# 2 Clement 7.1

- Author: Anonymous
- Work: [2 Clement](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/2-clement/) (*Clementis ad Corinthios epistula secunda*)
- Date: ca. 100–150 (disputed)
- Source: Lake, LCL 24:138; Kirsopp Lake, ed. and trans., The Apostolic Fathers, vol. 1, LCL 24 (London: Heinemann; New York: Macmillan, 1912), 128–161 (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)
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26
- Canonical URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/2-clement/7/1/

Summary: Like athletes, let us compete for the crown.

## Greek text

Ὥστε οὖν, ἀδελφοί μου, ἀγωνισώμεθα εἰδότες, ὅτι ἐν χερσὶν ὁ ἀγὼν καὶ ὅτι εἰς τοὺς φθαρτοὺς ἀγῶνας καταπλέουσιν πολλοί, ἀλλʼ οὐ πάντες στεφανοῦνται, εἰ μὴ οἱ πολλὰ κοπιάσαντες καὶ καλῶς ἀγωνισάμενοι.

## English translation (Claude)

So then, my brothers, let us compete, knowing that the contest is at hand, and that many sail in to the perishable contests, but not all are crowned, only those who have toiled hard and competed well.

## Scripture references

- 1 Cor 9:24: echo, medium confidence
- 1 Cor 9:25: echo, medium confidence

## Translation notes

- The image is the athletic games, such as the Isthmian Games held near Corinth, to which competitors “sailed in.” Some have taken this as a hint that the sermon was preached at Corinth.

## Citation (SBL)

2 Clem. 7.1 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/2-clement/7/1/).