Polycarp to the Philippians · §12 · Polycarp of Smyrna

Prayer for the Philippians' Growth and for All

Click or tap any sentence to jump there. The side buttons skip a paragraph.

Polycarp, writing in Latin, has just urged the Philippians to restore the fallen gently; now he expresses confidence in their knowledge of Scripture and prays for their growth and for all people.

I am confident that you are well trained in the sacred writings and that nothing escapes you; this has not been granted to me. Only, as it is said in these scriptures, be angry and do not sin, and do not let the sun go down on your anger (Psalm 4:5 LXX; Ephesians 4:26). Blessed is the one who remembers this, and I believe it is true of you.

May God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ himself, the Son of God and eternal high priest, build you up in faith and truth, in all gentleness and freedom from anger, in endurance, long-suffering, forbearance, and purity. May he give you a lot and a share among his saints, and to us with you, and to all under heaven who are to believe in our Lord and God Jesus Christ and in his Father, who raised him from the dead.

Pray for all the saints. Pray also for kings and authorities and rulers, for those who persecute and hate you, and for the enemies of the cross, so that your fruit may be manifest in all things and you may be made perfect in him.

Latin

Confido enim vos bene exercitatos esse in sacris literis et nihil vos latet; mihi autem non est concessum. Modo, ut his scripturis dictum est, irascimini et nolite peccare, et sol non occidat super iracundiam vestram. Beatus, qui meminerit; quod ego credo esse in vobis.

Deus autem et pater domini nostri Iesu Christi, et ipse sempiternus pontifex, dei filius Iesus Christus, aedificet vos in fide et veritate et in omni mansuetudine et sine iracundia et in patientia et in longanimitate et tolerantia et castitate; et det vobis sortem et partem inter sanctos suos et nobis vobiscum et omnibus, qui sunt sub caelo, qui credituri sunt in dominum nostrum et deum Iesum Christum et in ipsius patrem, qui resuscitavit eum a mortuis.

Pro omnibus sanctis orate. Orate etiam pro regibus et potestatibus et principibus atque pro persequentibus et odientibus vos et pro inimicis crucis, ut fructus vester manifestus sit in omnibus, ut sitis in illo perfecti.

About this text

Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, writes to the church at Philippi on righteousness, on Ignatius and his companions, and on the fall of the elder Valens.

Polycarp of Smyrna (fl. c. 155), bishop of Smyrna, wrote this letter with his fellow elders to the church of God that sojourns at Philippi.

The letter opens by rejoicing that the Philippians welcomed Ignatius and his fellow prisoners and that their faith remains fruitful. Polycarp urges them to serve God in fear and truth, imitate Christ's endurance, and practice righteousness in every station of life: wives, widows, deacons, young men, virgins, and elders. He warns against love of money, false teachings, and those who deny Christ's coming in the flesh or the resurrection and judgment.

He calls the Philippians to follow the examples of Paul, Ignatius, and other martyrs, and to restore gently those who have fallen, especially Valens and his wife. The letter closes with a prayer, a promise to forward their letters to Syria, and a commendation of Crescens.

New English from the Greek base text; no published English used as wording.

Printed text used

Translated from Polycarp Kirsopp Lake The Apostolic Fathers William Heinemann Harvard University Press London Cambridge, MA 1912 1 (Greek)
Also checked Lake 1912, The Apostolic Fathers I ( scan apostolicfathers01lake, machine-read text djvu.txt excerpt: Polycarp to the Philippians 9-14) (Latin · control witness for the Latin of 10 14 (public domain))
Also checked Lake 1912/1919, The Apostolic Fathers I ( scan TheApostolicFathersV1, machine-read text djvu.txt excerpt: Polycarp to the Philippians 9-14) (Latin · control witness for the Latin of 10 14 (public domain))

This work has passed this project's source check. This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.