Cyprian of Carthage→Presbyters|c. 251 AD|cyprian carthage
property economics
Cyprian to the presbyters and deacons in Rome, his brothers, greetings.
Both our shared affection and the matter itself demand, beloved brothers, that I keep nothing from you — so that we may work from a common plan for the good administration of the Church.
After my earlier letter, which I sent by Saturus the reader and Optatus the subdeacon, the combined arrogance of certain lapsed individuals — who refuse to repent and make amends to God — boiled over. They wrote to me not asking that peace might be given to them, but claiming it as already given, because they say that Paulus has granted peace to everyone. You will find their letter enclosed, along with my brief reply.
And so that you may also know the kind of letter I subsequently wrote to the clergy here, I have enclosed a copy of that as well.
If, after all of this, their arrogance still cannot be checked — by my letters or by yours — and they refuse to yield to wise counsel, then I will take whatever measures the Lord, according to his Gospel, has instructed us to take.
Farewell, beloved brothers.
Epistle 28
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To the Presbyters and Deacons Abiding at Rome.
Argument.— The Roman Clergy are Informed of the Temerity of the Lapsed Who Were Demanding Peace.
Cyprian to the presbyters and deacons abiding at Rome, his brethren, greeting. Both our common love and the reason of the thing demand, beloved brethren, that I should keep back from your knowledge nothing of those matters which are transacted among us, that so we may have a common plan for the advantage of the administration of the Church. For after I wrote to you the letter which I sent by Saturus the reader, and Optatus the subdeacon, the combined temerity of certain of the lapsed, who refuse to repent and to make satisfaction to God, wrote to me, not asking that peace might be given to them, but claiming it as already given; because they say that Paulus has given peace to all, as you will read in their letter of which I have sent you a copy, as well as what I briefly replied to them in the meantime. But that you may also know what sort of a letter I afterwards wrote to the clergy, I have, moreover, sent you a copy of this. But if, after all, their temerity should not be repressed either by my letters or by yours, and should not yield to wholesome counsels, I shall take such proceedings as the Lord, according to His Gospel, has enjoined to be taken. I bid you, beloved brethren, ever heartily farewell.
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Cyprian to the presbyters and deacons in Rome, his brothers, greetings.
Both our shared affection and the matter itself demand, beloved brothers, that I keep nothing from you — so that we may work from a common plan for the good administration of the Church.
After my earlier letter, which I sent by Saturus the reader and Optatus the subdeacon, the combined arrogance of certain lapsed individuals — who refuse to repent and make amends to God — boiled over. They wrote to me not asking that peace might be given to them, but claiming it as already given, because they say that Paulus has granted peace to everyone. You will find their letter enclosed, along with my brief reply.
And so that you may also know the kind of letter I subsequently wrote to the clergy here, I have enclosed a copy of that as well.
If, after all of this, their arrogance still cannot be checked — by my letters or by yours — and they refuse to yield to wise counsel, then I will take whatever measures the Lord, according to his Gospel, has instructed us to take.
Farewell, beloved brothers.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.