THE EPISTLE OF IGNATIUS TO THE PHILADELPHIANS SHORTER AND LONGER VERSIONS
Ignatius, who is also called Theophorus, to the Church of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, which is at Philadelphia, in Asia, which has obtained mercy, and is established in the harmony of God, and rejoiceth unceasingly(1) in the passion of our Lord, and is filled with all mercy through his resurrection; which I salute in the blood of Jesus Christ, who is our eternal and enduring joy, especially if [men] are in unity with the bishop, the presbyters, and the deacons, who have been appointed according to the mind of Jesus Christ, whom He has established in security, after His own will, and by His Holy Spirit.
Ignatius, who is also called Theophorus, to the Church of God the Father, and of the Lord Jesus Christ, which is at Philadelphia, which has obtained mercy through love, and is established in the harmony of God, and rejoiceth unceasingly,(1) in the passion of our Lord Jesus, and is filled with all mercy through His resurrection; which I salute in the blood of Jesus Christ, who is our eternal and enduring jay, especialty to those who are in unity with the bishop, and the presbyters, and the deacons, who have been appointed by the will of God the Father, through the Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to His own will, has firmly established His Church upon a rock, by a spiritual building, not made with hands, against which the winds and the floods have beaten, yet have not been able to overthrow it:(2) yea, and may spiritual wickedness never be able to do so, but be thoroughly weakened by the power of Jesus Christ our Lord.
CHAP. I.--PRAISE OF THE BISHOP.
WHICH bishop,(3) I know, obtained the ministry which
pertains to the common [weal], not of himself, neither
by men,(4) nor through vainglory, but by the love of
God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ; at whose
meekness I am struck with admiration, and who by his
silence is able to accomplish more than those who vainly
talk. For he is in harmony with the commandments [of
God], even as the harp is with its strings. Wherefore
my soul declares his mind towards God a happy one,
knowing it to be virtuous and perfect, and that his
stability as well as freedom from all anger is after
the example of the infinite(6) meekness of the living
God.
HAVING beheld your bishop, I know that he was not selected
to undertake the ministry which pertains to the common
[weal], either by himself or by men,(4) or out of vainglory,
but by the love of Jesus Christ, and of God the Father,
who raised Him from the dead; at whose meekness I am
struck with admiration, and who by His silence is able
to accomplish more than they who talk a great deal.
For he is in harmony with the commandments and ordinances
of the Lord, even as the strings are with the harp,
and is no less blameless than was Zacharias the priest.(5)
Wherefore my soul declares his mind towards God a happy
one, knowing it to be virtuous and perfect, and that
his stability as well as freedom from all anger is
after the example of the infinite meekness of the living
God.
CHAP. II.--MAINTAIN UNION WITH THE BISHOP.
Wherefore, as children of light and truth, flee from
division and wicked
Wherefore, as children of light and truth, avoid the
dividing of your unity, and the wicked doctrine of
the
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doctrines; but where the shepherd is, there do ye as sheep follow. For there are many wolves that appear worthy of credit, who, by means of a pernicious pleasure, carry captives those that are running towards God; but in your unity they shall have no place. heretics, from whom "a defiling influence has gone forth into all the earth.''(1) But where the shepherd is, there do ye as sheep follow. For there are many wolves in sheep's clothing,(2) who, by means of a pernicious pleasure, carry captive(3) those that are running towards God; but in your unity they shall have no place.
CHAP. III.--AVOID SCHISMATICS.
Keep yourselves from those evil plants which Jesus
Christ does not tend, because they are not the planting
of the Father. Not that I have found any division among
you, but exceeding purity. For as many as are of God
and of Jesus Christ are also with the bishop. And as
many as shall, in the exercise of repentance, return
into the unity of the Church, these, too, shall belong
to God, that they may live according to Jesus Christ.
Do not err, my brethren. If any man follows him that
makes a schism in the Church, he shall not inherit
the kingdom of God. If any one walks according to a
strange(5) opinion, he agrees not with the passion
[of Christ.].
