Golden Epistles of the Ancient Christians

within our church—such as the works of Winkelmann, Dr. Fabricius, and the aforementioned Praetorius, as well as Dr. Michael Walther, Dr. Götze, and others—might interpret poorly with such a meaning and intent. The translation is mostly kept from Praetorius's edition, though verses 6, 7, and 8—which are missing in that one—have been supplied from other editions. The Latin text was followed more closely than the Greek, which is more recent This likely refers to early modern attempts to reconstruct the "lost" Greek original of the letter from the surviving Latin text., although we have not concerned ourselves with every minor and insignificant variant reading original Latin: lectiones variantes. The reader will also find this version somewhat different from the one currently attached to the new Hamburg Bible version by various authors in quarto A book size where the printed sheet is folded twice to create four leaves.. Regarding the use of this letter, some reminders have been provided according to the text itself.

II. Concerning the Epistle of Pliny the Younger.

1. Kortholt Christian Kortholt (1633–1694), a Lutheran theologian and professor. rightly praises this (in his Book on Perfection, Chapter III, Section 8) original Latin: Lib. de Perfec. Cap. III. §. 8. as a notable monument of the condition of the Christians at that time, preserved within pagan writings. It is found in the tenth book of Pliny’s Epistles, number 103, or according to other editions, 97. It was written approximately 122 years after the birth of Christ and is therefore rightly considered one of the oldest documents of the early church. Trajan Roman Emperor from 98 to 117 AD; the text's date of 122 AD likely refers to a specific chronological tradition or the date of the correspondence's publication., who previously had also ordered the execution of Ignatius Ignatius of Antioch, a famous early Christian bishop and martyr. and many other Christians during a great persecution, had at that time been Emperor for about 9, or as others would have it, already 14 years.

2. It is, however, so certain and credible that even the earliest Christians already referred to it as