# To the Smyrnaeans 4.1

- Author: [Ignatius of Antioch](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/authors/ignatius-of-antioch/)
- Work: [To the Smyrnaeans](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-smyrnaeans/) (*Ad Smyrnaeos*)
- Date: ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) (disputed)
- Source: Lake, LCL 24:254–256; 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 5:709b (found by text match)
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26
- Canonical URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-smyrnaeans/4/1/

Summary: Avoid the false teachers entirely, but pray for their repentance.

## Greek text

Ταῦτα δὲ παραινῶ ὑμῖν, ἀγαπητοί, εἰδὼς ὅτι καὶ ὑμεῖς οὕτως ἔχετε. προφυλάσσω δὲ ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ τῶν θηρίων τῶν ἀνθρωπομόρφων, οὓς οὐ μόνον δεῖ ὑμᾶς μὴ παραδέχεσθαι, ἀλλʼ εἰ δυνατὸν μηδὲ συναντᾶν, μόνον δὲ προσεύχεσθε ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν, ἐάν πως μετανοήσωσιν, ὅπερ δύσκολον, τούτου δὲ ἔχει ἐξουσίαν Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, τὸ ἀληθινὸν ἡμῶν ζῆν.

## English translation (Claude)

I urge these things on you, beloved, knowing that you too are of this mind. But I am guarding you in advance against beasts in human form, whom you must not only not receive, but if possible not even meet. Only pray for them, that somehow they may repent, which is difficult; but Jesus Christ, our true life, has power over this.

## Citation (SBL)

Ign. Smyrn. 4.1 (PG 5:709b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-smyrnaeans/4/1/).