So, for instance, in the case of Ignatius, in the epistles which we have listed; and of Clement, in the epistle acknowledged by all, which he composed in the person of the church of the Romans to that of the Corinthians; in which, having set forth many thoughts of the Epistle to the Hebrews, and indeed having even used some words from it verbatim, he very plainly shows that the writing is not recent.
Hence, indeed, it with reason seemed good that it should be reckoned together with the rest of the apostle's writings. For, Paul having addressed the Hebrews in writing in his native tongue, some say that the evangelist Luke, and others that Clement himself, translated this writing.
And this would be the more true, since both the epistle of Clement and that to the Hebrews preserve the same character of phraseology, and since the thoughts in both writings stand not far apart.
But it must be known that there is also said to be a certain second epistle of Clement. We do not, however, know it to be acknowledged in like manner as the former, since we are not aware that the ancients made use of it.
And already certain men, but yesterday and the day before, have brought forward other wordy and lengthy writings as being his, containing dialogues of Peter and Apion, of which no mention whatever is borne among the ancients. For neither do they preserve pure the character of apostolic orthodoxy. The acknowledged writing of Clement, then, is evident; and those of Ignatius and Polycarp have also been spoken of.