# Martyrdom of Pionius and Companions - Author: Anonymous - Latin title: *Martyrium Pionii* - Date: 250 (the text may be later) (probable) - Source: Oscar von Gebhardt, ed., Ausgewählte Märtyrerakten (Berlin: Karl Curtius, 1902), item VIII, pp. 96–114 (OCR made for this site) - Translation: Claude, from the original text, unless a passage says otherwise; each passage below gives the translator - Work page: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/ - Passages: 24 ## Martyrdom of Pionius and Companions (title) - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-0 - Source: Gebhardt, 96 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Title of the account (incomplete). ### Greek text βυτέρου καὶ τῶν σὺν αὐτῷ. ### English translation (Claude) … the presbyter, and those with him. ### Translation notes - The beginning of the title (“Martyrdom of the holy Pionius the pres-”) is missing in the staged text. ### Citation (SBL) Act. pref. (Gebhardt, 96; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-0). ## Martyrdom of Pionius and Companions 1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-1 - Source: Gebhardt, 96 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Introduction: the reason for remembering Pionius. ### Greek text Ταῖς μνείαις τῶν ἁγίων κοινωνεῖν ὁ ἀπόστολος παραινεῖ, γινώσκων ὅτι τὸ μνήμην ποιεῖσϑαι τῶν ὑγιῶς μετὰ καρδίας ἁπάσης ἐν πίστει διαγενομένων ἐπιστηρίζει τοὺς μιμεῖσθαι τὰ κρείττω ϑέλοντας. Πιονίου δὲ τοῦ μάρτυρος καὶ μᾶλλον μεμνῆσϑαι προσήκει διότι καὶ ὅτε ἐπεδήμει τῷ κόσμῳ πολλοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς πλάνης ἐπέστρεψεν ἀποστολικὸς ἀνὴρ τῶν καϑʼ ἡμᾶς γενόμενος, καὶ τέλος ὅτε ἐκλήϑη πρὸς κύριον καὶ ἐμαρτύρησε τὸ σύγγραμμα τοῦτο κατέλιπεν εἰς νουϑεσίαν ἡμετέραν, ἐπὶ τὸ καὶ νῦν ἔχειν ἡμᾶς μνημόσυνα τῆς διδασκαλίας αὐτοῦ. ### English translation (Claude) The apostle urges us to share in the commemorations of the saints, knowing that to make memorial of those who have lived soundly in faith with all their heart strengthens those who wish to imitate what is better. It is fitting to remember the martyr Pionius all the more, because while he sojourned in the world he turned many from error, having become an apostolic man in our own time; and at the end, when he was called to the Lord and bore witness, he left this writing for our instruction, so that even now we may have memorials of his teaching. ### Scripture references - Rom 12:13: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Rom 12:13, in the reading “sharing in the commemorations of the saints” (μνείαις for χρείαις, “needs”). ### Citation (SBL) Act. 1 (Gebhardt, 96; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-1). ## Martyrdom of Pionius and Companions 2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-2 - Source: Gebhardt, 96 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Forewarned in a vision, Pionius and his companions put on chains and are arrested on Polycarp's day. ### Greek text Μηνὸς ἕκτου δευτέρᾳ ἐνισταμένου σαββάτου μεγάλου, ἐν τῇ γενεϑλίῳ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ μακαρίου μάρτυρος Πολυκάρπου, ὄντος τοῦ διωγμοῦ τοῦ κατὰ Δέκιον, συνελήφϑησαν Πιόνιος πρεσβύτερος καὶ Σαβῖνα ὃμολογήτρια καὶ ᾿Ασχληπιάδης καὶ Μακεδόνια καὶ Λίμνος πρεσβύτερος τῆς καϑολικῆς ἐκκλησίας, ὁ οὖν Πιόνιος πρὸ μιᾶς ἡμέρας τῶν Πολυκάρπου γενεϑλίων εἶδεν ὅτι δεῖ ταύτῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ αὐτοὺς συλληφϑῆναι. ὢν οὖν μετὰ τῆς Σαβίνης καὶ τοῦ ᾿Ασκληπιάδου ἐν νηστείᾳ, ὡς εἶδεν ὅτι αὔριον δεῖ αὐτοὺς συλληφϑῆναι, λαβὼν βλωστὰς ἁλύσεις τρεῖς περιέϑηκε περὶ τὸν τράχηλον ἑαυτοῦ τε καὶ Σαβίνης καὶ ᾿Ασκληπιάδου, καὶ ἐξεδέχοντο ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ. τοῦτο δὲ ἐποίησεν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀπαγομένων αὐτόν, μηδὲ ὑπονοῆσαί τινας ὅτι ὡς οἱ λοιποὶ ὑπάγουσι μιαροφαγῆσαι, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα εἰδῶσι πάντες ὅτι κεκρίκασιν εἰς φυλακὴν s09éog ἀπαχϑῆναι. ### English translation (Claude) On the second day of the sixth month, on a great Sabbath, the birthday of the blessed martyr Polycarp, during the persecution under Decius, there were arrested Pionius the presbyter, Sabina the confessor, Asclepiades, Macedonia, and Limnus, a presbyter of the catholic church. Now Pionius, on the day before Polycarp's birthday, saw that they must be arrested on that day. So, while he was fasting with Sabina and Asclepiades, when he saw that they must be arrested on the morrow, he took three plaited chains and put them around his own neck and the necks of Sabina and Asclepiades, and they waited in the house. He did this because of those who would lead them away, so that no one should suppose that, like the rest, they were going off to eat polluted food, but that all might know that they had resolved to be led off to prison. ### Extrabiblical texts - Mart. Pol. (Martyrdom of Polycarp): echo, low confidence ### Translation notes - The date is 23 February 250, under Decius. Polycarp's “birthday” is the anniversary of his martyrdom; the “great Sabbath” is probably a Jewish feast day. ### Citation (SBL) Act. 2 (Gebhardt, 96; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-2). ## Martyrdom of Pionius and Companions 3 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-3 - Source: Gebhardt, 97 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Polemon the temple-warden leads them in chains to the crowded marketplace of Smyrna. ### Greek text Προσευξαμένων δὲ αὐτῶν καὶ λαβόντων ἄρτον ἅγιον καὶ ὕδωρ τῷ σαββάτῳ ἐπέστη αὐτοῖς Πολέμων ὁ νεωκόρος xai οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ τεταγμένον ἀναζητεῖν καὶ ἕλχειν τοὺς Χριστιανοὺς ἐπιϑύειν καὶ μιαροφαγεῖν. καί φησιν ὁ νεωκόρος· Οἴδατε πάντως διάταγμα τοῦ αὐτοχράτορος, ὡς κελεύει ὑμᾶς ἐπιϑύειν τοῖς ϑεοῖς. xai ὁ Πιόνιος ἔφη Οἴδαμεν τὰ προστάγματα τοῦ ϑεοῦ ἐν οἷς κελεύει ἡμᾶς αὐτῷ μόνῳ προσκυνεῖν, Πολέμων εἶπεν. Ἔλϑετε οὖν εἰς τὴν ἀγορὰν κἀκεῖ πεισϑήσεσϑε, καὶ ἡ Σαβῖνα καὶ ὁ ᾿Ασκληπιάδης ἔφησανʼ Ἡμεῖς ϑεῷ ζῶντι πειϑόμεϑα. ἦγεν οὖν αὐτοὺς οὐ μετὰ βίας. καὶ προελϑόντων αὐτῶν εἶδον πάντες ὅτι δεσμὰ ἐφόρουν, καὶ ὡς ἐπὶ παραδόξῳ συνέδραμεν ἐν τάχει ὄχλος ὥστε ὠϑεῖν ἀλλήλους. καὶ ἐλϑόντων εἰς τὴν ἀγοράν, ἐν τῇ στοᾷ τῇ ἀνατολικῇ, ἐν τῇ διπύλιδι, ἐγεμίσϑη πᾶσα ἡ ἀγορὰ καὶ αἱ ὑπερῷαι στοαὶ Ἑλλήνων τε καὶ Ἰουδαίων καὶ γυναικῶν᾽ ἐσχόλαζον γὰρ διὰ τὸ εἶναι μέγα σάββατον. ἀνήεσαν δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ βάϑρα καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ κιβώτια σκοποῦντες. ### English translation (Claude) When they had prayed and taken holy bread and water on the Sabbath, Polemon the temple-warden came upon them, with those assigned with him to seek out the Christians and drag them off to sacrifice and eat polluted food. And the temple-warden said, “Surely you know the emperor's edict, how he orders you to sacrifice to the gods.” Pionius said, “We know the commands of God, in which he orders us to worship him alone.” Polemon said, “Come to the marketplace, then, and there you will obey.” Sabina and Asclepiades said, “We obey the living God.” So he led them, but not by force. As they went, everyone saw that they were wearing chains, and as at something strange a crowd quickly ran together, so that they pushed one another. When they came into the marketplace, by the east colonnade at the double gate, the whole marketplace and the upper colonnades were filled with Greeks and Jews and women; for they were on holiday because it was a great Sabbath. They even climbed onto the steps and the chests to watch. ### Translation notes - “Holy bread and water” probably refers to the Eucharist. ### Citation (SBL) Act. 3 (Gebhardt, 97; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-3). ## Martyrdom of Pionius and Companions 4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-4 - Source: Gebhardt, 97 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Pionius's speech to the Greeks and Jews of Smyrna on mockery, apostasy, and the coming judgment by fire. ### Greek text Ἔστησαν οὖν αὐτοὶς ἐν μέσῳ, καὶ ὁ Πολέμων εἶπεν· Καλὸν ὑμᾶς ἔστιν, ὦ Πιόνιε, πειϑαρχῆσαι καϑὰ καὶ πάντες καὶ ἐπιϑῦσαι, ἵνα μὴ κολασϑῆτε. ἐκτείνας οὖν τὴν χεῖρα ὁ Πιόνιος φαιδρῷ τῷ προσώπῳ ἀπελογήσατο εἰπών" Ανδρες οἱ ἐπὶ τῷ κάλλει Σμύρνης καυχώμενοι, οἱ ἐπὶ τοῦ Μέλητος, ὥς φατε, Ὁμήρῳ σεμνυνόμενοι, καὶ οἵτινες ἐν ὑμῖν Ιουδαίων συμπάρεισιν, ἀκούσατέ μου ὀλίγα προσδιαλεγομένου ὑμῖν. ἀκούω γὰρ ὅτι ἐπὶ τοῖς αὐτομολοῦσιν ὡς ἐπιγελῶντες καὶ ἐπιχαίροντες παίγνιον ἡγεῖσθε τὸ ἐκείνων ἀστόχημα, ὅτι ἑκόντες ἐπιϑύουσιν. ἔδει δὲ ὑμᾶς μέν, ὦ Ἕλληνες, πείϑεσϑαι τῷ διδασκάλῳ ὑμῶν Ὁμήρῳ, ὃς συμβουλεύει μὴ ὅσιον εἶναι ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀποϑνήσχουσι καυχᾶσϑαι. ὑμῖν δέ, ὦ Ἰουδαῖοι, Μωῦσῆς κελεύειʼ Ἐὰν ἴδης τὸ ὑποζύγιον τοῦ ἐχϑροῦ σου πεπτωκὸς ὑπὸ τὸν γόμον, οὐ παρελεύσῃ ἀλλὰ ἀνιστῶν ἀναστήσεις αὐτό. ὁμοίως καὶ Σολομῶντι ἔδει ὑμᾶς πείϑεσϑαι· Ἐὰν πέσῃ ὁ ἐχϑρός σου, φησί, μὴ ἐπιχαρῇς, ἐν δὲ τῷ ὑποσκελίσματι αὐτοῦ μὴ ἐπαίρου. ἐγὼ γὰρ τῷ ἐμῷ διδασκάλῳ πειϑόμενος ἀποϑνήσκειν αἱροῦμαι μᾶλλον ἢ παραβαίνειν τοὺς λόγους αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀγωνίζομαι μὴ ἀλλάξαι ἃ πρῶτον ἔμαϑον, ἔπειτα καὶ ἐδίδαξα. τίνων οὖν καταγελῶσιν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἀσυμπαϑῶς; εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἐχϑροὶ αὐτῶν ἐσμεν, ὡς φασιν, ἀλλὰ ἄνϑρωποι, ἔτι ἀδικηϑέντες. λέγουσιν ὅτι καιροὺς παρρησίας ἔχομεν. εἶτα; τίνας ἠδικήσαμεν; τίνας ἐφονεύσαμεν; τίνας ἐδιώξαμεν; τίνας εἰδωλολατρεῖν