# To Polycarp 5.1

- Author: [Ignatius of Antioch](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/authors/ignatius-of-antioch/)
- Work: [To Polycarp](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-polycarp/) (*Ad Polycarpum*)
- Date: ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) (disputed)
- Source: Lake, LCL 24:272; Kirsopp Lake, ed. and trans., The Apostolic Fathers, vol. 1, LCL 24 (London: Heinemann; New York: Macmillan, 1912), 172–277 (Greek text: K. Lake, The Apostolic Fathers (LCL, 1912-1913), digitized by the First Thousand Years of Greek project (Open Greek and Latin), CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Also in: PG 5:724a (found by text match)
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26
- Canonical URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-polycarp/5/1/

Summary: Wives should be content with their husbands, and husbands should love their wives as Christ loves the church.

## Greek text

Τὰς κακοτεχνίας φεῦγε, μᾶλλον δὲ περὶ τούτων ὁμιλίαν ποιοῦ. ταῖς ἀδελφαῖς μου προσλάλει, ἀγαπᾶν τὸν κύριον καὶ τοῖς συμβίοις ἀρκεῖσθαι σαρκὶ καὶ πνεύματι. ὁμοίως καὶ τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μου παράγγελλε ἐν ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἀγαπᾶν τὰς συμβίους ὡς ὁ κύριος τὴν ἐκκλησίαν.

## English translation (Claude)

Flee evil practices, or rather preach sermons about them. Tell my sisters to love the Lord and to be content with their husbands in flesh and in spirit. In the same way also command my brothers in the name of Jesus Christ to love their wives as the Lord loves the church.

## Scripture references

- Eph 5:25: allusion, high confidence
- Eph 5:29: echo, low confidence

## Translation notes

- “Evil practices” (κακοτεχνίας): literally “evil arts”; perhaps magic or dishonest trades, but the word is general.

## Citation (SBL)

Ign. Pol. 5.1 (PG 5:724a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-polycarp/5/1/).