Source edition
Tertullian. Quinti Septimii Florentis Tertulliani Quae Supersunt Omnia, Volume 1. Oehler, Franz, editor. Leipzig: Weigel, 1853.
Source data
Perseus Digital Library · CC BY-SA 4.0
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This work is an exhortation written to encourage Christian believers who have been imprisoned for their faith and are facing imminent martyrdom. The author sends them spiritual teachings to nourish their souls alongside physical support, urging them to maintain the presence of the Holy Spirit and preserve harmony among themselves. He redefines the harsh prison not as a place of torment, but as a spiritual retreat isolated from the vices of the secular world, comparing their suffering to the training of athletes and soldiers preparing for a heavenly crown. In the latter part, the author presents examples of pagans who endured torture and death for worldly glory or philosophy, urging Christians not to hesitate in suffering for the ultimate truth of God. By emphasizing the power of the spirit over the weakness of the flesh, the work powerfully inspires the martyrs to bravely endure their trials to the end.