The Letters of Ignatius · §1.2 · Ignatius of Antioch

Prayer for Burrhus and Crocus, and a call to unity under bishop and elders

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Ignatius, bishop of Antioch writing as a prisoner on his way to martyrdom in Rome, has just praised the Ephesian church and its bishop Onesimus, and now commends two more Ephesians, Burrhus and Crocus, before urging the whole church to be united under its bishop and council of elders.

Now about Burrhus, my fellow slave and your deacon in God's service, blessed in every way: I pray that he may remain with you for your honor and for the honor of the bishop. And Crocus, worthy of God and of you, whom I received as an example of the love that comes from you, refreshed me in every way. May the Father of Jesus Christ refresh him as well, along with Onesimus, Burrhus, Euplus, and Fronto, through whom I saw all of you in love.

May I have joy of you through all time, if only I am worthy. It is fitting, then, to glorify Jesus Christ in every way, for he has glorified you, so that you may be knit together in one submission, submitting to the bishop and the council of elders, and be sanctified in every way.

Greek

Περὶ δὲ τοῦ συνδούλου μου Βούρρου, τοῦ κατὰ θεὸν διακόνου ὑμῶν ἐν πᾶσιν εὐλογημένου, εὔχομαι παραμεῖναι αὐτὸν εἰς τιμὴν ὑμῶν καὶ τοῦ ἐπισκόπου: καὶ Κρόκος δέ, ὁ θεοῦ ἄξιος καὶ ὑμῶν, ὅν ἐξεμπλάριον τῆς ἀφ̓ ὑμῶν ἀγάπης ἀπέλαβον, κατὰ πάντα με ἀνέπαυσεν, ὡς καὶ αὐτὸν ὁ πατὴρ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἀναψύξαι, ἅμα Ὀνησίμῳ καὶ Βούρρῳ καὶ Εὔπλῳ καὶ Φρόντωνι, δἰ ὦν πάντας ὑμᾶς κατὰ ἀγάπην εἶδον.

ὀναίμην ὑμῶν διὰ παντός, ἐάνπερ ἄξιος ὦ. πρέπον οὗν ἐστὶν κατὰ πάντα τρόπον δοξάζειν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν τὸν δοξάσαντα ὑμᾶς, ἵνα ἐν μιᾷ ὑποταγῇ κατηρτισμένοι, ὑποτασσόμενοι τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ καὶ τῷ πρεσβυτερίῳ, κατὰ πάντα ἦτε ἡγιασμένοι.

About this text

The seven letters Ignatius of Antioch wrote on his way to martyrdom in Rome, urging each church to stand united with its bishop.

Ignatius of Antioch (d. c. 110) was the bishop of Antioch in Syria. He wrote these letters while being taken under guard from Syria to Rome, where he expected to be executed for his Christian faith during the reign of Emperor Trajan.

The letters were written in great haste, modelled after the biblical epistles of Paul, Peter, and John. Ignatius wrote to the churches in Ephesus, Magnesia, Tralles, and Rome from Smyrna, and to Philadelphia, Smyrna, and Polycarp the bishop of Smyrna from Troas. In them he urges each church to unite around its bishop, the council of elders, and the deacons as the visible order willed by God. He warns against teachers who deny the real flesh, suffering, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and against any return to Judaism.

A reader will meet bishops such as Onesimus of Ephesus, Damas of Magnesia, Polybius of Tralles, and Polycarp of Smyrna, along with deacons and companions who visited Ignatius. , and he reports words of the Spirit. He presents his own coming death by wild beasts as the completion of his discipleship.

New English from the Greek base text; no published English used as wording.

Printed text used

Translated from Ignatius of Antioch The Apostolic Fathers Kirsopp Lake Cambridge, MA Harvard University Press London William Heinemann 1912 1 Loeb Classical Library (Greek)

This work has passed this project's source check. This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.