Epistle of St Ignatius to the Philadelphians
Ignatius, who is also called Theophorus, to the Church of God
the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, which is at Philadelphia, in Asia, which
has obtained mercy, and is established in the harmony of God, and rejoiceth
unceasingly in the passion of our Lord, and is filled with all mercy through
his resurrection; which I salute in the blood of Jesus Christ, who is our
eternal and enduring joy, especially if [men] are in unity with the bishop, the
presbyters, and the deacons, who have been appointed according to the mind of
Jesus Christ, whom He has established in security, after His own will, and by
His Holy Spirit.
CHAPTER I.–PRAISE OF
THE BISHOP
WHICH bishop, I know, obtained the ministry which pertains to
the common [weal], not of himself, neither by men, nor through vainglory, but
by the love of God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ; at whose meekness I
am struck with admiration, and who by his silence is able to accomplish more
than those who vainly talk. For he is in harmony with the commandments [of
God], even as the harp is with its strings. Wherefore my soul declares his mind
towards God a happy one, knowing it to be virtuous and perfect, and that his
stability as well as freedom from all anger is after the example of the
infinite meekness of the living God.
CHAPTER II.–MAINTAIN
UNION WITH THE BISHOP
Wherefore, as children of light and truth, flee from division
and wicked doctrines; but where the shepherd is, there do ye as sheep follow.
For there are many wolves that appear worthy of credit, who, by means of a
pernicious pleasure, carry captives those that are running towards God; but in
your unity they shall have no place.
CHAPTER III.–AVOID
SCHISMATICS
Keep yourselves from those evil plants which Jesus Christ does
not tend, because they are not the planting of the Father. Not that I have
found any division among you, but exceeding purity. For as many as are of God
and of Jesus Christ are also with the bishop. And as many as shall, in the
exercise of repentance, return into the unity of the Church, these, too, shall
belong to God, that they may live according to Jesus Christ. Do not err, my
brethren. If any man follows him that makes a schism in the Church, he shall
not inherit the kingdom of God. If any one walks according to a strange
opinion, he agrees not with the passion [of Christ.].
CHAPTER IV.–HAVE BUT
ONE EUCHARIST, ETC
Take ye heed, then, to have but one Eucharist. For there is one
flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ, and one cup to [show forth] the unity of His
blood; one altar; as there is one bishop, along with the presbytery and
deacons, my fellow-servants: that so, whatsoever ye do, ye may do it according
to [the will of] God.
CHAPTER V.–PRAY FOR
ME
My brethren, I am greatly enlarged in loving you; and rejoicing
exceedingly [over you], I seek to secure your safety. Yet it is not I, but
Jesus Christ, for whose sake being bound I fear the more, inasmuch as I am not
yet perfect. But your prayer to God shall make me perfect, that I may attain to
that portion which through mercy has been allotted me, while I flee to the
Gospel as to the flesh of Jesus, and to the apostles as to the presbytery of
the Church. And let us also love the prophets, because they too have proclaimed
the Gospel, and placed their hope in Him, and waited for Him; in whom also
believing, they were saved, through union to Jesus Christ, being holy men, worthy
of love and admiration, having had witness borne to them by Jesus Christ, and
being reckoned along with in the Gospel of the common hope.
CHAPTER VI.–DO NOT
ACCEPT JUDAISM
But if any one preach the Jewish law unto you, listen not to
him. For it is better to hearken to Christian doctrine from a man who has been
circumcised, than to Judaism from one uncircumcised. But if either of such
persons do not speak concerning Jesus Christ, they are in my judgment but as
monuments and sepulchres of the dead, upon which are written only the names of
men. Flee therefore the wicked devices and snares of the prince of this world,
lest at any time being conquered by his artifices, ye grow weak in your love.
But be ye all joined together with an undivided heart. And I thank my God that
I have a good conscience in respect to you, and that no one has it in his power
to boast, either privately or publicly, that I have burdened any one either in
much or in little. And I wish for all among whom I have spoken, that they may
not possess that for a testimony against them.
CHAPTER VII.–I HAVE
EXHORTED YOU TO UNITY
For though some would nave deceived me according to the flesh,
yet the Spirit, as being from God, is not deceived. For it knows both whence it
comes and whither it goes, and detects the secrets [of the heart]. For, when I
was among you, I cried, I spoke with a loud voice: Give heed to the bishop, and
to the presbytery and deacons. Now, some suspected me of having spoken thus, as
knowing beforehand the division caused by some among you. But He is my witness,
for whose sake I am in bonds, that I got no intelligence from any man. But the
Spirit proclaimed these words: Do nothing without the bishop; keep your bodies
as the temples of God; love unity; avoid divisions; be the followers of Jesus
Christ, even as He is of His Father.
CHAPTER VIII.–THE
SAME CONTINUED
I therefore did what belonged to me, as a man devoted to unity.
For where there is division and wrath, God doth not dwell. To all them that
repent, the Lord grants forgiveness, if they turn in penitence to the unity of
God, and to communion with the bishop. I trust [as to you] in the grace of
Jesus Christ, who shall free you from every bond. And I exhort you to do
nothing out of strife, but according to the doctrine of Christ. When I heard
some saying, If I do not find it in the ancient Scriptures, I will not believe
the Gospel; on my saying to them, It is written, they answered me, That remains
to be proved. But to me Jesus Christ is in the place of all that is ancient:
His cross, and death, and resurrection, and the faith which is by Him, are
undefiled monuments of antiquity; by which I desire, through your prayers, to
be justified.
CHAPTER IX.–THE OLD
TESTAMENT IS GOOD: THE NEW TESTAMENT IS BETTER
The priests indeed are good, but the High Priest is better; to
whom the holy of holies has been committed, and who alone has been trusted with
the secrets of God. He is the door of the Father, by which enter in Abraham,
and Isaac, and Jacob, and the prophets, and the apostles, and the Church. All
these have for their object the attaining to the unity of God. But the Gospel
possesses something transcendent [above the former dispensation], viz., the
appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ, His passion and resurrection. For the
beloved prophets announced Him, but the Gospel is the perfection of
immortality. All these things are good together, if ye believe in love.
CHAPTER
X.–CONGRATULATE THE INHABITANTS OF ANTIOCH ON THE CLOSE OF THE PERSECUTION
Since, according to your prayers, and the compassion which ye
feel in Christ Jesus, it is reported to me that the Church which is at Antioch
in Syria possesses peace, it will become you, as a Church of God, to elect a
deacon to act as the ambassador of God[for you] to[the brethren there], that he
may rejoice along with them when they are met together, and glorify the name[of
God], Blessed is he in Jesus Christ, who shall be deemed worthy of such a
ministry; and ye too shall be glorified. And if ye are willing, it is not beyond
your power to do this, for the sake of God; as also the nearest Churches have
sent, in some cases bishops, and in others presbyters and deacons.
CHAPTER XI.–THANKS
AND SALUTATION
Now, as to Philo the deacon, of Cilicia, a man of reputation,
who still ministers to me in the word of God, along with Rheus Agathopus, an
elect man, who has followed me from Syria, not regarding his life,–these bear
witness in your behalf; and I myself give thanks to God for you, that ye have
received them, even as the Lord you. But may those that dishonoured them be
forgiven through the grace of Jesus Christ! The love of the brethren at Troas
salutes you; whence also I write to you by Burrhus, who was sent along with me
by the Ephesians and Smyrnaeans, to show their respect. May the Lord Jesus
Christ honour them, in whom they hope, in flesh, and soul, and faith, and love,
and concord! Fare ye well in Christ Jesus, our common hope.
Shorter version.
Edited by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, 1885.
