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

Additional and Disputed Ignatian Letters

Attributed to Ignatius

Chapter IV

Let not the widows be overlooked; on account of 1138 our Lord be thou their guardian, and let nothing be done without thy will; also do thou nothing without the will of God, as indeed thou doest not. Stand rightly. Let there be frequent 1139 assemblies: ask every man [to them] by his name. Despise not slaves, either male or female; but neither let them be contemptuous, but let them labour the more as for the glory of God, that they may be counted worthy of a more precious freedom, which is of God. Let them not desire to be set free out of the common [fund], lest they be found the slaves of lust.

Notes

  1. The Greek has meta, "after." ↩
  2. Or, "constant," "regular." ↩

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