Epistle to the Magnesians (Long Version)

HAVING BEEN INFORMED OF YOUR GODLY LOVE: which is well-ordered, I rejoiced greatly and decided to commune with you in the faith of Jesus Christ. For as one who has been deemed worthy of a divine and desirable name, in the bonds that I carry, I commend the Churches, in which I pray for a union of both the flesh and spirit of Jesus Christ, "who is the Saviour of all men, but especially of those who believe;" by whose blood you were redeemed; by whom you have known God, or rather have been known by Him; in whom, by enduring, you shall escape all the assaults of this world: for "He is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able."

SINCE I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SEEING YOU THROUGH DAMAS: your most worthy bishop, and through your worthy presbyters Bassus and Apollonius, and through my fellow servant, the deacon Sotio, whose friendship I hope to always enjoy, as he, by the grace of God, is subject to the bishop and presbytery in the law of Jesus Christ, I now write to you.

NOW IT IS ALSO YOUR DUTY NOT TO DISREGARD THE AGE OF YOUR BISHOP: but to give him all respect, according to the will of God the Father, as I have known even holy elders do, not focusing on the apparent youth of their bishop, but on his knowledge of God; since "not the ancient are necessarily wise, nor do the aged understand prudence; but there is a spirit in people." For Daniel the wise, at twelve years of age, was filled with the divine Spirit and exposed the elders, who in vain carried their grey hairs, as false accusers and lusting after another man’s wife's beauty.

Samuel, when he was just a little child, reproved Eli, who was ninety years old, for honoring his sons more than God. Similarly, Jeremiah received this message from God, "Do not say, I am a child." Solomon and Josiah also showed the same. Solomon, becoming king at twelve, gave that challenging judgment concerning the two women and their children. Josiah, ascending the throne at eight, destroyed the altars and temples of idols, burned down the groves dedicated to demons, and not to God.

He killed the false priests, as the corrupters and deceivers of people, not the worshippers of the Deity.

Therefore, youth is not to be despised when it is devoted to God.

But one of a wicked mind ought to be despised, even if he is old, and full of wicked days. Timothy the Christ-bearer was young, but hear what his teacher writes to him: "Let no man despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word and conduct." It is therefore fitting that you should also be obedient to your bishop and not contradict him in anything; for it is a serious matter to contradict such a person.

For no one deceives him that is visible by such actions, but seeks to mock Him that is invisible, who cannot be mocked by anyone. Every such act concerns not man, but God. For God says to Samuel, "They have not mocked you, but Me." And Moses declares, "For their murmuring is not against us, but against the Lord God." None of those who rose against their superiors has remained unpunished. For Dathan and Abiram did not speak against the law, but against Moses, and were cast down alive into Hades.

Korah, along with the two hundred and fifty who conspired with him against Aaron, were destroyed by fire. Absalom, who had slain his brother, was hanged on a tree, and had his evil heart pierced with darts. Similarly, Abeddadan was beheaded for the same reason. Uzziah, when he presumed to oppose the priests and the priesthood, was struck with leprosy. Saul was dishonored because he did not wait for Samuel the high priest.

Therefore, it is fitting for you to also respect your superiors.

IT IS FITTING: then, not only to be called Christians, but to truly be so. For it is not just being called by this name, but genuinely embodying it, that makes a person blessed. To those who speak of the bishop, yet act without his guidance, the true and first Bishop and the only natural High Priest will declare, “Why do you call Me Lord, and not do what I say?” For such people appear to me to lack a good conscience, and to be merely dissemblers and hypocrites.

