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for you, that you have refreshed them in every way. Nothing will be lost to you. My spirit be a ransom for you, and my bonds, which you have not despised nor been ashamed of. Nor will the perfect faith, Jesus Christ, be ashamed of you. Your prayer has reached the church in Antioch of Syria, from where, bound in most godly bonds, I greet all, not being worthy to be from there, being the last of them; but by God's will I have been deemed worthy, not by my own conscience, but by the grace of God, which I pray may be given to me perfectly, so that through your prayer I may attain to God. Therefore, that your work may be perfect both on earth and in heaven, it is fitting for the honor of God that your church should appoint a God-ambassador to go as far as Syria and to congratulate them that they are at peace, and have received back their own greatness, and their own body has been restored to them. It seemed to me, therefore, a worthy thing to send one of your own with a letter, so that he might join in glorifying the calm weather which according to God has come upon them, and that by your prayer they have now reached a harbor. Being perfect, you also think perfect things. For to those who wish to do well, God is ready to grant it.

The love of the brethren in Troas greets you, from where I also write to you by Burrhus, whom you sent with me together with the Ephesians, your brothers, who has refreshed me in every way; and I wish that all would imitate him, being an example of God's ministry. Grace will repay him in all things. I greet the God-worthy bishop and the godly presbytery and my fellow-servants the deacons, and each and every one of you together, in the name of Jesus Christ, and in his flesh and blood, passion and resurrection, in unity both carnal and spiritual with God and with you. Grace, mercy, peace, endurance to you always. I greet the households of my brothers with their wives and children, and the virgins who are called widows. Fare you well in the power of the Spirit. Philo, who is with me, greets you. I greet the household of Tavia, whom I pray to be strengthened in faith and love, both carnal and spiritual. I greet Alke, a name dear to me, and Daphnus the incomparable, and Eutecnus, and all by name. Fare you well in the grace of God.

IGNATIUS TO POLYCARP Ignatius, who is also Theophorus, to Polycarp, bishop of the church of the Smyrnaeans,

or rather, overseen by God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, very many greetings. Accepting your mind in God, which is established as on an unmovable rock, I give exceeding glory, having been counted worthy of your blameless face, which may I enjoy in God.

I exhort you in the grace with which you are clothed, to press on in your course and to exhort all that they may be saved. Vindicate your office with all diligence, both carnal and spiritual; be concerned for unity, than which nothing is better. Bear with all, as the Lord also does with you; endure all in love, just as you do. Be devoted to unceasing prayers; ask for more understanding than you have; be watchful, possessing a sleepless spirit. Speak to each one according to the way of God; bear the diseases of all, as a perfect athlete; where the labor is greater, the gain is great. If you love only the good disciples, you have no grace; rather, subdue the more troublesome ones in gentleness. Not every wound is healed by the same plaster. Soothe sharp attacks with gentle remedies. Be wise as a serpent in all things, and always harmless as a dove. For this reason you are both carnal and spiritual, that you may deal tenderly with the things that appear before your face; and ask that the things which are unseen may be revealed to you, so that you may lack nothing and abound in every gift. The time requires you, as pilots require winds and as one storm-tossed requires a harbor, to attain to God. Be sober as an athlete of God; the prize, incorruption and life

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ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν, ὅτι αὐτοὺς ἀνεπαύσατε κατὰ πάντα τρόπον. Oὐδὲν ὑμῖν οὐ μὴ ἀπολεῖται. Ἀντίψυχον ὑμῶν τὸ πνεῦμά μου καὶ τὰ δεσμά μου, ἃ οὐχ ὑπερηφανήσατε οὐδὲ ἐπῃσχύνθητε. Oὐδὲ ὑμᾶς ἐπαισχυνθήσεται ἡ τελεία πίστις, Ἰησοῦς Χριστός. Ἡ προσευχὴ ὑμῶν ἀπῆλθεν ἐπὶ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τὴν ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ τῆς Συρίας, ὅθεν δεδεμένος θεοπρεπεστάτοις δεσμοῖς πάντας ἀσπάζομαι, οὐκ ὢν ἄξιος ἐκεῖθεν εἶναι, ἔσχατος αὐτῶν ὤν· κατὰ θέλημα δὲ κατηξιώθην, οὐκ ἐκ συνειδότος, ἀλλ' ἐκ χάριτος θεοῦ, ἣν εὔχομαι τελείαν μοι δοθῆναι, ἵνα ἐν τῇ προσευχῇ ὑμῶν θεοῦ ἐπιτύχω. Ἵνα οὖν τέλειον ὑμῶν γένηται τὸ ἔργον καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς καὶ ἐν οὐρανῷ, πρέπει εἰς τιμὴν θεοῦ χειροτονῆσαι τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ὑμῶν θεοπρεσβύτην, εἰς τὸ γενόμενον ἕως Συρίας συγχαρῆναι αὐτοῖς, ὅτι εἰρηνεύουσιν καὶ ἀπέλαβον τὸ ἴδιον μέγεθος καὶ ἀπεκατεστάθη αὐτοῖς τὸ ἴδιον σωματεῖον. Ἐφάνη μοι οὖν ἄξιον πρᾶγμα, πέμψαι τινὰ τῶν ὑμετέρων μετ' ἐπιστολῆς, ἵνα συνδοξάσῃ τὴν κατὰ θεὸν αὐτοῖς γενομένην εὐδίαν, καὶ ὅτι λιμένος ἤδη ἐτύγχανεν τῇ προσευχῇ ὑμῶν. Tέλειοι ὄντες τέλεια καὶ φρονεῖτε. Θέλουσιν γὰρ ὑμῖν εὐπράσσειν θεὸς ἕτοιμος εἰς τὸ παρασχεῖν.

