The prison as the devil's house to be conquered

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Tertullian opens his treatise by addressing the imprisoned Christians, urging them to care for the spirit as well as the flesh and to preserve peace among themselves so the Holy Spirit remains with them in the prison.

Blessed designated martyrs, while the lady mother church from her breasts and individual brothers from their own resources supply you in prison with food for the flesh, accept something from us as well, to nourish the spirit. For it does no good to fatten the flesh while the spirit hungers. Indeed, if what is weak is cared for, what is weaker still should not be neglected. Nor am I so great that I should address you. Yet even the most accomplished gladiators are encouraged not only by their trainers and managers but also by laymen and all sorts of superfluous people shouting from a distance, so that suggestions dictated from the crowd itself have often proved useful.

First of all, then, blessed ones, do not grieve the Holy Spirit, who entered the prison with you. For if He had not entered with you now, you would not be there today. So make every effort that He may remain there with you, and so lead you from there to the Lord. The prison is indeed the devil's house, where he keeps his household. But you have come into the prison precisely so that you may trample him even in his own house. You had already trampled him outside.

So let him not say: "They are in my territory. I will tempt them with cheap hatreds, with defections, or with dissensions among themselves." Let him flee from your sight and hide away in his depths, shriveled and numb, like a snake that has been stripped or smoked out. Let it not go so well for him in his own kingdom that he brings you into conflict. Instead, let him find you fortified and armed with harmony, because your peace is war against him. Some who do not have this peace in the church have been accustomed to beg for it from martyrs in prison. And so you ought to have it, cherish it, and guard it among yourselves for this reason: so that you may perhaps be able to supply it to others as well.

Latin

Inter carnis alimenta, benedicti martyres designati, quae vobis et domina mater ecclesia de uberibus suis et singuli fratres de opibus suis propriis in carcerem subministrant, capite aliquid et a nobis, quod faciat ad spiritum quoque educandum. Carnem enim saginari et spiritum esurire non prodest. Immo si quod infirmum est curatur, aeque quod infirmius est neglegi non debet. Nec tantus ego sum, ut vos alloquar. Verumtamen et gladiatores perfectissimos non tantum magistri et praepositi sui, sed etiam idiotae et supervacue quique adhortantur de longinquo, ut saepe de ipso populo dictata suggesta profuerint. Inprimis ergo, benedicti, nolite contristare spiritum sanctum, qui vobiscum introiit carcerem. Si enim non vobiscum nunc introisset, nec vos illic hodie fuissetis. Et ideo date operam, ut illic vobiscum perseveret: ita vos inde perducat ad dominum. Domus quidem diaboli est et carcer, in qua familiam suam continet. Sed vos ideo in carcerem pervenistis, ut illum etiam in domo sua conculcetis. Iam enim foris congressi conculcaveratis. Non ergo dicat: In meo sunt, temptabo illos vilibus odiis, defectionibus aut inter se dissensionibus. Fugiat conspectum vestrum et in ima sua deliteseat contractus et torpens, tamquam coluber exeantatus aut effumigatus. Nec illi tam bene sit in suo regno, ut vos commitat, sed inveniat munitos et concordia armatos, quia pax vestra bellum est illi. Quam pacem quidam in ecclesia non habentes a martyribus in earcere exorare consueverunt. Et ideo eam propterea in vobis habere et fovere et custodire debetis, ut, si forte, et aliis praestare possitis.

About this text

Tertullian writes to Christians in prison who may die for their faith, to strengthen them for what lies ahead.

Tertullian (c. 155–c. 220) wrote this short treatise to Christians in prison awaiting possible martyrdom. He was a Christian writer in Carthage, and the work likely dates from the early years of Roman persecution, around 197 AD, though some place it during the persecution of 202–203 AD. He wrote to encourage and strengthen imprisoned believers, offering spiritual nourishment to accompany the physical food supplied by the church.

The letter addresses Christians held in prison for their faith. Tertullian urges them to preserve peace and unity among themselves, since discord would give the devil a victory in his own house. He reframes the prison as a place of spiritual retreat rather than punishment, arguing that the world itself is a darker prison and that Christians have already renounced it. He presents their imprisonment as training for the spiritual contest of martyrdom, comparing it to the strict discipline of athletes and soldiers.

A reader will meet many pagan examples of endurance: Lucretia, Mucius, Heraclitus, Empedocles, Peregrinus, Dido, Hasdrubal's wife, Regulus, Cleopatra, and an unnamed Athenian courtesan. Tertullian argues that if pagans endured or even sought out bitter sufferings for earthly fame, through mental affliction, or through involuntary misfortune, Christians should gladly endure them for truth and salvation. Key terms include "martyrs," "prison," "spirit," "flesh," "world," "contest," "glory," "vanity," "retreat," "training ground," "prize," and "crown." He quotes the apostle Paul from 1 Corinthians and alludes to Matthew. The Lacedaemonians are the Spartans, and the tortoise formation is a Roman military maneuver in which soldiers locked shields together.

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

Printed text used

Translated from Quinti Septimii Florentis Tertulliani Quae Supersunt Omnia Tertullian Franz Oehler T. O. Weigel Leipzig 1853 (Latin)

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 Latin on each section (or the Latin source witness link) for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.