ἠναγκάσαμεν; ἢ οἴονται ὅμοια εἶναι τὰ ἑαυτῶν ἁμαρτήματα τοῖς νῦν ὑπό τινων διὰ φόβον ἀνθρώπινον πρασσομένοις; ἀλλὰ τοσούτῳ διαφέρει ὅσῳ τὰ ἑχούσια ἁμαρτήματα τῶν ἀκουσίων. τίς γὰρ ἠνάγκασεν ᾿Ιουδαίους τελεσϑῆναι τῷ Βεελφεγώρ; ἢ φαγεῖν ϑυσίας νεχρῶν; ἢ πορνεῦσαι εἰς τὰς ϑυγατέρας τῶν ἀλλοφύλων; ἢ κατακαίειν τοῖς εἰδώλοις τοὺς υἱοὺς καὶ τὰς ϑυγατέρας; ἢ γογγύξειν κατὰ τοῦ ϑεοῦ; ἢ καταλαλεῖν Μωῦσέως; ἢ ἀχαριστεῖν εὐεργετουμένοις; ἢ στρέφεσϑαι τῇ καρδίᾳ εἰς Αἴγυπτον; ἢ ἀναβάντος Μωῦσέως λαβεῖν τὸν νόμον εἰπεῖν τῷ Ἀαρών· Ποίησον ἡμῖν ϑεούς, καὶ μοσχοποιῆσαι; καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ ὅσα ἐποίησαν. ὑμᾶς γὰρ δύνανται πλανᾶν. ἐπεὶ ἀναγινωσχέτωσαν ὑμῖν τὴν βίβλον τῶν Κριτῶν, τὰς Βασιλείας, τὴν Ἔξοδον καὶ πάντα ἐν οἷς ἐλέγχονται. ἀλλὰ ζητοῦσι διὰ τί τινὲς μήτε βιασϑέντες ἑαυτοῖς ἦλϑον ἐπὶ τὸ ϑῦσαι, καὶ δι᾿ ἐχείνους πάντων Χριστιανῶν καταγινώσκετε; νομίσατε τὰ παρόντα ἅλωνι ὅμοια εἶναιʼ ποῖος σωρὸς μείζων, ἀχύρου ἢ τοῦ σίτου; ὅταν γὰρ ἔλθη ὁ γεωργὸς ἐν τῷ πτύῳ διακαϑᾶραι τὴν ἅλωνα, τὸ ἄχυρον κοῦφον ὃν εὐκόλως ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀερίου πνεύματος μεταφέρεται, ὁ δὲ σῖτος ἐν ταὐτῷ μένει. ἴδετε πάλιν τὴν εἰς ϑάλασσαν βαλλομένην σαγήνην. μὴ πάντα ἃ συνάγει εὖχρηστά ἔστιν; οὕτω καὶ τὰ παρόντα. πῶς οὖν ϑέλετε ταῦτα πάσχειν ἡμᾶς, ὡς δικαίους ἢ ὡς ἀδίκους; εἰ μὲν ὡς ἀδίκους, πῶς οὐχὶ καὶ ὑμεῖς αὐτοῖς τοῖς ἔργοις ἄδικοι ἐλεγχόμενοι τὰ αὐτὰ πείσεσϑε; εἰ δὲ ὡς δικαίους, τῶν δικαίων πασχόντων ποίαν ὑμεῖς ἐλπίδα ἔχετε; εἰ γὰρ ὁ δίκαιος μόλις σώζεται, ὁ ἀσεβὴς καὶ ἁμαρτωλὸς ποῦ φανεῖται; κρίσις γὰρ τῷ κόσμῳ ἐπίκειται, περὶ ἧς πεπληροφορήμεϑα διὰ πολλῶν. ἐγὼ μὲν καὶ ἀποδημήσας καὶ ἅπασαν τὴν Ιουδαίαν περιελϑὼν γῆν περάσας τε τὸν Ιορδάνην ἐϑεασάμην γῆν ἕως τοῦ νῦν μαρτυροῦσαν τὴν ἐκ τοῦ ϑεοῦ γενομένην αὐτῇ ὀργήν, δι᾽ ἃς ἐποίουν οἱ κατοικοῦντες αὐτὴν ἁμαρτίας, ξενοχτονοῦντες, ξενηλατοῦντες, βιαζόμενοι. εἶδον καπνὸν ἐξ αὐτῆς ἕως τοῦ νῦν ἀναβαίνοντα καὶ γῆν πυρὶ τετεφρωμένην, ἄμοιρον παντὸς καρποῦ καὶ πάσης ὑγρᾶς οὐσίας. εἶδον καὶ Θάλασσαν Νεκράν, ὕδωρ ὑπηλλαγμένον καὶ ἔξω τοῦ κατὰ φύσιν φόβῳ ϑείῳ ἀτονῆσαν καὶ τρέφειν ζῷον μὴ δυνάμενον, καὶ τὸν ἐναλλόμενον εἰς αὐτὴν ὑπὸ τοῦ ὕδατος ἐκβαλλόμενον εἰς ἄνω, καὶ κατέχειν ἀνθρώπον σῶμα παρ᾽ ἑαυτῇ μὴ δυναμένην: ὑποδέξασθαι γὰρ ἄνθρωπον οὐ ϑέλει, ἵνα μὴ διʼ ἄνθρωπον πάλιν ἐπιτιμηϑῆ. καὶ ταῦτα μαχρὰν ὑμῶν ὄντα λέγω. ὑμεῖς ὁρᾶτε καὶ διηγεῖσθε Λυδίας γῆν Δεκαπόλεως κεκαυμένην πυρὶ καὶ προκειμένην εἰς δεῦρο ὑπόδειγμα ἀσεβῶν, Αἴτνης καὶ Σικελίας καὶ προσέτι Λυκίας καὶ τῶν νήσων ῥοιζούμενον πῦρ. εἰ δὲ καὶ ταῦτα πόρρω ἀπέχει ἀφ᾽ ὑμῶν, κατανοήσατε τοῦ ϑερμοῦ ὕδατος τὴν χρῆσιν, λέγω δὴ τοῦ ἀναβλύζοντος ἐκ γῆς, καὶ νοήσατε πόϑεν ἀνάπτεται ἢ πόϑεν πυροῦται, εἰ μὴ ἐχβαῖνον ἐν ὑπογαίῳ πυρί. λέγετε δὲ καὶ ἐκπυρώσεις μερικὰς καὶ ἐξυδατώσεις, ὡς ὑμεῖς ἐπὶ Δευκαλίωνος ἢ ὡς ἡμεῖς ἐπὶ Νῶε. μερικὰ γίνεται, ἵνα ἐκ τῶν ἐπὶ μέρους τὰ καϑόλου γνωσϑῇ. διὸ δὴ μαρτυρόμεϑα ὑμῖν περὶ τῆς μελλούσης διὰ πυρὸς γίνεσϑαι κρίσεως ὑπὸ ϑεοῦ διὰ τοῦ λόγου αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τοῖς λεγομένοις ϑεοῖς ὑμῶν οὐ λατρεύομεν καὶ τῇ εἰκόνι τῇ χρυσῇ οὐ προσκυνοῦμεν. ### English translation (Claude) They stood them in the middle, and Polemon said, “It is good for you, Pionius, to obey as everyone else has, and to sacrifice, so that you may not be punished.” Pionius, stretching out his hand, with a radiant face, made his defense, saying: “Men who boast in the beauty of Smyrna, who pride yourselves, as you say, on Homer of the Meles, and those Jews among you who are present: listen to me while I say a few words to you. For I hear that you laugh at those who go over, as though mocking and gloating, and treat their failure as a game, because they sacrifice willingly. But you, Greeks, ought to obey your teacher Homer, who advises that it is not holy to boast over the dying. And to you, Jews, Moses gives the command: If you see the beast of burden of your enemy fallen under its load, you shall not pass by, but shall surely help raise it. Likewise you ought to obey Solomon: If your enemy falls, he says, do not rejoice, and do not exult at his stumbling. For I, obeying my teacher, choose to die rather than transgress his words, and I strive not to change what I first learned and then also taught. Whom, then, do the Jews mock so pitilessly? For even if we are their enemies, as they say, we are still human beings—and wronged ones at that. They say that we have times for speaking freely. Well then, whom have we wronged? Whom have we murdered? Whom have we persecuted? Whom have we compelled to worship idols? Or do they think their own sins are like those now committed by some out of human fear? But they differ as much as voluntary sins differ from involuntary ones. For who compelled the Jews to be initiated to Baal of Peor? Or to eat sacrifices offered to the dead? Or to commit fornication with the daughters of foreigners? Or to burn their sons and daughters to the idols? Or to grumble against God? Or to speak against Moses? Or to be ungrateful when they were shown kindness? Or to turn back in heart to Egypt? Or, when Moses had gone up to receive the law, to say to Aaron, Make us gods, and to make the calf? And all the rest that they did. For they can deceive you; otherwise let them read to you the book of Judges, the Kingdoms, Exodus, and all the books in which they are convicted. But they ask why some, without being forced, came of themselves to sacrifice—and because of them do you condemn all Christians? Think of the present situation as a threshing floor: which heap is larger, the chaff or the wheat? For when the farmer comes with the winnowing fork to clear the threshing floor, the chaff, being light, is easily carried away by the wind, but the wheat stays where it is. Look again at the net cast into the sea: is everything it gathers useful? So it is with the present. How, then, do you want us to suffer these things—as righteous or as unrighteous? If as unrighteous, how will you not suffer the same yourselves, convicted as unrighteous by your very deeds? But if as righteous, when the righteous suffer, what hope do you have? For if the righteous man is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear? For a judgment hangs over the world, of which we are fully assured by many proofs. I myself traveled and went through the whole land of Judea, and crossing the Jordan I saw a land that bears witness to this day to the wrath that came upon it from God because of the sins its inhabitants committed—killing strangers, driving out strangers, doing violence. I saw smoke still rising from it to this day, and land burned to ashes by fire, without share in any fruit or any moisture. I saw also the Dead Sea, water changed and, beyond the course of nature, made powerless through divine fear and unable to nourish any living creature; one who leaps into it is thrown upward by the water, and it cannot keep a human body within itself; for it will not receive a human being, lest it be punished again because of a human being. And these things I speak of are far from you. But you see and tell of the land of the Lydian Decapolis, burned by fire and lying to this day as an example of the ungodly; of the fire of Etna and Sicily, and also of Lycia and the islands, roaring forth. And if these too are far from you, consider the use of hot water—I mean the water that bubbles up from the earth—and consider where it is kindled or where it is heated, if not by issuing forth from a fire beneath the earth. You speak also of partial conflagrations and floods—you of Deucalion's time, we of Noah's. These happen in part, so that from the partial the universal may be known. Therefore we testify to you about the judgment that is to come by fire from God through his Word, Jesus Christ. And for this reason we do not serve your so-called gods and do not worship the golden image.” ### Scripture references - Exod 23:5: quotation, high confidence - Prov 24:17: quotation, high confidence - Num 25:3: allusion, high confidence - Ps 106:28 (105:28 LXX): allusion, medium confidence - Num 25:1: allusion, high confidence - Ps 106:37 (105:37 LXX): allusion, medium confidence - Num 14:2: allusion, medium confidence - Num 12:1: allusion, medium confidence - Exod 32:1: quotation, high confidence - Matt 3:12: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 13:47: allusion, medium confidence - 1 Pet 4:18: quotation, high confidence - Gen 19:28: echo, medium confidence - Dan 3:18: allusion, high confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Homer, Od. 22.412 (Homer, Odyssey): allusion, high confidence - Wis 10:7 (Wisdom of Solomon): echo, low confidence ### Translation notes - Homer, Od. 22.412; Exod 23:5; Prov 24:17; Num 25:1–3; Ps 106:28, 37–38; Exod 32:1; Matt 3:12; 13:47; 1 Pet 4:18 (Prov 11:31); Dan 3:18. Pionius's polemic against the Jews is translated as written; it answers their mockery of lapsed Christians. The “Lydian Decapolis” is the volcanic region called Katakekaumene (“burnt land”). ### Citation (SBL) Act. 4 (Gebhardt, 97; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-4). ## Martyrdom of Pionius and Companions 5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-5 - Source: Gebhardt, 100 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The crowd urges Pionius to live; he answers that a better life and light await. ### Greek text Τούτων δὲ καὶ ἄλλων πολλῶν λεχϑέντων, ὡς ἐπὶ πολὺ μὴ σιωπῆσαι τὸν Πιόνιον, ὅ τε νεωκόρος xoi οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ καὶ πᾶς ὁ ὄχλος ἐπέστησε τὰς