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Epistles of Ignatius

Chapter VIII.--Be on your guard against the snares of the devil.

Not that I know there is anything of this kind among you; but I put you on your guard, inasmuch as I love you greatly, and foresee the snares of the devil. Wherefore, clothing ¹ yourselves with meekness, be ye renewed ² in faith, that is the flesh of the Lord, and in love, that is the blood of Jesus Christ. Let no one of you cherish any grudge against his neighbour. Give no occasion to the Gentiles, lest by means of a few foolish men the whole multitude [of those that believe] in God be evil spoken of. For, "Woe to him by whose vanity my name is blasphemed among any." ³

Now I write these things unto you, not that I know there are any such persons among you; nay, indeed I hope that God will never permit any such report to reach my ears, He "who spared not His Son for the sake of His holy Church." ⁴ But foreseeing the snares of the wicked one, I arm you beforehand by my admonitions, as my beloved and faithful children in Christ, furnishing you with the means of protection ⁵ against the deadly disease of unruly men, by which do ye flee from the disease ⁶ [referred to] by the good-will of Christ our Lord. Do ye therefore, clothing ⁷ yourselves with meekness, become the imitators of His sufferings, and of His love, wherewith ⁸ He loved us when He gave Himself a ransom ⁹ for us, that He might cleanse us by His blood from our old ungodliness, and bestow life on us when we were almost on the point of perishing through the depravity that was in us. Let no one of you, therefore, cherish any grudge against his neighbour. For says our Lord, "Forgive, and it shall be forgiven unto you." ¹⁰ Give no occasion to the Gentiles, lest "by means of a few foolish men the word and doctrine [of Christ] be blasphemed." ¹¹ For says the prophet, as in the person of God, "Woe to him by whom my name is blasphemed among the Gentiles." ¹²

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Die sieben Briefe des Ignatius von Antiochien (BKV)

8. Kap. Stehet fest in Glaube und Liebe und vermeidet das Ärgernis!

1.. Nicht als ob ich etwas solches bei euch entdeckt hätte (schreibe ich dies); vielmehr will ich euch, meine Geliebten, zum voraus schützen, da ich die Anschläge des Teufels vorhersehe. Nehmet also Sanftmut an und befestigt euch von neuem im Glauben, das bedeutet das Fleisch des Herrn, und in der Liebe, das bedeutet das Blut Jesu Christi. 2. Keiner von euch soll etwas haben gegen seinen Nächsten. Gebet den Heiden keinen Anstoß, damit nicht wegen des Unverstandes weniger die ganze Gemeinde Gottes in Verruf komme. Denn wehe dem, der schuld ist, dass wegen nichts bei einigen mein Name gelästert wird¹.