# Martyrdom of Polycarp 13.3

- Author: Anonymous
- Work: [Martyrdom of Polycarp](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/mart-pol/) (*Martyrium Polycarpi*)
- Date: ca. 156–160 (approximate)
- Source: Lake, LCL 25:330; 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 5:1040a (found by text match)
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26
- Canonical URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/mart-pol/13/3/

Summary: Polycarp asked not to be nailed, trusting God to keep him steady in the fire.

## Greek text

εὐθέως οὖν αὐτῷ περιετίθετο τὰ πρὸς τὴν πυρὰν ἡρμοσμένα ὄργανα. μελλόντων δὲ αὐτῶν καὶ προσηλοῦν, εἶπεν· Ἄφετέ με οὕτως· ὁ γὰρ δοὺς ὑπομεῖναι τὸ πῦρ δώσει χωρὶς τῆς ὑμετέρας ἐκ τῶν ἥλων ἀσφαλείας ἄσκυλτον ἐπιμεῖναι τῇ πυρᾷ.

## English translation (Claude)

At once the fittings prepared for the pyre were placed around him. When they were about to nail him as well, he said, “Leave me as I am. For he who grants me to endure the fire will grant me to remain on the pyre without flinching, even without the security you seek from the nails.”

## Citation (SBL)

Mart. Pol. 13.3 (PG 5:1040a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/mart-pol/13/3/).