Antoninus Pius

Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Pius was born in 86 AD and was the Roman emperor from AD 138 to 161. He was the fourth of the Five Good Emperors from the Nerva–Antonine dynasty. Born into a senatorial family, Antoninus held various offices during the reign of Emperor Hadrian.

Persecution of Christians was more often the result of provincial regulations, called mandata, rather than Empirical decrees, decreta. But it is clear that public policy and the structure of the Roman system came into conflict with Christian practices and beliefs. Persecution of Christians under Emperors like Antoninus Pius was uncommon and advised against under Trajan and Hadrian.^[1]

Around 150 AD Justin the Martyr wrote his Apology to Antonius Pius the emperor to explain how Christians took care of their own system of free bread for the needy.

Since they did not apply to the Emperor through their government temples for his dainties of free bread or wine or cheese or anything else they distributed in their welfare system... Justin was inspired to write the emperor in defense of the Christian faith and their allegiance to Christ:^[2]

“And the wealthy among us help the needy ... and willing, give what each thinks fit; and what is collected is deposited with the president, who succours the orphans and widows and those who, through sickness or any other cause, are in want, and those who are in bonds and the strangers sojourning among us, and in a word takes care of all who are in need.” "Justin the Martyr's Apology" to the Emperor Antonius Pius in 150 AD, (Ch. 65-67)^[3]

↑ https://preparingyou.com/wiki/Our_Father_who_art_not_in_Rome
↑ Not exercise authority
Matthew 20:25 "But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you:..."

Mark 10:42 "But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you:..."

Luke 22:25 "And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye [shall] not [be] so:..."
↑ alternate translation:
“And they who are well to do, and willing, give what each thinks fit; and what is collected is deposited with the president, who succours the orphans and widows and those who, through sickness or any other cause, are in want, and those who are in bonds and the strangers sojourning among us, and in a word takes care of all who are in need.” Chapter LXVII
Geof T Emery interlinear:
6. Οἱ εὐποροῦντες δὲ καὶ βουλόμενοι κατὰ προαίρεσιν ἕκαστος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ὃ βούλεται
The prospering and also wishing according to choosing each one the of himself what willing
δίδωσι, καὶ τὸ συλλεγόμενον παρὰ τῷ προεστῶτι ἀποτίθεται, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπικουρεῖ
he gives, and the being collected with the having presided is deposited, and he he gives aid
ὀρφανοῖς τε καὶ χήραις, καὶ τοῖς διὰ νόσον ἢ δι’ ἄλλην αἰτίαν λειπομένοις,
to orphans both and widows, and to the through sickness or through other cause being in want,
καὶ τοῖς ἐν δεσμοῖς οὖσι, καὶ τοῖς παρεπιδήμοις οὖσι ξένοις, καὶ ἁπλῶς πᾶσι τοῖς ἐν
and to the in chains are, and to the sojourning being strangers, and briefly to all the in
χρείᾳ οὖσι κηδεμὼν γίνεται.
in need being a guardian he is.

[1] ttps://preparingyou.com/wiki/Our_Father_who_art_not_in_Rome

[exauth-2] Not exercise authority
Matthew 20:25 "But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you:..."

Mark 10:42 "But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you:..."

Luke 22:25 "And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye [shall] not [be] so:..."

[3] ternate translation:
“And they who are well to do, and willing, give what each thinks fit; and what is collected is deposited with the president, who succours the orphans and widows and those who, through sickness or any other cause, are in want, and those who are in bonds and the strangers sojourning among us, and in a word takes care of all who are in need.” Chapter LXVII
Geof T Emery interlinear:
6. Οἱ εὐποροῦντες δὲ καὶ βουλόμενοι κατὰ προαίρεσιν ἕκαστος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ὃ βούλεται
The prospering and also wishing according to choosing each one the of himself what willing
δίδωσι, καὶ τὸ συλλεγόμενον παρὰ τῷ προεστῶτι ἀποτίθεται, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπικουρεῖ
he gives, and the being collected with the having presided is deposited, and he he gives aid
ὀρφανοῖς τε καὶ χήραις, καὶ τοῖς διὰ νόσον ἢ δι’ ἄλλην αἰτίαν λειπομένοις,
to orphans both and widows, and to the through sickness or through other cause being in want,
καὶ τοῖς ἐν δεσμοῖς οὖσι, καὶ τοῖς παρεπιδήμοις οὖσι ξένοις, καὶ ἁπλῶς πᾶσι τοῖς ἐν
and to the in chains are, and to the sojourning being strangers, and briefly to all the in
χρείᾳ οὖσι κηδεμὼν γίνεται.
in need being a guardian he is.

[1]

[2]

[3]

Antoninus Pius

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