ἀκοᾶς, ὥστε τοσαύτην ἡσυχίαν γενέσθαι ὡς μηδὲ γρῦξαί τινα. εἰπόντος δὲ πάλιν τοῦ Πιονίου ὅτι Τοῖς ϑεοῖς ὑμῶν οὐ λατρεύομεν καὶ τῇ εἰκόνι τῇ χρυσῇ οὐ προσκυνοῦμεν, ἤγαγον αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ ὕπαιϑρον εἰς τὸ μέσον, καὶ περιέστησαν αὐτοῖς τινες τῶν ἀγοραίων ἅμα τῷ Πολέμωνι ἐκλιπαροῦντες καὶ λέγοντες: Πείσϑητι ἡμῖν, Πιόνιε, ὅτι σε φιλοῦμεν, καὶ διὰ πολλὰ ἄξιος εἶ ζῆν, ἤϑους τε ἕνεκα καὶ ἐπιειχείας. καλόν ἐστι τὸ ζῆν καὶ τὸ φῶς τοῦτο βλέπειν" καὶ ἄλλα τινὰ πλείονα. ὃ δὲ πρὸς αὐτοὺς Κἀγὼ λέγω ὅτι καλόν ἐστι τὸ ζῆν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνο κρεῖσσον ὃ ἡμεῖς ἐπιποϑοῦμεν᾽ καὶ τὸ φῶς, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνο τὸ ἀληϑινόν. καὶ ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἅπαντα καλά· καὶ οὐχ ὡς ϑανατιῶντες ἢ μισοῦντες τὰ ἔργα τοῦ ϑεοῦ φεύγομεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἑτέρων μεγάλων ὑπερβολῇ τούτων καταφρονοῦμεν ἐνεδρευόντων ἡμᾶς. ### English translation (Claude) When these and many other things had been said, so that Pionius was not silent for a long time, the temple-warden and those with him and the whole crowd paid such attention that there was silence, and no one so much as muttered. When Pionius said again, “We do not serve your gods and do not worship the golden image,” they led them out into the open space in the middle, and some of the market people stood around them together with Polemon, entreating them and saying, “Be persuaded by us, Pionius, because we love you, and for many reasons you deserve to live, because of your character and your gentleness. It is good to live and to see this light,” and many other things. But he said to them, “I too say that it is good to live; but better is that for which we long. And the light is good—but that true light. All these things are good; and it is not because we long for death or hate the works of God that we flee from them, but because of the surpassing greatness of other, great things we despise these, which lay snares for us.” ### Citation (SBL) Act. 5 (Gebhardt, 100; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-5). ## Martyrdom of Pionius and Companions 6 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-6 - Source: Gebhardt, 101 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Pionius explains the chains to Alexander. ### Greek text Ἀλέξανδρος δέ τις ἀγόραιος πονηρὸς ἀνὴρ εἶπενʼ Ἄκουσον ἡμῶν, Πιόνιε. Πιόνιος εἶπεν᾽ Ἐπιλαβοῦ σὺ παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ ἀκούειν. ἃ γὰρ σὺ οἶδας οἶδα, ἃ δὲ ἐγὼ ἐπίσταμαι σὺ ἀγνοεῖς. ὁ δὲ ᾿Αλέξανδρος ἠθέλησεν αὐτοῦ καταγελᾶν, ἐπεὶ καί φησιν εἰρωνείᾳ" Ταῦτα δὲ διὰ τί; Πιόνιος εἶπεν· Ταῦτα ἵνα μὴ διερχόμενον τὴν πόλιν ὑμῶν ὑπονοηϑῶμεν ὡς μιαροφαγήσοντες προσεληλύϑαμεν, καὶ ἵνα μάϑητε ὅτι οὐδὲ ἐπερωτᾶσϑαι ἀξιοῦμεν ἀλλὰ κρίναντες οὐκ εἰς τὸ Νεμεσεῖον ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τὴν φυλακὴν ἀπερχόμεϑα, καὶ ἵνα μὴ ὡς τοὺς λοιποὺς βίᾳ ἡμᾶς συναρπάσαντες ἀπαγάγητε, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ φορεῖν δεσμὰ ἐάσητεʼ τάχα γὰρ μετὰ δεσμῶν οὐκ εἰσηγάγετε ἡμᾶς εἰς τὰ εἰδωλεῖα ὑμῶν. καὶ οὕτως ὁ ᾿Αλέξανδρος ἐφιμώϑη. καὶ πάλιν ἐκείνων πολλὰ παρακαλούντων αὐτὸν κἀκείνου λέγοντος Οὕτω κεκρίκαμεν, καὶ πολλὰ ἐλέγχοντος αὐτοὺς καὶ περὶ τῶν μελλόντων ἀπαγγέλλοντος αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἀλέξανδρος εἶπεν" Τίς γὰρ χρεία ἐστί, φησίν, τῶν λόγων ὑμῶν τούτων ὁπότε οὐκ ἔξεστιν ὑμᾶς ζῆν; ### English translation (Claude) A certain Alexander, a man of the marketplace and a wicked man, said, “Listen to us, Pionius.” Pionius said, “You, rather, make an effort to listen to me. For what you know I know, but what I understand you do not know.” Alexander wanted to mock him, and said ironically, “And what are these for?” Pionius said, “These are so that, as we pass through your city, we may not be suspected of having come to eat polluted food; so that you may learn that we do not even think it right to be questioned, but, having made our decision, are going not to the Nemeseion but to prison; and so that you may not seize us by force and lead us away, as you did the others, but leave us alone because we wear chains; for perhaps you would not bring us into your idol-temples in chains.” And so Alexander was silenced. And when they again urged him at length, and he kept saying, “This is our decision,” and refuted them at length and told them of what was to come, Alexander said, “What need is there of these words of yours, since you are not allowed to live?” ### Translation notes - The Nemeseion was the temple of the Nemeses at Smyrna. ### Citation (SBL) Act. 6 (Gebhardt, 101; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-6). ## Martyrdom of Pionius and Companions 7 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-7 - Source: Gebhardt, 101 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Sabina laughs at the threats; Pionius warns of fire after death. ### Greek text Τοῦ δὲ δήμου βουλομένου ἐκκλησίαν ἐν τῷ ϑεάτρῳ ποιεῖν, ἵνα ἐκεῖ ἀκούσωσι πλείονα, κηδόμενοί τινες τοῦ στρατηγοῦ προσελθόντες τῷ νεωκόρῳ Πολέμωνι εἶπον· Μὴ συγχώρει λαλεῖν αὐτῷ, ἵνα μὴ ἐν τῷ ϑεάτρῳ εἰσέλϑωσι καὶ ϑόρυβος καὶ ἐπιζήτησις περὶ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου γένηται. ταῦτα ἀκούσας ὁ Πολέμων λέγει" Πιόνιε, εἰ μὴ ϑέλεις ϑῦσαι, κἂν ἐλϑὲ εἰς τὸ Νεμεσεῖον. ὁ δὲ ἔφη Ἀλλ᾽ οὐ συμφέρει σου τοῖς εἰδώλοις ἵνα ἐκεῖ ἔλϑωμεν. Πολέμων εἶπεν· Πείσϑητι ἡμῖν, Πιόνιε. Πιόνιος εἶπεν᾽ Εἴϑε ἠδυνάμην ἐγὼ ὑμᾶς πεῖσαι Χριστιανοὺς γενέσθαι. οἱ δὲ μέγα ἀναγελάσαντες εἶπον· Οὐδὲν ἔχεις τοιοῦτο ποιῆσαι ἵνα ζῶντες καῶμεν. Πιόνιος εἶπεν᾽ Χεῖρόν ἐστι πολὺ ἀποθανόντας καυϑῆναι. μειδιώσης δὲ τῆς Σαβίνης ὁ νεωκόρος καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ εἶπον᾽ Γελᾷς; ἡ δὲ εἶπεν᾽ Ἐὰν ὃ ϑεὸς ϑέλῃ, ναί Χριστιανοὶ γάρ ἔσμεν" ὅσοι γὰρ εἰς Χριστὸν πιστεύουσιν ἀδιστάκτως γελάσουσιν ἐν χαρᾷ ἀιδίῳ. λέγουσιν αὐτῇ Σὺ μὲν ὃ οὐ ϑέλεις μέλλεις πάσχειν᾽ αἱ γὰρ μὴ ἐπιϑύουσαι εἰς πορνεῖον ἵστανται, ἡ δὲ εἶπεν᾽ Τῷ ἁγίῳ ϑεῷ μελήσει περὶ τούτου. ### English translation (Claude) When the people wanted to hold an assembly in the theater, so that they might hear more there, some who were concerned for the magistrate went to Polemon the temple-warden and said, “Do not let him speak, lest they go into the theater and there be an uproar and an inquiry about the man.” Hearing this, Polemon said, “Pionius, if you will not sacrifice, at least come to the Nemeseion.” He said, “But it does not serve your idols that we should go there.” Polemon said, “Be persuaded by us, Pionius.” Pionius said, “Would that I could persuade you to become Christians.” They laughed loudly and said, “You have no power to make us be burned alive.” Pionius said, “It is much worse to be burned after death.” When Sabina smiled, the temple-warden and those with him said, “You laugh?” She said, “If God wills, yes; for we are Christians; for all who believe in Christ without doubting will laugh in eternal joy.” They said to her, “You are going to suffer what you do not want; for women who do not sacrifice are set in a brothel.” She said, “The holy God will take care of that.” ### Citation (SBL) Act. 7 (Gebhardt, 101; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-7). ## Martyrdom of Pionius and Companions 8 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-8 - Source: Gebhardt, 102 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Pionius refuses to sacrifice to the gods or to the emperor. ### Greek text Πάλιν δὲ Πιονίῳ εἶπεν Πολέμων" Πείσϑητι ἡμῖν, Πιόνιε. Πιόνιος εἶπεν: Κεκέλευσαι ἢ πείϑειν ἢ κολάζειν" οὐ πείϑεις͵ κόλαζε. τότε ἐπερωτᾷ ὁ νεωκόρος Πολέμων λέγων" Ἐπίϑυσον, Πιόνιε. Πιόνιος εἶπεν· ὅτι Χριστιανός εἰμι. Πολέμων εἶπεν" Ποῖον ϑεὸν σέβη; Πιόνιος εἶπεν. Τὸν ϑεὸν τὸν παντοχράτορα τὸν ποιήσαντα τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ πάντας ἡμᾶς, ὃς παρέχει ἡμῖν πάντα πλουσίως, ὃν ἐγνώκαμεν διὰ τοῦ λόγου αὐτοῦ Χριστοῦ. Πολέμων εἶπεν: Ἐπίϑυσον οὖν κἂν τῷ αὐτοχράτορι. Πιόνιος εἶπεν: Ἐγὼ ἀνθρώπῳ οὐκ ἐπιϑύω͵ Χριστιανὸς γάρ εἰμι. ### English translation (Claude) Again Polemon said to Pionius, “Be persuaded by us, Pionius.” Pionius said, “You have been ordered either to persuade or to punish. You do not persuade—punish.” Then Polemon the temple-warden questioned him, saying, “Sacrifice, Pionius.” Pionius said, “I am a Christian.” Polemon said, “What god do you worship?” Pionius said, “God almighty, who made heaven and earth and all that is in them, and all of us; who provides us richly with all things; whom we have come to know through his Word, Christ.” Polemon said, “Then sacrifice at least to the emperor.” Pionius said, “I do not sacrifice to a man; for I am a Christian.” ### Scripture references - Acts 4:24: echo, medium confidence - 1 Tim 6:17: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Cf. Acts 4:24; 1 Tim 6:17. ### Citation (SBL) Act. 8 (Gebhardt, 102; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-8). ## Martyrdom of Pionius and Companions 9 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-9 - Source: Gebhardt, 103 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The formal interrogation of Pionius, Sabina (as Theodote), and Asclepiades. ### Greek text Εἶτα ἐπηρώτησεν ἐγγράφως λέγων αὐτῷ Τίς λέγῃ; γράφοντος τοῦ νοταρίου πάντα. ἀπεκρίϑη· Πιόνιος. ὁ Πολέμων εἶπεν. Χριστιανὸς εἶ; Πιόνιος εἶπεν: Ναί. Πολέμων ὃ νεωκόρος εἶπεν· Ποίας ἐκκλησίας; ἀπεχρίνατοʼ Τῆς καϑολικῆς, οὔτε γάρ ἔστιν ἄλλη παρὰ τῷ Χριστῷ. εἶτα ἦλϑεν ἐπὶ τὴν Σαβῖναν. προειρήχει δὲ αὐτῇ ὁ Πιόνιος ὅτι" Εἶπον