Ignatius of Antioch, To the Ephesians 1.18
My spirit is an expiation of the cross, which is a stumbling block to those who disbelieve, but to us it is salvation and eternal life. Where is the wise person? Where is the debater? Where is the boasting of those called intelligent?
For our God, Jesus the Christ, was carried in the womb by Mary according to the plan of God, from the seed of David on the one hand, but of the Holy Spirit on the other. He was born and baptized so that by his passion he might purify the water.
Greek
Περίψημα τὸ ἐμὸν πνεῦμα τοῦ σταυροῦ, ὅ ἐστιν σκάνδαλον τοῖς ἀπιστοῦσιν, ἡμῖν δὲ σωτηρία καὶ ζωὴ αἰώνιος, ποῦ σοφός; ποῦ συζητητής; ποῦ καύχησις τῶν λεγομένων συνετῶν;
ὁ γὰρ θεὸς ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς ὁ Χριστὸς ἐκυοφορήθη ὑπὸ Μαρίας κατ’ οἰκονομίαν θεοῦ ἐκ σπέρματος μὲν Δαυείδ, πνεύματος δὲ ἁγίου: ὃς ἐγεννήθη καὶ ἐβαπτίσθη, ἵνα τῷ πάθει τὸ ὕδωρ καθαρίσῃ.