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Trallians

Introduction

Ἰγνάτιος, ὁ καὶ Θεοφόρος, ἠγαπημένῃ θεῷ, πατρὶ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἐκκλησίᾳ ἁγίᾳ τῇ οὔσῃ ἐν Τράλλεσιν τῆς Ἀσίας, ἐκλεκτῇ καὶ ἀξιοθέῳ, εἰρηνευούσῃ ἐν σαρκὶ καὶ πνεύματι τῷ πάθει Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, τῆς ἐλπίδος ἡμῶν ἐν τῇ εἰς αὐτὸν ἀναστάσει· ἣν καὶ ἀσπάζομαι ἐν τῷ πληρώματι ἐν ἀποστολικῷ χαρακτῆρι καὶ εὔχομαι πλεῖστα χαίρειν. Ignatius, who is also Theophorus, to the holy Church is at Tralles in Asia, beloved by God, the Father of Jesus Christ, elect and worthy of God, at peace by the flesh and spirit by the passion of Jesus Christ, our hope in the resurrection unto him; which I greet in the fulness, in the Apostolic manner, and wish for greatest greetings.

Chapter 1
1:1 Ἄμωμον διάνοιαν καὶ ἀδιάκριτον ἐν ὑπομονῇ ἔγνων ὑμᾶς ἔχοντας, οὐ κατὰ χρῆσιν ἀλλὰ κατὰ φύσιν, καθὼς ἐδήλωσέν μοι Πολύβιος, ὁ ἐπίσκοπος ὑμῶν, ὃς παρεγένετο θελήματι θεοῦ καὶ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐν Σμύρνῃ καὶ οὕτως μοι συνεχάρη δεδεμένῳ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, ὥστε με τὸ πᾶν πλῆθος ὑμῶν ἐν αὐτῷ θεωρεῖσθαι. I knew that you have a disposition that is blameless and unwavering in patient endurance, not according to usage but according to nature, just as Polybius, your bishop declared to me, when by the will of God and Jesus Christ, he came to me in Smyrna and rejoiced with me in my chains in Christ Jesus, so that I saw your whole congregation in him.
1:2 ἀποδεξάμενος οὖν τὴν κατὰ θεὸν εὔνοιαν δι᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐδόξασα, εὑρὼν ὑμᾶς, ὡς ἔγνων, μιμητὰς ὄντας θεοῦ. Therefore, after receiving through him your godly goodwill, I praised him having found that you were, as I knew, being imitators of God.

Chapter 2
2:1 Ὅταν γὰρ τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ ὑποτάσσησθε ὡς Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷ, φαίνεσθέ μοι οὐ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον ζῶντες, ἀλλὰ κατὰ Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν τὸν δι᾿ ἡμᾶς ἀποθανόντα, ἵνα πιστεύσαντες εἰς τὸν θάνατον αὐτοῦ τὸ ἀποθανεῖν ἐκφύγητε. For when you are subject to the bishop as unto Jesus Christ, you appear to me as not living from a human viewpoint, but according to Jesus Christ who died for us in order that by believing in his death you might escape dying.
2:2 ἀναγκαῖον οὖν ἐστίν, ὥσπερ ποιεῖτε, ἄνευ τοῦ ἐπισκόπου μηδὲν πράσσειν ὑμᾶς, ἀλλ᾿ ὑποτάσσεσθαι καὶ τῷ πρεσβυτερίῳ ὡς τοῖς ἀποστόλοις Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τῆς ἐλπίδος ἡμῶν, ἐν ᾧ διάγοντες εὑρεθησόμεθα. It is essential, therefore, that you do just as you have, without the bishop do nothing but be subject to the presbyter also as to the Apostles of Jesus Christ, our hope, in whom we shall be found living.
2:3 δεῖ δὲ καὶ τοὺς διακόνους ὄντας μυστηρίων Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ κατὰ πάντα τρόπον πᾶσιν ἀρέσκειν. οὐ γὰρ βρωμάτων καὶ ποτῶν εἰσιν διάκονοι, ἀλλ᾿ ἐκκλησίας θεοῦ ὑπηρέται· δέον οὖν αὐτοὺς φυλάσσεσθαι τὰ ἐγκλήματα ὡς πῦρ. It is also necessary that the deacons of the mysteries of Jesus Christ should in every way please all people. For they are not ministers of food and drink, but servants of the Church of God. It is therefore apropriate to guard them from criticism as though it were fire.

