Epistle to the Smyrnaeans (Long Version)

I GLORIFY THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST: who through Him has given you such wisdom. For I have observed that you are perfected in an unshakable faith, as if you were nailed to the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, both in the flesh and in the spirit, and are established in love through the blood of Christ, being fully persuaded, in very truth, with respect to our Lord Jesus Christ, that He was the Son of God, “the first-born of every creature,” God the Word, the only-begotten Son, and was of the seed of David according to the flesh, by the Virgin Mary; was baptized by John, that all righteousness might be fulfilled by Him; that He lived a life of holiness without sin, and was truly, under Pontius Pilate and Herod the tetrarch, nailed [to the cross] for us in His flesh. From whom we also derive our being, from His divinely-blessed passion, that He might set up a standard for the ages, through His resurrection, to all His holy and faithful [followers], whether among Jews or Gentiles, in the one body of His Church.

NOW: He suffered all these things for us; and He suffered them truly, and not in appearance only, just as He really rose again. But not, as some of the unbelievers, who are ashamed of the formation of man, and the cross, and death itself, claim, that in appearance only, and not in truth, He took a body of the Virgin, and suffered only in appearance, forgetting, as they do, Him who said, “The Word was made flesh;” and again, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up;” and once more, “If I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men to Me.” The Word therefore did dwell in flesh, for “Wisdom built herself a house.” The Word raised up again His own temple on the third day, when it had been destroyed by the Jews fighting against Christ. The Word, when His flesh was lifted up, like the bronze serpent in the wilderness, drew all men to Himself for their eternal salvation.

AND I KNOW THAT HE HAD A BODY NOT ONLY WHEN HE WAS BORN AND CRUCIFIED: but I also know that He had one after His resurrection, and I believe He still does. When He came to those who were with Peter, He said to them, “Take hold, handle Me, and see that I am not a spirit without a body. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” And He says to Thomas, “Put your finger here into the print of the nails, and put your hand into My side;” and immediately they believed that He was Christ.

Therefore, Thomas also says to Him, “My Lord, and my God.” Because of this, they despised death, and not just hardships and beatings.

Furthermore, after He showed Himself to them, proving that He had truly risen and not just in appearance, He ate and drank with them for forty whole days. Then He, with His flesh, was taken up in their sight to Him who sent Him, and He will come again with that same flesh, accompanied by glory and power.

As the holy scriptures say, “This same Jesus, who is taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you have seen Him go into heaven.” But if they say that He will come at the end of the world without a body, how shall those who pierced Him see Him, and when they recognize Him, mourn for themselves? For incorporeal beings have neither form nor figure, nor the appearance of an entity with shape, because their nature is inherently simple.

I GIVE YOU THESE INSTRUCTIONS: beloved, assured that you also hold the same opinions as I do. But I warn you beforehand about these beasts in the shape of men, from whom you must not only turn away, but even flee. You must pray for them, if by any means they may be brought to repentance. For if the Lord were in the body in appearance only, and were crucified in appearance only, then am I also bound in appearance only. And why have I surrendered myself to death, to fire, to the sword, to the wild beasts? But, in fact, I endure all things for Christ, not in appearance only, but in reality, that I may suffer together with Him, while He Himself inwardly strengthens me; for of myself I have no such ability.

SOME HAVE IGNORANTLY DENIED HIM AND PROMOTE FALSEHOOD INSTEAD OF THE TRUTH: These people are not persuaded by the prophecies, the law of Moses, or the Gospel even now, nor by the sufferings we have personally endured. For they also think the same way about us. For what benefit is it if someone praises me but blasphemes my Lord, not recognizing Him as God incarnate? Anyone who does not confess this has truly denied Him, being wrapped in death. I have not thought it appropriate to write the names of such people, as they are unbelievers; and far be it from me to mention them until they repent.

LET NO ONE DECEIVE THEMSELVES: Unless they believe that Christ Jesus has lived in the flesh and confess His cross and passion, and the blood He shed for the salvation of the world, they shall not obtain eternal life, whether they be a king, priest, ruler, private person, master, servant, man, or woman. "Whoever is able to receive it, let them receive it." Let no one's position, dignity, or riches make them proud, and let no one's low condition or poverty lower them. For the main points are faith in God, hope in Christ, the enjoyment of the good things we anticipate, and love towards God and our neighbor. For, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and your neighbor as yourself." And the Lord says, "This is eternal life, to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent." And again, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." Therefore, notice those who preach other doctrines, how they claim that the Father of Christ cannot be known, and how they show enmity and deceit in their dealings with one another. They have no regard for love; they despise the good things we expect hereafter; they regard present things as if they were permanent; they ridicule those who are in affliction; they laugh at those who are in bonds.

They are ashamed of the cross; they mock the passion; they make a joke of the resurrection. They are the offspring of that spirit who is the author of all evil, who led Adam, through his wife, to transgress the commandment, who killed Abel by the hands of Cain, who fought against Job, who was the accuser of Joshua the son of Josedech, who sought to "sift the faith" of the apostles, who stirred up the multitude of the Jews against the Lord, who also now "works in the children of disobedience; from whom the Lord Jesus Christ will deliver us, who prayed that the faith of the apostles might not fail, not because He was unable to preserve it Himself, but because He rejoiced in the pre-eminence of the Father. It is fitting, therefore, that you should keep away from such persons, and neither in private nor in public talk with them; but pay attention to the law, and the prophets, and to those who have preached to you the word of salvation. But flee from all abominable heresies, and those that cause divisions, as the beginning of evils.

