(Updated March 24, 2025)
Editor’s Introduction
Great Tradition Treasury Summary
In an effort to make the writings of the Church Fathers more available and accessible, Eternal Christendom is in the process of creating a “Great Tradition Treasury,” which will modernize and make as many writings of the Great Tradition available in the public domain. A prominent part of this Treasury will be a new collection of the writings of the Fathers whose translations into English are in the public domain, most from the 19th century. While they have much to commend them, they stand in need of improvement in order to be more accessible to a 21st century audience.
With that in mind, the Great Tradition Treasury will edit and refine these translations in the following ways:
- Modernize Spelling | Update the spelling of certain archaic English words (i.e. “thee,” “thou,” “hath,” various plural words ending in “eth,” etc.).
- Standardize Scripture Citations | Standardize and correct the citations to Scripture, and placing them in the body of the text, so that alternating between text and footnotes is kept to a minimum. Every direct quote of Scripture will be followed by a parenthetical, and every allusion to it will be followed by a bracketed citation, each linked to the RSVCE.
- Optimize Headings | Improve the 19th century editor-provided headings, which are often too wordy or imprecise.
- Alternative Renderings | Place alternative renderings of phrases provided by the translators next to the translated text in [bolded, bracketed font], so that the alternative can be seen within the text (rather than a footnote), but also clearly distinguished from it. Literal renderings will be displayed [literal: “quote”]. Alternative renderings will be displayed [or, “quote”].
- Hyperlinked Cross-Referencing | Whenever possible, hyperlink to publicly available versions of the works cited, whether Scripture or otherwise.
- Correct Mistakes | Fix typos, misspellings, and incorrect citations to Scripture and other sources.
Document Information
- Author/Title/Source | St. Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Trallians
- Date | c. 107
Author’s Introduction
Ignatius, who is also called Theophorus, to the holy Church which is at Tralles, in Asia, beloved of God, the Father of Jesus Christ, elect, and worthy of God, possessing peace through the flesh, and blood, and passion of Jesus Christ, who is our hope, through our rising again to Him [or, “in the resurrection which is by Him”], which also I salute in its fulness [either, “the whole members of the Church” or “in the fulness of blessing”], and in the apostolical character [either, “as an apostle” or “in the apostolic form”], and wish abundance of happiness.
§1 | The Excellence of the Trallians
I know that you possess an unblameable and sincere mind in patience, and that not only in present practice [literally: “not according to use, but according to nature”], but according to inherent nature, as Polybius your bishop has shown me, who has come to Smyrna by the will of God and Jesus Christ, and so sympathized in the joy which I, who am bound in Christ Jesus, possess, that I beheld your whole multitude in him. Having therefore received through him the testimony of your good-will, according to God, I gloried to find you, as I knew you were, the followers of God.
§2 | Be Obedient to the Bishop
For, since you are subject to the bishop as to Jesus Christ, you appear to me to live not after the manner of men, but according to Jesus Christ, who died for us, in order, by believing in His death, you may escape from death. It is therefore necessary that, as you indeed do, so without the bishop you should do nothing, but should also be subject to the presbytery, as to the apostle of Jesus Christ, who is our hope, in whom, if we live, we shall [at last] be found. It is fitting also that the deacons, as being [the ministers] of the mysteries of Jesus Christ, should in every respect be pleasing to all.1 For they are not ministers of meat and drink, but servants of the Church of God. They are bound, therefore, to avoid all grounds of accusation [against them], as they would do fire.
§3 | Honor the Deacons and Priesthood
In like manner, let all reverence the deacons as an appointment [literally: “commandment”] of Jesus Christ, and the bishop as Jesus Christ, who is the Son of the Father, and the presbyters as the Sanhedrin of God, and assembly of the apostles. Apart from these, there is no Church [literally: “no Church is called”]. Concerning all this, I am persuaded that you are of the same opinion. For I have received the manifestation [or, “pattern”] of your love, and still have it with me, in your bishop, whose very appearance is highly instructive [literally: “great instruction”], and his meekness of itself a power; whom I imagine even the ungodly must reverence, seeing they are2 also pleased that I do not spare myself. But shall I, when permitted to write on this point, reach such a height of self-esteem, that though being a condemned3 man, I should issue commands to you as if I were an apostle?
§4 | I Have Need of Humility
I have great knowledge in God [literally: “I know many things in God”], but I restrain myself, lest, I should perish through boasting. For now it is needful for me to be the more fearful; and not give heed to those that puff me up. For they that speak to me [in the way of commendation] scourge me. For I do indeed desire to suffer, but I know not if I be worthy to do so. For this longing, though it is not manifest to many, all the more vehemently assails me. I therefore have need of meekness, by which the prince of this world is brought to nought.
§5 | I Will Not Teach You Deeper Doctrines
Am I not able to write to you of heavenly things? But I fear to do so, lest I should inflict injury on you who are but babes [in Christ]. Pardon me in this respect, lest, as not being able to receive [such doctrines], you should be strangled by them. For even I, though I am bound [for Christ], yet am not on that account able to understand heavenly things, and the places [or, “stations”] of the angels, and their gatherings under their respective princes, things visible and invisible. Without reference to such abstruse subjects, I am still but a learner [in other respects4]; for many things are wanting to us, that we come not short of God.
