1Chapter 9 — Honour the bishop.
2Moreover, it is in accordance with reason that we should return to soberness of conduct, and, while yet we have opportunity, exercise repentance towards God.
3It is well to reverence both God and the bishop.
4He who honours the bishop has been honoured by God; he who does anything without the knowledge of the bishop, does in reality serve the devil.
5Let all things, then, abound to you through grace, for ye are worthy.
6Ye have refreshed me in all things, and Jesus Christ shall refresh you.
7Ye have loved me when absent as well as when present.
8May God recompense you, for whose sake, while ye endure all things, ye shall attain unto Him.
9Moreover, it is in accordance with reason that we should return to soberness of conduct, and, while yet we have opportunity, exercise repentance towards God.
10For "in Hades there is no one who can confess his sins".
11For "behold the man, and his work is before him".
12And the Scripture saith, "My son, honour thou God and the king".
13And say I, Honour thou God indeed, as the Author and Lord of all things, but the bishop as the high-priest, who bears the image of God—of God, inasmuch as he is a ruler, and of Christ, in his capacity of a priest.
14After Him, we must also honour the king.
15For there is no one superior to God, or even like to Him, among all the beings that exist.
16Nor is there any one in the Church greater than the bishop, who ministers as a priest to God for the salvation of the whole world.
17Nor, again, is there any one among rulers to be compared with the king, who secures peace and good order to those over whom he rules.
18He who honours the bishop shall be honoured by God, even as he that dishonours him shall be punished by God.
19For if he that rises up against kings is justly held worthy of punishment, inasmuch as he dissolves public order, of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who presumes to do anything without the bishop, thus both destroying the Church's unity, and throwing its order into confusion? For the priesthood is the very highest point of all good things among men, against which whosoever is mad enough to strive, dishonours not man, but God, and Christ Jesus, the First-born, and the only High Priest, by nature, of the Father.
20Let all things therefore be done by you with good order in Christ.
21Let the laity be subject to the deacons; the deacons to the presbyters; the presbyters to the bishop; the bishop to Christ, even as He is to the Father.
22As ye, brethren, have refreshed me, so will Jesus Christ refresh you.
23Ye have loved me when absent, as well as when present.
24God will recompense you, for whose sake ye have shown such kindness towards His prisoner.
25For even if I am not worthy of it, yet your zeal to help me is an admirable thing.
26For "he who honours a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet's reward".
27It is manifest also, that he who honours a prisoner of Jesus Christ shall receive the reward of the martyrs.