Chap. ii.—Do not save me from martyrdom.
Project Gutenberg EPUB edition
Clement I, Pope, Hermas, active 2nd century, Ignatius, Saint, Bishop of Antioch, Papias, Saint, Bishop of Hierapolis, Polycarp, Saint, Bishop of Smyrna, Crombie, Frederick, Donaldson, James, Sir, and Roberts, Alexander
Shorter.
For it is not my desire to act towards you as a man-pleaser,[1089] but as pleasing God, even as also ye please Him. For neither shall I ever have such [another] opportunity of attaining to God; nor will ye, if ye shall now be silent, ever be entitled to[1090] the honour of a better work. For if ye are silent concerning me, I shall become God’s; but if you show your love to my flesh, I shall again have to run my race. Pray, then, do not seek to confer any greater favour upon me than that I be sacrificed to God while the altar is still prepared; that, being gathered together in love, ye may sing praise to the Father, through Christ Jesus, that God has deemed me, the bishop of Syria, worthy to be sent for[1091] from the east unto the west. It is good to set from the world unto God, that I may rise again to Him.
Longer.
For it is not my desire that ye should please men, but God, even as also ye do please Him. For neither shall I ever hereafter have such an opportunity of attaining to God; nor will ye, if ye shall now be silent, ever be entitled to[1092] the honour of a better work. For if ye are silent concerning me, I shall become God’s; but if ye show your love to my flesh, I shall again have to run my race. Pray, then, do not seek to confer any greater favour upon me than that I be sacrificed to God, while the altar is still prepared; that, being gathered together in love, ye may sing praise to the Father, through Christ Jesus, that God has deemed me, the bishop of Syria, worthy to be sent for[1093] from the east unto the west, and to become a martyr[1094] in behalf of His own precious[1095] sufferings, so as to pass from the world to God, that I may rise again unto Him.