§6 | Avoid the Poison of Heretics
I therefore, yet not I, but the love of Jesus Christ, entreat you that you use Christian nourishment only, and abstain from herbage of a different kind; I mean heresy. For those5 [that are given to this] mix [literally: “interweave”] up Jesus Christ with their own poison, speaking things which are unworthy of credit, like those who administer a deadly drug in sweet wine, which he who is ignorant of does greedily [or, “sweetly”] take, with a fatal pleasure6 leading to his own death.
§7 | Continuation
Be on your guard, therefore, against such persons. And this will be the case with you if you are not puffed up, and continue in intimate union with [literally: “unseparated from”] Jesus Christ our God, and the bishop, and the enactments of the apostles. He that is within the altar is pure, but7 he that is without is not pure; that is, he who does anything apart from the bishop, and presbytery, and deacons [text says “deacon”], such a man is not pure in his conscience.
§8 | Guard Against the Devil’s Snares
Not that I know there is anything of this kind among you; but I put you on your guard, inasmuch as I love you greatly, and foresee the snares of the devil. Wherefore, clothing [literally: “taking up”] yourselves with meekness, be you renewed [or, “renew yourselves”] in faith, that is the flesh of the Lord, and in love, that is the blood of Jesus Christ. Let none of you cherish any grudge against his neighbor. Give no occasion to the Gentiles, lest by means of a few foolish men the whole multitude [of those that believe] in God be evil spoken of. For, “Woe to him by whose vanity my name is blasphemed among any” (Isa. 52:5).
§9 | Christ Was A Real Historical Person
Stop your ears, therefore, when anyone speaks to you at variance with [literally: “apart from”] Jesus Christ, who was descended from David, and was also of Mary; who was truly born, and did eat and drink. He was truly persecuted under Pontius Pilate; He was truly crucified, and [truly] died, in the sight of beings in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth. He was also truly raised from the dead, His Father quickening Him, even as after the same manner His Father will so raise up us who believe in Him by Christ Jesus, apart from whom we do not possess the true life.
§10 | The Reality of Christ’s Passion
But if, as some that are without God, that is, the unbelieving, say, that He only seemed to suffer (they themselves only seeming to exist), then why am I in bonds? Why do I long to be exposed to [literally: “to fight with”] the wild beasts? Do I therefore die in vain?8 Am I not then guilty of falsehood against [the cross of] the Lord?
§11 | Avoid the Heresy of the Docetae
Flee, therefore, those evil offshoots [of Satan], which produce death-bearing fruit, whereof if anyone tastes, he instantly dies. For these men are not the planting of the Father. For if they were, they would appear as branches of the cross, and their fruit would be incorruptible. By it [the cross] He calls you through His passion, as being His members. The head, therefore, cannot be born by itself, without its members; God, who is [the Savior] Himself, having promised their union.9
§12 | Persevere in Unity and Love
I salute you from Smyrna, together with the Churches of God which are with me, who have refreshed me in all things, both in the flesh and in the spirit. My bonds, which I carry about with me for the sake of Jesus Christ (praying that I may attain to God), exhort you. Continue in harmony among yourselves, and in prayer with one another; for it becomes every one of you, and especially the presbyters, to refresh the bishop, to the honor of the Father, of Jesus Christ, and of the apostles. I entreat you in love to hear me, that I may not, by having written, be a testimony against you. And do you also pray for me, who have need of your love, along with the mercy of God, that I may be worthy of the lot for which I am destined, and that I may not be found reprobate.
§13 | Conclusion
The love of the Smyrnaeans and Ephesians salutes you. Remember in your prayers the Church which is in Syria, from which also I am not worthy to receive my appellation, being the last [i.e., the least] of them. Fare you well in Jesus Christ, while you continue subject to the bishop, as to the command [of God], and in like manner to the presbytery. And do you, every man, love one another with an undivided heart. Let my spirit be sanctified10 by yours, not only now, but also when I shall attain to God. For I am as yet exposed to danger. But the Father is faithful in Jesus Christ to fulfil both mine and your petitions: in whom may you be found unblameable.
Footnotes
- It is doubtful whether this exhortation is addressed to the deacons or people; whether the former are urged in all respects to please the latter, or the latter in all points to be pleased with the former. ↩︎
- Some here follow a text similar to that of the longer version. ↩︎
- Both the text and meaning are here very doubtful; some follow the reading of the longer version. ↩︎
- Literally, “passing by this,” but both text and meaning are very doubtful. ↩︎
- The ellipsis in the original is here very variously supplied. ↩︎
- The construction here is difficult and doubtful. ↩︎
- This clause is inserted from the ancient Latin version. ↩︎
- Some read this and the following clause affirmatively, instead of interrogatively. ↩︎
- Both text and meaning here are doubtful. ↩︎
- The shorter version reads ἁγνίζετε, and the longer also hesitates between this and ἀσπάζεται. With the former reading the meaning is very obscure. It has been corrected as above to ἁγνίζηται. ↩︎
