# To the Magnesians 6.1

- 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 24:200–202; 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 5:668a–668b (found by text match)
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26
- Canonical URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-magnesians/6/1/

Summary: The bishop presides in God's place, the presbyters as the apostles' council, and the deacons serve Christ.

## Greek text

Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἐν τοῖς προγεγραμμένοις προσώποις τὸ πᾶν πλῆθος ἐθεώρησα ἐν πίστει καὶ ἠγάπησα, παραινῶ, ἐν ὁμονοίᾳ θεοῦ σπουδάζετε πάντα πράσσειν, προκαθημένου τοῦ ἐπισκόπου εἰς τόπον θεοῦ καὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων εἰς τόπον συνεδρίου τῶν ἀποστόλων, καὶ τῶν διακόνων τῶν ἐμοὶ γλυκυτάτων πεπιστευμένων διακονίαν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὃς πρὸ αἰώνων παρὰ πατρὶ ἦν καὶ ἐν τέλει ἐφάνη.

## English translation (Claude)

Since, then, in the persons mentioned above I have seen your whole congregation in faith and have loved it, I urge you: be eager to do all things in godly concord, with the bishop presiding in the place of God and the presbyters in the place of the council of the apostles, and the deacons, most dear to me, entrusted with the service of Jesus Christ, who was with the Father before the ages and appeared at the end.

## Scripture references

- John 1:1: echo, medium confidence
- Heb 1:2: echo, low confidence

## Translation notes

- “In the place of God” (εἰς τόπον θεοῦ): some manuscripts read “as a type (τύπον) of God.”

## Citation (SBL)

Ign. Magn. 6.1 (PG 5:668a–668b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-magnesians/6/1/).