# To the Ephesians 8.2

- 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 24:182; 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 5:652a–652b (found by text match)
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26
- Canonical URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-ephesians/8/2/

Summary: Because they act in Christ, even the Ephesians' bodily actions are spiritual.

## Greek text

οἱ σαρκικοὶ τὰ πνευματικὰ πράσσειν οὐ δύνανται, οὐδὲ οἱ πνευματικοὶ τὰ σαρκικά, ὥσπερ οὐδὲ ἡ πίστις τὰ τῆς ἀπιστίας οὐδὲ ἡ ἀπιστία τὰ τῆς πίστεως. ἃ δὲ καὶ κατὰ σάρκα πράσσετε, ταῦτα πνευματικά ἐστιν· ἐν Ἰησοῦ γὰρ Χριστῷ πάντα πράσσετε.

## English translation (Claude)

Those who are fleshly cannot do the things of the spirit, nor can those who are spiritual do the things of the flesh, just as faith cannot do the things of unbelief, nor unbelief the things of faith. But even what you do according to the flesh is spiritual, for you do all things in Jesus Christ.

## Scripture references

- Rom 8:5: allusion, medium confidence
- Rom 8:8: echo, medium confidence

## Citation (SBL)

Ign. Eph. 8.2 (PG 5:652a–652b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-ephesians/8/2/).