Apostolic FathersChristianityScholarly ReconstructionGreek / Latin / Syriac textual traditionsShareApostolic Fathers 271Ante-Nicene Christian Library - EnglishMoreVersion - 1 availableAnte-Nicene Christian LibraryLanguageEnglishEspañol‹Apostolic Fathers 1Apostolic Fathers 2Apostolic Fathers 3Apostolic Fathers 4Apostolic Fathers 5Apostolic Fathers 6Apostolic Fathers 7Apostolic Fathers 8Apostolic Fathers 9Apostolic Fathers 10Apostolic Fathers 11Apostolic Fathers 12Apostolic Fathers 13Apostolic Fathers 14Apostolic Fathers 15Apostolic Fathers 16Apostolic Fathers 17Apostolic Fathers 18Apostolic Fathers 19Apostolic Fathers 20Apostolic Fathers 21Apostolic Fathers 22Apostolic Fathers 23Apostolic Fathers 24Apostolic Fathers 25Apostolic Fathers 26Apostolic Fathers 27Apostolic Fathers 28Apostolic Fathers 29Apostolic Fathers 30Apostolic Fathers 31Apostolic Fathers 32Apostolic Fathers 33Apostolic Fathers 34Apostolic Fathers 35Apostolic Fathers 36Apostolic Fathers 37Apostolic Fathers 38Apostolic 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Wherefore I write boldly to your love, which is worthy of God, and exhort you to have but one faith, and one [kind of] preaching, and one Eucharist. For there is one flesh of the Lord Jesus Christ; and His blood which shed for us is one; one loaf also is broken to all [the communicants], and one cup is distributed among them all: there is but one altar for the whole church, and one bishop, with the presbytery and deacons, my fellow-servants. Since, also, there is but one unbegotten Being, God, even the Father; and one only-begotten Son, God, the Word and man; and one Comforter, the Spirit of truth; and also one preaching, and one faith, and one baptism;[1163] and one church which the holy apostles established from one end of the earth to the other by the blood of Christ, and by their own sweat and toil; it behoves you also, therefore, as “a peculiar people, and a holy nation,”[1164] to perform all things with harmony in Christ. Wives, be ye subject to your husbands in the fear of God;[1165] and ye virgins, to Christ in purity, not counting marriage an abomination, but desiring that which is better, not for the reproach of wedlock, but for the sake of meditating on the law. Children, obey your parents, and have an affection for them, as workers together with God for your birth [into the world]. 2Servants, be subject to your masters in God, that ye may be the freed-men of Christ.[1166] Husbands, love your wives, as fellow-servants of God, as your own body, as the partners of your life, and your co-adjutors in the procreation of children. Virgins, have Christ alone before your eyes, and His Father in your prayers, being enlightened by the Spirit. May I have pleasure in your purity, as that of Elijah, or as of Joshua the son of Nun, as of Melchizedek, or as of Elisha, as of Jeremiah, or as of John the Baptist, as of the beloved disciple, as of Timothy, as of Titus, as of Evodius, as of Clement, who departed this life in [perfect] chastity.[1167] Not, however, that I blame the other blessed [saints] because they entered into the married state, of which I have just spoken.[1168] For I pray that, being found worthy of God, I may be found at their feet in the kingdom, as at the feet of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob; as of Joseph, and Isaiah, and the rest of the prophets; as of Peter, and Paul, and the rest of the apostles, that were married men. For they entered into these marriages not for the sake of appetite, but out of regard for the propagation of mankind. Fathers, “bring up your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord;”[1169] and teach them the holy Scriptures, and also trades, that they may not indulge in idleness. Now [the Scripture] says, “A righteous father educates [his children] well; 3his heart shall rejoice in a wise son.”[1170] Masters, be gentle towards your servants, as holy Job has taught you;[1171] for there is one nature, and one family of mankind. For “in Christ there is neither bond nor free.”[1172] Let governors be obedient to Cæsar; soldiers to those that command them; deacons to the presbyters, as to high-priests; the presbyters, and deacons, and the rest of the clergy, together with all the people, and the soldiers, and the governors, and Cæsar [himself], to the bishop; the bishop to Christ, even as Christ to the Father. And thus unity is preserved throughout. Let not the widows be wanderers about, nor fond of dainties, nor gadders from house to house; but let them be like Judith, noted for her seriousness; and like Anna, eminent for her sobriety. I do not ordain these things as an apostle: for “who am I, or what is my father’s house,”[1173] that I should pretend to be equal in honour to them? But as your “fellow-soldier,”[1174] I hold the position of one who [simply] admonishes you. ‹Previous chapterApostolic Fathers 270Next chapterApostolic Fathers 272›Similar passagesBy tradition and source labelFind similarCompare selectedCompare with similarAsk Deep ThoughtSelect passages to search for parallels.Tap any verse to select it, then compare selected passages or ask Deep Thought. Public domain in the United States via Project Gutenberg