SEEING THEN THAT ALL THINGS HAVE AN END: and life is set before us upon our observance of God’s precepts, but death as the result of disobedience, and everyone, according to the choice they make, shall go to their own place, let us flee from death and choose life. For I note that among men there are two different characters—one true coin, the other false. The truly devout person is the right kind of coin, stamped by God Himself. The ungodly person, on the other hand, is false coin, unlawful, counterfeit, wrought not by God, but by the devil. I do not mean to say that there are two different human natures, but that there is one humanity, sometimes belonging to God, and sometimes to the devil. If anyone is truly religious, they are a person of God; but if they are irreligious, they are a person of the devil, made such, not by nature, but by their own choice. The unbelieving bear the image of the prince of wickedness. The believing possess the image of their Prince, God the Father, and Jesus Christ, through whom, if we are not ready to die for the truth in His passion, His life is not in us.

SINCE I HAVE SEEN ALL OF YOU IN FAITH AND LOVE: as previously mentioned, I encourage you to strive to do everything with divine harmony. Let your bishop lead in the place of God, and your presbyters in the place of the assembly of the apostles, along with your deacons who are very dear to me and are entrusted with the ministry of Jesus Christ. He, being begotten by the Father before the beginning of time, was God the Word, the only-begotten Son, and remains the same forever, for “of His kingdom there shall be no end,” says Daniel the prophet. Let us all, therefore, love one another in harmony, and let no one regard their neighbor according to the flesh, but in Christ Jesus. Let nothing among you cause division; instead, be united with your bishop, being through him subject to God in Christ.

JUST AS THE LORD DOES NOTHING WITHOUT THE FATHER: for He says, “I can do nothing by myself,” so should you neither presbyter, deacon, nor layman, do anything without the bishop. Do not consider anything commendable that lacks his approval. For every such thing is sinful and opposed to the will of God. You should all come together in the same place for prayer. Let there be one common supplication, one mind, one hope, with faith unblemished in Christ Jesus, than which nothing is more excellent. All of you, as one, should gather in the temple of God, as to one altar, to one Jesus Christ, the High Priest of the unbegotten God.

DO NOT BE DECEIVED BY STRANGE DOCTRINES: and don't give attention to fables and endless genealogies, or things in which the Jews boast. "Old things have passed away: behold, all things have become new." For if we still live according to the Jewish law and the circumcision of the flesh, we deny that we have received grace. For the divinest prophets lived according to Jesus Christ. Because of this, they were persecuted, being inspired by grace to fully convince the unbelieving that there is one God, the Almighty, who has manifested Himself through Jesus Christ His Son, who is His Word, not spoken, but essential. For He is not the voice of an articulate utterance, but a substance begotten by divine power, who has in all things pleased Him who sent Him.

IF THOSE WHO WERE FAMILIAR WITH THE ANCIENT SCRIPTURES CAME TO A NEW HOPE: expecting the coming of Christ, as the Lord teaches us when He says, "If you had believed Moses, you would have believed Me, for he wrote of Me;" and again, "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it, and was glad; for before Abraham was, I am;" how shall we be able to live without Him? The prophets were His servants, foresaw Him by the Spirit, and waited for Him as their Teacher, and expected Him as their Lord and Saviour, saying, "He will come and save us." Let us therefore no longer keep the Sabbath in the Jewish manner, and rejoice in days of idleness; for "he that does not work, let him not eat." For say the [holy] oracles, "In the sweat of your face shall you eat your bread." But let each of you keep the Sabbath in a spiritual manner, rejoicing in meditation on the law, not in relaxation of the body, admiring the craftsmanship of God, and not eating things prepared the day before, nor using lukewarm drinks, and walking within a prescribed space, nor finding delight in dancing and applause which have no sense in them.

And after the observance of the Sabbath, let every friend of Christ keep the Lord’s Day as a festival, the resurrection day, the queen and chief of all the days [of the week]. Looking forward to this, the prophet declared, "To the end, for the eighth day," on which our life both sprang up again, and the victory over death was obtained in Christ, whom the children of perdition, the enemies of the Saviour, deny, "whose god is their belly, who mind earthly things," who are "lovers of pleasure, and not lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof." These make merchandise of Christ, corrupting His word, and selling Jesus: they are corrupters of women, and covetous of other men’s possessions, swallowing up wealth insatiably; from whom may you be delivered by the mercy of God through our Lord Jesus Christ!

