top 1 Clement ch 37

Chapter 37

We are soldiers of Christ

1 Στρατευσώμεθα οὖν, ἄνδρες ἀδελφοί, μετὰ πάσης ἐκτενείας ἐν τοῖς ἀμώμοις προστάγμασιν αὐτοῦ. Therefore, let's serve as soldiers, brothers, with all earnestness in His faultless orders.
2 κατανοήσωμεν τοὺς στρατευομένους τοῖς ἡγουμένοις ἡμῶν, πῶς εὐτάκτως, πῶς εἰκτικῶς,[1] πῶς ὑποτεταγμένως ἐπιτελοῦσιν τὰ διατασσόμενα. Let's consider the soldiers who serve under their commanders. They accurately, quickly, and obediently execute commands.
3 οὐ πάντες εἰσὶν ἔπαρχοι οὐδὲ χιλίαρχοι οὐδὲ ἑκατόνταρχαι οὐδὲ πεντηκόνταρχοι οὐδὲ τὸ καθεξῆς, ἀλλ᾿ ἕκαστος ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ τάγματι τὰ ἐπιτασσόμενα ὑπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ τῶν ἡγουμένων ἐπιτελεῖ. Not all of them are prefects or tribunes or centurions or captains of fifty, and so on. But whatever his rank, each man executes the orders that the king and governors give.
4 οἱ μεγάλοι δίχα τῶν μικρῶν οὐ δύνανται εἶναι, οὔτε οἱ μικροὶ δίχα τῶν μεγάλων· σύγκρασίς τίς ἐστιν ἐν πᾶσιν, καὶ ἐν τούτοις χρῆσις. The great cannot exist without the small, nor can the small exist without the great. There is a certain blending in all things and there is usefulness in these things.
5 λάβωμεν τὸ σῶμα ἡμῶν· ἡ κεφαλὴ δίχα τῶν ποδῶν οὐδέν ἐστιν, οὕτως οὐδὲ οἱ πόδες δίχα τῆς κεφαλῆς· τὰ δὲ ἐλάχιστα μέλη τοῦ σώματος ἡμῶν ἀναγκαῖα καὶ εὔχρηστά εἰσιν ὅλῳ τῷ σώματι· ἀλλὰ πάντα συμπνεῖ καὶ ὑποταγῇ μιᾷ χρῆται εἰς τὸ σώζεσθαι ὅλον τὸ σῶμα. Let's consider our body, for example. The head is nothing without the feet. Likewise the feet are nothing without the head. Even the smallest limbs of our body are necessary and useful for the whole body. But all the members agree and conform in obedience as one so that the whole body may be saved.

[1] Alt. text: ἑκτικῶς ⇧