(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 Philadelphians
- Date | c. 107
Author’s Introduction
Ignatius, who is also called Theophorus, to the Church of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, which is at Philadelphia, in Asia, which has obtained mercy, and is established in the harmony of God, and rejoices unceasingly [or, “inseparably”] in the passion of our Lord, and is filled with all mercy through his resurrection; which I salute in the blood of Jesus Christ, who is our eternal and enduring joy, especially if [men] are in unity with the bishop, the presbyters, and the deacons, who have been appointed according to the mind of Jesus Christ, whom He has established in security, after His own will, and by His Holy Spirit.
§1 | Praise of the Bishop
Which bishop [the one previously mentioned], I know, obtained the ministry which pertains to the common [weal], not of himself, neither by men [Gal. 1:1], nor through vainglory, but by the love of God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ; at whose meekness I am struck with admiration, and who by his silence is able to accomplish more than those who vainly talk. For he is in harmony with the commandments [of God], even as the harp is with its strings. Wherefore my soul declares his mind towards God a happy one, knowing it to be virtuous and perfect, and that his stability as well as freedom from all anger is after the example of the infinite [literally: “all”] meekness of the living God.
§2 | Maintain Unity with the Bishop
Wherefore, as children of light and truth, flee from division and wicked doctrines; but where the shepherd is, there do you as sheep follow. For there are many wolves that appear worthy of credit, who, by means of a pernicious pleasure, carry captive [2 Tim. 3:6] those that are running towards God; but in your unity they shall have no place.
§3 | Avoid Schismatics
Keep yourselves from those evil plants which Jesus Christ does not tend, because they are not the planting of the Father. Not that I have found any division among you, but exceeding purity. For as many as are of God and of Jesus Christ are also with the bishop. And as many as shall, in the exercise of repentance, return into the unity of the Church, these, too, shall belong to God, that they may live according to Jesus Christ. Do not err, my brethren. If any man follows him that makes a schism in the Church, he shall not inherit the kingdom of God. If anyone walks according to a strange [i.e., heretical] opinion, he agrees not with the passion [of Christ].
§4 | Only One Valid Eucharist
Take heed, then, to have but one Eucharist. For there is one flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ, and one cup to [show forth; literally: “into”] the unity of His blood; one altar; as there is one bishop, along with the presbytery and deacons, my fellow-servants: that so, whatsoever you do, you may do it according to [the will of] God.
§5 | Pray for Me
My brethren, I am greatly enlarged in loving you; and rejoicing exceedingly [over you], I seek to secure your safety. Yet it is not I, but Jesus Christ, for whose sake being bound I fear the more, inasmuch as I am not yet perfect. But your prayer to God shall make me perfect, that I may attain to that portion which through mercy has been allotted me, while I flee to the Gospel as to the flesh of Jesus, and to the apostles as to the presbytery of the Church. And let us also love the prophets, because they too have proclaimed the Gospel [literally: “have proclaimed in reference to the Gospel”], and placed their hope in Him, and waited for Him; in whom also believing, they were saved, through union to Jesus Christ, being holy men, worthy of love and admiration, having had witness borne to them by Jesus Christ, and being reckoned along with [us] in the Gospel of the common hope.
§6 | Do Not Accept Judaism
But if anyone preach the Jewish law [literally: “Judaism”] to you, listen not to him. For it is better to hearken to Christian doctrine from a man who has been circumcised, than to Judaism from one uncircumcised. But if either of such persons do not speak concerning Jesus Christ, they are in my judgment but as monuments and sepulchers of the dead, upon which are written only the names of men. Flee therefore the wicked devices and snares of the prince of this world, lest at any time being conquered [literally: “oppressed”] by his artifices [or, “will”], you grow weak in your love. But be you all joined together [or, “come together into the same place”] with an undivided heart. And I thank my God that I have a good conscience in respect to you, and that no one has it in his power to boast, either privately or publicly, that I have burdened anyone either in much or in little [apparently by attempting to impose the yoke of Judaism]. And I wish for all among whom I have spoken, that they may not possess that for a testimony against them.
§7 | Exhortation to Unity
For though some would have deceived me according to the flesh, yet the Spirit, as being from God, is not deceived. For it knows both where it comes and where it goes [John 3:8], and detects the secrets [of the heart]. For, when I was among you, I cried, I spoke with a loud voice: Give heed to the bishop, and to the presbytery and deacons. Now, some suspected me of having spoken this way, as knowing beforehand the division caused by some among you [or, “as foreseeing the division to arise among you”]. But He is my witness, for whose sake I am in bonds, that I received no intelligence from any man [literally: “did not know from human flesh”]. But the Spirit proclaimed these words: Do nothing without the bishop; keep your bodies [literally: “your flesh”] as the temples of God [1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19]; love unity; avoid divisions; be the followers of Jesus Christ, even as He is of His Father.
§8 | Continuation
I therefore did what belonged to me, as a man devoted to [literally: “prepared for”] unity. For where there is division and wrath, God doth not dwell. To all them that repent, the Lord grants forgiveness, if they turn in penitence to the unity of God, and to communion with the bishop [literally: “to the assembly of the bishop”]. I trust [as to you] in the grace of Jesus Christ, who shall free you from every bond. And I exhort you to do nothing out of strife, but according to the doctrine of Christ. When I heard some saying, “If I do not find it in the ancient1 Scriptures, I will not believe the Gospel”; on my saying to them, “It is written,” they answered me, “That remains to be proved.” But to me Jesus Christ is in the place of all that is ancient: His cross, and death, and resurrection, and the faith [i.e., the system of Christian doctrine] which is by Him, are undefiled monuments of antiquity; by which I desire, through your prayers, to be justified.
§9 | The Old Testament is Good, the New Testament is Better
The priests indeed are good, but the High Priest is better; to whom the holy of holies has been committed, and who alone has been trusted with the secrets of God. He is the door of the Father, by which enter in Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the prophets, and the apostles, and the Church. All these have for their object the attaining to the unity of God. But the Gospel possesses something transcendent [above the former dispensation], namely, the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ, His passion and resurrection. For the beloved prophets announced Him [literally: “proclaimed as to him”], but the Gospel is the perfection of immortality [2 Tim. 1:10].2 All these things are good together, if you believe in love.
§10 | End of Persecution in Antioch
Since, according to your prayers, and the compassion which you feel in Christ Jesus, it is reported to me that the Church which is at Antioch in Syria possesses peace, it will become you, as a Church of God, to elect a deacon to act as the ambassador of God [for you] to [the brethren there], that he may rejoice along with them when they are met together, and glorify the name [of God]. Blessed is he in Jesus Christ, who shall be deemed worthy of such a ministry; and you too shall be glorified. And if you are willing, it is not beyond your power to do this, for the sake [literally: “for the name of”] of God; as also the nearest Churches have sent, in some cases bishops, and in others presbyters and deacons.
§11 | Thanks and Salutation
Now, as to Philo the deacon, of Cilicia, a man of reputation, who still ministers to me in the word of God, along with Rheus Agathopus, an elect man, who has followed me from Syria, not regarding [literally: “bidding farewell to”] his life—these bear witness in your behalf; and I myself give thanks to God for you, that you have received them, even as the Lord you. But may those that dishonored them be forgiven through the grace of Jesus Christ! The love of the brethren at Troas salutes you; from which also I write to you by Burrhus, who was sent along with me by the Ephesians and Smyrnaeans, to show their respect [or, “for the sake of honor”]. May the Lord Jesus Christ honor them, in whom they hope, in flesh, and soul, and faith, and love, and concord! Fare you well in Christ Jesus, our common hope.
