THE EPISTLE OF 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(1) 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.

CHAP. I.--PRAISE OF THE BISHOP.

    WHICH bishop,(3) I know, obtained the ministry which pertains to the 
common [weal], not of himself, neither by men,(4) 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(6) meekness of the living God.

CHAP. 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.

CHAP. 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(5) opinion, he agrees not with the passion [of Christ.].

CHAP. 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(1)] 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.

CHAP. 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,(4) and placed their hope in Him,(5) 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.

CHAP. VI.--DO NOT ACCEPT JUDAISM.

    But if any one preach the Jewish law(9) 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(1) by his artifices,(2) ye 
grow weak in your love. But be ye all joined together(3) 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(6) 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. 

CHAP. 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,(10) 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.(11) But He is my witness, for whose sake I am in bonds, that I got no 
intelligence from any man.(13) But the Spirit proclaimed these words: Do 
nothing without the bishop; keep your bodies(1) as the temples of God;(2) 
love unity; avoid divisions; be the followers of Jesus Christ, even as He 
is of His Father.

CHAP. VIII.--THE SAME CONTINUED.

    I therefore did what belonged to me, as a man devoted to(3) 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.(4) 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(7) 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(8) which is by Him, are undefiled monuments of antiquity; by 
which I desire, through your prayers, to be justified.

CHAP. IX.--THE OLD TESTAMENT IS GOOD: THE NEW TESTAMENT IS BETTER.

    The priests(11) 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,(17) but the 
Gospel is the perfection of immortality.(18) All these things are good 
together, if ye believe in love.

CHAP. 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(3) of God; as also the 
nearest Churches have sent, in some cases bishops, and in others presbyters 
and deacons.

CHAP. 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(4) 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.(7) 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.