Neto wrote:Menno Simons quotes from it in at least one of his booklets.
i'm not sure i'll ever get over being a little shocked each time i'm reminded, Menno Simons, and, Martin Luther, began as Catholics.
in my head, i know it, but each time i'm reminded, it sinks in a bit more, and, a bit differently.
i'm sure my struggle is from my early life, wherein each denomination, each faith group, "lived" as a stand-alone faith, without connection to others. thinking to the contrary was not welcome.
as a child, i remember asking my mother, "ok, but, they use the Bible, and they use the Bible, and, they use the Bible?!" .. it was confusing. i felt generally dismissed for asking too many questions.
there was a lot of, "you should 'just know,' " thinking.
i felt less-than, because, i knew, i did NOT "just know!"
(how did others just know?!)
sincerely, this was a big puzzle for me.
o.memories. what treasures.
i suppose i have made peace with being a bumbling fool.
i appreciate whatever bits of Light and wisdom i'm allowed on this temporal journey.
regarding the Sirach, from the little i've read ..
so far, it seems to interpret the NT, to "paint word pictures," or, illuminate, perhaps, rather than to either translate or expand (?) .. it's founded on scriptures, esp the NT.
the OP passage corresponds to
http://biblehub.com/matthew/18-35.htm
Matthew 6:14
For if you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you.
Matthew 6:15
But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours.
Matthew 18:34
In his anger, his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should repay all that he owed.
Mark 11:26
But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.