# To the Ephesians 8.1

- 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 24:180–182; 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 5:652a (found by text match)
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26
- Canonical URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-ephesians/8/1/

Summary: The Ephesians live as God's people, free of strife; Ignatius gives himself for them.

## Greek text

Μὴ οὖν τις ὑμᾶς ἐξαπατάτω, ὥσπερ οὐδὲ ἐξαπατᾶσθε, ὅλοι ὄντες θεοῦ. ὅταν γὰρ μηδεμία ἔρις ἐνήρεισται ἐν ὑμῖν ἡ δυναμένη ὑμᾶς βασανίσαι ἄρα κατὰ θεὸν ζῆτε. περίψημα ὑμῶν καὶ ἁγνίζομαι ὑμῶν Ἐφεσίων, ἐκκλησίας τῆς διαβοήτου τοῖς αἰῶσιν.

## English translation (Claude)

Let no one deceive you, then, as indeed you are not deceived, since you belong wholly to God. For when no strife that could torment you has taken root among you, then you are living according to God. I am your humble servant, and I offer myself for you Ephesians, a church famous throughout the ages.

## Scripture references

- 1 Cor 4:13: echo, medium confidence

## Translation notes

- “Humble servant” (περίψημα): literally “scrapings, offscouring” (1 Cor 4:13), a conventional expression of self-giving devotion.
- “I offer myself for you” (ἁγνίζομαι ὑμῶν): literally “I am purified for you,” as an offering on another's behalf.
- Older translations take these words differently (the Ante-Nicene Fathers, 1885: “I am far inferior to you, and require to be sanctified by your Church”); the rendering here follows the sense the same words have in 18.1 and in 1 Cor 4:13.

## Citation (SBL)

Ign. Eph. 8.1 (PG 5:652a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-ephesians/8/1/).