Chapter 3
3:1 Ὁμοίως πάντες ἐντρεπέσθωσαν τοὺς διακόνους ὡς Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν, ὡς καὶ τὸν ἐπίσκοπον ὄντα τύπον τοῦ πατρός, τοὺς δὲ πρεσβυτέρους ὡς συνέδριον θεοῦ καὶ ὡς σύνδεσμον ἀποστόλων. χωρὶς τούτων ἐκκλησία οὐ καλεῖται. Likewise, let all people respect the deacons as Jesus Christ, just as also the bishop who is a model of the Father, and the presbytes as the council of God, and as the bond of the apostles. Without these it is not called a Church.
3:2 περὶ ὧν πέπεισμαι ὑμᾶς οὕτως ἔχειν. τὸ γὰρ ἐξεμπλάριον τῆς ἀγάπης ὑμῶν ἔλαβον καὶ ἔχω μεθ᾿ ἑαυτοῦ ἐν τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ ὑμῶν, οὗ αὐτὸ τὸ κατάστημα μεγάλη μαθητεία, ἡ δὲ πραότης αὐτοῦ δύναμις· ὃν λογίζομαι καὶ τοὺς ἀθέους ἐντρέπεσθαι. Concerning which, I have been persuaded that you have it too. For I received an example of your love and I have it in your bishop, whose behaviour is a great lesson, but his meekness is his power; I think even the godless respects him.
3:3 ἀγαπῶν ὑμᾶς φείδομαι, συντονώτερον δυνάμενος γράφειν ὑπὲρ τούτου. οὐκ εἰς τοῦτο ᾠήθην, ἵνα ὢν κατάκριτος ὡς ἀπόστολος ὑμῖν διατάσσωμαι. While loving you, I am sparing you, being able to write more vehemently concerning this. I didn't think I was qualified for this that I as a convict might give you orders as though I were an apostle.

Chapter 4
4:1 Πολλὰ φρονῶ ἐν θεῷ, ἀλλ᾿ ἐμαυτὸν μετρῶ, ἵνα μὴ ἐν καυχήσει ἀπόλωμαι. νῦν γὰρ με δεῖ πλέον φοβεῖσθαι καὶ μὴ προσέχειν τοῖς φυσιοῦσίν με. οἱ γὰρ λέγοντές μοι μαστιγοῦσίν με. I am thinking many things in God, but I am measuring myself lest I perish by boasting. For now it is necessary for me to fear even more, and not to pay attention to those who flatter me. For those who speak to me, torture me.
4:2 ἀγαπῶ μὲν γὰρ τὸ παθεῖν, ἀλλ᾿ οὐκ οἶδα, εἰ ἄξιός εἰμι. τὸ γὰρ ζῆλος πολλοῖς μὲν οὐ φαίνεται, ἐμὲ δὲ πλέον πολεμεῖ. χρῄζω οὖν πραότητος, ἐν ᾗ καταλύεται ὁ ἄρχων τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου. For I strongly desire to suffer, but I don't know if I am worthy. For the zeal does not appear to many but battles me more. Therefore I need meekness, by which the ruler of this age is destroyed.

