Early Church Writings — historically valuable Christian documents, presented as noncanonical writings rather than Scripture.

Epistle to the Magnesians

Ignatius

Chapter II.—I rejoice in your messengers

Since, then, I have had the privilege of seeing you, through Damas your most worthy bishop, and through your worthy presbyters Bassus and Apollonius, and through my fellow-servant the deacon Sotio, whose friendship may I ever enjoy, inasmuch as he is subject to the bishop as to the grace of God, and to the presbytery as to the law of Jesus Christ, [I now write 638 to you].

Since, then, I have had the privilege of seeing you, through Damas your most worthy 639 bishop, and through your worthy 640 presbyters Bassus and Apollonius, and through my fellow-servant the deacon Sotio, whose friendship may I ever enjoy, 641 inasmuch as he, by the grace of God, is subject to the bishop and presbytery, in the law of Jesus Christ, [I now write 642 to you].

Notes

  1. The apodosis is here wanting in the original, but must evidently be supplied in some such way as above. ↩
  2. Literally, "worthy of God." ↩
  3. Literally, "worthy of God." ↩
  4. Literally, "whom may I enjoy." ↩
  5. The apodosis is here wanting in the original, but must evidently be supplied in some such way as above. ↩

Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume I, edited by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson; revised by A. Cleveland Coxe. Public domain. Electronic text courtesy of CCEL.