σεαυτὴν Θεοδότην, πρὸς τὸ μὴ ἐμπεσεῖν αὐτὴν ἐκ τοῦ ὀνόματος πάλιν εἰς τὰς χεῖρας τῆς ἀνόμου Πολίττης τῆς γενομένης αὐτῆς δεσποίνης. αὕτη γὰρ ἐπὶ καιρῶν Γορδιανοῦ βουλομένη μεταγαγεῖν τῆς πίστεως τὴν Σαβῖναν πεδήσασα ἐξώρισεν αὐτὴν ἐν ὄρεσιν, ὅπου εἶχε τὰ ἐπιτήδεια λάϑρα παρὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν: μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα σπουδὴ ἐγένετο ὥστε αὐτὴν ἐλευϑερωϑῆναι καὶ Πολίττης καὶ τῶν δεσμῶν, καὶ ἣν τὰ πλεῖστα διατρίβουσα μετὰ τοῦ Πιονίου καὶ συνελήφϑη ἐν τῷ διωγμῷ τούτῳ. εἶπεν οὖν καὶ ταύτῃ ὁ Πολέμων: Τίς λέγη; ἡ δὲ εἶπεν· Θεοδότη. ὁ δὲ ἔφη" Χριστιανὴ εἶ; ἡ δὲ λέγει" Ναί, Χριστιανή εἰμι. Πολέμων εἶπεν· Ποίας ἐκκλησίας; Σαβῖνα εἶπεν: Τῆς καϑολικῆς. Πολέμων εἶπεν. Τίνα σέβη; Σαβῖνα εἶπεν: Τὸν ϑεὸν τὸν παντοχράτορα ὃς ἐποίησε τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ πάντας ἡμᾶς, ὃν ἐγνώκαμεν διὰ τοῦ λόγου αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. εἶτα ἐπηρώτησε τὸν ᾿Ασκληπιάδην" Τίς λέγη; ὃ δὲ εἶπεν" ᾿Ασκληπιάδης. Πολέμων εἶπεν" Χριστιανὸς εἶ; ᾿Ασκληπιάδης εἶπεν. Ναί. (Πολέμων εἶπεν. Ποίας ἐκκλησίας; ᾿Ασκληπιάδης εἶπεν· Τῆς καϑολικῆς.) Πολέμων εἶπεν: Τίνα σέβῃ; ᾿Ασχληπιάδης εἶπεν᾽ Τὸν Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν. Πολέμων εἶπεν᾽ Οὗτος οὖν ἄλλος ἐστίν; ᾿Ασκληπιάδης εἶπεν. Οὐχί, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ αὐτὸς ὃν καὶ οὗτοι εἰρήκασι. ### English translation (Claude) Then he questioned him for the record, saying to him, “What is your name?”—the notary writing everything down. He answered, “Pionius.” Polemon said, “Are you a Christian?” Pionius said, “Yes.” Polemon the temple-warden said, “Of what church?” He answered, “Of the catholic church; for there is no other with Christ.” Then he came to Sabina. Pionius had told her beforehand, “Call yourself Theodote,” so that she might not, through her name, fall again into the hands of the lawless Politta, who had been her mistress. For in the times of Gordian this woman, wishing to turn Sabina from the faith, had put her in fetters and banished her to the mountains, where she received what she needed secretly from the brothers; afterwards an effort was made to free her both from Politta and from her bonds, and she spent most of her time with Pionius, and was arrested in this persecution. So Polemon said to her too, “What is your name?” She said, “Theodote.” He said, “Are you a Christian?” She said, “Yes, I am a Christian.” Polemon said, “Of what church?” Sabina said, “Of the catholic.” Polemon said, “Whom do you worship?” Sabina said, “God almighty, who made heaven and earth and all of us, whom we have come to know through his Word, Jesus Christ.” Then he questioned Asclepiades: “What is your name?” He said, “Asclepiades.” Polemon said, “Are you a Christian?” Asclepiades said, “Yes.” (Polemon said, “Of what church?” Asclepiades said, “Of the catholic.”) Polemon said, “Whom do you worship?” Asclepiades said, “Christ Jesus.” Polemon said, “Is this one, then, another?” Asclepiades said, “No, but the same whom these too have confessed.” ### Translation notes - The words in parentheses are the editor's supplement. Theodote means “given by God.” ### Citation (SBL) Act. 9 (Gebhardt, 103; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-9). ## Martyrdom of Pionius and Companions 10 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-10 - Source: Gebhardt, 104 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: On the way to prison Pionius answers the jeers of the crowd. ### Greek text Τούτων δὲ λεχϑέντων ἀπήγαγον αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν φυλακήν. ἐπηκολούϑει δὲ ὄχλος πολύς, ὥστε γέμειν τὴν ἀγοράν. καὶ ἔλεγόν τινες περὶ Πιονίου: Πῶς ἀεὶ χλωρὸς ὧν νῦν πυρρὸν ἔχει τὸ πρόσωπον; κρατούσης δὲ αὐτὸν τῆς Σαβίνης ἀπὸ τῶν ἱματίων διὰ τὸ ὦσμα τοῦ πλήϑους ἔλεγόν τινες χλευάζοντες" Εἶα, ὡς φοβουμένη μὴ ἀποτίτϑιος γένηται. εἷς δέ τις ἐξεβόησεν" Εἰ μὴ ἐπιϑύουσι κολασϑήτωσαν. ὁ Πολέμων ἔφη" ᾿Αλλ᾽ αἱ ῥάβδοι ἡμᾶς οὐ προάγουσιν ἵνα ἐξουσίαν ἔχωμεν. ἄλλος δέ τις ἔλεγενʼ Ἴδετε, ἀνθρωπάριον ὑπάγει ἐπιϑῦσαι. ἔλεγε δὲ τὸν σὺν ἡμῖν ᾿Ασκληπιάδην. Πιόνιος εἶπεν. Σὺ ψεύδη. οὐ γὰρ ποιεῖ αὐτό. ἄλλοι δὲ ἔλεγον· Ὃς δὲ καὶ ὃς δὲ ἐπέϑυσαν. Πιόνιος εἶπεν: Ἕκαστος ἰδίαν ἔχει προαίρεσιν, τί οὖν πρὸς ἐμέ; ἐγὼ Πιόνιος λέγομαι. ἄλλοι δὲ ἔλεγον᾽ Ὦ τοσαύτη παιδεία, καὶ οὕτως ἐστίν. Πιόνιος εἶπεν᾽ Ταύτην μᾶλλον οἴδατε διʼ ὧν ἐπειράϑητε λιμῶν καὶ ϑανάτων καὶ τῶν ἄλλων πληγῶν. εἶπεν δέ τις αὐτῷ" Καὶ σὺ σὺν ἡμῖν ἐπείνασας. Πιόνιος εἶπεν. Ἐγὼ μετὰ ἐλπίδος τῆς εἰς τὸν ϑεόν. ### English translation (Claude) When these things had been said, they led them off to prison. A great crowd followed, so that the marketplace was full. And some said about Pionius, “How is it that he who was always pale now has a ruddy face?” When Sabina held on to him by his clothes because of the pushing of the crowd, some said mockingly, “Look, as if she were afraid of being weaned!” One man shouted out, “If they do not sacrifice, let them be punished.” Polemon said, “But the rods do not go before us, so that we should have the authority.” Another said, “Look, the little fellow is going off to sacrifice”—he meant Asclepiades, who was with us. Pionius said, “You are lying; for he is not doing it.” Others said, “So-and-so and so-and-so have sacrificed.” Pionius said, “Each has his own choice; what is that to me? My name is Pionius.” Others said, “Oh, such learning, and yet he is like this!” Pionius said, “You have learned this discipline better through the famines and deaths and the other plagues you have suffered.” Someone said to him, “You too went hungry with us.” Pionius said, “I did—with hope in God.” ### Translation notes - The rods are the fasces, borne before magistrates with power to punish. “With us”: the narrator writes as an eyewitness. Pionius plays on παιδεία, “learning” and “discipline.” ### Citation (SBL) Act. 10 (Gebhardt, 104; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-10). ## Martyrdom of Pionius and Companions 11 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-11 - Source: Gebhardt, 104 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: In prison they refuse gifts and are moved to the inner cell, which they welcome. ### Greek text Ταῦτα εἰπόντος αὐτοῦ μόλις ἐκ τοῦ ὄχλου ἐσφιγμένους ὥστε συμπνίγεσϑαν ἐνέβαλον αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν φυλακὴν παραδόντες τοῖς δεσμοφύλαξιν. εἰσελϑόντες δὲ εὗρον κατακεκλεισμένον πρεσβύτερον τῆς καϑολιχῆς ἐκκλησίας ὀνόματι Λίμνον καὶ γυναῖχα Μακεδονίαν ἀπὸ κώμης Καρίνης καὶ ἕνα ἐκ τῆς αἱρέσεως τῶν Φρυγῶν ὀνόματι Εὐτυχιανόν. ὄντων οὖν αὐτῶν κατὰ τὸ αὐτὸ ἔγνωσαν οἱ ἐπὶ τῆς φυλακῆς ὅτι τὰ φερόμενα ὑπὸ τῶν πιστῶν οὐ λαμβάνουσιν οἱ περὶ τὸν Πιόνιον. ἔλεγε γὰρ ὁ Πιόνιος ὅτι: Ὅτε πλειόνων ἐχρήζομεν οὐδένα ἐβαρήσαμεν, καὶ νῦν πῶς ληψόμεϑα; ὠργίσϑησαν οὖν οἱ δεσμοφύλακες ἐπιφιλανϑρωπευόμενοι ἐκ τῶν ἐρχομένων αὐτοῖς, καὶ ὀργισϑέντες ἔβαλον αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ ἐσώτερον, πρὸς τὸ μὴ ἔχειν αὐτοὺς τὴν σύμπασαν φιλανϑρωπίαν. δοξάσαντες οὖν τὸν ϑεὸν ἡσύχασαν παρέχοντες αὐτοῖς τὰ συνήϑη, ὡς μεταγνῶναι τὸν ἐπάνω τῆς φυλακῆς καὶ πάλιν μεταγαγεῖν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὰ ἔμπροσϑεν. οἱ δὲ ἔμειναν εἰπόντες· Δόξα τῷ κυρίῳ, συνέβη γὰρ ἡμῖν τοῦτο εἰς ἀγαϑόν. ἄδειαν γὰρ ἔσχον τοῦ φιλολογεῖν καὶ προσεύχεσϑαι ἡμέρας καὶ νυχτός. ### English translation (Claude) When he had said this, they were with difficulty—so hemmed in by the crowd that they were almost suffocated—thrown into the prison and handed over to the jailers. Entering, they found shut up there a presbyter of the catholic church named Limnus, a woman Macedonia from the village of Karine, and one of the sect of the Phrygians named Eutychian. While they were together, those in charge of the prison learned that Pionius and his companions would not accept what the faithful brought. For Pionius said, “When we needed more, we burdened no one; and how shall we accept now?” So the jailers were angry, since they profited from the gifts that came to the prisoners, and in their anger they put them into the inner part, so that they would not have the benefit of all the generosity. Glorifying God, they kept quiet, paying them the usual fees, so that the head of the prison changed his mind and moved them back to the front. But they remained where they were, saying, “Glory to the Lord; for this has turned out for our good. For we have freedom to study and to pray day and night.” ### Translation notes - The “sect of the Phrygians” is Montanism. ### Citation (SBL) Act. 11 (Gebhardt, 104; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-11). ## 12 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-12 - Source: Gebhardt, 105 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Pionius laments over the Christians who have lapsed. ### Greek text Ὅμως δ᾽ οὖν καὶ ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ πολλοὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν ἤρχοντο πείϑειν ϑέλοντες, καὶ ἀκούοντες αὐτῶν τὰς ἀποκρίσεις ἐϑαύμαζον εἰσήεσαν δὲ καὶ ὅσοι κατὰ ἀνάγκην ἦσαν σεσυρμένοι τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἀδελφῶν πολὺν κλαυϑμὸν ποιοῦντες, ὡς μέγα πένϑος καϑ᾽ ἑκάστην ὥραν ἔχειν αὐτούς, μάλιστα ἐπὶ τοῖς εὐλαβέσι καὶ ἐν καλῇ πολιτείᾳ γενομένοις, ὡς καὶ κλαίοντα τὸν Πιόνιον λέγειν" Καινῇ κολάσει κολάζομαι, κατὰ μέλος τέμνομαι ὁρῶν τοὺς μαργαρίτας τῆς ἐκκλησίας ὑπὸ τῶν χοίρων καταπατουμένους καὶ τοὺς ἀστέρας τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὑπὸ τῆς οὐρᾶς τοῦ δράκοντος εἰς