# To the Philadelphians 8.2

- Author: [Ignatius of Antioch](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/authors/ignatius-of-antioch/)
- Work: [To the Philadelphians](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-philadelphians/) (*Ad Philadelphenses*)
- Date: ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) (disputed)
- Source: Lake, LCL 24:246–248; 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 5:704a–704b (found by text match)
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26
- Canonical URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-philadelphians/8/2/

Summary: Against those who demand proof from the old scriptures, Ignatius says Christ's cross and resurrection are his “archives.”

## Greek text

παρακαλῶ δὲ ὑμᾶς μηδὲν κατʼ ἐριθείαν πράσσειν, ἀλλὰ κατὰ χριστομαθίαν. ἐπεὶ ἤκουσά τινων λεγόντων, ὅτι ἐὰν μὴ ἐν τοῖς ἀρχείοις εὕρω ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ οὐ πιστεύω· καὶ λέγοντός μου αὐτοῖς ὅτι γέγραπται, ἀπεκρίθησάν μοι ὅτι πρόκειται. ἐμοὶ δὲ ἀρχεῖά ἐστιν Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, τὰ ἄθικτα ἀρχεῖα ὁ σταυρὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ ὁ θάνατος καὶ ἡ ἀνάστασις αὐτοῦ καὶ ἡ πίστις ἡ διʼ αὐτοῦ, ἐν οἷς θέλω ἐν τῇ προσευχῇ ὑμῶν δικαιωθῆναι.

## English translation (Claude)

I urge you to do nothing out of selfish ambition, but according to the teaching of Christ. For I heard some saying, “If I do not find it in the archives, I do not believe it in the gospel.” And when I said to them, “It is written,” they answered me, “That is the question.” But for me the archives are Jesus Christ; the inviolable archives are his cross and death and his resurrection and the faith that comes through him. In these I want to be justified through your prayer.

## Scripture references

- Phil 2:3: echo, medium confidence

## Translation notes

- “The archives” (ἀρχεῖα): original documents; here probably the Old Testament scriptures (older translations such as the Ante-Nicene Fathers, 1885, render it “the ancient Scriptures”).
- The opponents' words can also be punctuated “If I do not find it in the archives, (that is,) in the gospel, I do not believe.”
- “That is the question” (πρόκειται): literally “that is what lies before us,” that is, the very point in dispute.

## Citation (SBL)

Ign. Phld. 8.2 (PG 5:704a–704b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-philadelphians/8/2/).