Quotes from Ignatius of Antioch

Nothing is more precious than peace, by which all war, both in Heaven and Earth, is brought to an end.

Nothing is better than peace, by which all warfare of heavenly and earthly foes is brought to naught.

Only let it be in the name of Jesus Christ, that I may suffer together with Him! I endure everything because He Himself, Who is perfect man, empowers me.

Do everything as if He were dwelling in us. Thus we shall be His temples and He will be within us as our God - as He actually is.

I am God's wheat and shall be ground by their teeth so that I may become Christ's pure bread.

I am the wheat of God, and am ground by the teeth of the wild beasts, that I may be found the pure bread of God.

Let not then any one deceive you, as indeed you are not deceived, inasmuch as you are wholly devoted to God.

Let us therefore be of a reverent spirit, and fear the long-suffering of God, that it tend not to our condemnation.

Reverence the deacons as you would the command of God.

It is not that I want merely to be called a Christian, but actually to be one. Yes, if I prove to be one, then I can have the name.

I have no taste for corruptible food nor for the pleasures of this life. I desire the Bread of God, which is the Flesh of Jesus Christ, who was of the seed of David, and for drink I desire His Blood, which is love incorruptible.

I am God's wheat, and I shall be ground by the teeth of beasts, that I may become the pure bread of Christ.

Wherever the bishop appears, there let the people be, even as wheresoever Christ Jesus is, there is the catholic church.

May nothing entice me till I happily make my way to Jesus Christ! Fire, cross, struggles with wild beasts, wrenching of bones, mangling of limbs - let them come to me, provided only I make my way to Jesus Christ.

I am writing to all the churches to let it be known that I will gladly die for God if only you do not stand in my way... Let me be food for the wild beasts, for they are my way to God.

I prefer death in Christ Jesus to power over the farthest limits of the earth. He who died in place of us is the one object of my quest. He who rose for our sakes is my one desire.

Even though I be bound in the Name, I have not yet become perfected in Jesus Christ.

A Christian is not his own master, since all his time belongs to God.

I hunger for the bread of God, the flesh of Jesus Christ ...; I long to drink of his blood, the gift of unending love.

For Faith is the beginning and the end is love, and God is the two of them brought into unity. After these comes whatever else makes up a Christian gentleman.

From Syria even to Rome I fight with wild beasts, by land and sea, by night and by day, being bound amidst ten leopards, even a company of soldiers, who only grow worse when they are kindly treated.

You must all follow the lead of the bishop, as Jesus Christ followed that of the Father; follow the presbytery as you would the Apostles; reverence the deacons as you would God's commandment.

Therefore run together as into one temple of God, as to one altar, as to one Jesus Christ, who came forth from one Father, and is with and has gone to one.

I would rather die and come to Jesus Christ than be king over the entire earth. Him I seek who died for us; Him I love who rose again because of us.