Early Church Fathers Scripture Index : Texts

Deuteronomy 15:21

There is 1 footnote for this reference.

Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 2, Volume 6, page 192, footnote 13 (Image)

Jerome: Letters and Select Works

The Letters of St. Jerome. (HTML)

To Laeta. (HTML)

CCEL Footnote 2695 (In-Text, Margin)

... tender age can offer no objection to it. The truth is that, as baptism ensures the salvation of the child, this in turn brings advantage to the parents. Whether you would offer your child or not lay within your choice, but now that you have offered her, you neglect her at your peril. I speak generally for in your case you have no discretion, having offered your child even before her conception. He who offers a victim that is lame or maimed or marked with any blemish is held guilty of sacrilege.[Deuteronomy 15:21] How much more then shall she be punished who makes ready for the embraces of the king a portion of her own body and the purity of a stainless soul, and then proves negligent of this her offering?