Epistle to the Smyrniotes

Letter from Ignatius to the Smyrniotes

Ignatius, also says Theophorus, to the Church of God the Father and of his beloved son Jesus Christ, who obtained by mercy all the gifts, filled with faith and charity, which is not deprived of any gift , divinely magnificent and bearer of sacred objects, who is in Smyrna of Asia, in an irreproachable spirit and in the word of God, all kind of joy.

I, 1. I give thanks to Jesus Christ God, who has made you so wise. I saw, in fact, that you are completed in an unshakeable faith, as if you were endowed with flesh and spirit on the cross of Jesus Christ, and firmly established in charity by the blood of Christ, firmly convinced about our Lord who is truly of the "offspring of David according to the flesh" (cf. Rom 1: 3), Son of God according to the will and power of God, truly born of a virgin, baptized by John " that "through him" all righteousness might be fulfilled "(Mt 3:15). 2. He was truly nailed for us in his flesh under Pontius Pilate and Herod the Tetrarch, - it is thanks to the fruit of his cross, and to his divinely blessed passion that we, we exist, - to "lift up his standard "(Is 5:26) in the centuries by his resurrection, and to gather his saints and his faithful, come either from the Jews or from the Gentiles, in the one body of his Church.

II, 1. All this he suffered for us, so that we might be saved. And he truly suffered, as he also truly rose from the dead, not, as some unbelievers say, that he suffered only in appearance: they themselves exist only in appearance, and it will happen to them. a fate in accordance with their opinions, to be bodiless and like demons.

III, 1. For myself, I know and I believe that even after his resurrection he was in the flesh. 2. And when he came to Peter and to those who were with him, he said to them: “Take, touch me, and see that I am not a demon without a body.” And immediately they touched him, closely united to his flesh and spirit. That is why they despised death, and were found to be superior to death. 3. And after his resurrection, Jesus ate and drank with them as a being of flesh, yet being spiritually united to his Father.

IV, 1. This is what I recommend to you, beloved, knowing full well that you too think so. But I want to warn you against these beasts with a human face: not only should you not receive them, but if it is possible not even to meet them and only pray for them, if they could ever be converted, which is difficult. But Jesus Christ has the power, he our real life. 2. For if it is in appearance that this has been accomplished by our Lord, I too, it is in appearance that I am in chains. Why then did I also give myself up to death, for the fire, for the sword, for the beasts? But near the sword, near God: with the beasts, with God; only let it be in the name of Jesus Christ. It is to suffer with him that I endure everything, and it is he who gives me the strength, he who made himself the perfect man.

V, 1. Some, out of ignorance, deny him, but they have rather been denied by him, advocates of death rather than of truth, they who have not succeeded in persuading either the prophecies or the Law of Moses, or even until now the Gospel, nor the sufferings of each of us. 2. Because they think the same of us. 2. For what profit to me if anyone praises me, if he blasphemes my Lord, and not confess that he has taken flesh? Whoever does not say this absolutely denies it, being an undertaker himself. 3. Their names, since they are unfaithful, I did not like to write them down. But may I not even remember them, until they repent to believe in the passion, which is our resurrection.

VI, 1. Let no one be mistaken: even the celestial beings, and the glory of the angels, and the visible and invisible archons, if they do not believe in the blood of Christ, for them also there is a judgment: "That he who can understand, understands "(Mt 19:12). Let no one be proud of his rank, because the main thing is faith and charity, to which nothing is preferable. 2. Consider those who have another opinion about the grace of Jesus Christ which has come upon us: how opposed they are to the mind of God! They have no concern for charity, neither for the widow, nor for the orphan, nor for the oppressed, nor for the prisoners or the freed, nor for the hungry or the thirsty.

VII, 1. They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they do not confess that the Eucharist is the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ, flesh who suffered for our sins, and that in his goodness the Father has resurrected. So those who refuse the gift of God die in their disputes. It would be useful for them to practice charity in order to resuscitate them too. 2. It is advisable to keep away from these people, and to speak of them neither in private nor in public, but to cleave yourselves to the prophets, and especially to the Gospel, in which the passion we is shown and the resurrection accomplished. And divisions, flee them as the principle of all evils.

VIII, 1. Follow all the bishop, as Jesus Christ follows his Father, and the presbytery like the Apostles; as for deacons, respect them as the law of God. Let no one do anything that concerns the Church, apart from the bishop. That this Eucharist alone be regarded as legitimate, which is carried out under the presidency of the bishop or of the one he has entrusted with it. 2. Where the bishop appears, there may be the community, just as where Christ Jesus is, there is the Church. It is not allowed outside the bishop neither to baptize, nor to make the agape, but all that he approves, that is pleasing to God also. Thus all that is done will be sure and legitimate.

IX, 1. It is reasonable now to regain our common sense, and, while we still have time, to repent and return to God. It is good to recognize God and the bishop. Whoever honors the bishop is honored by God; whoever does something without the bishop's knowledge is serving the devil. 2. May grace make you abound in all things, for you are worthy of it, you have comforted me in all ways and may Jesus do the same for you. Absent and present, you have loved me: may God restore it to you. If you endure everything for it, you will come to own it.

X, 1. You have done well to receive as deacons of Christ of God Philo and Rheos Agathopous, who accompanied me for the love of God. They too give thanks to the Lord for you, because you have comforted them in every way. None of this is lost on you. 2. My spirit is your ransom, and my bonds which you have not despised, and which you have not blushed. Jesus Christ, who is perfect faith, will not blush at you either.

XI, 1. Your prayer went to the Church which is in Antioch in Syria. It is from there that I left in chains very precious to God, and I greet you all. I'm not worthy to be of this Church, being the last of them. But according to the will of God, I have been judged worthy, not according to the judgment of my conscience, but by the grace of God; I want it to be given to me entirely, so that with your prayer I can obtain God. 2. So that your work may be perfect both on earth and in heaven, it is appropriate that, to the honor of God, your Church elects a messenger of God to go as far as Syria to rejoice with them at what they are doing. possess peace and have regained their greatness, and from this that their body has been restored. 3. It seemed to me that it would be a worthy thing if you sent someone of your own with a letter to celebrate with them the calm which has returned to them thanks to God, and that their Church has reached the port thanks to your prayers. Being perfect, also have perfect thoughts. Because if you want to do good, God is ready to grant it to you.

XII, 1. The charity of the brothers who are in Troas greets you; it is from there that I am writing to you through the intermediary of Burrhus that with the Ephesians your brothers you sent me to be with me; he comforted me anyway. Everyone should imitate him, for he is a model of the service of God. Grace will reward him anyway. 2. I greet your worthy bishop of God, your respectable presbytery, the deacons my fellow servants, and all individually and in common, in the name of Jesus Christ, and in his flesh and in his blood, in his passion and his resurrection, in unity of flesh and spirit with God and among you. Grace to you, mercy, peace and patience forever.

XIII, 1. I greet the families of my brothers with their wives and children, and virgins called widows. Be strong by the virtue of the Spirit. Philo who is with me greets you. I greet the house of Tavia, I hope that it will be strengthened in the faith and in the charity of flesh and spirit. I greet Alce, a name dear to me, and Daphnos the incomparable, and Eutecnos, and all by name. Be well in the grace of God.