Pseudo-Ignatius of Antioch, translated by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson

“ Be the friend of orphans; for God is "the father of the fatherless, and the judge of the widows." [15] Do nothing without the bishops; for they are priests, and thou a servant of the priests. They baptize, offer sacrifice [16] ordain, and lay on hands; but thou ministerest to them, as the holy Stephen did at Jerusalem to James and the presbyters. Do not neglect the sacred meetings [17] [of the saints] ; inquire after every one by name. "Let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example to the believers, both in word and conduct." ”

“ And that our bodies are to rise again, He shows when He says, "Verily I say unto you, that the hour cometh, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live." ”

“ For the cross of Christ was the beginning of his condemnation, the beginning of his death, the beginning of his destruction. Wherefore, also, he works in some that they should deny the cross, be ashamed of the passion, call the death an appearance, mutilate and explain away the birth of the Virgin, and calumniate the [human] nature [24] itself as being abominable. He fights along with the Jews to a denial of the cross, and with the Gentiles to the calumniating of Mary, [25] who are heretical in holding that Christ possessed a mere phantasmal body. ”

“ It is fitting, therefore, to love those that were the authors of our birth (but only in the Lord) , inasmuch as a man can produce no children without a woman. It is right, therefore, that we should honour those who have had a part in giving us birth. "Neither is the man without the woman, nor the woman without the man," [19] except in the case of those who were first formed. For the body of Adam was made out of the four elements, and that of Eve out of the side of Adam. And, indeed, the altogether peculiar birth of the Lord was of a virgin alone. ”

“ Why dost thou call the passion a mere appearance, as if it were any strange thing happening to a [mere] man? And why dost thou reckon the death of a mortal to be simply an imaginary death? But if, [on the other hand,] He is both God and man, then why dost thou call it unlawful to style Him "the Lord of glory," [28] who is by nature unchangeable? Why dost thou say that it is unlawful to declare of the Lawgiver who possesses a human soul, "The Word was made flesh," [29] and was a perfect man, and not merely one dwelling in a man? ”

“ From Syria even unto Rome I fight with beasts: not that I am devoured by brute beasts, for these, as ye know, by the will of God, spared Daniel, but by beasts in the shape of men, in whom the merciless wild beast himself lies hid, and pricks and wounds me day by day. ”

“ Wherefore deeming the practice of writing the second resource of friends for their mutual encouragement, I salute thy sacred soul, beseeching of thee to add still further to thy vigour. For our present labour is but little, while the reward which is expected is great. ”

“ If thou wilt give me leave, I desire to go up to Jerusalem, and see the faithful [2] saints who are there, especially Mary the mother, whom they report to be an object of admiration and of affection to all. For who would not rejoice to behold and to address her who bore the true God from her [3] own womb, provided he is a friend of our faith and religion? ”

“ Exhort my sisters to love God, and be content with their own husbands only. In like manner, exhort my brethren also to be content with their own wives. Watch over the virgins, as the precious treasures of Christ. Be long-suffering [22] that thou mayest be great in wisdom. Do not neglect the poor, in so far as thou art prosperous. ”

“ For the Leader of all wickedness assumes manifold [27] forms, beguiler of men as he is, inconsistent, and even contradicting himself, projecting one course and then following another. For he is wise to do evil, but as to what good may be he is totally ignorant. And indeed he is full of ignorance, on account of his voluntary want of reason: for how can he be deemed anything else who does not perceive reason when it lies at his very feet? ”

“ If any one makes light of the law or the prophets, which Christ fulfilled at His coming, let him be to thee as antichrist. If any one says that the Lord is a mere man, he is a Jew, a murderer of Christ. ”

“ Now, this expression, "If thou be the Son," is an indication of ignorance. For if thou hadst possessed real knowledge, thou wouldst have understood that the Creator can with equal ease both create what does not exist, and change that which already has a being. And thou temptedst by means of hunger [40] Him who nourisheth all that require food. And thou temptedst the very "Lord of glory," [41] forgetting in thy malevolence that "man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." ”

“ Every one that teaches anything beyond what is commanded, though he be [deemed] worthy of credit, though he be in the habit of fasting, though he live in continence, though he work miracles, though he have the gift of prophecy, let him be in thy sight as a wolf in sheep's clothing, [12] labouring for the destruction of the sheep. If any one denies the cross, and is ashamed of the passion, let him be to thee as the adversary himself. ”

“ Love one another in the Lord, as being the images of God. Take heed, ye husbands, that ye love your wives as your own members. Ye wives also, love your husbands, as being one with them in virtue of your union. If any one lives in chastity or continence, let him not be lifted up, lest he lose his reward. ”

“ Let no one among you be idle; for idleness is the mother of want. I do not enjoin these things as being a person of any consequence, although I am in bonds [for Christ] ; but as a brother, I put you in mind of them. The Lord be with you!
Chap. x.—Salutations.
May I enjoy your prayers! Pray ye that I may attain to Jesus. I commend unto you the church which is at Antioch. The churches of Philippi, [37] whence also I write to you, salute you. Philo, your deacon, to whom also I give thanks as one who has zealously ministered to me in all things, salutes you. ”

“ Chap. ii.—Youth may be allied with piety and discretion.
But as to those whom we have named being young men, do not, thou blessed one, have any apprehension. For I would have you know that they are wise above the flesh, and are insensible to its passions, they themselves glowing with all the glory of a hoary head through their own [8] intrinsic merits, and though but recently called as young men to the priesthood. ”

“ We do not, however, go so far as believe all in every particular; nor do we mention such to thee. But, as we are informed by those who are worthy of credit, there is in Mary the mother of Jesus an angelic purity of nature allied with the nature of humanity. ”