Keep yourselves, then, from those evil planes which
Jesus Christ does not tend, bat that wild beast, the
destroyer of men, because they are not the planting
of the Father, but the seed of the wicked one. Not
that I have found any division among you do I write
these things; but I arm you beforehand, as the children
of God. For as many as are of Christ are also with
the bishop; but as many as fall away from him, and
embrace communion with the accursed, these shall be
cut off along with them. For they are not Christ's
husbandry, but the seed of the enemy, from whom may
you ever be delivered by the prayers of the shepherd,
that most faithful and gentle shepherd who presides
over you. I therefore exhort you in the Lord to receive
with all tenderness those that repent and return to
the unity of the Church, that through your kindness
and forbearance they may recover(4) themselves out
of the snare of the devil, and becoming worthy of Jesus
Christ, may obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom
of Christ. Brethren, be not deceived. If any man follows
him that separates from the truth, he shall not inherit
the kingdom of God; and if any man does not stand aloof
from the preacher of falsehood, he shall be condemned
to hell. For it is obligatory neither to separate from
the godly, nor to associate with the ungodly. If any
one walks according to a strange(5) opinion, he is
not of Christ, nor a partaker of His passion; but is
a fox,(6) a destroyer of the vineyard of Christ. Have
no fellowship(7) with such a man, lest ye perish along
with him, even should he be thy father, thy son, thy
brother, or a member of thy family. For says [the Scripture],
"Thine eye shall not spare him."(8) You ought
therefore to "hate those that hate God, and to
waste away [with grief] on account of His enemies."(9)
I do not mean that you should beat them or persecute
them, as do the Gentiles "that know not the Lord
and God;"(10) but that you should regard them
as your enemies, and separate yourselves from them,
while yet you admonish them, and exhort them to repentance,
if it may be they will hear, if it may be they will
submit themselves. For our God is a lover of mankind,
and "will have all men to be saved, and to come
to the knowledge of the truth."(11) Wherefore
"He makes His sun to rise upon the evil and on
the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust;"(12)
of whose kindness the Lord, wishing us also to be imitators,
says, "Be ye perfect, even as also your Father
that is in heaven is perfect."(13)
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CHAP. IV.--HAVE BUT ONE EUCHARIST, ETC.
Take ye heed, then, to have but one Eucharist. For
there is one flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ, and one
cup to [show forth(1)] the unity of His blood; one
altar; as there is one bishop, along with the presbytery
and deacons, my fellow-servants: that so, whatsoever
ye do, ye may do it according to [the will of] God.
I have confidence of you m the Lord, that ye will be
of no other mind. Wherefore I write boldly to your
love, which is worthy of God, and exhort you to have
but one faith, and one [kind of] preaching, and one
Eucharist. For there is one flesh of the Lord Jesus
Christ; and His blood which was shed for us is one;
one loaf also is broken to all [the communicants],
and one cup is distributed among them all: there is
but one altar for the whole Church, and one bishop,
with the presbytery and deacons, my fellow-servants.
Since, also, there is but one unbegotten Being, God,
even the Father; and one only-begotten Son, God, the
Word and man; and one Comforter, the Spirit of truth;
and also one preaching, and one faith, and one baptism;(2)
and one Church which the holy apostles established
from one end of the earth to the other by the blood
of Christ, and by their own sweat and toil; it behoves
you also, therefore, as "a peculiar people, and
a holy nation,"(3) to perform all things with
harmony in Christ. Wives, be ye subject to your husbands
in the fear of God;(4) and ye virgins, to Christ in
purity, not counting marriage an abomination, but desiring
that which is better, not for the reproach of wedlock,
but for the sake of meditating on the law. Children,
obey your parents, and have an affection for them,
as workers together with God for your birth [into the
world]. Servants, be subject to your masters in God,
that ye may be the freed-men of Christ.(5) Husbands,
love your wives, as fellow-servants of God, as your
own body, as the partners of your life, and your co-adjutors
in the procreation of children. Virgins, have Christ
alone before your eyes, and His Father in your prayers,
being enlightened by the Spirit. May I have pleasure
in your purity, as that of Elijah, or as of Joshua
the son of Nun, as of Melchizedek, or as of Elisha,
as of Jeremiah, or as of John the Baptist, as of the
beloved disciple, as of Timothy, as of Titus, as of
Evodius, as of Clement, who departed this life in [perfect]
chastity,(6) Not, however, that I blame the other blessed
[saints] because they entered into the married state,
of which I have just spoken.(7) For I pray that, being
found worthy of God, I may be found at their feet in
the kingdom, as at the feet of Abraham, and Isaac,
and Jacob; as of Joseph, and Isaiah, and the rest of
the prophets; as of Peter, and Paul, and the rest of
the apostles, that were married men. For they entered
into these marriages not for the sake of appetite,
but out of regard for the propagation of mankind. Fathers,
"bring up your children in the nurture and admonition
of the Lord;"(8) and teach them the holy Scriptures,
and also trades, that they may not indulge in idleness.
