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Die sieben Briefe des Ignatius von Antiochien (BKV)

1. Kap. Des Ignatius Freude über den Besuch des Bischofs Polybius von Tralles und über den guten Stand dieser Kirche.

1. Von eurer tadellosen und in Geduld unverwüstlichen Gesinnung, die euch nicht nur durch Übung, sondern von Natur eignet, habe ich gehört aus dem Berichte des Polybius, eures Bischofs, welcher nach dem Willen Gottes und Jesu Christi in Smyrna war und sich mit mir, der ich in Christus Jesus gefesselt bin, so <132> freute, dass ich in ihm eure ganze Gemeinde erblickte. 2. Da ich also durch ihn euer gottgemäßes Wohlwollen erfahren durfte, pries ich (Gott), da ich in euch, wie ich erkannt hatte, Nachahmer Gottes fand.

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Epistles of Ignatius

Chapter I.--Acknowledgment of their excellence.

I know that ye possess an unblameable and sincere mind in patience, and that not only in present practice, ¹ but according to inherent nature, as Polybius your bishop has shown me, who has come to Smyrna by the will of God and Jesus Christ, and so sympathized in the joy which I, who am bound in Christ Jesus, possess, that I beheld your whole multitude in him. Having therefore received through him the testimony of your good-will, according to God, I gloried to find you, as I knew you were, the followers of God.

I know that ye possess an unblameable and sincere mind in patience, and that not only for present use, ² but as a permanent possession, as Polybius your bishop has shown me, who has come to Smyrna by the will of God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, His Son, with the co-operation of the Spirit, and so sympathized in the joy which I, who am bound in Christ Jesus, possess, that I beheld your whole multitude in Him. Having therefore received through him the testimony of your good-will according to God, I gloried to find that you were the followers of Jesus Christ the Saviour.