“ He also reveals the deceit of the demons, and openly exposes those that are no gods; yea, while yet an infant he slays their priests, and overturns their altars, and defiles the places where sacrifices were offered with dead bodies, and throws down the temples, and cuts down the groves, and breaks in pieces the pillars, and breaks open the tombs of the ungodly, that not a relic of the wicked might any longer exist. ”

“ Let not the widows live a life of pleasure, lest they wax wanton against the word. [43] Be subject to Cæsar in everything in which subjection implies no [spiritual] danger. Provoke not those that rule over you to wrath, that you may give no occasion against yourselves to those that seek for it. But as to the practice of magic, or the impure love of boys, or murder, it is superfluous to write to you, since such vices are forbidden to be committed even by the Gentiles. I do not issue commands on these points as if I were an apostle; but, as your fellow-servant, I put you in mind of them. ”

“ For [it is written] , "A virgin shall conceive in her womb, and bring forth a son." [22] He was then truly born, truly grew up, truly ate and drank, was truly crucified, and died, and rose again. He who believes these things, as they really were, and as they really took place, is blessed. He who believeth them not is no less accursed than those who crucified the Lord. For the prince of this world rejoiceth when any one denies the cross, since he knows that the confession of the cross is his own destruction. ”

“ Again, thou didst behold a man who remained forty days and nights without tasting human food, along with ministering angels at whose presence thou didst shudder, when first of all thou hadst seen Him baptized as a common man, and knewest not the reason thereof. ”

“ Avoid those that deny the passion of Christ, and His birth according to the flesh: and there are many at present who suffer under this disease. But it would be absurd to admonish thee on other points, seeing that thou art perfect in every good work and word, and able also to exhort others in Christ. ”

“ Sight indeed is better than writing, inasmuch as, being one [1] of the company of the senses, it not only, by communicating proofs of friendship, honours him who receives them, but also, by those which it in turn receives, enriches the desire for better things. ”

“ After the week of the passion, do not neglect to fast on the fourth and sixth days, distributing at the same time of thine abundance to the poor. If any one fasts on the Lord's day or on the Sabbath, except on the paschal Sabbath only, he is a murderer of Christ. ”

“ She is indeed devoted to the humble, and she humbles herself more devotedly than the devoted, and is wonderfully magnified by all, while at the same time she suffers detraction from the scribes and Pharisees. ”

“ Ye masters, do not treat your servants with haughtiness, but imitate patient Job, who declares, "I did not despise [38] the cause [39] of my man-servant or of my maid-servant, when they contended with me. For what in that case shall I do when the Lord makes an inquisition regarding me?" [40] And you know what follows. Ye servants, do not provoke your masters to anger in anything, lest ye become the authors of incurable mischiefs to yourselves.
Chap. xi.—Inculcation of various moral duties.
Let no one addicted to idleness eat, [41] lest he become a wanderer about, and a whoremonger. ”

“ But I, O thou blessed woman, not being now so much my own master as in the power of others, am driven along by the varying wills of many adversaries, [3] being in one sense in exile, in another in prison, and in a third in bonds. ”

“ No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier; and if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned except he strive lawfully. ”

“ Then they also that are fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. If the dead rise not, let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die. ”

“ But now these are reckoned by thee disgraceful, and thou pretendest to be full of modesty, thou spirit of fornication, not knowing that then only anything becomes disgraceful when it is polluted by wickedness. But when sin is not present, none of the things that have been created are shameful, none of them evil, but all very good. ”

“ For if there is one God of the universe, the Father of Christ, "of whom are all things;" [5] and one Lord Jesus Christ, our [Lord] , "by whom are all things;" [5] and also one Holy Spirit, who wrought [6] in Moses, and in the prophets and apostles; and also one baptism, which is administered that we should have fellowship with the death of the Lord; [7] and also one elect church; there ought likewise to be but one faith in respect to Christ. For "there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is through all, and in all." [8] ”

“ Let the deacons know of what dignity they are, and let them study to be blameless, that they may be the followers of Christ. Let the people be subject to the presbyters and the deacons. Let the virgins know to whom they have consecrated themselves.
Chap. ix.—Duties of husbands, wives, parents, and children.
Let the husbands love their wives, remembering that, at the creation, one woman, and not many, was given to one man. Let the wives honour their husbands, as their own flesh ”

“ And again, "Wine maketh glad the heart of man, and oil exhilarates, and bread strengthens him." [7] But all are to be used with moderation, as being the gifts of God. "For who shall eat or who shall drink without Him? For if anything be beautiful, it is His; and if anything be good, it is His." ”

“ Be strong, therefore, O Hero, like a hero, and like a man. For from henceforth thou shalt lead [28] in and out the people of the Lord that are in Antioch, and so "the congregation of the Lord shall not be as sheep which have no shepherd." [29] ”

“ And, as they report, she is cheerful in persecutions and afflictions, free from murmuring in the midst of penury and want, grateful to those that injure her, and rejoices when exposed to troubles: she sympathizes with the wretched and the afflicted as sharing in their affliction, and is not slow to come to their assistance. ”

“ Agathopus, the deacon from Syria, who follows me in Christ, salutes you. "Salute ye one another with a holy kiss." [38] I salute you all, both male and female, who are in Christ. Fare ye well in body, and soul, and in one Spirit ”

“ Wherefore it is one [Person] who put all things under, and who is all in all, and another [Person] to whom they were subdued, who also Himself, along with all other things, becomes subject [to the former] .
Chap. vi. — Continuation.
Nor is He a mere man, by whom and in whom all things were made; for "all things were made by Him." [20] "When He made the heaven, I was present with Him; and I was there with Him, forming [the world along with Him] , and He rejoiced in me daily." [21] And how could a mere man be addressed in such words as these: "Sit Thou at my right hand?" ”