The Martyrdom of Polycarp

Martyrium Polycarpi

The Martydom of Polycarp. The Apostolic Fathers with an English translation by Kirsopp Lake. In Two Volumes. Vol. II. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd. 1913

And to him who is able to bring us all in his grace and bounty, to his heavenly kingdom, by his only begotten Child, Jesus Christ, be glory, honour, might, and majesty for ever. Greet all the saints. Those who are with us, and

Evarestus, who wrote the letter, with his whole house, greet you.

Now the blessed Polycarp was martyred on the[*](The date) second day of the first half of the month of Xanthicus, the seventh day before the kalends of March,[*](I. e. Feb. 23.) a great sabbath, at the eighth hour. And he was arrested by Herod, when Philip of Tralles was High Priest, when Statius Quadratus was Pro-Consul, but Jesus Christ was reigning[*](This phrase is pointedly inserted instead of a reference to the reigning Emperor.) for ever, to whom be glory, honour, majesty and an eternal throne, from generation to generation. Amen.

We bid you God-speed, brethren, who walk[*](Notes by a later scribe) according to the Gospel, in the word of Jesus Christ (with whom be glory to God and the Father and the Holy Spirit), for the salvation of the Holy Elect, even as the blessed Polycarp suffered martyrdom, in whose footsteps may it be granted us to be found in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

Gaius copied this from the writing of Irenaeus, a disciple of Polycarp, and he lived with Irenaeus, and I, Socrates, wrote it out in Corinth, from the copies of Gaius. Grace be with you all.

And I,

again, Pionius, wrote it out from the former writings, after searching for it, because the blessed Polycarp showed it me in a vision, as I will explain in what follows,[*](No explanation is given: probably because the Pionian text was part of a larger Acts of Polycarp. Either these Acts have entirely disappeared except for this letter of the church of Smyrna, or a fragment preserved in p may perhaps belong to them.) and I gathered it together when it was almost worn out by age, that the Lord Jesus Christ may also gather me together with his elect into his heavenly kingdom, to whom be glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever, Amen.