# To the Ephesians 5.2

- Author: [Ignatius of Antioch](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/authors/ignatius-of-antioch/)
- Work: [To the Ephesians](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-ephesians/) (*Ad Ephesios*)
- Date: ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) (disputed)
- Source: Lake, LCL 24:178; Kirsopp Lake, ed. and trans., The Apostolic Fathers, vol. 1, LCL 24 (London: Heinemann; New York: Macmillan, 1912), 172–277 (Greek text: K. Lake, The Apostolic Fathers (LCL, 1912-1913), digitized by the First Thousand Years of Greek project (Open Greek and Latin), CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Also in: PG 5:649a (found by text match)
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26
- Canonical URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-ephesians/5/2/

Summary: Whoever stays away from the church's gathering lacks the bread of God.

## Greek text

μηδεὶς πλανάσθω· ἐὰν μή τις ᾖ ἐντὸς τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου, ὑστερεῖται τοῦ ἄρτου τοῦ θεοῦ. εἰ γὰρ ἑνὸς καὶ δευτέρου προσευχὴ τοσαύτην ἰσχὺν ἔχει, πόσῳ μᾶλλον ἥ τε τοῦ ἐπισκόπου καὶ πάσης τῆς ἐκκλησίας;

## English translation (Claude)

Let no one be deceived: if anyone is not within the sanctuary, he lacks the bread of God. For if the prayer of one or two has such power, how much more that of the bishop and the whole church?

## Scripture references

- John 6:33: allusion, medium confidence
- Matt 18:19: echo, medium confidence

## Translation notes

- “Sanctuary” (θυσιαστηρίου): literally “place of sacrifice, altar”; here the gathered church around its bishop.
- “The bread of God” (John 6:33) probably refers to the Eucharist.

## Citation (SBL)

Ign. Eph. 5.2 (PG 5:649a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-ephesians/5/2/).