# Martyrdom of Polycarp 10.2

- Author: Anonymous
- Work: [Martyrdom of Polycarp](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/mart-pol/) (*Martyrium Polycarpi*)
- Date: ca. 156–160 (approximate)
- Source: Lake, LCL 25:326; Kirsopp Lake, ed. and trans., The Apostolic Fathers, vol. 2, LCL 25 (London: Heinemann; New York: Macmillan, 1913), 312–345 (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 5:1037a (found by text match)
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26
- Canonical URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/mart-pol/10/2/

Summary: Polycarp was willing to explain himself to the governing authority, but not to the mob.

## Greek text

ἔφη ὁ ἀνθύπατος· Πεῖσον τὸν δῆμον. ὁ δὲ Πολύκαρπος εἶπεν· Σὲ μὲν κἂν λόγου ἠξίωσα· δεδιδάγμεθα γὰρ ἀρχαῖς καὶ ἐξουσίαις ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ τεταγμέναις τιμὴν κατὰ τὸ προσῆκον, τὴν μὴ βλάπτουσαν ἡμᾶς, ἀπονέμειν· ἐκείνους δὲ οὐχ ἡγοῦμαι ἀξίους τοῦ ἀπολογεῖσθαι αὐτοῖς.

## English translation (Claude)

The proconsul said, “Persuade the people.” Polycarp said, “You I would have thought worthy of an explanation, for we have been taught to render honor, as is fitting, to rulers and authorities appointed by God, so long as it does us no harm. But as for them, I do not consider them worthy that I should make a defense to them.”

## Scripture references

- Rom 13:1: allusion, high confidence
- 1 Pet 2:13: echo, medium confidence
- Titus 3:1: echo, low confidence

## Translation notes

- “So long as it does us no harm”: honor that does not require denying the faith.

## Citation (SBL)

Mart. Pol. 10.2 (PG 5:1037a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/mart-pol/10/2/).