LET US NOT: therefore, be indifferent to His kindness. For if He were to reward us according to our works, we would cease to exist. For “if You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?” Let us therefore prove ourselves worthy of the name we have received. For whoever is called by any other name besides this, is not of God; for he has not received the prophecy which speaks about us: “The people shall be called by a new name, which the Lord will name them, and they shall be a holy people.” This was first fulfilled in Syria; for “the disciples were called Christians at Antioch,” when Paul and Peter were laying the foundations of the Church. Lay aside, therefore, the evil, the old, the corrupt leaven, and be changed into the new leaven of grace. Abide in Christ, so that the stranger may not have dominion over you. It is absurd to speak of Jesus Christ with the tongue, and to harbor in the mind a Judaism which has now ended. For where there is Christianity, there cannot be Judaism. For Christ is one, in whom every nation that believes, and every tongue that confesses, is gathered unto God. And those with a stony heart have become the children of Abraham, the friend of God; and in his seed all those have been blessed who were ordained to eternal life in Christ.

I ADDRESS THESE THINGS TO YOU: my beloved, not because I know any of you to be in such a state, but as less than any of you, I wish to guard you beforehand, so that you do not fall into the traps of false doctrine, but instead may attain full assurance in Christ. Christ was begotten by the Father before all ages, and was later born of the Virgin Mary without any human intervention. He lived a holy life, healed every kind of sickness and disease among the people, and performed signs and wonders for humanity's benefit. To those who had fallen into the error of polytheism, He revealed the one and only true God, His Father. He underwent the passion, endured the cross at the hands of the Christ-killing Jews, under Pontius Pilate the governor and Herod the king. He died, rose again, ascended into the heavens to Him who sent Him, and is seated at His right hand. He shall come at the end of the world, with His Father’s glory, to judge the living and the dead, and to reward each person according to their deeds. Whoever knows these things with full assurance, and believes them, is happy; just as you are now the lovers of God and of Christ, in the full assurance of our hope, from which may none of us ever be turned aside!

MAY I ENJOY YOU IN ALL RESPECTS: if indeed I am worthy! For although I am bound, I am not worthy to be compared to any of you who are free. I know that you are not proud, for you have Jesus within you. And even more so when I commend you, I know that you cherish modesty of spirit; as it is written, “The righteous person is his own accuser;” and again, “Declare your iniquities first, that you may be justified;” and again, “When you have done all things that are commanded of you, say, We are unprofitable servants;” “for that which is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.” For the Scripture says, “God be merciful to me a sinner.” Therefore, those great ones, Abraham and Job, described themselves as “dust and ashes” before God. And David says, “Who am I before You, O Lord, that You have glorified me thus far?” And Moses, who was “the meekest of all men,” says to God, “I am of a feeble voice and a slow tongue.” Be therefore also of a humble spirit, that you may be exalted; for “he who humbles himself shall be exalted, and he who exalts himself shall be humbled.”

THEREFORE: strive to be grounded in the teachings of the Lord and the apostles, so that everything you do may prosper, both physically and spiritually, in faith and love, with your most admirable bishop, and the well-organized spiritual assembly of your presbytery, and the deacons who are according to God. Be subject to the bishop, and to one another, as Christ is to the Father, so that there may be unity according to God among you.

KNOWING AS I DO THAT YOU ARE FULL OF ALL GOOD: I have only briefly exhorted you in the love of Jesus Christ. Remember me in your prayers, that I may attain to God; and remember the Church which is in Syria, of whom I am not worthy to be called bishop. For I stand in need of your united prayer in God, and of your love, so that the Church which is in Syria may be deemed worthy, by your good order, of being built up in Christ.

The Ephesians from Smyrna (from where I also write to you), who are here for the glory of God, as you also are, who have in all things refreshed me, greet you, as does Polycarp. The rest of the Churches, in honor of Jesus Christ, also greet you. Farewell in harmony, you who have obtained the inseparable Spirit, in Christ Jesus, by the will of God.