Ignatius of Antioch, Epistles, Kirsopp Lake (Translator), 6.8

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[1] See that you all follow the bishop, as Jesus¹ Christ follows the Father, and the presbytery as if it were the Apostles. And reverence the deacons as the command of God. Let no one do any of the things appertaining to the Church without the bishop. Let that be considered a valid Eucharist which is celebrated by the bishop, or by one whom he appoints.

[2] Wherever the bishop appears let the congregation be present; just as wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. It is not lawful either to baptise or to hold an agape² without the bishop; but whatever he approve, this is also pleasing to God, that everything which you do may be secure and valid.

Epistles. Ignatius of Antioch. Kirsopp Lake (Translator). Cambridge, MA. 1912.

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Current edition Perseus

The Epistles of Saint Ignatius (English) (Ignatius of Antioch. The Apostolic Fathers, Volume 1. Lake, Kirsopp, translator. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1912.)

Editions (1)

Epistulae vii genuinae First1KGreek (Ignatius of Antioch. The Apostolic Fathers, Volume 1. Lake, Kirsopp, editor. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1912.) — 6.8 focus

[1] Πάντες τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ ἀκολουθεῖτε, ὡς Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς τῷ πατρί, καὶ τῷ πρεσβυτερίῳ ὡς τοῖς ἀποστόλοις. τοὺς δὲ διακόνους ἐντρέπεσθε ὡς θεοῦ ἐντολήν. μηδεὶς χωρὶς τοῦ ἐπισκόπου τι πρασσέτω τῶν ἀνηκόντων εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν. ἐκείνη βεβαία εὐχαριστία ἡγείσθω, ἡ ὑπὸ ἐπίσκοπον οὖσα ἢ ᾧ ἄν αὐτὸς ἐπιτρέψῃ.

[2] ὅπου ἂν φανῇ ὁ ἐπίσκοπος, ἐκεῖ τὸ πλῆθος ἤτω, ¹ ὥσπερ ὅπου ἂν ᾖ Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, ² ἐκεῖ ἡ καθολικὴ ἐκκλησία. οὐκ ἐξόν ἐστιν χωρὶς τοῦ ἐπισκόπου οὔτε βαπτίζειν οὔτε ἀγάπην ποιεῖν: ἀλλ̓ ὃ ἂν ἐκεῖνος δοκιμάσῃ, τοῦτο καὶ τῷ θεῷ εὐάρεστον, ἵνα ἀσφαλὲς ᾖ καὶ βέβαιον πᾶν ὃ πράσσετε. ³

Notes on the current edition

Epistles

1. Submission to the Bishop and the Presbyters

2. Agapé means love: the name was given to some kind of religious meal. The context here suggests that it is a synonym for the Eucharist, but the point is doubted by some scholars. In the A.V. of Jud. 12 it is translated Love feasts.

Ignatius of Antioch Epistles 6.8

Kirsopp Lake (Translator)

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