Ignatius — To Polycarp 2.2

Ignatius of Antioch · Letter to Polycarp · c. 110

Be shrewd as the serpent in everything, and forever innocent as the dove. That is why you are both fleshly and spiritual: so you can deal gently with what shows before people’s faces, and ask for the unseen to be shown to you — that you may lack nothing and overflow with every gift.

Greek

φρόνιμος γίνου ὡς ὁ ὄφις ἐν ἅπασιν καὶ ἀκέραιος εἰς ἀεὶ ὡς ἡ περιστερά. διὰ τοῦτο σαρκικὸς εἶ καὶ πνευματικός, ἵνα τὰ φαινόμενά σου εἰς πρόσωπον κολακεύῃς· τὰ δὲ ἀόρατα αἴτει ἵνα σοι φανερωθῇ, ὅπως μηδενὸς λείπῃ καὶ παντὸς χαρίσματος περισσεύῃς.

← Gifts and Order