Ignatius of Antioch, Theophorus: EPISTLE TO TRALLIANS Complete

Translated by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson (Shorter and Longer Versions)

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Page 6

Chapter VI. — Abstain from the poison of heretics.

I therefore, yet not I, but the love of Jesus Christ, entreat you that ye use Christian nourishment only, and abstain from herbage of a different kind; I mean heresy. For those [755] [that are given to this] mix [756] up Jesus Christ with their own poison, speaking things which are unworthy of credit, like those who administer a deadly drug in sweet wine, which he who is ignorant of does greedily [757] take, with a fatal pleasure [758] leading to his own death.

I therefore, yet not I, out the love of Jesus Christ, "entreat you that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgment." [759] For there are some vain talkers [760] and deceivers, not Christians, but Christ-betrayers, [761] bearing about the name of Christ in deceit, and "corrupting the word" [762] of the Gospel; while they intermix the poison of their deceit with their persuasive talk, [763] as if they mingled aconite with sweet wine, that so he who drinks, being deceived in his taste by the very great sweetness of the draught, may incautiously meet with his death. One of the ancients gives us this advice, "Let no man be called good who mixes good with evil." [764] For they speak of Christ, not that they may preach Christ, but that they may reject Christ; and they speak [765] of the law, not that they may establish the law, but that they may proclaim things contrary to it. For they alienate Christ from the Father, and the law from Christ. They also calumniate His being born of the Virgin; they are ashamed of His cross; they deny His passion; and they do not believe His resurrection. They introduce God as a Being unknown; they suppose Christ to be unbegotten; and as to the Spirit, they do not admit that He exists. Some of them say that the Son is a mere man, and that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are but the same person, and that the creation is the work of God, not by Christ, but by some other strange power.


[755] The ellipsis in the original is here very variously supplied.

[756] Literally, "interweave."

[757] Or, "sweetly."

[758] The construction is here difficult and doubtful.

[759] 1 Cor. i. 10.

[760] Tit. i. 10.

[761] Literally, "Christ-sellers."

[762] 2 Cor. ii. 17.

[763] Literally, "sweet address."

[764] Apost. Constitutions, vi. 13.

[765] Supplied from the old Latin version.

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