Spiritual virtues like fear, endurance, patience, and self-control serve as essential guardians and allies.
The text argues against literal Jewish sacrificial rites, quoting prophetic passages (primarily Isaiah and Jeremiah) to demonstrate that God never desired physical sacrifices or ritual observances.
Instead, under the "new law of Jesus Christ," physical sacrifices are abolished in favor of spiritual offerings: ethical conduct toward neighbors, truthfulness, and a broken, glorifying heart.
Believers are exhorted to remain watchful over their salvation so that the Devil does not lead them astray and cast them out of eternal life.
Significant Greek Expressions
αὐτοῦ τοῦ ἐνεργοῦντος (the worker himself): A reference to Satan/the Adversary operating in the present world, echoing early Christian demonology (cf. Ephesians 2:2).

συμμαχοῦντα (allies / fellow-fighters): Uses military terminology to depict virtue—patience and self-control—as fellow combatants assisting faith against evil powers.

ὁ καινὸς νόμος τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἄνευ ζυγοῦ ἀνάγκης ὤν (the new law of our Lord Jesus Christ, being without a yoke of necessity): A key theological phrase emphasizing that Christ’s covenant replaces the compelled, ritualistic requirements ("yoke") of the Old Testament law with spiritual freedom and heart-level devotion.

μὴ ἀνθρωποποίητον ἔχῃ τὴν προσφοράν (might not have a humanly made offering): Contrasts physical, humanly constructed sacrifices with the spiritual offering required under the gospel.

καρδία συντετριμμένη (a broken heart): Echoes Psalm 51:17 (LXX 50:19), framing true repentance and humility as the only sacrifice pleasing to God.

παρείσδυσιν πλάνης ποιήσας ... ἐκσφενδονήσῃ ἡμᾶς (make a deceitful entry ... sling us away): A dramatic combination of metaphors—"deceitful entry" (παρείσδυσις) suggests stealthy infiltration by the Adversary, while "sling away" (ἐκσφενδονάω) vividly portrays violent expulsion from salvation.
Epistle of Barnabas