Ignatius to the Philadelphians 1

1IGNATIUS, 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, being fixed in the concord of God, and rejoicing evermore in the passion of our Lord, and being fulfilled in all mercy through his resurrection: Which also I salute in the blood of Jesus Christ, which is our eternal and undefiled joy; especially if they are at unity with the bishop, and presbyters who are with him, and the deacons appointed according to the mind of Jesus Christ; whom he has settled according to his own will in all firmness by his Holy Spirit:

ἸΓΝΑΤΙΟΣ, ὁ καὶ Θεοφόρος, ἐκκλησίᾳ Θεοῦ πατρὸς καὶ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τῇ οὔσῃ ἐν Φιλαδελφίᾳ τῆς ᾿Ασίας, ἠλεημένῃ καὶ ἡδρασμένῃ ἐν ὁμονοίᾳ Θεοῦ καὶ ἀγαλλιωμένῃ ἐν τῷ πάθει τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν ἀδιακρίτως καὶ ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει αὐτοῦ, πεπληροφορημένῃ ἐν παντὶ ἐλέει ἣν ἀσπάζομαι ἐν αἵματι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἥτις ἐστὶν χαρὰ αἰώνιος καὶ παράμονος" μάλιστα ἐὰν ἐν ἑνὶ ὦσιν σὺν τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ καὶ τοῖς σὺν αὐτῷ πρεσβυτέροις καὶ διακόνοις ἀποδεδειγμένοις ἐν γνώμῃ ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ, οὗς κατὰ τὸ ἴδιον θέλημα ἐστήριξεν ἐν βεβαιωσύνῃ τῷ ἁγίῳ αὐτοῦ πνεύματι.

2Which bishop I know obtained that great ministry among you, not of himself, neither by men, nor out of vain glory; but by the love of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

3Whose moderation I admire; who by his silence is able to do more than others with all their vain talk. For he is fitted to the commands, as the harp to its strings.

Ὃν ἐπίσκοπον ὄγνων οὐκ ἀφ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ οὐδὲ δι’ ἀνθρώ- sew κεκτῆσθαι τὴν διακονίαν τὴν εἰς τὸ κοινὸν ἀνήκουσαν, οὐδὲ κατὰ κενοδοξίαν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν ὠγάπῃ Θεοῦ πατρὸς καὶ Kuplou Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ οὗ καταπέπληγμαι τὴν ἐπιείκειαν, ὃς σουγῶν πλείονα δύναται τῶν λαλούντων

4Wherefore my soul esteems his mind towards God most happy, knowing it to be fruitful in all virtue, and perfect; full of constancy, free from passion, and according to all the moderation of the living God.

συνευρύθμεσται γὰρ ταῖς ἐντολαῖς, ὡς χορδαῖς κιθάρα. διὸ μακαρίζει μου ἡ ψυχὴ τὴν εἰς Θεὸν αὐτοῦ γνώμην, ἐπογνοὺς ἐνάρετον καὶ τἄλοιον οὖσαν, τὸ ἀκίνητον αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ ἀόργητον [αὐτοῦ] ἐν πάσῃ ὀπιεικείᾳ Θεοῦ ζῶντος. IL Τέανα οὖν [φωτὸς} ἀληθείας, φεύγετε τὸν μερισμὸν καὶ τὼς κακοδιδασκαλίατ ὅπον δὲ ὁ ποιμὴν στιν, ἐκεῖ ὡς πρόβατα ἀκολουθεῖτε

5Wherefore as becomes the children both of the light and of truth; flee divisions and false doctrines; but where your shepherd is, there do ye, as sheep, follow after.

6For there are many wolves who seem worthy of belief with a false pleasure lead captive those that run in the course of God; but in the concord they shall find no place.

πολλοὶ γὰρ λύκοι ἀξιόπιστοι ἡδονῇ κακῇ αἰχμαλωτίζουσιν τοὺς θεοοδρόμους ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τῇ ἁνότητι ὑμῶν οὐχ ἕξουσιν τόπον. IIL ᾿Απέχεσθε τῶν κακῶν βοτανῶν, ἅστινας οὗ γοωργαῖ Ἰησοὺς Χριστός, διὰ τὸ μὴ εἶναι αὐτοὺς φυτείαν πατρός. οὐχ ὅτε παρ᾽ ὑμῖν μερισμὸν εὗρον, ἀλλ᾽ ἀποδιυλισμόν.

7Abstain therefore from evil herbs which Jesus does not dress; because such are not the plantation of the Father. Not that I have found any division among you, but rather all manner of purity.

ὅσοι pap Θεοῦ εἰσιν καὶ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, οὗτοι μετὰ τοῦ ἐπισκόπου εἰσίν καὶ ὅσοι ἂν μετανοήσαντες ἔλθωσιν ἐπὶ τὴν ἑνότητα τῆς ἐκκλησίας, καὶ οὗτοι Θεοῦ ἔσονται, ἵνα dow κατὰ Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν ζῶντες.

8For as many as are of God, and of Jesus Christ, are also with their bishop. And as many as shall with repentance return into the unity of the church, even these shall also be the servants of God, that they may live according to Jesus.

9Be not deceived, brethren; if any one follows him that makes a schism in the church, he shall not inherit the kingdom of God. If any one walks after any other opinion, he agrees not with the passion of Christ.

μὴ πλανᾶσθε, ἀδελφοί μου εἴ τις tCor. vi.

10Wherefore let it be your endeavour to partake all of the same holy eucharist.

σχίζοντε ἀκολουθεῖ, Βλοιλείδν ΘεοΥ͂ ΟΥ̓ κληρονομεῖ" εἴ τες ἐν ἀλλοτρίᾳ γνώμῃ περιπατεῖ, οὗτος τῷ πάθει οὐ συγκατατί- θεται.

11For there is but one flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ; and one cup in the unity of his blood; one altar;

12As also there is one bishop, together with his presbytery, and the deacons my fellow-servants: that so whatsoever ye do, ye may do it according to the will of God.

Xwovdacare οὖν μιᾷ εὐχαριστίᾳ χρῆσθαε' μία γὰρ σὰρξ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ dy ποτήριον εἰς ἕνωσιν τοῦ αἵματος αὐτοῦ" ὃν θυσιαστήριον, ὡς εἷς ἐπίσκοπον, ἅμα τῷ πρεσβυτερίῳ καὶ διακόνοις τοῖς συνδούλοις cad ἕνα, ὃ ἐὰν πράσσητε, κατὰ Θεὸν πράσσητε.