Chapter 1
Letter of St. Ignatius of Antioch to the Philadelphians
Salutation
Ignatius, also called God-bearer, to the Church of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ which is in Philadelphia of Asia, having received mercy and established in the harmony of God and rejoicing in the passion of our Lord without wavering and fully assured in his resurrection in all mercy—which Church I greet in the blood of Jesus Christ, which is eternal joy and lasting, especially if they are at one with the bishop and the presbyters and deacons with him, appointed according to the will of Jesus Christ, whom he has established in firmness by his Holy Spirit.
1
1 I know that your bishop did not obtain the ministry that serves the common good from himself or through men or out of vainglory, but in the love of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I am struck by his gentleness; when he is silent he can do more than those who speak empty words.
2 For he is attuned to the commandments as a lyre to its strings. Therefore my soul blesses his disposition toward God, knowing that it is virtuous and perfect, his steadfastness and his freedom from anger in all the gentleness of the living God.
2
1 Children of the light of truth, then, flee division and false teachings. Where the shepherd is, there follow like sheep.
2 For many wolves, appearing trustworthy, take captive those who run the race of God by evil pleasure. But in your unity they will find no place.
3
1 Keep away from evil plants, which Jesus Christ does not cultivate, because they are not the planting of the Father. Not that I found division among you, but rather a filtering out.
2 For all who belong to God and Jesus Christ are with the bishop. And all who repent and come into the unity of the Church, these too will belong to God, so that they may live according to Jesus Christ.
3 Do not be led astray, my brothers. If anyone follows a schismatic, he will not inherit the kingdom of God. If anyone walks in a strange opinion, he does not consent to the passion.
4
1 [Cor.10,16, Larovddoate Be eager, then, to use one Eucharist—for there is one flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ and one cup for union with his blood, one altar, just as there is one bishop together with the presbytery and the deacons, my fellow servants—so that whatever you do, you do according to God.
5
1 My brothers, I’m overflowing with love for you, and rejoicing exceedingly I seek to secure you—not I, but Jesus Christ, in whom I’m bound and therefore all the more fearful, since I’m still unfinished. But your prayer to God will complete me, so that I may attain the inheritance in which I’ve received mercy, taking refuge in the gospel as the flesh of Jesus, and in the apostles as the presbytery of the Church.
2 And let us also love the prophets, because they too proclaimed the gospel and set their hope in him and waited for him; and believing in him they were saved, being in the unity of Jesus Christ—worthy of love and worthy of admiration, holy ones, attested by Jesus Christ and numbered together in the gospel of our common hope.
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1 And if someone interprets Judaism to you, don’t listen to him. For it’s better to hear Christianity from a circumcised man than Judaism from an uncircumcised one. But if both of them don’t speak about Jesus Christ, they are to me tombstones and graves of the dead, on which only the names of men are written.
2 So flee the evil schemes and snares of the ruler of this age, lest you be crushed by his purpose and grow weak in love. Instead, all of you come together in an undivided heart.
3 I give thanks to my God that I have a clear conscience among you, and no one can boast, either secretly or openly, that I burdened anyone in small or great matters. And for all those to whom I spoke, I pray that they may not turn it into testimony against themselves.
4 For even if some people wanted to lead me astray according to the flesh, the Spirit is not led astray, being from God. For it knows where it comes from and where it’s going, and it exposes what is hidden. I cried out while I was among you, I spoke with a loud voice, God’s voice: ‘Pay attention to the bishop and to the presbytery and to the deacons.’
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1 But some suspected that I was saying these things because I had foreknowledge of the division among certain people. But He in whom I am bound is my witness that I didn’t learn it from any human source. Rather, the Spirit was proclaiming these things: ‘Do nothing without the bishop, guard your body as a temple of God, love union, flee divisions, become imitators of Jesus Christ, just as He Himself is of His Father.’
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1 So I did my part as a man set on union. But where there is division and anger, God does not dwell. The Lord forgives all who repent, if they repent into the unity of God and the council of the bishop. I trust in the grace of Jesus Christ, who will loose every bond from you. But I urge you to do nothing out of selfish ambition, but according to Christ’s teaching. For I heard some people saying, ‘If I don’t find it in the archives, I don’t believe it in the gospel.’ And when I said to them, ‘It is written,’ they answered me, ‘That’s the question.’ But to me the archives are Jesus Christ, the inviolable archives are his cross and his death and his resurrection and the faith that comes through him—in which I want to be justified by your prayer.
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1 The priests are good, but better is the high priest who has been entrusted with the holy of holies, who alone has been entrusted with the hidden things of God: he himself being the door of the Father, through which enter Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and the prophets and the apostles and the Church. All these things are for the unity of God.
2 But the gospel has something distinctive: the advent of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, his passion, and his resurrection. For the beloved prophets proclaimed him, but the gospel is the completion of incorruption. All things together are good, if you believe in love.
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1 Since, according to your prayer and according to the compassion you have in Christ Jesus, it was reported to me that the Church in Antioch of Syria is at peace, it is fitting for you as a Church of God to ordain a deacon to go there as God’s ambassador, so that he may rejoice with them when they are gathered together and glorify the name.
2 Blessed in Jesus Christ is the one who will be counted worthy of such a ministry, and you too will be glorified. It is not impossible for you, if you are willing, for the name of God—just as the nearest Churches sent bishops, and others sent presbyters and deacons.
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1 Now concerning Philo the deacon from Cilicia, a man of good testimony, who even now serves me in the word of God, together with Rheus Agathopous, an elect man who is following me from Syria, having renounced this life—these men also bear witness to you, and I give thanks to God for you because you received them, as the Lord also receives you. May those who dishonored them be redeemed by the grace of Jesus Christ.
2 The love of the brothers in Troas greets you. From there I am writing to you through Burrhus, who was sent along with me by the Ephesians and Smyrnaeans as a mark of honor. The Lord Jesus Christ will honor them—in whom they hope in flesh, soul, spirit, faith, love, and unity. Farewell in Christ Jesus, our common hope.