# To the Smyrnaeans 5.2

- Author: [Ignatius of Antioch](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/authors/ignatius-of-antioch/)
- Work: [To the Smyrnaeans](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-smyrnaeans/) (*Ad Smyrnaeos*)
- Date: ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) (disputed)
- Source: Lake, LCL 24:256; 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 5:712a (found by text match)
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26
- Canonical URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-smyrnaeans/5/2/

Summary: Denying that Christ had flesh is denying him completely.

## Greek text

καὶ γὰρ περὶ ἡμῶν τὸ αὐτὸ φρονοῦσιν. τί γάρ με ὠφελεῖ τις, εἰ ἐμὲ ἐπαινεῖ, τὸν δὲ κύριόν μου βλασφημεῖ, μὴ ὁμολογῶν αὐτὸν σαρκοφόρον; ὁ δὲ τοῦτο λέγων τελείως αὐτὸν ἀπήρνηται, ὢν νεκροφόρος.

## English translation (Claude)

For they think the same about us. For what good does anyone do me if he praises me but blasphemes my Lord, not confessing that he bore flesh? Whoever does not say this has denied him completely, and is himself a bearer of a corpse.

## Scripture references

- 1 John 4:2: echo, medium confidence
- 2 John 1:7: echo, medium confidence

## Translation notes

- A wordplay: those who deny that Christ was a “flesh-bearer” (σαρκοφόρον) are themselves “corpse-bearers” (νεκροφόρος), carrying death.

## Citation (SBL)

Ign. Smyrn. 5.2 (PG 5:712a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-smyrnaeans/5/2/).