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.As persons who are perfect, ye should also aim at those thingswhich are perfect.For when ye are desirous to do well, God is also readyto assist you.[LONGER]Your prayers have reached to the Church of Antioch, and it is at peace.Coming from that place bound, I salute all; I who am not worthy to bestyled from thence, inasmuch as I am the least of them.Nevertheless,181according to the will of God, I have been thought worthy [of this honor],not that I have any senses [of having deserved it], but by the grace of God,which I wish may be perfectly given to me, that through your prayers Imay attain to God.In order, therefore, that your work may be completeboth on earth and in heaven, it is fitting that, for the honor of God, yourChurch should elect some worthy delegate; so that he, journeying intoSyria, may congratulate them that they are [now] at peace, and are restoredto their proper greatness, and that their proper constitution has been re-established among them.What appears to me proper to be done is this,that you should send some one of your number with an epistle, so that, incompany with them, he may rejoice over the tranquillity which, accordingto the will of God, they have obtained, and because that, through yourprayers, I have secured Christ as a safe harbor.As persons who areperfect, ye should also aim at those things which are perfect.For when yeare desirous to do well, God is also ready to assist you.CHAPTER 12SALUTATIONS[SHORTER]The love of the brethren at Troas salutes you; whence also I write to youby Burrhus, whom ye sent with me, together with the Ephesians, yourbrethren, and who has in all things refreshed me.And I would that all mayimitate him, as being a pattern of a minister of God.Grace will reward himin all things.I salute your most worthy bishop, and your very venerablepresbytery, and your deacons, my fellow-servants, and all of youindividually, as well as generally, in the name of Jesus Christ, and in Hisflesh and blood, in His passion and resurrection, both corporeal andspiritual, in union with God and you.Grace, mercy, peace, and patience,be with you for evermore![LONGER]The love of your brethren at Troas salutes you; whence also I write to youby Burgus, whom ye sent with me, together with the Ephesians, yourbrethren, and who has in all things refreshed me.And I would that all may182imitate him, as being a pattern of a minister of God.The grace of the Lordwill reward him in all things.I salute your most worthy bishop Polycarp,and your venerable presbytery, and your Christ-bearing deacons, myfellow-servants, and all of you individually, as well as generally, in thename of Christ Jesus, and in His flesh and blood, in His passion andresurrection, both corporeal and spiritual, in union with God and you.Grace, mercy, peace, and patience, be with you in Christ for evermore!CONCLUSION[SHORTER]I salute the families of my brethren, with their wives and children, and thevirgins who are called widows.Be ye strong, I pray, in the power of theHoly Ghost.Philo, who is with me, greets you.I salute the house ofTavias, and pray that it may be confirmed in faith and love, both corporealand spiritual.I salute Alce, my well-beloved, and the incomparableDaphnus, and Eutecnus, and all by name.Fare ye well in the grace of God.[LONGER]I salute the families of my brethren, with their wives and children, andthose that are ever virgins, and the widows.Be ye strong, I pray, in thepower of the Holy Ghost.Philo, my fellow-servant, who is with me,greets you.I salute the house of Tavias, and pray that it may be confirmedin faith and love, both corporeal and spiritual.I salute Alce; my well-beloved, and the incomparable Daphnus, and Eutecnus, and all by name.Fare ye well in the grace of God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ, being filledwith the Holy Spirit, and divine and sacred wisdom.183THE EPISTLE OF IGNATIUSTO POLYCARPSHORTER AND LONGER VERSIONS[SHORTER]Ignatius, who is also called Theophorus, to Polycarp, Bishop of the Churchof the Smyrnaeans, or rather, who has, as his own bishop, God the Father,and the Lord Jesus Christ: [wishes] abundance of happiness.[LONGER]Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, and a witness for Jesus Christ, to Polycarp,Bishop of the Church of the Smyrnaeans, or rather, who has, as his ownbishop, God the Father, and Jesus Christ: [wishes] abundance ofhappiness.CHAPTER 1COMMENDATION AND EXHORTATION[SHORTER]HAVING obtained good proof that thy mind is fixed in God as upon animmoveable rock, I loudly glorify [His name] that I have been thoughtworthy [to behold] thy blameless face, which may I ever enjoy in God! Ientreat thee, by the grace with which thou art clothed, to press forward inthy course, and to exhort all that they may be saved.Maintain thyposition with all care, both in the flesh and spirit.Have a regard topreserve unity, than which nothing is better.Bear with all, even as theLord does with thee.Support all in love, as also thou doest.Give thyselfto prayer without ceasing.Implore additional understanding to what thoualready hast.Be watchful, possessing a sleepless spirit.Speak to everyman separately, as God enables thee.Bear the infirmities of all, as being a184perfect athlete [in the Christian life]: where the labor is great, the gain is allthe more.[LONGER]HAVING obtained good proof that thy mind is fixed in God as upon animmoveable rock, I loudly glorify [His name] that I have been thoughtworthy to behold thy blameless face, which may I ever enjoy in God! Ientreat thee, by the grace with which thou art clothed, to press forward inthy course, and to exhort all that they may be saved.Maintain thyposition with all care, both in the flesh and spirit.Have a regard topreserve unity, than which nothing is better.Bear with all even as the Lorddoes with thee.Support all in love, as also thou doest.Give thyself toprayer without ceasing.Implore additional understanding to what thoualready hast.Be watchful, possessing a sleepless spirit.Speak to everyman separately, as God enables thee.Bear the infirmities of all, as being aperfect athlete [in the Christian life], even as does the Lord of all.For says[the Scripture],  He Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.Where the labor is great, the gain is all the more.CHAPTER 2EXHORTATIONS[SHORTER]If thou lovest the good disciples, no thanks are due to thee on that account;but rather seek by meekness to subdue the more troublesome.Every kindof wound is not healed with the same plaster.Mitigate violent attacks [ofdisease] by gentle applications.Be in all things  wise as a serpent, andharmless as a dove. For this purpose thou art composed of both flesh andspirit, that thou mayest deal tenderly with those [evils] that presentthemselves visibly before thee [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]