The Epistle to Diogentus, 6

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[1] To put it shortly what the soul is in the body.¹ that the Christians are in the world.

[2] The soul is spread through all members of the body, and Christians throughout the cities of the world.

[3] The soul dwells in the body, but is not of the body, and Christians dwell in the world, but are not of the world.

[4] The soul is invisible, and is guarded in a visible body, and Christians are recognised when they are in the world, but their religion remains invisible.

[5] The flesh hates the soul, and wages war upon it, though it has suffered no evil, because it is prevented from gratifying its pleasures, and the world hates the Christians though it has suffered no evil, because they are opposed to its pleasures.

[6] The soul loves the flesh which hates it and the limbs, and Christians love those that hate them.

[7] The soul has been shut up in the body, but itself sustains the body; and Christians are confined in the world as in a prison, but themselves sustain the world.²

[8] The soul dwells immortal in a mortal tabernacle, and Christians sojourn among corruptible things, waiting for the incorruptibility which is in heaven.

[9] The soul when evil treated in food and drink becomes better, and Christians when buffeted day by day increase more.

[10] 10. God has appointed them to so great a post³ and it is not right for them to decline it.

The Epistle to Diogentus. . . 1913.

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Current edition Perseus

The Epistle to Diogentus (English) (The Epistle to Diogentus. The Apostolic Fathers with an English translation by Kirsopp Lake. In Two Volumes. Vol. II. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd. 1913)

Editions (1)

Epistula ad Diognetum First1KGreek (Pseudo-Justinus Martyr, The Apostolic Fathers, Volume 2. Lake, Kirsopp. Loeb, 1917.) — 6 focus

[1] Ἁπλῶς δ̓ εἰπεῖν, ὅπερ ἐστὶν σώματι ψυχή, τοῦτ̓ εἰσὶν ἐν κόσμῳ Χριστιανοί.

[2] ἔσπαρται κατὰ πάντων τῶν τοῦ σώματος μελῶν ἡ ψυχή, καὶ Χριστιανοὶ κατὰ τὰς τοῦ κόσμου πόλεις.

[3] οἰκεῖ μὲν ἐν τῷ σώματι ψυχή, οὐκ ἔστι δὲ ἐκ ¹ τοῦ σώματος: καὶ Χριστιανοὶ ἐν κόσμῳ οἰκοῦσιν, οὐκ εἰσὶ δὲ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου.

[4] ἀόρατος ἡ ψυχὴ ἐν ὁρατῷ φρουρεῖται τῷ σώματι: καὶ Χριστιανοὶ γινώσκονται μὲν ὄντες ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, ἀόρατος δὲ ² αὐτῶν ἡ θεοσέβεια μένει.

[5] μισεῖ τὴν ψυχὴν ἡ σὰρξ καὶ πολεμεῖ μηδὲν ἀδικουμένη, διότι ταῖς ἡδοναῖς κωλύεται χρῆσθαι: μισεῖ καὶ Χριστιανοὺς ὁ κόσμος μηδὲν ἀδικούμενος, ὅτι ταῖς ἡδοναῖς ³ ἀντιτάσσονται.

[6] ἡ ψυχὴ τὴν μισοῦσαν ἀγαπᾷ σάρκα καὶ τὰ μέλη: καὶ Χριστιανοὶ τοὺς μισοῦντας ⁴ ἀγαπῶσιν.

[7] ἐγκέκλεισται μὲν ἡ ψυχὴ τῷ σώματι, συνέχει δὲ αὐτὴ τὸ σῶμα: καὶ Χριστιανοὶ κατέχονται μὲν ὡς ἐν φρουρᾷ τῷ κόσμῳ, αὐτοὶ δὲ συνέχουσι τὸν κόσμον.

[8] ἀθάνατος ἡ ψυχὴ ἐν θνητῷ σκηνώματι κατοικεῖ: καὶ Χριστιανοὶ παροικοῦσιν ἐν φθαρτοῖς, τὴν ἐν οὐρανοῖς ἀφθαρσίαν προσδεχόμενοι.

[9] κακουργουμένη σιτίοις καὶ ποτοῖς ἡ ψυχὴ βελτιοῦται: καὶ Χριστιανοὶ κολαζόμενοι καθ̓ ἡμέραν πλεονάζουσι μᾶλλον.

[10] εἰς τοσαύτην αὐτοὺς τάξιν ἔθετο ὁ θεός, ἣν οὐ θεμιτὸν αὐτοῖς παραιτήσασθαι.

Notes on the current edition

The Epistle to Diogentus

1. The world and Christians

2. Cf. Aristides, Apology 16.

I have no doubt but that the world stands through the intercession of Christians.

3. There is probably a recurrence of the idea of the church as the militia dei (cf. note on Hermas, Sim. v. i. 1).

The Epistle to Diogentus 6

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