τὴν γῆν σεσυρμένους, τὴν ἄμπελον ἣν ἐφύτευσεν ἡ δεξιὰ τοῦ ϑεοῦ ὑπὸ τοῦ ὑὸς τοῦ μονιοῦ λυμαινομένην᾽ καὶ ταύτην νῦν τρυγῶσι πάντες οἱ παραπορευόμενοι τὴν ὁδόν τεκνία μου, οὓς πάλιν ὠδίνω ἕως οὗ μορφωϑῇ Χριστὸς ἐν ὑμῖν" οἱ τρυφεροί μου ἐπορεύϑησαν ὁδοὺς τραχείας. νῦν ἡ Σωσάννα ἐνεδρεύϑη ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνόμων πρεσβυτέρων͵ νῦν ἀνακαλύπτουσι τὴν τρυφερὰν καὶ καλήν, ὅπως ἐμπλησϑῶσι τοῦ κάλλους αὐτῆς καὶ ψευδῆ καταμαρτυρήσωσιν αὐτῆς. νῦν ὁ Ἀμὰν κωϑωνίζεται, Ἐσϑὴρ δὲ καὶ πᾶσα πόλις ταράσσεται. νῦν οὐ λιμὸς ἄρτου οὐδὲ δίψα ὕδατος, ἀλλ᾽ ἢ τοῦ ἀκοῦσαι λόγον κυρίου. ἢ πάντως ἐνύσταξαν πᾶσαι αἱ παρϑένοι καὶ ἐκάϑευδον; ἐπληρώϑη τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ" Ἆρα ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐλθὼν εὑρήσει τὴν πίστιν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς; ἀχούω δὲ ὅτι καὶ εἷς ἕκαστος τὸν πλησίον παραδίδωσιν, ἵνα πληρωϑῇ τὸ Παραδώσει ἀδελφὸς ἀδελφὸν εἰς ϑάνατον. ἄρα ἐξητήσατο ὁ σατανᾶς ἡμᾶς τοῦ σινιάσαι ὡς τὸν σῖτον· πύρινον δὲ τὸ πτύον ἐν τῇ χειρὶ τοῦ ϑεοῦ λόγου τοῦ διαχαϑᾶραι τὴν ἅλωνα... τάχα ἐμωράνϑη τὸ ἅλας καὶ ἐβλήϑη ἔξω καὶ καταπατεῖται ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων. ἀλλὰ μή τις ὑπολάβη, τεκνία, ὅτι ἠδυνάτησεν ὁ κύριος, ἀλλʼ ἡμεῖς. Μὴ ἀδυνατεῖ γάρ, φησίν, ἡ χείρ μου τοῦ ἐξελέσθαι; ἢ ἐβάρυνε τὸ οὖς μου ⟨τοῦ⟩ μὴ εἰσακοῦσαι; ἀλλὰ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα ὑμῶν διϊστῶσιν ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ τοῦ ϑεοῦ καὶ ὑμῶν. ἠδικήσαμεν γάρ, ἔνιοι δὲ καὶ καταφρονήσαντες ἠνομήσαμεν ἀλλήλους δάκνοντες καὶ ἀλλήλους καταιτιώμενοι. ὑπὸ ἀλλήλων ἀνηλώϑημεν. ἔδει δὲ ἡμῶν τὴν δικαιοσύνην περισσεύειν μᾶλλον πλέον τῶν γραμματέων καὶ Φαρισαίων. ### English translation (Claude) Nevertheless, even in the prison many of the Gentiles came, wishing to persuade them, and hearing their answers they marveled. There came in also those of the Christian brothers who had been dragged off under compulsion, weeping greatly, so that the confessors had great grief every hour, especially over those who had been devout and had lived good lives; so that Pionius, weeping, said: “I am punished with a new punishment; I am cut limb from limb, seeing the pearls of the church trampled by swine, the stars of heaven dragged to the earth by the tail of the dragon, and the vine which the right hand of God planted ravaged by the wild boar; and now all who pass along the way pluck its fruit. My little children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you; my delicate ones have gone along rough ways. Now Susanna is ambushed by the lawless elders; now they uncover the delicate and beautiful one, that they may take their fill of her beauty and bear false witness against her. Now Haman carouses, and Esther and the whole city are troubled. Now it is not a famine of bread nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the word of the Lord. Or have all the virgins surely grown drowsy and fallen asleep? The word of the Lord Jesus is fulfilled: When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth? And I hear that each one betrays his neighbor, so that the saying may be fulfilled, Brother will betray brother to death. So Satan has demanded us, to sift us like wheat; but the winnowing fork in the hand of God the Word is fiery, to clear the threshing floor. Perhaps the salt has lost its savor and has been thrown out and is trampled underfoot by men. But let no one suppose, little children, that the Lord was powerless; it is we who were. Is my hand powerless to deliver, he says? Or has my ear grown heavy, ⟨so as⟩ not to hear? But your sins separate between me, God, and you. For we have done wrong, and some of us, despising, have acted lawlessly, biting one another and accusing one another; we have been consumed by one another. Yet our righteousness ought to have far exceeded that of the scribes and Pharisees. ### Scripture references - Matt 7:6: allusion, medium confidence - Rev 12:4: allusion, high confidence - Ps 80:13 (79:14 LXX): allusion, high confidence - Gal 4:19: quotation, high confidence - Esth 3:15: allusion, medium confidence - Amos 8:11: quotation, high confidence - Matt 25:5: allusion, medium confidence - Luke 18:8: quotation, high confidence - Matt 10:21: quotation, high confidence - Luke 22:31: allusion, high confidence - Matt 3:12: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 5:13: allusion, high confidence - Isa 59:1: quotation, high confidence - Gal 5:15: allusion, high confidence - Matt 5:20: allusion, high confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Bar 4:26 (Baruch): quotation, high confidence - Sus (Susanna): allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Matt 7:6; Rev 12:4; Ps 80:8–13 (LXX 79:9–14); Gal 4:19; Bar 4:26; Sus 1–41; Esth 3:15; Amos 8:11; Matt 25:5; Luke 18:8; Matt 10:21; Luke 22:31; Matt 3:12; 5:13; Isa 59:1–2; Gal 5:15; Matt 5:20. ### Citation (SBL) Act. 12 (Gebhardt, 105; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-12). ## 13 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-13 - Source: Gebhardt, 105 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Pionius warns the lapsed against Jewish invitations and answers the charge that Christ was a mere man who died a violent death. ### Greek text ἀκούω δὲ ὅτι καί τινας ὑμῶν Ἰουδαῖοι καλοῦσιν εἰς συναγωγάς" διὸ προσέχετε μή ποτε ὑμῶν καὶ μεῖζον καὶ ἑκούσιον ἁμάρτημα ἅψηται, μηδέ τις τὴν ἀναφαίρετον ἁμαρτίαν τὴν εἰς τὴν βλασφημίαν τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος ἁμαρτήσῃ. μὴ γίνεσϑε ἅμα αὐτοῖς ἄρχοντες Σοδόμων καὶ λαὸς Γομόρρας, ὦν αἱ χεῖρες αἵματος πλήρεις. ἡμεῖς δὲ οὔτε προφήτας ἀπεκτείναμεν οὐδὲ τὸν Χριστὸν παρεδώκαμεν καὶ ἐσταυρώσαμεν. καὶ τί πολλὰ λέγω ὑμῖν; μνημονεύετε ὧν ἠκούσατε ⟨καὶ νῦν περαίνετε ἃ ἐμάϑετε⟩. ἐπεὶ κἀκεῖνο ἠκούσατε ὅτι φασὶν οἱ Ιουδαῖοι" Ὁ Χριστὸς ἄνθρωπος ἦν καὶ ἀνεπαύσατο ὡς βιοϑανής. εἰπάτωσαν οὖν ἡμῖν, ποίου βιοϑανοῦς πᾶς ὁ κόσμος μαϑητῶν ἐπληρώϑη; ποίου βιοϑανοῦς ἀνθρώπου οἱ μαϑηταὶ καὶ ἄλλοι μετʼ αὐτοὺς τοσοῦτοι ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ διδασκάλου αὐτῶν ἀπέϑανον; ποίου βιοϑανοῦς ἀνϑρώπου τῷ ὀνόματι τοσούτοις ἔτεσι δαιμόνια ἐξεβλήϑη καὶ ἐκβάλλεται καὶ ἐκβληϑήσεται; καὶ ὅσα ἄλλα μεγαλεῖα ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ τῇ καϑολικῇ γίνεται. ἀγνοοῦσι δὲ ὅτι βιοϑανής ἔστιν ὁ ἰδίᾳ προαιρέσει ἐξάγων ἑαυτὸν τοῦ βίου. λέγουσι δὲ καὶ νεκυομαντείαν πεποιηκέναι καὶ ἀνηγειοχέναι τὸν Χριστὸν μετὰ τοῦ σταυροῦ. καὶ ποία γραφὴ τῶν παρ᾽ αὐτοῖς καὶ παρ᾽ ἡμῖν ταῦτα περὶ Χριστοῦ λέγει; τίς δὲ τῶν δικαίων ποτὲ εἶπεν; οὐχ οἱ λέγοντες ἄνομοί εἶσι; πῶς δὲ ἀνόμοις λέγουσι πιστεύσῃ τις, καὶ οὐχὶ τοῖς δικαίοις μᾶλλον; ### English translation (Claude) I hear too that the Jews are inviting some of you into synagogues. Therefore take care that a greater and voluntary sin does not lay hold of you, and that no one commits the unforgivable sin, the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Do not become with them rulers of Sodom and people of Gomorrah, whose hands are full of blood. We did not kill the prophets, nor did we betray Christ and crucify him. But why should I say much to you? Remember what you have heard, ⟨and now carry out what you have learned⟩. For you have also heard that the Jews say, “Christ was a man, and he came to rest as one who died a violent death.” Let them tell us, then: of what man who died a violent death has the whole world been filled with disciples? Of what man who died a violent death did the disciples, and so many others after them, die for the name of their teacher? By the name of what man who died a violent death have demons been cast out for so many years, and are being cast out, and will be cast out?—and all the other mighty works that take place in the catholic church. They do not know that the one who dies a violent death is he who takes himself out of life by his own choice. They also say that necromancy was practiced and that Christ was brought up with his cross. And what scripture, theirs or ours, says these things about Christ? Who of the righteous ever said them? Are not those who say them lawless? How can anyone believe the lawless when they speak, and not rather the righteous? ### Scripture references - Matt 12:31: allusion, high confidence - Isa 1:10: allusion, high confidence - Isa 1:15: allusion, high confidence - 1 Thess 2:15: echo, medium confidence - Rev 3:3: echo, low confidence ### Translation notes - Matt 12:31; Isa 1:10, 15; cf. 1 Thess 2:15; Rev 3:3. The words in angle brackets are the editor's supplement. Pionius's polemic is translated as written; it responds to claims he attributes to the Jews of Smyrna, which chapter 14 addresses. ### Citation (SBL) Act. 13 (Gebhardt, 105; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-13). ## Martyrdom of Pionius and Companions 14 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-14 - Source: Gebhardt, 107 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: From Saul and the medium of Endor Pionius argues that demons, not the dead, appear at necromancy, and urges the lapsed to repent. ### Greek text Ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν τοῦτο τὸ ψεῦσμα, ὃ λέγουσιν ὡς νῦν γεγονός, ἐκ παιδὸς ἡλικίας ἤχουον λεγόντων Ἰουδαίων. ἔστι δὲ γεγραμμένον ὅτι ὁ Σαοὺλ ἐπηρώτησεν ἐν τῷ ἐγγαστριμύϑῳ καὶ εἶπεν τῇ γυναικὶ τῇ οὕτω μαντευομένῃ ᾿Ανάγαγέ μοι τὸν Σαμουὴλ τὸν προφήτην. καὶ εἶδεν ἡ γυνὴ ἄνδρα ὄρϑιον ἀναβαίνοντα ἐν διπλοῖδι. καὶ ἔγνω Σαοὺλ ὅτι οὗτος Σαμουήλ, καὶ ἐπηρώτησε περὶ ὧν ἐβούλετο. τί