# To the Magnesians 3.2

- Author: [Ignatius of Antioch](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/authors/ignatius-of-antioch/)
- Work: [To the Magnesians](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-magnesians/) (*Ad Magnesios*)
- Date: ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) (disputed)
- Source: Lake, LCL 24:198–200; 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 5:665a (found by text match)
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26
- Canonical URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-magnesians/3/2/

Summary: Deceiving the bishop means deceiving the unseen God.

## Greek text

εἰς τιμὴν οὖν ἐκείνου τοῦ θελήσαντος ἡμᾶς πρέπον ἐστὶν ἐπακούειν κατὰ μηδεμίαν ὑπόκρισιν· ἐπεὶ οὐχ ὅτι τὸν ἐπίσκοπον τοῦτον τὸν βλεπόμενον πλανᾷ τις, ἀλλὰ τὸν ἀόρατον παραλογίζεται. τὸ δὲ τοιοῦτον οὐ πρὸς σάρκα ὁ λόγος, ἀλλὰ πρὸς θεὸν τὸν τὰ κρύφια εἰδότα.

## English translation (Claude)

So for the honor of him who has desired us, it is fitting to obey without any hypocrisy. For it is not that one deceives this bishop who is seen; rather, one cheats the one who is unseen. In such a case one's account is not with flesh but with God, who knows hidden things.

## Translation notes

- “Who has desired us” (τοῦ θελήσαντος ἡμᾶς): who willed us into being, or who chose us.

## Citation (SBL)

Ign. Magn. 3.2 (PG 5:665a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-magnesians/3/2/).