Laudator Temporis Acti

Regulations of a private cult association, from Philadelphia in Lydia, Asia Minor, late 2nd/early 1st century BC = Dittenberger, Sylloge Inscriptionum Graecarum, 4th ed., Vol. III (Hildesheim: Georg Olms, 1960), pp. 113-119 (number 985), tr. Frederick C. Grant, Hellenistic Religions: The Age of Syncretism (Indianapolis: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, Inc., 1953), pp. 28-30:

Good fortune! They were written for the health and common welfare and the noblest thought, the commandments given to Dionysius [by Zeus], granting access in sleep to his own house both to free men and women, and to household slaves. For here are the altars of Zeus Eumenes, Hestia who is seated beside him, and the other Savior Gods: Eudaimonia, Plutus, Arete, Hygiaea, Tyche Agathe, Agathos Daimon, Mneme, Charites, Nike.

To him Zeus gave commandments: To observe the purification and cleansing rites, and offer the sacrifices in accordance with ancestral rites and as now practiced. Those who enter this house [i.e., temple], both men and women, both bound and free, are to take oath before all the gods that, conscious of no guile toward man or woman, they will not [administer] an evil drug to men, nor will they learn or practice wicked charms, nor [give] any philter, or any abortive or contraceptive drug, nor [commit] robbery or murder, either carrying it out themselves or advising another or acting as witness [for his defense], nor overlook complacently those who rob [or withhold—i.e., offerings] in this house; and if anyone shall do any of these things or advise them, they will not consent or pass over it in silence, but will bring it out into the open and see that [the crime] is punished.

A man [is not to take] another woman in addition to his own wife, either a free woman or a slave who has a husband, nor is he to corrupt either a child [boy] or a virgin, nor is he to counsel another [to do so]; but if he should witness anyone [doing this], he must not hide it or keep silent. Woman and man [alike], whoever does any of the things above written, let them not enter this house. For the gods who dwell here are mighty and watch over these things and will not hold back [punishment] from those who transgress their commandments. A free woman is to be pure and is not to know bed or intercourse with any man other than her own [husband]. If she does she shall not be pure [as before], but is defiled and full of corruption within her family [i.e., she has corrupted the family line] and is unworthy to worship this god for whom these rites were established, or to offer sacrifices, or to . . . [about twelve lines are missing] to stumble upon or to see the mysteries observed. If anyone does any of these things with which the commandments here copied have to do, terrible curses from the gods will come upon those who disregard them. For God does not by any means will that these things should come to pass, nor does he desire it, but to obey [i.e., God wills that men should obey the commandments, and not be punished for disobedience].

To those who obey the gods will be gracious and will always be giving them everything good, such as the gods are wont to give to men they love. But if any transgress, they will hate such persons and will lay upon them great penalties.

These commandments were placed [here] by Agdistis, the most holy Guardian and Mistress of this house, that she might show her good will [or intentions] to men and women, bond and free, so that they might follow the [rules] written here and take part in the sacrifices which [are offered] month by month and year by year, even those, both men and women, who believe within themselves [i.e., are faithful to] this writing in which the commandments of God are written, so that those who follow the commandments may become known openly, and also those who do not.

O Zeus the Savior, graciously and favorably accept this account and ... [about eighteen lines are missing] provide a good requital, health, safety, peace, security by land and sea ... . [about twenty lines are missing] likewise.

The Greek text is online here, from Tituli Asiae Minoris, V: Tituli Lydiae linguis Graeca et Latina conscripti, ed. Georg Petzl (Vienna, 2007), Vol. 3, nos. 1415-1953: Philadelpheia et Ager Philadelphenus (number 1539). The stone is now lost.

See Otto Weinreich, "Stiftung und Kultsatzungen eines Privatheiligtums in Philadelpheia in Lydien," Sitzungsberichte der Heidelberger Akademie der Wissenschaften, Philosophisch-Historische Klasse 16.3 (1919) 1-68, and María-Paz de Hoz, "The Regulations of Dionysius in the So-Called Lex Sacra from Philadelphia in Lydia," Epigraphica Anatolica 50 (2017) 93-108. There is another (partial) translation by Arthur Darby Nock, Early Gentile Christianity and its Hellenistic Background (New York: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1964), pp. 20-21.

Scholars compare Didache 2 (tr. Bart D. Ehrman):

[1] And now the second commandment of the teaching. [2] Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not engage in pederasty, do not engage in sexual immorality. Do not steal, do not practice magic, do not use enchanted potions, do not abort a fetus or kill a child that is born. [3] Do not desire what belongs to your neighbor, do not commit perjury, do not give false testimony, do not speak insults, do not bear grudges. [4] Do not be of two minds or speak from both sides of your mouth, for speaking from both sides of your mouth is a deadly trap. [5] Your word must not be empty or false. [6] Do not be greedy, rapacious, hypocriti­cal, spiteful, or haughty. Do not entertain a wicked plot against your neighbor. [7] Do not hate anyone—but re­prove some, pray for others, and love still others more than yourself.