II Ignatius to the Ephesians
CHAPTER 0
1 Ignatius, who is [also called] Theophorus, to the Church which is blessed in the greatness of God the Father, and perfected; to her who was selected from eternity, that she might be at all times for glory, which abides, and is unchangeable, and is perfected and chosen in the purpose of truth by the will of the Father of Jesus Christ our God; to her who is worthy of happiness; to her who is at Ephesus, in Jesus Christ, in joy which is unblameable: [wishes] abundance of happiness.
CHAPTER 1
1 Inasmuch as your name, which is greatly beloved, is acceptable to me in God, [your name] which you have acquired by nature, through a right and just will, and also by the faith and love of Jesus Christ our Savior, and you are imitators of God, and are fervent in the blood of God, and have speedily completed a work congenial to you; [for] when you heard that I was bound, so as to be able to do nothing for the sake of the common name and hope (and I hope, through your prayers, that I may be devoured by beasts at Rome, so that by means of this of which I have been accounted worthy, I may be endowed with strength to be a disciple of God), you were diligent to come and see me. Seeing, then, that we have become acquainted with your multitude in the name of God, by Onesimus, who is your bishop, in love which is unutterable, whom I pray that you love in Jesus Christ our Lord, and that all of you imitate his example, for blessed is He who has given you such a bishop, even as you deserve [to have].
CHAPTER 3
1 But inasmuch as love does not permit me to be silent in regard to you, on this account I have been forward to entreat of you that you would be diligent in the will of God.
CHAPTER 8
1 For, so long as there is not implanted in you any one lust which is able to torment you, behold, you live in God. I rejoice in you, and offer supplication on account of you, Ephesians, a Church which is renowned in all ages. For those who are carnal are not able to do spiritual things, nor those that are spiritual carnal things; in like manner as neither can faith [do] those things which are foreign to faith, nor want of faith [do] what belongs to faith. For those things which you have done in the flesh, even these are spiritual, because you have done everything in Jesus Christ.
CHAPTER 9
1 And you are prepared for the building of God the Father, and you are raised up on high by the instrument of Jesus Christ, which is the cross; and you are drawn by the rope, which is the Holy Spirit; and your pulley is your faith, and your love is the way which leads up on high to God.
CHAPTER 10
1 Pray for all men; for there is hope of repentance for them, that they may be counted worthy of God. By your works especially let them be instructed. Against their harsh words be you conciliatory, by meekness of mind and gentleness. Against their blasphemies do you give yourselves to prayer; and against their error be you armed with faith. Against their fierceness be you peaceful and quiet, and be you not astounded by them. Let us, then, be imitators of our Lord in meekness, and strive who shall more especially be injured, and oppressed, and defrauded.
CHAPTER 14
1 The work is not of promise, unless a man be found in the power of faith, even to the end.
CHAPTER 15
1 It is better that a man should be silent while he is something, than that he should be talking when he is not; that by those things which be speaks he should act, and by those things of which he is silent he should be known.
CHAPTER 18
1 My spirit bows in adoration to the cross, which is a stumbling-block to those who do not believe, but is to you for salvation and eternal life.
CHAPTER 19
1 There was concealed from the ruler of this world the virginity of Mary and the birth of our Lord, and the three renowned mysteries which were done in the tranquillity of God from the star. And here, at the manifestation of the Son, magic began to be destroyed, and all bonds were loosed; and the ancient kingdom and the error of evil was destroyed. Henceforward all things were moved together, and the destruction of death was devised, and there was the commencement of that which was perfected in God.