Clement of Rome, 1 Clement 44
Our apostles knew through our Lord Jesus Christ that strife would arise over the office of bishop. For this reason, having received complete foreknowledge, they appointed the men mentioned above and gave instructions that if they should die, other approved men would succeed to their ministry. We do not consider it right to remove from their ministry those who were appointed by them, or later by other reputable men with the consent of the whole church. These men have served the flock of Christ blamelessly, with humility, quietly and without arrogance, and have been well spoken of by all for many years. It would be no small sin for us to depose those who have offered the gifts of the episcopacy blamelessly and piously. Blessed are the elders who have gone before us, who experienced a fruitful and complete departure; they do not fear that anyone will displace them from the place established for them. For we see that you have transferred some who were living uprightly from the ministry that was blamelessly bestowed upon them.
Greek
Καὶ οἱ ἀπόστολοι ἡμῶν ἔγνωσαν διὰ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὅτι ἔρις ἔσται ἐπὶ τοῦ ὀνόματος τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς. διὰ ταύτην οὖν τὴν αἰτίαν πρόγνωσιν εἰληφότες τελείαν κατέστησαν τοὺς προειρημένους, καὶ μπταξὺ ἐπινομὴν δεδωκασιν, ὅπως, ἐὰν κοιμηθῶσιν, διαδέξωνται ἕτεροι δεδοκιμασμὲνοι ἅνδρες τὴν λειτουργίαν αὐτῶν. τοὺς οὖν κατασταθέντας ὑπ’ ἐκείνων ἢ μεταξὺ ὑφ̓ ἑτέρων ἐλλογίμων ἀνδρῶν συνενδοκησάσης τῆς ἐκκλησίας πάσης, καὶ λειτουργήσαντας ἀμέμπτως τῷ ποιμνίῳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ μετὰ ταπεινοφροσύνης, ἡσύχως καὶ ἀβαναύσως, μεμαρτυρημένους τε πολλοῖς χρόνοις ὑπὸ πάντων, τούτους οὐ δικαίως νομίζομεν ἀποβάλλεσθαι τῆς λειτουργίας. ἁμαρτία γὰρ οὐ μικρὰ ἡμῖν ἔσται, ἐὰν τοὺς ἀμέμπτως καὶ ὁσίως προσενεγκόντας τὰ δῶρα τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς ἀποβάλωμεν. μακάριοι οἱ προοδοιπορήσαντες πρεσβύτεροι, οἵτινες ἔγκαρπον καὶ τελείαν ἔσχον τὴν ἀνάλυσιν: οὐ γὰρ εὐλαβοῦνται μή τις αὐτοὺς μεταστήσῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἱδρυμένου αὐτοῖς τόπου. ὁρῶμεν γάρ, ὅτι ἐνίους ὑμεῖς μετηγάγετε καλῶς πολιτευομένους ἐκ τῆς ἀμέμπτως αὐτοῖς τετιμημένης λειτουργίας.