The Apostolic Fathers (The Fathers of the Church, Volume 1)

Introduction

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pp. 3-8

The reputation of St. Clement, the third successor of St. Peter as Bishop of Rome, was so great that even in antiquity numerous legends grew up about him and apocryphal writings were circulated under his name. We are here concerned only with the few authentic facts about him that are known through ancient authors. ...

Text

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pp. 9-58

The Church of God which dwells as a pilgrim in Rome to the Church of God in pilgrimage at Corinth—to you who have been called and made holy by the will of God through our Lord Jesus Christ. May you be filled with grace and peace from Almighty God through Jesus Christ. ² ...

The So-Called Second Letter to the Corinthians

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pp. 59-60

Introduction

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pp. 61-64

The work here translated is one that immediately follows the genuine letter of St. Clement of Rome in two Greek manuscripts¹ and in one Syriac manuscript. Like St. Clement's letter, it carries the heading 'To the Corinthians.' ...

Text

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pp. 65-80

Brothers we must think of Jesus Christ as of God—as the 'judge of the living and the dead.'¹ And we must not think lightly of our Savior. 2 For, in thinking lightly of Him, we also hope to receive but little. And we sin, those of us who listen as if to an unimportant matter, ...

Introduction

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pp. 83-86

The seven letters which are here translated from the Greek text as established by critical researches of modern scholars,¹ are among the most precious treasures of early Christian literature. They reveal a rounded, living, lovable personality—a saint of gigantic spiritual stature; ...

To The Ephesians

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pp. 87-95

Ignatius Theophorus greets the Church of Ephesus in Asia, congratulating you as you deserve and wishing you perfect joy in Jesus Christ—you who have grown in spiritual stature through the fullness of God the Father, and have been predestined from eternity to eternal abiding and unchanging glory, ...

To the Magnesians

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pp. 96-101

Ignatius Theophorus to the Church in Magnesia near the Maeander that is blessed with the grace of God the Father through Jesus Christ our Savior. I salute you and wish you every joy in God the Father and in Jesus Christ. ...

To the Trallians

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pp. 102-106

Ignatius Theophorus to the holy Church which is in Tralles in Asia. Beloved as you are by God, the Father of Jesus Christ, elect and worthy of God, outwardly and inwardly at peace through the passion of Jesus Christ, in whom we have hope through our resurrection unto Him, ...

To the Romans

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pp. 107-112

Ignatius Theophorus to the Church on which the majesty of the most high Father and of Jesus Christ, His only Son, has had mercy; to the Church beloved and enlightened by the faith and charity of Jesus Christ, our God, through the will of Him who has willed all things that exist ...

To the Philadelphians

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pp. 113-117

Ignatius Theophorus to the Church of God the Father and of Jesus Christ in Philadelphia in Asia.¹ You have felt God's mercy and are firmly established in union with God and with unduring joy in the passion of our Lord, through abundant mercy you have been given full assurance of His resurrection. ...

To the Smyrnaeans

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pp. 118-123

Ignatius Theophorus to the Church of God the Father and of the beloved Jesus Christ which is at Smyrna in Asia. I wish you every joy in an unblemished spirit and the word of God. Your Church has been mercifully blessed with every gift and is lacking in none; ...

To Polycarp

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pp. 124-128

(1) I was glad enough to learn that your mind is grounded in God as on an immovable rock, but I rejoice exceedingly to have been able to see your face. May its candor be a joy to me in God. I exhort you by the grace with which you are clothed to press forward in the race, and exhort all others, so that they may be saved. ...

Introduction

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pp. 131-134

Polycarp was a well-known and venerable figure of the first half of the second century. From Tertullian, Irenaeus, and Eusebius we learn that he had listened at Ephesus to St. John the Apostle, who had appointed him bishop of nearby Smyrna.¹ ...

Text

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pp. 135-144

1 I greatly rejoice with you in our Lord Jesus Christ for having followed the pattern of true charity and for having escorted, as far as you could, those who were chained in saintly bonds; for they are the jewels of those who have been truly chosen by God and our Lord. ...

The Martyrdom of St. Polycarp

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pp. 145-146

Introduction

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pp. 147-150

Among the narratives which have been handed down purporting to describe the passion and death of the Christian martyrs, some have little value either as history or literature; others may be attractively or forcefully written, yet contain so much unauthentic elaboration that their historical worth is small; ...

Text

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pp. 151-164

The Church of God dwelling as a pilgrim at Smyrna to the Church of Cod in pilgrimage at Philomelium and to all the congregations of the Holy and Catholic Church in every place. May the mercy and peace and love of God the Father and of our Lord Jesus Christ be multiplied. ...

Introduction

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pp. 167-170

In 1873 Philotheus Bryennios, later Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Nicomedia, discovered at Constantinople a manuscript of A.D. 1056 containing, among other works, the complete text of the Letter of Barnabas and of the two letters attributed to St. Clement, ...

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pp. 171-184

3 The teaching of these words is as follows: ⁴ ['Bless those who curse you, and pray for your enemies, and fast for those who persecute you. For what is the merit of loving those who love you? Do not even the pagans do this? But, 'love those who hate you,'⁵ and you will not have an enemy. ...

Introduction

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pp. 187-190

The tract which goes by the name of the Letter of Barnabas is really anonymous. There is no indication that its author intended to pose as the Barnabas who was St. Paul's companion.¹ How it came by this name is unknown, unless the author's name might also have been Barnabas. ...

Text

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pp. 191-222

2 Since the ordinances of God in your regard are great and rich, I rejoice very greatly and exceedingly at your blessed and glorious spirits; so deeply engrafted is the grace of the spiritual gift you have received. 3 For this, also, I congratulate myself in the hope of salvation, ...

Introduction

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pp. 225-234

The shepherd of Hermas is longer than the rest of the Apostolic Fathers and quite distinctive in form and content. The external division into five Visions, twelve Mandates and ten Parables does not rest on valid internal reasons. Both Mandates and Parables are also visionary in character, ...

Text

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pp. 235-352

The person who brought me up sold me to one Rhode in Rome. After many years I met her again and began to love her as a sister. 2 Some time later I saw her bathing in the Tiber and gave her my hand to lead her out of the river. At the sight of her beauty I thought to myself and said: ...

Introduction

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pp. 355-356

The document which is here translated consists of two quite disparate parts. The first ten chapters constitute one of the most exquisite pieces of early Christian literature. They were written by an unnamed master of Greek style, a fervent Christian filled with Pauline convictions, ...

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pp. 357-370

My Dear¹ Diognetus I see that you are eagerness itself to learn about the religion of the Christians. Your questions in regard to them have been drawn up with great clarity and care. You ask: In what God do they trust? How does their worship of Him help them ...

Introduction

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pp. 373-374

The following tantalizing short Fragments of Papias¹ are all citations from writers, principally from the second to the fourth century. Yet, the interest in them, on the part of both Christian antiquity and modern Scripture scholars, has been intense and sustained.² ...

Text

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pp. 375-390

Then creation, reborn and freed from bondage, will yield an abundance of food of all kinds from the heaven's dew and the fertility of the earth,¹ just as the seniors recall. Those who saw John, the Lord's disciple [tell us] that they heard from him how the Lord taught and spoke about these times: ...