οὖν; ἠδύνατο ἡ ἐγγαστρίμυϑος ἀναγαγεῖν τὸν Σαμουὴλ ἢ οὔ; εἰ μὲν οὖν λέγουσιν ὅτι Ναί, ὡμολογήκασι τὴν ἀδικίαν πλέον ἰσχύειν τῆς δικαιοσύνης, καὶ ἐπικατάρατοί εἰσιν. ἐὰν δὲ εἴπωσιν ὅτι οὐκ ἀνήγαγεν, ἄρα οὖν οὐδὲ τὸν Χριστὸν τὸν κύριον. ἡ δὲ ὑπόδειξις τοῦδε τοῦ λόγου ἐστὶ τοιαύτῃ. πῶς ἠδύνατο ἡ ἄδικος ἐγγαστρίμυϑος, ἡ δαίμων͵ ἀναγαγεῖν τὴν τοῦ ἁγίου προφήτου ψυχὴν τὴν ἀναπαυομένην ἐν κόλποις ᾿Αβραάμ; τὸ γὰρ ἔλαττον ὑπὸ τοῦ κρείττονος κελεύεται. οὔκουν ὡς ἐκεῖνον ὑπολαμβάνουσιν ἀνηνέχϑη ὁ Σαμουήλ; μὴ γένοιτο" ἀλλ᾽ ἔστι τοιοῦτό τι. παντὶ τῷ ἀποστάτῃ γενομένῳ ϑεοῦ οἱ τῆς ἀποστασίας παρέπονται ἄγγελοι, καὶ παντὶ φαρμακῷ καὶ μάγῳ καὶ γόητι καὶ μάντει διαβολικοὶ ὑπουργοῦσι λειτουργοί. καὶ οὐ ϑαυμαστόνʼ φησὶ γὰρ ὁ ἀπόστολος: Αὐτὸς ὁ σατανᾶς μετασχηματίζεται εἰς ἄγγελον φωτός, οὐ μέγα οὖν εἰ καὶ οἱ διάκονοι αὐτοῦ μετασχηματίζονται ὡς διάκονοι δικαιοσύνης. ἐπεὶ πῶς καὶ ὁ ἀντίχριστος ὡς ὁ Χριστὸς φανήσεται; οὐχ ὅτι οὖν ἀνήγαγε τὸν Σαμουήλ, ἀλλὰ τῇ ἐγγαστριμύϑῳ καὶ τῷ ἀποστάτῃ Σαοὺλ δαίμονες ταρταραῖοι ἐξομοιωϑέντες τῷ Σαμουὴλ ἐνεφάνισαν ἑαυτούς. διδάξει δὲ αὐτὴ ἡ γραφή᾽ λέγει γὰρ δῆϑεν ὁ ὀφϑεὶς Σαμουὴλ τῷ Σαούλ Καὶ σὺ σήμερον μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ ἔσῃ. πῶς δύναται ὁ εἰδωλολάτρης Σαοὺλ εὑρεϑῆναι μετὰ Σαμουήλ; ἢ δῆλον ὅτι μετὰ τῶν ἀνόμων καὶ τῶν ἀπατησάντων αὐτὸν καὶ κυριευσάντων αὐτοῦ δαιμόνων. ἄρα οὖν οὐκ ἣν Σαμουήλ. εἰ δὲ ἀδύνατόν ἐστι τὴν τοῦ ἁγίου προφήτου ἀναγαγεῖν ψυχήν, πῶς τὸν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς ᾿Ιησοῦν Χριστόν, ὃν ἀναλαμβανόμενον εἶδον οἱ μαϑηταὶ καὶ ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ ἀρνήσασθαι αὐτὸν ἀπέϑανον, οἷόν τέ ἔστιν ἐκ γῆς ἀνερχόμενον ὀφϑῆναι; εἰ δὲ ταῦτα μὴ δύνασϑε ἀντιτιϑέναι αὐτοῖς, λέγετε πρὸς αὐτούς: Ὅπως ἂν ἢ, ἡμεῖς ὑμῶν τῶν χωρὶς ἀνάγκης ἐκπορνευσάντων καὶ εἰδωλολατρησάντων κρείττονές ἐσμεν. καὶ μὴ συγκατάϑεσϑε αὐτοῖς ἐν ἀπογνώσει γενόμενοι, ἀδελφοί, ἀλλὰ τῇ μετανοίᾳ προσμείνατε τῷ Χριστῷ· ἐλεήμων γάρ ἐστὶ δέξασϑαι πάλιν ὑμᾶς ὡς τέκνα. ### English translation (Claude) I myself have heard this lie, which they tell as though it had happened now, from Jews ever since I was a child. It is written that Saul inquired of the medium and said to the woman who divined in this way, Bring up for me Samuel the prophet. And the woman saw a man coming up, standing upright, in a double cloak. And Saul knew that this was Samuel, and he asked about what he wished. What then? Could the medium bring up Samuel or not? If they say Yes, they have confessed that unrighteousness is stronger than righteousness, and they are accursed. But if they say that she did not bring him up, then neither ⟨was⟩ Christ the Lord ⟨brought up⟩. The demonstration of this argument is as follows. How could the unrighteous medium, the demon, bring up the soul of the holy prophet, which was resting in the bosom of Abraham? For the lesser is commanded by the greater. Was Samuel, then, brought up as they suppose? By no means; but it is something like this. Every apostate from God is attended by the angels of apostasy, and devilish ministers serve every sorcerer, magician, enchanter, and diviner. And it is no wonder; for the apostle says, Satan himself disguises himself as an angel of light; so it is no great thing if his ministers also disguise themselves as ministers of righteousness. How else will the Antichrist too appear as the Christ? So it was not that she brought up Samuel; rather, demons from Tartarus, made to look like Samuel, showed themselves to the medium and to the apostate Saul. Scripture itself will teach this; for the supposed Samuel who appeared says to Saul, You too will be with me today. How can Saul the idolater be found with Samuel? Plainly, with the lawless demons who had deceived him and lorded it over him. So it was not Samuel. And if it is impossible to bring up the soul of the holy prophet, how is it possible for Jesus Christ, who is in heaven—whom the disciples saw taken up, and for whom they died rather than deny him—to be seen coming up from the earth? If you cannot set these arguments against them, say to them: However that may be, we are better than you, who committed fornication and idolatry without being compelled. And do not agree with them, brothers, falling into despair, but persevere in repentance toward Christ; for he is merciful, to receive you again as children.” ### Scripture references - 1 Sam 28:11: quotation, high confidence - 1 Sam 28:14: allusion, high confidence - 1 Sam 28:19: quotation, high confidence - Luke 16:22: allusion, medium confidence - Heb 7:7: allusion, medium confidence - 2 Cor 11:14: quotation, high confidence - Acts 1:9: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - 1 Sam 28:7–19; Luke 16:22; Heb 7:7; 2 Cor 11:14–15; Acts 1:9–11. On the medium of Endor compare Origen's homily on 1 Sam 28, which takes the opposite view. ### Citation (SBL) Act. 14 (Gebhardt, 107; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-14). ## Martyrdom of Pionius and Companions 15 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-15 - Source: Gebhardt, 109 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: After Euctemon lapses, the officials drag Pionius by force toward the temple. ### Greek text Ταῦτα δὲ αὐτοῦ λαλήσαντος καὶ ἐπισπουδάσαντος αὐτοὺς ἐξελθεῖν ἐκ τῆς φυλακῆς ἐπέστησαν αὐτοῖς ὁ νεωκόρος Πολέμων καὶ ὁ ἵππαρχος Θεόφιλος μετὰ διωγμιτῶν καὶ ὄχλου πολλοῦ λέγοντες· Ἴδε Εὐκτήμων ὁ προεστὼς ὑμῶν ἐπέϑυσεν, πείσϑητε καὶ ὑμεῖς" ἐρωτῶσιν ὑμᾶς Λέπιδος καὶ Εὐκτήμων ἐν τῷ Νεμεσείῳ. Πιόνιος εἶπεν: Τοὺς βληϑέντας εἰς τὴν φυλακὴν ἀκόλουθόν ἔστι περιμένειν τὸν ἀνθύπατον" τί ἑαυτοῖς τὰ ἐκείνου μέρη ἐπιτρέπετε; ἀπῆλϑον οὖν πολλὰ εἰπόντες, καὶ πάλιν ἦλθον μετὰ διωγμιτῶν καὶ ὄχλου, καί φησι Θεόφιλος ὁ ἵππαρχος δόλῳ᾽ Πέπομφεν ὁ ἀνϑύπατος ἵνα εἰς Ἔφεσον ἀπαχϑῆτε. Πιόνιος εἶπεν· Ἐλθέτω ὁ πεμφϑεὶς καὶ παραλαβέτω ἡμᾶς. ὁ ἵππαρχος εἶπεν᾽ ᾿Αλλὰ πρίγκεψ ἐστὶν ἀξιόλογος" εἰ δὲ οὐ ϑέλεις, ἄρχων εἰμί. καὶ ἐπιλαβόμενος αὐτοῦ ἔσφιγξε τὸ μαφόριον περὶ τὸν τράχηλον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπέδωκε διωγμίτῃ, ὡς μικροῦ δεῖν αὐτὸν πνῖξαι. ἦλϑον οὖν εἰς τὴν ἀγορὰν καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ καὶ ἡ Σαβῖνα, καὶ κραζόντων αὐτῶν μεγάλῃ φωνῇ: Χριστιανοί ἐσμεν, καὶ χαμαὶ ῥιπτόντων ἑαυτοὺς πρὸς τὸ μὴ ἀπενεχϑῆναι εἰς τὸ εἰδωλεῖον, ἓξ διωγμῖται τὸν Πιόνιον ἐβάσταζον κατὰ κεφαλῆς, ὡς μὴ δυναμένους κατέχειν αὐτὸν τοῖς γόνασι λακτίζειν εἰς τὰς πλευρὰς καὶ τὰς χεῖρας καὶ τοὺς πόδας αὐτῶν ὀχλάσαι. ### English translation (Claude) When he had said this and was urging them to leave the prison, Polemon the temple-warden and Theophilus the cavalry commander came upon them with police and a large crowd, saying, “Look, Euctemon your leader has sacrificed; you too, obey. Lepidus and Euctemon are asking for you in the Nemeseion.” Pionius said, “Those who have been thrown into prison should properly wait for the proconsul; why do you take his functions on yourselves?” So they went away after saying a great deal, and came back again with police and a crowd, and Theophilus the cavalry commander said with guile, “The proconsul has sent for you to be taken to Ephesus.” Pionius said, “Let the man who was sent come and take us.” The cavalry commander said, “But he is a princeps of some standing; and if you will not come, I am a magistrate.” And seizing him, he twisted his scarf round his neck and handed him over to a policeman, so that he nearly strangled him. So they came into the marketplace, the others and Sabina too; and as they cried out with a loud voice, “We are Christians,” and threw themselves on the ground so as not to be carried off into the idol-temple, six policemen carried Pionius head downward, since they could not hold him as he kicked them in the ribs with his knees and battered their hands and feet. ### Translation notes - Euctemon, “your leader,” was evidently the bishop of Smyrna. A princeps here is a senior officer. ### Citation (SBL) Act. 15 (Gebhardt, 109; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-15). ## Martyrdom of Pionius and Companions 16 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-16 - Source: Gebhardt, 109 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: At the altar Pionius confesses Christ, sent for the world's salvation. ### Greek text Βοῶντα οὖν ἤγαγον αὐτὸν βαστάζοντες καὶ ἔϑηκαν χαμαὶ παρὰ τὸν βωμόν, ᾧ ἔτι παρειστήκει Εὐκτήμων εἰδωλολατρικῶς. καὶ ὁ Λέπιδος εἶπεν· Διὰ τί ὑμεῖς οὐ ϑύετε, Πιόνιε; οἱ περὶ Πιόνιον εἶπαν" Ὅτι Χριστιανοί ἐσμεν. Λέπιδος εἶπεν· Ποῖον ϑεὸν σέβεσϑε; Πιόνιος εἶπεν. Τὸν ποιήσαντα τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ τὴν ϑάλασσαν καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς. Λέπιδος εἶπεν· Ὁ οὖν ἐσταυρωμένος ἐστίν; Πιόνιος εἶπεν. Ὃν ἀπέστειλεν ὁ ϑεὸς ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ τοῦ κόσμου. οἱ δὲ ἄρχοντες μέγα βοήσαντες ἀνεγέλασαν καὶ ὁ Λέπιδος αὐτῷ κατηράσατο. ὁ δὲ Πιόνιος ἐβόα: Θεοσέβειαν αἰδέσϑητε, δικαιοσύνην τιμήσατε, τὸ ὁμοιοπαϑὲς ἐπίγνωτε, τοῖς νόμοις ὑμῶν κατακολουϑήσατε. ἡμᾶς κολάζετε ὡς μὴ πειϑομένους, καὶ ὑμεῖς ἀπειϑεῖτε. κολάζειν ἐκελεύσϑητε, οὐ βιάζεσθαι. ### English translation (Claude) So they carried him, shouting, and set him on the ground beside the altar, at which Euctemon was still standing in idolatrous fashion. And Lepidus said, “Why do you not sacrifice, Pionius?” Pionius and his companions said, “Because we are Christians.” Lepidus said, “What god do you worship?” Pionius said, “Him who made heaven and earth and the sea and all that is in them.” Lepidus said, “Is that the one who