Cyprian of Carthage→Unknown|c. 253 AD|cyprian carthage
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Cyprian to his brother Cornelius, greetings.
I have thought it both a duty on my part and a necessity for you, dear brother, to write a short letter to the confessors there who have been led astray by the obstinacy and depravity of Novatian and Novatus, and who have separated themselves from the Church. My purpose is to move them, by the bond of the affection we share, to return to their Mother — that is, to the Catholic Church.
I have entrusted this letter first to you through the sub-deacon Mettius for your review, so that no one can later claim I wrote something other than what the letter contains. I have also instructed Mettius, whom I have sent to you, to be guided by your judgment: if you think this letter should be delivered to the confessors, let him deliver it; if not, let him hold it. I bid you, dearest brother, ever to fare well.
Epistle 42
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To the Same, on His Having Sent Letters to the Confessors Whom Novatian Had Seduced.
Argument.— The Argument of This Letter Sufficiently Appears from the Title. It is Manifest that This Letter and the Following Were Sent by One Messenger.
Cyprian to Cornelius his brother, greeting. I have though it both obligatory on me, and necessary for you, dearest brother, to write a short letter to the confessors who are there with you, and, seduced by the obstinacy and depravity of Novatian and Novatus, have departed from the Church; in which letter I might induce them, for the sake of our mutual affection, to return to their Mother, that is, to the Catholic Church. This letter I have first of all entrusted to you by Mettius the subdeacon for your perusal, lest any one should pretend that I had written otherwise than according to the contents of my letter. I have, moreover, charged the same Mettius sent by me to you, that he should be guided by your decision; and if you should think that this letter should be given to the confessors, then that he should deliver it. I bid you, dearest brother, ever heartily farewell.
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Cyprian to his brother Cornelius, greetings.
I have thought it both a duty on my part and a necessity for you, dear brother, to write a short letter to the confessors there who have been led astray by the obstinacy and depravity of Novatian and Novatus, and who have separated themselves from the Church. My purpose is to move them, by the bond of the affection we share, to return to their Mother — that is, to the Catholic Church.
I have entrusted this letter first to you through the sub-deacon Mettius for your review, so that no one can later claim I wrote something other than what the letter contains. I have also instructed Mettius, whom I have sent to you, to be guided by your judgment: if you think this letter should be delivered to the confessors, let him deliver it; if not, let him hold it. I bid you, dearest brother, ever to fare well.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.