THE EPISTLE OF IGNATIUS TO THE TRALLIANS SHORTER AND LONGER VERSIONS

Ignatius, who is also called Theophorus, to the holy Church which is at 
Tralles, in Asia, beloved of God, the Father of Jesus Christ, elect, and 
worthy of God, possessing peace through the flesh, and blood, and passion 
of Jesus Christ, who is our hope, through our rising again to Him,[1] which 
also I salute in its  fulness,[2] and in the apostalical character,[3] and 
wish abundance of happiness.

CHAP. I.--ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THEIR EXCELLENCE.

    I know that ye possess an unblameable and sincere mind in patience, and 
that not only in present practice,[5] but according to inherent nature, as 
Polybius your bishop has shown me, who has come to Smyrna by the will of 
God and Jesus Christ, and so sympathized in the joy which I, who am bound 
in Christ Jesus, possess, that I beheld your whole multitude in him. Having 
therefore received through him the testimony of your good-will, according 
to God, I gloried to find you, as I knew you were, the followers of God.

CHAP. II.--BE SUBJECT TO THE BISHOP, ETC.

    For, since ye are subject to the bishop as to Jesus Christ, ye appear 
to me to live not after the manner of men, but according to Jesus Christ, 
who died for us, in order, by believing in His death, ye may escape from 
death. It is therefore necessary that, as ye indeed do, so without the 
bishop ye should do nothing, but should also our hope, in whom, if we live, 
we shall be found in Him. It behoves you also, in every way, to please the 
deacons, who are [ministers] of the mysteries of Christ Jesus; for they are 
not ministers of meat and drink, but servants of the Church of God. They 
are bound, therefore, to avoid alI grounds of accusation [against them], as 
they would a burning fire. Let them, then, prove themselves to be such.

CHAP. III.--HONOUR THE DEACONS, etc.

    In like manner, let all reverence the deacons as an appointment(2) of 
Jesus Christ, and the bishop as Jesus Christ, who is the Son of the Father, 
and the presbyters as the sanhedrin of God, and assembly of the apostles. 
Apart from these, there is no Church.(4) Concerning all this, I am 
persuaded that ye are of the same opinion. For I have received the 
manifestations of your love, and still have it with me, in your bishop, 
whose very appearance is highly instructive,(6) and his meekness of itself 
a power; whom I imagine even the ungodly must reverence, seeing they are 
(7) also pleased that I do not spare myself. But shall I, when permitted to 
write on this point, reach such a height of self-esteem, that though being 
a condemned(8) man, I should issue commands to you as if I were an apostle?

CHAP. IV.--I HAVE NEED OF HUMILITY.

    I have great knowledge in God,(9) but I restrain myself, lest, I should 
perish through boasting. For now it is needful for me to be the more 
fearful; and not give heed to those that puff me up. For they that speak to 
me [in the way of commendation] scourge me. For I do indeed desire to 
suffer, but I know not if I be worthy to do so. For this longing, though it 
is not manifest to many, all the more vehemently assails me.(13) I 
therefore have need of meekness, by which the prince of this world is 
brought to nought.

CHAP. V.--I WILL NOT TEACH YOU PROFOUND DOCTRINES.

    Am I not able to write to you of heavenly things? But I fear to do so, 
lest I should inflict injury on you who are but babes [in Christ]. Pardon 
me in this respect, lest, as not being able to receive [such doctrines], ye 
should be strangled by them. For even I, though I am bound [for Christ], 
yet am not on that account able to understand heavenly things, and the 
places(4) of the angels, and their gatherings under their respective 
princes, things visible and invisible. Without reference to such abstruse 
subjects, I am still but a learner [in other respects(5)]; for many things 
are wanting to us, that we come not short of God.

CHAP. VI.--ABSTAIN FROM THE POISON OF HERETICS.

    I therefore, yet not I, but the love of Jesus Christ, entreat you that 
ye use Christian nourishment only, and abstain from herbage of a different 
kind; I mean heresy. For those(7) [that are given to this] mix(11) up Jesus 
Christ with their own poison, speaking things which are unworthy of credit, 
like those who administer a deadly drug in sweet wine, which he who is 
ignorant of does greedily(13) take, with a fatal pleasure(14) leading to 
his own death.