Now [the Scripture] says, "A righteous father
educates [his children] well; his heart shall rejoice
in a wise son.''(9) Masters, be gentle towards your
servants, as holy Job has taught you;(10) for there
is one nature, and one family of mankind. For "in
Christ there is neither bond nor free." (11) Let
governors be obedient to Caesar; soldiers to those
that command them; deacons to the presbyters, as
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to high-priests; the presbyters, and deacons, and the rest of the clergy, together with all the people, and the soldiers, and the governors, and Caesar [himself], to the bishop; the bishop to Christ, even as Christ to the Father. And thus unity is preserved throughout. Let not the widows be wanderers about, nor fond of dainties, nor gadders from house to house; but let them be like Judith, noted for her seriousness; and like Anna, eminent for her sobriety. I do not ordain these things as an apostle: for "who am I, or what is my father's house,"(1) that I should pretend to be equal in honour to them? But as your "fellow-soldier,"(2) I hold the position of one who [simply] admonishes you.
CHAP. V.--PRAY FOR ME.
My brethren, I am greatly enlarged in loving you; and
rejoicing exceedingly [over you], I seek to secure
your safety. Yet it is not I, but Jesus Christ, for
whose sake being bound I fear the more, inasmuch as
I am not yet perfect. But your prayer to God shall
make me perfect, that I may attain to that portion
which through mercy has been allotted me, while I flee
to the Gospel as to the flesh of Jesus, and to the
apostles as to the presbytery of the Church. And let
us also love the prophets, because they too have proclaimed
the Gospel,(4) and placed their hope in Him,(5) and
waited for Him; in whom also believing, they were saved,
through union to Jesus Christ, being holy men, worthy
of love and admiration, having had witness borne to
them by Jesus Christ, and being reckoned along with
in the Gospel of the common hope.
My brethren, I am greatly enlarged in loving you; and
rejoicing exceedingly [over you], I seek to secure
your safety. Yet it is not I, but the Lord Jesus through
me; for whose sake being bound, I fear the more, for
I am not yet perfect. But your prayer to God shall
make me perfect, that I may attain that to which I
have been called, while I flee to the Gospel as to
the flesh of Jesus Christ, and to the apostles as the
presbytery of the Church. I do also love the prophets
as those who announced Christ, and as being partakers
of the same Spirit with the apostles. For as the false
prophets and the false apostles drew [to themselves]
one and the same wicked, deceitful, and seducing(3)
spirit; so also did the prophets and the apostles receive
from God, through Jesus Christ, one and the same Holy
Spirit, who is good, and sovereign,(6) and true, and
the Author of [saving] knowledge.(7) For there is one
God of the Old and New Testament, "one Mediator
between God and men," for the creation of both
intelligent and sensitive beings, and in order to exercise
a beneficial and suitable providence [over them]. There
is also one Comforter, who displayed(9) His power in
Moses, and the prophets, and apostles. All the saints,
therefore, were saved by Christ, hoping in Him, and
waiting for Him; and they obtained through Him salvation,
being holy ones, worthy of love and admiration, having
testimony borne to them by Jesus Christ, in the Gospel
of our common hope.
CHAP. VI.--DO NOT ACCEPT JUDAISM.