was crucified?” Pionius said, “He whom God sent for the salvation of the world.” The magistrates gave a great shout and laughed, and Lepidus cursed him. But Pionius cried out, “Reverence godliness, honor justice, recognize our common nature, follow your own laws. You punish us as disobedient, yet you yourselves disobey: you were ordered to punish, not to use force.” ### Scripture references - Acts 4:24: echo, medium confidence - John 3:17: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Cf. Acts 4:24; John 3:17. ### Citation (SBL) Act. 16 (Gebhardt, 109; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-16). ## 17 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-17 - Source: Gebhardt, 110 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Pionius silences the rhetor Rufinus by appeal to Socrates. ### Greek text Καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν Ῥουφῖνός τις παρεστὼς τῶν ἐν τῇ ῥητορικῇ διαφέρειν δοχούντων εἶπεν· Παῦσαι, Πιόνιε, μὴ κενοδόξει. ὁ δὲ πρὸς αὐτόν" αὗταί σου αἱ ῥητορεῖαι; ταῦτά σου τὰ βιβλία; ταῦτα Σωκράτης ὑπὸ ᾿Αϑηναίων οὐκ ἔπαϑεν. νῦν πάντες Ἄνυτοι καὶ Μέλητοι. ἆρα Σωκράτης καὶ ᾿Αριστείδης καὶ ᾿Ανάξαρχος καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ ἐκενοδόξουν καϑ᾽ ὑμᾶς, ὅτι καὶ φιλοσοφίαν καὶ δικαιοσύνην καὶ καρτερίαν ἤσκησαν; ὁ δὲ Ῥουφῖνος ἀκούσας οὕτως ἐσιώπησεν. ### English translation (Claude) And Rufinus, who was standing by, one of those reputed to excel in rhetoric, said to him, “Stop, Pionius; do not seek empty glory.” He said to him, “Are these your rhetorical exercises? Are these your books? Even Socrates did not suffer this from the Athenians. Now everyone is an Anytus and a Meletus. Were Socrates and Aristides and Anaxarchus and the rest seeking empty glory, in your view, because they practiced philosophy and justice and endurance?” Rufinus, hearing this, fell silent. ### Translation notes - Anytus and Meletus were Socrates's accusers. ### Citation (SBL) Act. 17 (Gebhardt, 110; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-17). ## 18 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-18 - Source: Gebhardt, 110 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The garlands are torn off; they return to prison; Euctemon's apostasy is described. ### Greek text Εἷς δέ τις τῶν ἐν ὑπεροχῇ καὶ δόξη κοσμικῇ καὶ ὁ Λέπιδος σὺν αὐτῷ εἶπονʼ Μὴ κρᾶζε, Πιόνιε. ὃ δὲ πρὸς αὐτόνʼ Καὶ μὴ βιάζουʼ πῦρ ἄναψον καὶ ἑαυτοῖς ἀναβαίνομεν. Τερέντιος δέ τις ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄχλου ἀνέκραξεν" Οἴδατε ὅτι οὗτος καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ἀνασοβεῖ ἵνα μὴ ϑύσωσιν; λοιπὸν οὖν στεφάνους ἐπετίϑεσαν αὐτοῖς οἱ δὲ διασπῶντες αὐτοὺς ἀπέρριπτον. ὁ δὲ δημόσιος εἱστήκει τὸ εἰδωλόϑυτον κρατῶνʼ οὐ μέντοι ἐτόλμησεν ἐγγύς τινος προσελϑεῖν, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸς ἐνώπιον πάντων κατέφαγεν αὐτὸ ὁ δημόσιος. κραζόντων δὲ αὐτῶνʼ Χριστιανοί ἐσμεν, μὴ εὑρίσκοντες τὸ τί ποιήσωσιν αὐτοῖς ἀνέπεμψαν αὐτοὺς πάλιν εἰς τὴν φυλακήν, καὶ ὁ ὄχλος ἐνέπαιξε καὶ ἐρράπιζεν αὐτούς. καὶ τῇ Σαβίνη τις λέγει· Σὺ εἰς τὴν πατρίδα σου οὐκ ἠδύνω ἀποϑανεῖν, ἡ δὲ εἶπεν Τίς ἐστιν ἡ πατρίς μου; ἐγὼ Πιονίου ἀδελφή εἰμι. τῷ δὲ ᾿Ασκληπιάδη Τερέντιος ὁ τότε ἐπιτελῶν τὰ κυνήγια εἶπεν" Σὲ αἰτήσομαι κατάδικον εἰς τὰς μονομάχους φιλοτιμίας τοῦ υἱοῦ μου. ὁ δὲ ᾿Ασκληπιάδης πρὸς αὐτόν: Οὐ φοβεῖς με ἐν τούτῳ. καὶ οὕτως εἰσήχϑησαν εἰς τὴν φυλακήν. καὶ εἰσιόντι τῷ Πιονίῳ εἰς τὴν φυλακὴν εἷς τῶν διωγμιτῶν ἔκρουσε κατὰ τῆς κεφαλῆς μεγάλως ὥστε τραυματίσαι αὐτόνʼ ὁ δὲ ἡσύχασεν. αἱ χεῖρες δὲ τοῦ πατάξαντος αὐτὸν καὶ τὰ πλευρὰ ἐφλέγμαναν ὥστε μόλις αὐτὸν ἀναπνεῖν. εἰσελϑόντες δὲ ἐδόξασαν τὸν ϑεὸν ὅτι ἔμειναν ἐν ὀνόματι Χριστοῦ ἀβλαβεῖς καὶ οὐκ ἐκράτησεν αὐτῶν ὁ ἐχϑρὸς οὐδὲ Εὐκτήμων ὁ ὑποκριτής, καὶ διετέλουν ἐν ψαλμοῖς καὶ εὐχαῖς ἐπιστηρίζοντες ἑαυτούς. ἐλέγετο δὲ μετὰ ταῦτα ὅτι ἠξιώκει ὁ Εὐκτήμων ἀναγκασϑῆναι ἡμᾶς, καὶ ὅτε αὐτὸς ἀπήνεγκε τὸ ὀίδιον εἰς τὸ Νεμεσεῖον͵ καὶ μετὰ φαγεῖν ἐξ αὐτοῦ ὀπτηϑὲν ἠϑέλησεν ὅλον εἰς τὸν οἶκον ἀποφέρειν. ὡς ἐγκαταγέλαστον αὐτὸν διὰ τὴν ἐπιορκίαν γενέσθαι, ὅτε ὥμοσε τὴν τοῦ αὐτοκράτορος τύχην καὶ τὰς Νεμέσεις στεφανωϑεὶς μὴ εἶναι Χριστιανὸς μηδὲ ὡς οἱ λοιποὶ παραλιπεῖν τε τῶν πρὸς τὴν ἐξάρνησιν. ### English translation (Claude) One of those of high rank and worldly reputation, and Lepidus with him, said, “Do not shout, Pionius.” He said to him, “And do not use force; light a fire, and we will climb onto it of our own accord.” A certain Terentius from the crowd shouted, “Do you know that this man stirs up the others too, so that they will not sacrifice?” Then they put garlands on them, but they tore them apart and threw them away. The public slave stood holding the sacrificial meat; but he did not dare to come near any of them, and the public slave himself ate it in front of everyone. As they kept crying out, “We are Christians,” not knowing what to do with them, they sent them back to the prison; and the crowd mocked them and slapped them. And someone said to Sabina, “Could you not have died in your own country?” She said, “What is my country? I am Pionius's sister.” And to Asclepiades, Terentius, who was then putting on the hunting shows, said, “I will ask for you as a condemned man for my son's gladiatorial shows.” Asclepiades said to him, “You do not frighten me with that.” And so they were brought into the prison. As Pionius was going into the prison, one of the policemen struck him violently on the head, so that he wounded him; but he kept quiet. The hands of the man who struck him and his sides became inflamed, so that he could scarcely breathe. Once inside, they glorified God that they had remained unharmed in the name of Christ, and that neither the enemy nor Euctemon the hypocrite had overcome them; and they went on strengthening themselves with psalms and prayers. Afterward it was said that Euctemon had asked that we be compelled, and that he himself had brought the lamb to the Nemeseion, and after eating of it roasted he wanted to take the whole of it home; so that he became a laughingstock for his perjury, since, wearing a garland, he had sworn by the Fortune of the emperor and the Nemeses that he was not a Christian, and that he was not, like the others, leaving out anything that belonged to the denial. ### Translation notes - The narrator again writes “we” as an eyewitness. The Nemeses were the twin goddesses of Smyrna. ### Citation (SBL) Act. 18 (Gebhardt, 110; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-18). ## Martyrdom of Pionius and Companions 19 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-19 - Source: Gebhardt, 111 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The proconsul Quintilian examines Pionius at Smyrna (12 March 250). ### Greek text Μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἦλθεν ὁ ἀνϑύπατος εἰς τὴν Σμύρναν, καὶ προσαχϑεὶς ὃ Πιόνιος ἐμαρτύρησε, γενομένων ὑπομνημάτων (ὑπὸ τῶν ἐπιτεταγμένων, πρὸ τεσσάρων εἰδῶν Μαρτίων. καϑεσϑεὶς πρὸ βήματος Κυντιλλιανὸς ἀνθύπατος ἐπηρώτησε᾽ Τίς λέγῃ; ἀπεκρίϑη" Πιόνιος. ὁ δὲ ἀνθύπατος εἶπεν· Ἐπιϑύεις; ἀπεκρίνατο· Οὔ. ὁ ἀνϑύπατος ἐπηρώτησεν᾽ Ποίαν ϑρησχείαν ἢ αἵρεσιν ἔχεις; ἀπεχρίνατο᾽ Τῶν καϑολικῶν. ἐπηρώτησε. Ποίων καϑολικῶν; ἀπεχρίνατο᾽ Τῆς καϑολικῆς ἐκκλησίας εἰμὶ πρεσβύτερος. ὁ ἀνϑύπατος᾽ Σὺ εἶ ὁ διδάσκαλος αὐτῶν; ἀπεχρίνατο᾽ Ναί, ἐδίδασκον. ἐπηρώτησε Τῆς μωρίας διδάσκαλος ἦς; ἀπεκρίϑη" Τῆς ϑεοσεβείας. ἐπηρώτησε Ποίας ϑεοσεβείας; ἀπεκρίϑη᾽ Τῆς εἰς τὸν ϑεὸν πατέρα τὸν ποιήσαντα τὰ πάντα. ὁ ἀνθύπατος εἶπεν· Θῦσον. ἀπεκρίνατο· Οὔ, τῷ γὰρ ϑεῷ εὔχεσϑαί με δεῖ. ὁ δὲ λέγει· Πάντες τοὺς ϑεοὺς σέβομεν καὶ τὸν οὐρανὸν τε καὶ τοὺς ὄντας ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ϑεούς. τί τῷ ἀέρι προσέχεις; ϑῦσον αὐτῷ. ἀπεκρίϑη· Οὐ τῷ ἀέρι προσέχω ἀλλὰ τῷ ποιήσαντι τὸν ἀέρα xai τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς. ἀνϑύπατος εἶπεν᾽ Εἶπον, τίς ἐποίησεν; ἀπεκρίνατο Οὐκ ἔξεστιν εἰπεῖν. ὁ ἀνθύπατος εἶπεν᾽ Πάντως ὁ ϑεός, τουτἔστιν Ζεύς, ὅς ἔστιν ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, βασιλεὺς γάρ ἐστι πάντων τῶν ϑεῶν. ### English translation (Claude) After this the proconsul came to Smyrna, and Pionius was brought before him and bore witness, a record being made by those appointed, on the fourth day before the Ides of March. Quintilian the proconsul, seated on the tribunal, asked, “What is your name?” He answered, “Pionius.” The proconsul said, “Will you sacrifice?” He answered, “No.” The proconsul asked, “What worship or sect do you belong to?” He answered, “That of the catholics.” He asked, “Of what catholics?” He answered, “I am a presbyter of the catholic church.” The proconsul: “Are you their teacher?” He answered, “Yes, I taught.” He asked, “A teacher of folly?” He answered, “Of godliness.” He asked, “What godliness?” He answered, “That toward God the Father, who made all things.” The proconsul said, “Sacrifice.” He answered, “No; for I must pray to God.” He said, “We all worship the gods, and heaven, and the gods who are in heaven. Why do you look to the air? Sacrifice to it.” He answered, “I do not look to the air, but to him who made the air and heaven and all that is in them.” The proconsul said, “Tell me, who made them?” He answered, “It is not permitted to say.” The proconsul said, “Surely it is God, that is, Zeus, who is in heaven; for he is king of all the gods.” ### Translation notes - Pionius apparently looked upward as he prayed, which the proconsul took as reverence for the air. ### Citation (SBL) Act. 19 (Gebhardt, 111; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-19). ## Martyrdom