CHAP. VII.--THE SAME CONTINUED.

    Be on your guard, therefore, against such persons. And this will be the 
case with you if you are not puffed up, and continue in intimate union 
with(17) Jesus Christ our God, and the bishop, and the enactments of the 
apostles. He that is within the altar is pure, but(2) he that is without is 
not pure; that is, he who does anything apart from the bishop, and 
presbytery, and deacons,(4) such a man is not pure in his conscience.

CHAP. VIII.--BE ON YOUR GUARD AGAINST THE SNARES OF THE DEVIL.

    Not that I Know there is anything of this kind among you; but I put you 
on your guard, inasmuch as I love you greatly, and foresee the snares of 
the devil. Wherefore, clothing(11) yourselves with meekness, be ye 
renewed(12) in faith, that is the flesh of the Lord, and in love, that is 
the blood of Jesus Christ. Let no one of you cherish any grudge against his 
neighbour. Give no occasion to the Gentiles, lest by means of a few foolish 
men the whole multitude [of those that believe] in God be evil spoken of. 
For, "Woe to him by whose vanity my name is blasphemed among any."(17)

CHAP. IX,--REFERENCE TO THE HISTORY OF CHRIST.

    Stop your ears, therefore, when any one speaks to you at variance 
with(18) Jesus Christ, who was descended from David, and was also of Mary; 
who was truly born, and did eat and drink. He was truly persecuted under 
Pontius Pilate; He was truly crucified, and [truly] died, in the sight of 
beings in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth. He was also truly 
raised from the dead, His Father quickening Him, even as after the same 
manner His Father will so raise up us who believe in Him by Christ Jesus, 
apart from whom we do not possess the true life.

CHAP. X.--THE REALITY OF CHRIST'S PASSION.

    But if, as some that are without God, that is, the unbelieving, say, 
that He only seemed to suffer (they themselves only seeming to exist), then 
why am I in bonds? Why do I long to be exposed to s the wild beasts? Do I 
therefore die in vain?(9) Am I not then guilty of falsehood(10) against 
[the cross of] the Lord?

CHAP. XI.--AVOID THE DEADLY ERRORS OF THE DOCETAE.

    Flee, therefore, those evil offshoots [of Satan], which produce death-
bearing fruit, whereof if any one tastes, he instantly dies. For these men 
are not the planting of the Father. For if they were, they would appear as 
branches of the cross, and their fruit would be incorruptible. By it(9) He 
calls you through His passion, as being His members. The head, therefore, 
cannot be born by itself, without its members; God, who is [the Saviour] 
Himself, having promised their union.(10)

CHAP. XII.--CONTINUE IN UNITY AND LOVE.

    I salute you from Smyrna, together with the Churches of God which are 
with me, who have refreshed me in all things, both in the flesh and in the 
spirit. My bonds, which I carry about with me for the sake of Jesus Christ 
(praying that I may attain to God), exhort you. Continue in harmony among 
yourselves, and in prayer with one another; for it becomes every one of 
you, and especially the presbyters, to refresh the bishop, to the hon-our 
of the Father, of Jesus Christ, and of the apostles. I entreat you in love 
to hear me, that I may not, by having written, be a testimony against you. 
And do ye also pray for me, who have need of your love, along with the 
mercy of God, that I may be worthy of the lot for which I am destined, and 
that I may not be found reprobate.

CHAP. XIII.--CONCLUSION.

    The love of the Smymaeans and Ephesians salutes you. Remember in your 
prayers the Church which is in Syria, from which also I am not worthy to 
receive my appellation, being the last(1) of them. Fare ye well in Jesus 
Christ, while ye continue subject to the bishop, as to the command [of 
God], and in like manner to the presbytery. And do ye, every man, love one 
another with an undivided heart. Let my spirit be sanctified(2) by yours, 
not only now, but also when I shall attain to God. For I am as yet exposed 
to danger. But the Father is faithful in Jesus Christ to fulfil both mine 
and your petitions: in whom may ye be found unblameable.