and ancient fables which are utterly worthless. Indeed, if at
To THE Macnesians at in the place of God, while the presbyters are to function as the council of the Apostles, and the deacons, who are most dear to me, are entrusted with the ministry of Jesus Christ, who before time began was with the Father and has at last *° appeared. 2 Conform yourselves, then—all of you—to God's ways, and respect one another, and let no one regard his neighbor with the eyes of the flesh," but love one another at all times in Jesus Christ. Let there be nothing among you tending to divide you, but be united with the bishop and those who preside—serving at once as a pattern and as a lesson of incorruptibility.
7. Just as the Lord, therefore, being one with the Father, did nothing without Him," either by Himself, or through the Apostles, so neither must you undertake anything without the bishop and the presbyters; nor must you attempt to convince yourselves that anything you do on your own account" is acceptable. No; at your meetings there must be one prayer, one supplication, one mind, one hope in love, in joy that is flawless, that is ** Jesus Christ, who stands supreme. 2 Come together, all of you, as to one temple and one altar, to one
Jesus Christ—to Him who came forth from one Father and yet remained with, and returned to, one."
8. Do not be led astray*® by those erroneous teachings and ancient fables which are utterly worthless. Indeed, if at this date we still conform to Judaism, then we own that we have not received grace. 2 Why, the Prophets, those men so very near to God, lived in conformity with Christ Jesus."
This, too, was the reason why they were persecuted, inspired as they were by His grace to bring full conviction to an unbelieving world that there is one God, who manifested
Himself through Jesus Christ, His Son—who, being His