of Pionius and Companions 20 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-20 - Source: Gebhardt, 112 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Pionius is tortured and sentenced to be burned alive. ### Greek text Σιωπῶντι δὲ τῷ Πιονίῳ καὶ κρεμασϑέντι ἐλέχϑη· Θύεις; ἀπεκρίνατο· Οὔ. πάλιν βασανισϑέντι αὐτῷ ὄνυξιν ἐλέχϑη" Μετανόησον· διὰ τί ἀπονενόησαι; ἀπεχρίνατο᾽ Οὐχ ἀπονενόημαι ἀλλὰ ζῶντα ϑεὸν φοβοῦμαι. ὁ ἀνθύπατος· Ἄλλοι πολλοὶ ἔϑυσαν καὶ ζῶσι καὶ σωφρονοῦσιν. ἀπεκχρίνατο᾽ Οὐ ϑύω. ὁ ἀνθύπατος εἶπεν" ᾿Επερωτηϑεὶς λόγισαί τε παρὰ σεαυτῷ καὶ μετανόησον. ἀπεχρίνατο᾽ Οὔ. ἐλέχϑη αὐτῷ" Τί σπεύδεις ἐπὶ τὸν ϑάνατον; ἀπεκρίνατο· Οὐκ ἐπὶ τὸν ϑάνατον ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ τὴν ζωήν. Κυντιλλιανὸς ὁ ἀνθύπατος εἶπεν᾽ Οὐ μέγα πρᾶγμα ποιεῖς σπεύδων ἐπὶ τὸν ϑάνατον· καὶ γὰρ οἱ ἀπογραφόμενοι ἐλαχίστου ἀργυρίου πρὸς τὰ ϑηρία ϑανάτου καταφρονοῦσι, καὶ σὺ εἷς ἐκείνων εἶ, ἐπεὶ οὖν σπεύδεις ἐπὶ τὸν ϑάνατον ζῶν καήσῃ. καὶ ἀπὸ πινακίδος ἀνεγνώσϑη Ῥωμαϊστί· Πιόνιον ἑαυτὸν ὁμολογήσαντα εἶναι Χριστιανὸν ζῶντα καῆναι προσετάξαμεν. ### English translation (Claude) When Pionius remained silent, he was hung up, and it was said to him, “Will you sacrifice?” He answered, “No.” When he was tortured again with the claws, it was said to him, “Change your mind; why have you lost your senses?” He answered, “I have not lost my senses; I fear the living God.” The proconsul: “Many others have sacrificed, and they are alive and in their right minds.” He answered, “I do not sacrifice.” The proconsul said, “Having been questioned, think it over by yourself and change your mind.” He answered, “No.” It was said to him, “Why do you hasten toward death?” He answered, “Not toward death, but toward life.” Quintilian the proconsul said, “You do nothing great in hastening toward death; for even those who sign on to fight the beasts for a very little money despise death, and you are one of them. Since, then, you hasten toward death, you will be burned alive.” And from a tablet it was read in Latin: “We have ordered that Pionius, who has confessed himself to be a Christian, be burned alive.” ### Citation (SBL) Act. 20 (Gebhardt, 112; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/0/#p-20). ## Martyrdom of Pionius and Companions 21 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/21/#p-21 - Source: Gebhardt, 113 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Pionius is nailed to the stake and dies in the fire beside a Marcionite presbyter. ### Greek text ἀπελθόντος δὲ αὐτοῦ μετὰ σπουδῆς εἰς τὸ στάδιον διὰ τὸ πρόϑυμον τῆς πίστεως καὶ ἐπιστάντος τοῦ κομενταρησίου ἑκὼν ἀπεδύσατο. εἶτα κατανοήσας τὸ ἁγνὸν καὶ εὔσχημον τοῦ σώματος ἑαυτοῦ πολλῆς ἐπλήσθη χαρᾶς, ἀναβλέψας δὲ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ εὐχαριστήσας τῷ τοιοῦτον αὐτὸν διατηρήσαντι ϑεῷ ἥπλωσεν ἑαυτὸν ἐπὶ τοῦ ξύλου καὶ παρέδωκε τῷ στρατιώτῃ πείρειν τοὺς ἥλους. καϑηλωϑέντι δὲ αὐτῷ πάλιν ὁ δημόσιος εἶπεν" Μετανόησον καὶ ἀρϑήσονταί σου οἱ ἦλοι. ὃ δὲ ἀπεχρίϑη: Ἠισϑόμην γὰρ ὅτι ἔνεισι, καὶ συννοήσας ὀλίγον εἶπεν" Διὰ τοῦτο σπεύδω ἵνα ϑᾶττον ἐγερϑῶ, δηλῶν τὴν ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀνάστασιν. ἀνώρϑωσαν οὖν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τοῦ ξύλου, καὶ λοιπὸν μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ πρεσβύτερόν τινα Μητρόδωρον τῆς αἱρέσεως τῶν Μαρκιωνιστῶν. ἔτυχεν δὲ τὸν μὲν Πιόνιον ἐκ δεξιῶν, τὸν δὲ Μητρόδωρον ἐξ ἀριστερῶν, πλὴν ἀμφότεροι ἔβλεπον πρὸς ἀνατολάς. προσενεγκάντων δὲ αὐτῶν τὴν ὕλην καὶ τὰ ξύλα κύκλῳ περισωρευσάντων ὃ μὲν Πιόνιος συνέκλεισε τοὺς ὀφϑαλμούς, ὥστε τὸν ὄχλον ὑπολαβεῖν ὅτι ἀπέπνευσεν. ὁ δὲ κατὰ τὸ ἀπόρρητον εὐχόμενος ἐλθὼν ἐπὶ τὸ τέλος τῆς εὐχῆς ἀνέβλεψεν. ἤδη δὲ τῆς φλογὸς αἰρομένης γεγηϑότι προσώπῳ τελευταῖον εἰπὼν τὸ ἀμὴν καὶ λέξας" Κύριε, δέξαι μου τὴν ψυχήν, ὡς ἐρευγόμενος ἡσύχως καὶ ἀπόνως ἀπέπνευσε καὶ παρακαταϑήκην ἔδωκε τὸ πνεῦμα τῷ πατρὶ τῷ πᾶν αἷμα καὶ πᾶσαν ψυχὴν ἀδίκως κατακριϑεῖσαν ἐπαγγειλαμένῳ φυλάξαι. ### English translation (Claude) He went off eagerly to the stadium because of the readiness of his faith, and when the commentariensis stood by, he undressed of his own accord. Then, observing the purity and seemliness of his own body, he was filled with great joy; and looking up to heaven and giving thanks to God who had kept him so, he stretched himself out on the wood and gave himself to the soldier to drive in the nails. When he had been nailed, the public slave said to him again, “Change your mind, and the nails will be taken out.” He answered, “I felt that they are in.” And after reflecting a little, he said, “This is why I am hastening: that I may rise the sooner”—meaning the resurrection from the dead. So they raised him upright on the wood, and after that also a certain presbyter of the Marcionite sect, Metrodorus. It happened that Pionius was on the right and Metrodorus on the left; but both faced east. When they had brought the fuel and heaped the wood around them, Pionius closed his eyes, so that the crowd supposed he had died. But he was praying in secret, and when he came to the end of his prayer he opened his eyes. As the flame was already rising, with a joyful face he said the last Amen, and saying, “Lord, receive my soul,” he breathed his last quietly and painlessly, as though belching, and gave his spirit in trust to the Father, who has promised to guard all blood and every soul unjustly condemned. ### Scripture references - Acts 7:59: allusion, high confidence - Luke 23:46: echo, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Cf. Acts 7:59; Luke 23:46. Metrodorus, a Marcionite presbyter, was executed with him. ### Citation (SBL) Act. 21 (Gebhardt, 113; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/21/#p-21). ## Martyrdom of Pionius and Companions 22 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/21/#p-22 - Source: Gebhardt, 114 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Pionius's body is found unharmed by the fire, a sign of his crown. ### Greek text Τοιοῦτον βίον διανύσας ὁ μακάριος Πιόνιος ἀμώμητον ἀνέγκλητον ἀδιάφϑορον, ἀεὶ τὴν γνώμην ἔχων τεταμένην εἰς ϑεὸν παντοχράτορα καὶ εἰς τὸν μεσίτην ϑεοῦ καὶ ἀνθρώπων Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν, τοιούτου κατηξιώϑη τέλους, καὶ τὸν μέγαν ἀγῶνα νικήσας διῆλθε διὰ τῆς στενῆς ϑύρας εἰς τὸ πλατὺ καὶ μέγα φῶς. ἐσημάνϑη δὲ αὐτοῦ ὁ στέφανος καὶ διὰ τοῦ σώματος. μετὰ γὰρ τὸ κατασβεσϑῆναι τὸ πῦρ τοιοῦτον αὐτὸν εἴδομεν οἱ παραγενόμενοι ὁποῖόν τε τὸ σῶμα ἀκμάζοντος ἀϑλητοῦ κεκοσμημένου. καὶ γὰρ τὰ ὦτα αὐτοῦ ⟨οὐ⟩ κυλλὰ ἐγένοντο καὶ αἱ τρίχες ἐν χρῷ τῆς κεφαλῆς προσεκάϑηντο, τὸ δὲ γένειον αὐτοῦ ὡς ἰούλοις ἐπανϑοῦσιν ἐκεκόσμητο. ἐπέλαμπε δὲ καὶ τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ, πάλιν χάρις ϑαυμαστή, ὥστε τοὺς Χριστιανοὺς στηριχϑῆναι μᾶλλον τῇ πίστει, τοὺς δὲ ἀπίστους πτοηϑέντας καὶ τὸ συνειδὸς ἔχοντας πεφοβημένον κατελϑεῖν. ### English translation (Claude) Having lived such a life—blameless, irreproachable, uncorrupted—his mind always intent on God almighty and on the mediator between God and men, Jesus Christ our Lord, the blessed Pionius was found worthy of such an end; and having won the great contest, he passed through the narrow gate into the broad and great light. His crown was made manifest through his body as well. For after the fire had been put out, we who were present saw him like the body of an athlete in his prime, fully adorned. For his ears were ⟨not⟩ crumpled, the hair on his head lay close to the skin, and his beard was adorned as with the first bloom of down. His face too shone—again a wonderful grace—so that the Christians were strengthened all the more in the faith, while the unbelievers went away terrified, their consciences afraid. ### Scripture references - 1 Tim 2:5: quotation, high confidence - Matt 7:13: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - 1 Tim 2:5; Matt 7:13–14. “Not” is the editor's supplement. ### Citation (SBL) Act. 22 (Gebhardt, 114; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/21/#p-22). ## Martyrdom of Pionius and Companions 23 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/21/#p-23 - Source: Gebhardt, 114 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Date of the martyrdom: 12 March 250. ### Greek text Ταῦτα ἐπράχϑη ἐπὶ ἀνθυπάτου τῆς Ἀσίας Ἰουλίου Πρόκλου Κυντιλλιανοῦ, ὑπατευόντων αὐτοκράτορος Γ. Μεσίου Κοΐντου Τραιανοῦ Δεκίου Σεβαστοῦ τὸ δεύτερον καὶ Οὐεττίου Γρατοῦ, πρὸ τεσσάρων εἰδῶν Μαρτίων κατὰ Ῥωμαίους, κατὰ δὲ ᾿Ασιανοὺς μηνὸς ἕκτου ἐννεακαιδεκάτῃ, ἡμέρᾳ σαββάτῳ, ὥρᾳ δεκάτῃ, κατὰ δὲ ἡμᾶς βασιλεύοντος τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ· ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἷς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων, ἀμήν. ### English translation (Claude) These things were done when Julius Proculus Quintilianus was proconsul of Asia, in the consulship of the emperor Gaius Messius Quintus Trajanus Decius Augustus, for the second time, and Vettius Gratus, on the fourth day before the Ides of March according to the Romans, and according to the Asians on the nineteenth of the sixth month, on a Sabbath day, at the tenth hour; but according to us in the reign of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory to the ages of ages. Amen. ### Translation notes - The manuscript's garbled form of the consular date, given in the editor's apparatus, has been removed from the text. ### Citation (SBL) Act. 23 (Gebhardt, 114; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/martyrium-pionii/21/#p-23).