Chapter 5
5:1 Μὴ οὐ δύναμαι ὑμῖν τὰ ἐπουράνια γράψαι; ἀλλὰ φοβοῦμαι, μὴ νηπίοις οὖσιν ὑμῖν βλάβην παραθῶ· καὶ συγγνωμονεῖτέ μοι, μήποτε οὐ, οὐ δυνηθέντες χωρῆσαι στραγγαλωθῆτε. Am I not able to write to you about heavenly things? But I am afraid to do so, lest I should put harm to you, who are babies. So bear with me, lest you should be choked by what you are unable to grasp.
5:2 καὶ γὰρ ἐγώ, οὐ καθότι δέδεμαι καὶ δύναμαι νοεῖν τὰ ἐπουράνια καὶ τὰς τοποθεσίας τὰς ἀγγελικὰς καὶ τὰς συστάσεις τὰς ἀρχοντικάς, ὁρατά τε καὶ ἀόρατα, παρὰ τοῦτο ἤδη καὶ μαθητής εἰμι. πολλὰ γὰρ ἡμῖν λείπει, ἵνα θεοῦ μὴ λειπώμεθα. For as for me, though I am in chains and am able to know heavenly things and the angelic rank and the structure of rulers, both visible things and invisible things; nevertheless, I am a disciple. For we lack many things so that we might not lack God.

Chapter 6
6:1 Παρακαλῶ οὖν ὑμᾶς, οὐκ ἐγώ, ἀλλ᾿ ἡ ἀγάπη Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ· μόνῃ τῇ Χριστιανῇ τροφῇ χρῆσθε, ἀλλοτρίας δὲ βοτάνης ἀπέχεσθε, ἥτις ἐστὶν αἵρεσις· I exhort you therefore (not I, but the love of Jesus Christ) to use only Christian food and refrain from foreign vegetables, which is heresy.
6:2 οἳ ἑαυτοῖς παρεμπλέκουσιν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν καταξιοπιστευόμενοι, ὥσπερ θανάσιμον φάρμακον διδόντες μετὰ οἰνομέλιτος, ὅπερ ὁ ἀγνοῶν ἡδέως λαμβάνει ἐν ἡδονῇ κακῇ τὸ ἀποθανεῖν. While pretending trustworthiness, these mix Jesus Christ with themselves, just like those who give deadly drugs with honeyed wine, which the unaware gladly receive with evil pleasure to death.

Chapter 7
7:1 Φυλάττεσθε οὖν τοὺς τοιούτους. τοῦτο δὲ ἔσται ὑμῖν μὴ φυσιουμένοις καὶ οὖσιν ἀχωρίστοις θεοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ καί τοῦ ἐπισκόπου καὶ τῶν διαταγμάτων τῶν ἀποστόλων. Therefore guard yourselves from these. But this is for you not being puffed up and being inseperable from God Jesus Christ and from the bishop and the commandments of the apostles.
7:2 ὁ ἐντὸς θυσιαστηρίου ὢν καθαρός ἐστιν· ὁ δὲ ἐκτὸς θυσιαστηρίου ὢν οὐ καθαρός ἐστιν· τοῦτ᾿ ἔστιν, ὁ χωρὶς ἐπισκόπου καὶ πρεσβυτερίου καὶ διακόνων πράσσων τι, οὗτος οὐ καθαρός ἐστιν τῇ συνειδήσει. The one who is inside the sanctuary is pure; but the one who is outside the sanctuary is not clean; that is, the one who does anything without the bishop and the presbytery and the deacons is not clean in his conscience.

Chapter 8
8:1 Οὐκ ἐπεὶ ἔγνων τοιοῦτόν τι ἐν ὑμῖν, ἀλλὰ προφυλάσσω ὑμᾶς ὄντας μου ἀγαπητούς, προορῶν τὰς ἐνέδρας τοῦ διαβόλου. ὑμεῖς οὖν τὴν πραϋπάθειαν ἀναλαβόντες ἀνακτήσασθε ἑαυτοὺς ἐν πίστει ὅ ἐστιν σὰρξ τοῦ κυρίου, καὶ ἐν ἀγάπῃ, ὅ ἐστιν αἷμα Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. Not that I know any such thing among you, but I am forewarning you because you are very dear to me, while foreseeing the ambush of the devil. Therefore after taking up meekness, you must regain your strength in faith, which is the flesh of the Lord, and in love which is the blood of Jesus Christ.
8:2 μηδεὶς ὑμῶν κατὰ τοῦ πλησίον ἐχέτω. μὴ ἀφορμὰς δίδοτε τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, ἵνα μὴ δι᾿ ὀλίγους ἄφρονας τὸ ἐν θεῷ[1] πλῆθος βλασφημῆται. Οὐαὶ γάρ, δι᾿ οὗ ἐπὶ ματαιότητι τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐπί τινων βλασφημεῖται. Let none of you have anything against his neighbour. Don't give opportunities to the pagans lest the godly majority be blasphemed for the few foolish. For "woe to the one through whose folly my name is blasphemed among any" (see Isa. 52:5).