SEE THAT YOU ALL FOLLOW THE BISHOP: just as Christ Jesus does the Father, and the presbytery as you would the apostles. Also, show reverence to the deacons, as those who carry out the appointment of God through their office. Let no one do anything connected with the Church without the bishop. Let a proper Eucharist be considered as such when it is administered either by the bishop, or by someone he has entrusted it to. Wherever the bishop is present, let the multitude of the people also be there; just as where Christ is, there the whole heavenly host stands by, attending to Him as the Chief Captain of the Lord’s might, and the Governor of every intelligent nature. It is not lawful to baptize, offer, present sacrifice, or celebrate a love-feast without the bishop. But whatever seems good to the bishop is also well-pleasing to God, so that everything you do may be secure and valid.

MOREOVER: it is reasonable that we should return to soberness of conduct and, while we still have the opportunity, exercise repentance towards God. For “in Hades there is no one who can confess their sins.” For “behold the person, and their work is before them.” And the Scripture says, “My son, honor God and the king.” And I say, indeed honor God as the Author and Lord of all things, but the bishop as the high-priest, who bears the image of God—of God, as a ruler, and of Christ, in his role as a priest.

After Him, we must also honor the king. For there is no one superior to God, or even like Him, among all beings that exist. Nor is there anyone in the Church greater than the bishop, who ministers as a priest to God for the salvation of the whole world. Nor, again, is there anyone among rulers to be compared with the king, who secures peace and good order for those over whom he rules. He who honors the bishop shall be honored by God, just as he who dishonors him shall be punished by God.

For if one who rises up against kings is justly deemed worthy of punishment, as they disrupt public order, how much more severe a punishment, do you suppose, shall he be thought worthy of, who presumes to do anything without the bishop, thus both destroying the Church’s unity and causing its order to fall into confusion? For the priesthood is the highest point of all good things among men, against which anyone mad enough to strive dishonors not man, but God, and Christ Jesus, the First-born, and the only High Priest by nature, of the Father.

Therefore, let all things be done by you with good order in Christ. Let the laity be subject to the deacons; the deacons to the presbyters; the presbyters to the bishop; the bishop to Christ, just as He is to the Father. As you, brothers, have refreshed me, so will Jesus Christ refresh you. You have loved me when absent, as well as when present. God will recompense you, for whose sake you have shown such kindness towards His prisoner.

For even if I am not worthy of it, yet your zeal to help me is admirable. For “he who honors a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet’s reward.” It is also evident that he who honors a prisoner of Jesus Christ shall receive the reward of the martyrs.

YOU HAVE DONE WELL IN RECEIVING PHILO: Gaius, and Agathopus, who, being the servants of Christ, have followed me for the sake of God, and who greatly bless the Lord on your behalf, because you have refreshed them in every way. None of the things you have done for them will be overlooked without being credited to you. "The Lord grant" to you "that you may find mercy of the Lord in that day!" May my spirit be for you, and my bonds, which you have not despised or been ashamed of. Therefore, neither shall Jesus Christ, our perfect hope, be ashamed of you.

YOUR PRAYERS HAVE REACHED THE CHURCH OF ANTIOCH: and it is at peace. Coming from that place bound, I greet all; I, who am not worthy to be named from there, as I am the least of them. Nevertheless, according to the will of God, I have been considered worthy of this honor, not because I feel I deserve it, but by the grace of God, which I wish may be fully given to me, so that through your prayers I may reach God. Therefore, to complete your work on earth and in heaven, it is fitting that, for the honor of God, your Church should choose some worthy delegate; so that he, traveling to Syria, may congratulate them that they are now at peace and have been restored to their proper greatness, and that their proper order has been re-established among them. What seems proper to me is that you should send one of your members with a letter, so that, together with them, he may rejoice over the peace which, according to the will of God, they have obtained, and because, through your prayers, I have secured Christ as a safe harbor. As people who are perfect, you should also aim for those things which are perfect. For when you are eager to do well, God is also ready to help you.

The love of your brethren at Troas greets you; from where I also write to you by Burgus, whom you sent with me, together with the Ephesians, your brethren, and who has refreshed me in all things. I wish that all may imitate him, as he is a model of a minister of God. The grace of the Lord will reward him in all things. I greet your most worthy bishop Polycarp, and your venerable presbytery, and your Christ-bearing deacons, my fellow-servants, and each of you individually, as well as collectively, in the name of Christ Jesus, and in His flesh and blood, in His passion and resurrection, both physical and spiritual, in union with God and you. Grace, mercy, peace, and patience be with you in Christ forevermore!

I SALUTE THE FAMILIES OF MY BRETHREN: with their wives and children, and those who are always virgins, and the widows. Be strong, I pray, in the power of the Holy Ghost. Philo, my fellow servant who is with me, greets you. I salute the house of Tavias, and pray that it may be confirmed in faith and love, both physical and spiritual. I salute Alce, my well-beloved, along with the incomparable Daphnus, and Eutecnus, and everyone by name. Fare well in the grace of God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ, being filled with the Holy Spirit, and divine and sacred wisdom.