But if any one preach the Jewish law(9) unto you, listen not to him. For it is better to hearken to Christian doctrine from a man who has been circumcised, than to Judaism from one uncircumcised. But if either of such persons do not speak concerning Jesus Christ, they are in my judgment but as monuments and sepulchres of the dead, upon which are written only the names of men. Flee therefore the wicked devices and snares of the prince prophets, but denies Christ to be the Son of God, he is a liar, even as also is his father the devil,(10) and is a Jew falsely so called, being possessed of(11) mere carnal circumcision. If any one confesses Christ Jesus the Lord, but denies the God of the law and of the prophets, saying that the Father of Christ is not the Maker of heaven and earth, he has not continued in the truth any more than his father the devil,(10) and is a disciple of Simon Magus, not of the Holy Spirit. If any one says there is one God, and also confesses Christ Jesus, but thinks the Lord to be a mere man, and not the only-begotten(12) God, and Wis-
83
of this world, lest at any time being conquered(1) by his artifices,(2) ye grow weak in your love. But be ye all joined together(3) with an undivided heart. And I thank my God that I have a good conscience in respect to you, and that no one has it in his power to boast, either privately or publicly, that I have burdened(6) any one either in much or in little. And I wish for all among whom I have spoken, that they may not possess that for a testimony against them. Dom, and the Word of God, and deems Him to consist merely of a soul and body, such an one is a serpent, that preaches deceit and error for the destruction of men, And such a man is poor in understanding, even as by name he is an Ebionite.(4) If any one confesses the truths mentioned,(5) but calls lawful wedlock, and the procreation of children, destruction and pollution, or deems certain kinds of food abominable, such an one has the apostate dragon dwelling within him. If any one confesses the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and praises the creation, but calls the incarnation merely an appearance, and is ashamed of the passion, such an one has denied the faith, not less than the Jews who killed Christ. If any one confesses these things, and that God the Word did dwell in a human body, being within it as the Word, even as the soul also is in the body, because it was God that inhabited it, and not a human soul, but affirms that unlawful unions are a good thing, and places the highest happiness(7) in pleasure, as does the man who is falsely called a Nicolaitan, this person can neither be a lover of God, nor a lover of Christ, but is a corrupter of his own flesh, and therefore void of the Holy Spirit, and a stranger to Christ. All such persons are but monuments and sepulchres of the dead, upon which are written only the names of dead men. Flee, therefore, the wicked devices and snares of the spirit which now worketh in the children of this world,s lest at any time being overcome,(1) ye grow weak in your love. But be ye all joined together(3) with an undivided heart and a willing mind, "being of one accord and of one judgment,"(9) being always of the same opinion about the same things, both when you are at ease and in danger, both in sorrow and in joy. I thank God, through Jesus Christ, that I have a good conscience in respect to you, and that no one has it in his power to boast, either privately or publicly, that I have burdened any one either in much or in little. And I wish for all among whom I have spoken, that they may not possess that for a testimony against them.
CHAP. VII.--I HAVE EXHORTED YOU TO UNITY.
For though some would nave deceived me according to
the flesh, yet the Spirit, as being from God, is not
deceived. For it knows both whence it comes and whither
it goes,(10) and detects the secrets [of the heart].
For, when I was among you, I cried, I spoke with a
loud voice: Give heed to the bishop, and to the presbytery
and deacons. Now, some suspected me of having spoken
thus, as knowing beforehand the division caused by
some among you.(11) But He is my witness, for whose
sake I am in bonds, that I got no intelligence from
any man.(13) But the Spirit proclaimed
For though some would nave deceived me according to
the flesh, yet my spirit is not deceived; for I have
received it from God. For it knows both whence it comes
and whither it goes, and detects the secrets [of the
heart]. For when I was among you, I cried, I spoke
with a loud voice--the word is not mine, but God's--Give
heed to the bishop, and to the presbytery and deacons.
But if ye suspect that I spake thus, as having learned
beforehand the division caused by some among you, He
is my witness, for whose sake I am in bonds, that I
learned nothing of it from the mouth of any man. But
the Spirit made an announcement to me, saying as follows:
Do nothing without the bishop; keep your bodies(12)
as the temples of God; love unity; avoid divisions;
be ye followers of Paul, and of the rest of the apostles,
even as they also were of Christ.
84
these words: Do nothing without the bishop; keep your bodies(1) as the temples of God;(2) love unity; avoid divisions; be the followers of Jesus Christ, even as He is of His Father.