Chapter 9
9:1 Κωφώθητε οὖν, ὅταν ὑμῖν χωρὶς Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ λαλῇ τις, τοῦ ἐκ γένους Δαυίδ, τοῦ ἐκ Μαρίας, ὃς ἀληθῶς ἐγεννήθη, ἔφαγέν τε καὶ ἔπιεν, ἀληθῶς ἐδιώχθη ἐπὶ Ποντίου Πιλάτου, ἀληθῶς ἐσταυρώθη καὶ ἀπέθανεν, βλεπόντων τῶν ἐπουρανίων καὶ ἐπιγείων καὶ ὑποχθονίων. Be deaf, therefore, when anyone speaks to you apart from Jesus Christ, who is of the family of David, who was son of Mary, who was truly born, who ate and drank, who was truly persecuted under Pontius Pilate, who was truly crucified and died, while those of heaven and those upon the earth and those under the earth are looking.
9:2 ὃς καὶ ἀληθῶς ἠγέρθη ἀπό νεκρῶν, ἐγείραντος αὐτὸν τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ, κατὰ τὸ ὁμοίωμα ὃς καὶ ἡμᾶς τοὺς πιστεύοντας αὐτῷ οὕτως ἐγερεῖ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, οὗ χωρὶς τὸ ἀληθινὸν ζῆν οὐκ ἔχομεν. who was truly raised from the dead, after his Father raised him up. According to the same way, his Father will raise up those of us in Christ Jesus who believe in him. Apart from him we don't have true life.

Chapter 10
10:1 Εἰ δέ, ὥσπερ τινὲς ἄθεοι ὄντες, τουτέστιν ἄπιστοί, λέγουσιν, τὸ δοκεῖν πεπονθέναι αὐτόν, αὐτοὶ ὄντες τὸ δοκεῖν, ἐγὼ τί δέδεμαι, τί δὲ καὶ εὔχομαι θηριομαχῆσαι; δωρεὰν οὖν ἀποθνήσκω. ἄρα οὖν καταψεύδομαι τοῦ κυρίου. But if, as some who are without God (that is, unbelievers), say he only seemed to suffer (while they just seem to exist), why have I been incarcerated? Why do I pray to fight with wild beasts? Then I die without reason. Perhaps then I am telling lies about the Lord.

Chapter 11
11:1 Φεύγετε οὖν τὰς κακὰς παραφυάδας τὰς γεννώσας καρπὸν θανατηφόρον, οὗ ἐὰν γεύσηταί τις, παρ᾿ αὐτὰ ἀποθνήσκει. οὗτοι γὰρ οὔκ εἰσιν φυτεία πατρός. Flee, therefore, from the evil offshoots that bear deadly fruit, which if anyone tastes it, he dies right away. For these are not the planting of the Father.
11:2 εἰ γὰρ ἦσαν, ἐφαίνοντο ἄν κλάδοι τοῦ σταυροῦ, καὶ ἦν ἄν ὁ καρπὸς αὐτῶν ἄφθαρτος· δι᾿ οὗ ἐν τῷ πάθει αὐτοῦ προσκαλεῖται ὑμᾶς ὄντας μέλη αὐτοῦ. οὐ δύναται οὖν κεφαλὴ χωρὶς γεννηθῆναι ἄνευ μελῶν, τοῦ θεοῦ ἕνωσιν ἐπαγγελλομένου, ὅ ἐστιν αὐτός. For if they were, they would appear as branches of the cross, and their fruit would be incorruptible; the same cross by which by his suffering he calls you who are his members. The head, therefore, is not able to be born without the limbs, since God promises unity, which is he himself.

