# To the Trallians 10.1

- Author: [Ignatius of Antioch](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/authors/ignatius-of-antioch/)
- Work: [To the Trallians](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-trallians/) (*Ad Trallianos*)
- Date: ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) (disputed)
- Source: Lake, LCL 24:220–222; 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 5:681b–681c (found by text match)
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26
- Canonical URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-trallians/10/1/

Summary: If Christ only seemed to suffer, Ignatius's martyrdom would be pointless.

## Greek text

Εἰ δέ, ὥσπερ τινὲς ἄθεοι ὄντες, τουτέστιν ἄπιστοι, λέγουσιν, τὸ δοκεῖν πεπονθέναι αὐτόν, αὐτοὶ ὄντες τὸ δοκεῖν, ἐγὼ τί δέδεμαι, τί δὲ καὶ εὔχομαι θηριομαχῆσαι; δωρεὰν οὖν ἀποθνήσκω. ἄρα οὖν καταψεύδομαι τοῦ κυρίου.

## English translation (Claude)

But if, as some who are godless (that is, unbelievers) say, he suffered only in appearance (it is they who exist only in appearance!), why am I in chains? Why do I even pray to fight the wild beasts? Then I die for nothing. Then indeed I am lying about the Lord.

## Scripture references

- 1 Cor 15:14: echo, medium confidence
- Gal 2:21: echo, low confidence

## Translation notes

- “In appearance” (τὸ δοκεῖν): the teaching later called docetism, from this verb (“to seem”).

## Citation (SBL)

Ign. Trall. 10.1 (PG 5:681b–681c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-trallians/10/1/).