CHAP. VIII.--THE SAME CONTINUED.
I therefore did what belonged to me, as a man devoted
to(3) unity. For where there is division and wrath,
God doth not dwell. To all them that repent, the Lord
grants forgiveness, if they turn in penitence to the
unity of God, and to communion with the bishop.(4)
I trust [as to you] in the grace of Jesus Christ, who
shall free you from every bond. And I exhort you to
do nothing out of strife, but according to the doctrine
of Christ. When I heard some saying, If I do not find
it in the ancient(7) Scriptures, I will not believe
the Gospel; on my saying to them, It is written, they
answered me, That remains to be proved. But to me Jesus
Christ is in the place of all that is ancient: His
cross, and death, and resurrection, and the faith(8)
which is by Him, are undefiled monuments of antiquity;
by which I desire, through your prayers, to be justified.
I therefore did what belonged to me, as a man devoted
to unity; adding this also, that where there is diversity
of judgment, and wrath, and hatred, God does not dwell.
To all them that repent, God grants forgiveness, if
they with one consent return to the unity of Christ,
and communion with the bishop.(4) I trust to the grace
of Jesus Christ, that He will free you from every bond
of wickedness.(5) I therefore exhort you that ye do
nothing out of strife,(6) but according to the doctrine
of Christ. For I have heard some saying, If I do not
find the Gospel in the archives, I will not believe
it. To such persons I say that my archives are Jesus
Christ, to disobey whom is manifest destruction. My
authentic archives are His cross, and death, and resurrection,
and the faith which bears on these things, by which
I desire, through your prayers, to be justified. He
who disbelieves the Gospel disbelieves everything along
with it. For the archives ought not to be preferred
to the Spirit.(9) "It is hard to kick against
the pricks;"(10)it is hard to disbelieve Christ;
it is hard to reject the preaching of the apostles.
CHAP. IX.--THE OLD TESTAMENT IS GOOD: THE NEW TESTAMENT IS BETTER.
The priests(11) indeed are good, but the High Priest
is better; to whom the holy of holies has been committed,
and who alone has been trusted with the secrets of
God. He is the door of the Father, by which enter in
Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the prophets, and
the apostles, and the Church. All these have for their
object the attaining to the unity of God. But the Gospel
possesses something transcendent [above the former
dispensation], viz., the appearance of our Lord Jesus
Christ, His passion and resurrection. For the beloved
prophets announced Him,(17) but the Gospel is the perfection
of immortality.(18) All these things are good together,
if ye believe in love.
The priests(11) indeed, and the ministers of the word,
are good; but the High Priest is better, to whom the
holy of holies has been committed, and who alone has
been entrusted with the secrets of God. The ministering
powers of God are good. The Comforter is holy, and
the Word is holy, the Son of the Father, by whom He
made all things, and exercises a providence over them
all. This is the Way(12) which leads to the Father,
the Rock,(13) the Defence,(14) the Key, the Shepherd,(15)
the Sacrifice, the Door(16) of knowledge, through which
have entered Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, Moses and
all the company of the prophets, and these pillars
of the world, the apostles, and the spouse of Christ,
on whose account He poured out His own blood, as her
marriage portion, that He might redeem her. All these
things tend towards the unity of the one and only true
God. But the Gospel possesses something transcendent
[above the former dispensation], viz. the appearing
of our Saviour Jesus Christ, His passion, and the resurrection
itself. For those things which the prophets announced,
saying, "Until He come for whom it is reserved,
and He shall be the expectation
85
of the Gentiles,"(1) have been fulfilled in the Gospel, [our Lord saying,] "Go ye and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."(2) All then are good together, the law, the prophets, the apostles, the whole company[of others] that have believed through them: only if we love one another.
CHAP. X.--CONGRATULATE THE INHABITANTS OF ANTIOCH ON
THE CLOSE OF
THE PERSECUTION.
Since, according to your prayers, and the compassion
which ye feel in Christ Jesus, it is reported to me
that the Church which is at Antioch in Syria possesses
peace, it will become you, as a Church of God, to elect
a deacon to act as the ambassador of God[for you] to[the
brethren there], that he may rejoice along with them
when they are met together, and glorify the name[of
God], Blessed is he in Jesus Christ, who shall be deemed
worthy of such a ministry; and ye too shall be glorified.