Chapter 12
12:1 Ἀσπάζομαι ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ Σμύρνης ἅμα ταῖς συμπαρούσαις μοι ἐκκλησίαις τοῦ θεοῦ, οἳ κατὰ πάντα με ἀνέπαυσαν σαρκί τε καὶ πνεύματι. I greet you from Smyrna, together with the Churches of God who are present with me, who have refreshed me in all things both physically and spiritually.
12:2 παρακαλεῖ ὑμᾶς τὰ δεσμά μου, ἃ ἕνεκεν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ περιφέρω, αἰτούμενος θεοῦ ἐπιτυχεῖν· διαμένετε ἐν τῇ ὁμονοίᾳ ὑμῶν καὶ τῇ μετ᾿ ἀλλήλων προσευχῇ. πρέπει γὰρ ὑμῖν τοῖς καθ᾿ ἕνα, ἐξαιρέτως καὶ τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις, ἀναψύχειν τὸν ἐπίσκοπον εἰς τιμὴν πατρός, Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ τῶν ἀποστόλων. My chains (which I carry about because of Jesus Christ while asking to reach God) exhort you: Stay in your oneness of mind and in prayer for one another. For it is proper for you, one by one, and especially for the presbyters to encourage the bishop, to the honour of the Father and of Jesus Christ and the Apostles.
12:3 εὔχομαι ὑμᾶς ἐν ἀγάπῃ ἀκοῦσαί μου, ἵνα μὴ εἰς μαρτύριον ὦ ἐν ὑμῖν γράψας. καὶ περὶ ἐμοῦ δὲ προσεύχεσθε, τῆς ἀφ᾿ ὑμῶν ἀγάπης χρῄζοντος ἐν τῷ ἐλέει τοῦ θεοῦ, εἰς τὸ καταξιωθῆναί με τοῦ κλήρου, οὗ περίκειμαι ἐπιτυχεῖν, ἵνα μὴ ἀδόκιμος εὑρεθῶ. I pray that you will hear me in love in order that for a testimony which I have written to you. And now pray for me for I need your love in the mercy of God so I may be considered worthy of the portion which I am bound to obtain, lest I be found disqualified.

Chapter 13
13:1 Ἀσπάζεται ὑμᾶς ἡ ἀγάπη Σμυρναίων καὶ Ἐφεσίων. μνημονεύετε ἐν ταῖς προσευχαῖς ὑμῶν τῆς ἐν Συρίᾳ ἐκκλησίας, ὅθεν καὶ οὐκ ἄξιός εἰμι λέγεσθαι, ὢν ἔσχατος ἐκείνων. The love of the Smyrnaeans and Ephesians greets you. Remember in your prayers the Church in Syria, of which I am not worthy to be called a member, being the last of them.
13:2 ἔρρωσθε ἐν Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷ, ὑποτασσόμενοι τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ ὡς τῇ ἐντολῇ, ὁμοίως καὶ τῷ πρεσβυτερίῳ. καὶ οἱ κατ᾿ ἄνδρα ἀλλήλους ἀγαπᾶτε ἐν ἀμερίστῳ καρδίᾳ. Farewell in Jesus Christ while being subject to the bishop as to the commandment; and likewise to the presbytery. And each of you love one another with an undivided heart.
13:3 ἁγνίζεται ὑμῶν τὸ ἐμὸν πνεῦμα οὐ μόνον νῦν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὅταν θεοῦ ἐπιτύχω. ἔτι γὰρ ὑπὸ κίνδυνόν εἰμι· ἀλλὰ πιστὸς ὁ πατὴρ ἐν Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷ πληρῶσαί μου τὴν αἴτησιν καὶ ὑμῶν, ἐν ᾧ εὑρεθείημεν[2] ἄμωμοι. My spirit is ready for you, not only now but also when I reach God. For I am still in danger, but the Father in Jesus Christ is faithful who will fulfil my prayer and yours. May we be found blameless in him.

[1] Alt. text: combines the two words as ἐνθέῳ⇧

[2] Alt. text: εὑρεθείητε⇧