# To the Ephesians 9.2

- 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 24:182–184; 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 5:652b–653a (found by text match)
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26
- Canonical URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-ephesians/9/2/

Summary: The Ephesians are like a festal procession carrying God and Christ within them.

## Greek text

ἐστὲ οὖν καὶ σύνοδοι πάντες, θεοφόροι καὶ ναοφόροι, χριστοφόροι, ἁγιοφόροι, κατὰ πάντα κεκοσμημένοι ἐντολαῖς Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ· οἷς καὶ ἀγαλλιώμενος ἠξιώθην διʼ ὧν γράφω προσομιλῆσαι ὑμῖν καὶ συγχαρῆναι, ὅτι κατʼ ἀνθρώπων βίον οὐδὲν ἀγαπᾶτε εἰ μὴ μόνον τὸν θεόν.

## English translation (Claude)

So you are all fellow travelers, God-bearers and temple-bearers, Christ-bearers, bearers of holy things, adorned in every way with the commandments of Jesus Christ. In this I rejoice, since I have been counted worthy to talk with you through what I write and to share your joy, because in your human life you love nothing but God alone.

## Translation notes

- “Fellow travelers” (σύνοδοι) and the “-bearers” recall a religious procession carrying sacred images and objects.

## Citation (SBL)

Ign. Eph. 9.2 (PG 5:652b–653a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-ephesians/9/2/).