Canon Status
Not canonical in any tradition.
Date & Provenance
The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, in their extant form, are a Jewish work, probably of the late 2nd century CE, with Christian interpolations.
Language & Manuscripts
Survives in Greek and Armenian.
Why It Matters for Study
The last words of Reuben. Warns against fornication and the lust of the flesh, and encourages purity of mind.
" And Reuben said: Flee from fornication, and do not defile your hearts with lust." — Testament of Reuben 1:1
Read the Text & External Resources
Public-domain translations and scholarly databases where the text can be read online or downloaded.
- " And Reuben said: Flee from fornication, and do not defile your hearts with lust." — Testament of Reuben 1:1 " And Reuben said: Flee from fornication, and do not defile your hearts with lust." — Testament of Reuben 1:1
External links open in a new tab. Sources are chosen for public-domain or open-access availability; always verify edition and translation when citing in academic work.
Further Reading
Charles, R. H. The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs. A. & C. Black, 1908.
Kee, H. C. " Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs." In The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, vol. 1. Doubleday, 1983.
Testament of Reuben — Wikipedia|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Testament_of_Reuben|Background and scholarly discussion.