And if ye are willing, it is not beyond your power
to do this, for the sake(3) of God; as also the nearest
Churches have sent, in some cases bishops, and in others
presbyters and deacons.
Since, according to your prayers, and the compassion
which ye feel in Christ Jesus, it is reported to me
that the Church which is at Antioch in Syria possesses
peace, it will become you, as a Church of God, to elect
a bishop to act as the ambassador of God[for you] to[the
brethren] there, that it may be granted them to meet
together, and to glorify the name of God. Blessed is
he in Christ Jesus, who shall be deemed worthy of such
a ministry; and if ye be zealous[in this matter], ye
shall receive glory in Christ. And if ye are willing,
it is not altogether beyond your power to do this,
for the sake of(3) God; as also the nearest Churches
have sent, in some cases bishops, and in others presbyters
and deacons.
CHAP. XI.--THANKS AND SALUTATION.
Now, as to Philo the deacon, of Cilicia, a man of reputation,
who still ministers to me in the word of God, along
with Rheus Agathopus, an elect man, who has followed
me from Syria, not regarding(4) his life,--these bear
witness in your behalf; and I myself give thanks to
God for you, that ye have received them, even as the
Lord you. But may those that dishonoured them be forgiven
through the grace of Jesus Christ! The love of the
brethren at Troas salutes you; whence also I write
to you by Burrhus, who was sent along with me by the
Ephesians and Smyrnaeans, to show their respect.(7)
May the Lord Jesus Christ honour them, in whom they
hope, in flesh, and soul, and faith, and love, and
concord! Fare ye well in Christ Jesus, our common hope.
Now, as to Philo the deacon, a man of Cilicia, of high
reputation, who still ministers to me in the word of
God, along with Gaius and Agathopus, an elect man,
who has followed me from Syria, not regarding(4) his
life,--these also bear testimony in your behalf. And
I myself give thanks to God for you, because ye have
received them: and the Lord will also receive you.
But may those that dishonoured them be forgiven through
the grace of Jesus Christ, "who wisheth not the
death of the sinner, but his repentance."(5)`
The love of the brethren at Troas salutes you; whence
also I write to you by Burrhus,(6) who was sent along
with me by the Ephesians and Smyrnaeans, to show their
respect:(7) whom the Lord Jesus Christ will requite,
in whom they hope, in flesh, and soul, and spirit,
and faith, and love, and concord. Fare ye well in the
Lord Jesus Christ, our common hope, in the Holy Ghost.
86
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The Real Jesus: Who is the Real Jesus? Ever since the dawn of modern rationalism, skeptics have sought to use textual criticism, archaeology and historical reconstructions to uncover the "historical Jesus" -- a wise teacher who said many wonderful things, but fulfilled no prophecies, performed no miracles and certainly did not rise from the dead in triumph over sin. Over the past 100 years, however, startling discoveries in biblical archaeology and scholarship have all but vanquished the faulty assumptions of these doubting modernists. Regretably, these discoveries have often been ignored by the skeptics as well as by the popular media. As a result, the liberal view still holds sway in universities and impacts the culture and even much of the church.
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| Amazing Grace: The History and Theology of Calvinism
Over four hours of instruction! Just what is “Calvinism?” Does this teaching make man a deterministic robot and God the author of sin? What about free will? If the church accepts Calvinism, won’t evangelism be stifled, perhaps even extinguished? How can we balance God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility? What are the differences between historic Calvinism and hyper-Calvinism? Why did men like Augustine, Luther, Calvin, Spurgeon, Whitefield, Edwards and a host of renowned Protestant evangelists embrace the teaching of predestination and election and deny free will theology? This is the first video documentary that answers these and other related questions. Hosted by Eric Holmberg, this fascinating three-part, four-hour presentation is detailed enough so as to not gloss over the controversy. At the same time, it is broken up into ten “Sunday-school-sized” sections to make the rich content manageable and accessible for the average viewer. |
$19.95 ORDER NOW!
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