# To the Ephesians, inscription

- 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 24:172; 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)
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26
- Canonical URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-ephesians/0/

Summary: Ignatius greets the church at Ephesus, chosen by God for glory.

## Greek text

Ἰγνάτιος, ὁ καὶ Θεοφόρος, τῇ εὐλογημένῃ ἐν μεγέθει θεοῦ πατρὸς πληρώματι, τῇ προωρισμένῃ πρὸ αἰώνων εἶναι διὰ παντὸς εἰς δόξαν παράμονον ἄτρεπτον, ἡνωμένῃ καὶ ἐκλελεγμένῃ ἐν πάθει ἀληθινῷ, ἐν θελήματι τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν, τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ τῇ ἀξιομακαρίστῳ, τῇ οὔσῃ ἐν Ἐφέσῳ τῆς Ἀσίας, πλεῖστα ἐν Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷ καὶ ἐν ἀμώμῳ χαρᾷ χαίρειν.

## English translation (Claude)

Ignatius, who is also called Theophorus, to the church blessed with greatness by the fullness of God the Father, predestined before the ages to be always for enduring and unchangeable glory, united and chosen in true suffering by the will of the Father and of Jesus Christ our God; to the church worthy of blessing, which is in Ephesus in Asia: abundant greetings in Jesus Christ and in blameless joy.

## Scripture references

- Eph 1:4: echo, medium confidence
- Eph 1:23: echo, low confidence

## Translation notes

- “True suffering” (ἐν πάθει ἀληθινῷ): Christ's real Passion; against teachers who said Christ only seemed to suffer (see Ign. Trall. 10).
- “Jesus Christ our God”: Ignatius calls Christ God without qualification (see the glossary).

## Citation (SBL)

Ign. Eph. 0 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-ephesians/0/).