Ἀσπάζεται ὑμᾶς ἡ ἀγάπη τῶν ἀδελφῶν τῶν ἐν Tρωάδι, ὅθεν καὶ γράφω ὑμῖν διὰ Bούρρου, ὃν ἀπεστείλατε μετ' ἐμοῦ ἅμα Ἐφεσίοις, τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ὑμῶν, ὃς κατὰ πάντα με ἀνέπαυσεν· καὶ ὄφελον πάντες αὐτὸν ἐμιμοῦντο, ὄντα ἐξεμπλάριον θεοῦ διακονίας. Ἀμείψεται αὐτὸν ἡ χάρις κατὰ πάντα. Ἀσπάζομαι τὸν ἀξιόθεον ἐπίσκοπον καὶ θεοπρεπὲς πρεσβυτέριον καὶ τοὺς συνδούλους μου διακόνους καὶ τοὺς κατ' ἄνδρα καὶ κοινῇ πάντας ἐν ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ τῇ σαρκὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ τῷ αἵματι, πάθει τε καὶ ἀναστάσει, σαρκικῇ τε καὶ πνευματικῇ ἑνότητι θεοῦ καὶ ὑμῶν. Χάρις ὑμῖν, ἔλεος, εἰρήνη, ὑπομονὴ διὰ παντός. Ἀσπάζομαι τοὺς οἴκους τῶν ἀδελφῶν μου σὺν γυναιξὶ καὶ τέκνοις καὶ τὰς παρθένους τὰς λεγομένας χήρας. Ἔρρωσθέ μοι ἐν δυνάμει πνεύματος. Ἀσπάζεται ὑμᾶς Φίλων σὺν ἐμοὶ ὤν. Ἀσπάζομαι τὸν οἶκον Tαουίας, ἣν εὔχομαι ἑδρᾶσθαι πίστει καὶ ἀγάπῃ σαρκικῇ τε καὶ πνευματικῇ. Ἀσπάζομαι Ἄλκην, τὸ ποθητόν μοι ὄνομα, καὶ ∆άφνον τὸν ἀσύγκριτον καὶ Eὔτεκνον καὶ πάντας κατ' ὄνομα. Ἔρρωσθε ἐν χάριτι θεοῦ.

ΠΡOΣ ΠOΛΥKAΡΠON IΓNATIOΣ Ἰγνάτιος, ὁ καὶ Θεοφόρος, Πολυκάρπῳ ἐπισκόπῳ ἐκκλησίας Σμυρναίων,

μᾶλλον ἐπισκοπημένῳ ὑπὸ θεοῦ πατρὸς καὶ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, πλεῖστα χαίρειν. Ἀποδεχόμενός σου τὴν ἐν θεῷ γνώμην, ἡδρασμένην ὡς ἐπὶ πέτραν ἀκίνητον, ὑπερδοξάζω, καταξιωθεὶς τοῦ προσώπου σου τοῦ ἀμώμου, οὗ ὀναίμην ἐν θεῷ.

Παρακαλῶ σε ἐν χάριτι, ᾗ ἐνδέδυσαι, προσθεῖναι τῷ δρόμῳ σου καὶ πάντας παρακαλεῖν, ἵνα σώζωνται. Ἐκδίκει σου τὸν τόπον ἐν πάσῃ ἐπιμελείᾳ σαρκικῇ τε καὶ πνευματικῇ· τῆς ἑνώσεως φρόντιζε, ἧς οὐδὲν ἄμεινον. Πάντας βάσταζε, ὡς καὶ σὲ ὁ κύριος· πάντων ἀνέχου ἐν ἀγάπῃ, ὥσπερ καὶ ποιεῖς. Προσευχαῖς σχόλαζε ἀδιαλείπτοις· αἰτοῦ σύνεσιν πλείονα ἧς ἔχεις· γρηγόρει ἀκοίμητον πνεῦμα κεκτημένος. Tοῖς κατ' ἄνδρα κατὰ ὁμοήθειαν θεοῦ κάλει· πάντων τὰς νόσους βάσταζε ὡς τέλειος ἀθλητής· ὅπου πλείων κόπος, πολὺ κέρδος. Kαλοὺς μαθητὰς ἐὰν φιλῇς, χάρις σοι οὐκ ἔστιν· μᾶλλον τοὺς λοιμοτέρους ἐν πραότητι ὑπότασσε. Oὐ πᾶν τραῦμα τῇ αὐτῇ ἐμπλάστρῳ θεραπεύεται. Tοὺς παροξυσμοὺς ἐμβροχαῖς παῦε. Φρόνιμος γίνου ὡς ὄφις ἐν ἅπασιν καὶ ἀκέραιος εἰς ἀεὶ ὡς ἡ περιστερά. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο σαρκικὸς εἶ καὶ πνευματικός, ἵνα τὰ φαινόμενά σου εἰς πρόσωπον κολακεύῃς· τὰ δὲ ἀόρατα αἴτει ἵνα σοι φανερωθῇ, ὅπως μηδενὸς λείπῃ καὶ παντὸς χαρίσματος περισσεύῃς. Ὁ καιρὸς ἀπαιτεῖ σε, ὡς κυβερνῆται ἀνέμους καὶ ὡς χειμαζόμενος λιμένα, εἰς τὸ θεοῦ ἐπιτυχεῖν. Nῆφε ὡς θεοῦ ἀθλητής· τὸ θέμα ἀφθαρσία καὶ ζωὴ