# Martyrdom of Polycarp 9.3

- Author: Anonymous
- Work: [Martyrdom of Polycarp](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/mart-pol/) (*Martyrium Polycarpi*)
- Date: ca. 156–160 (approximate)
- Source: Lake, LCL 25:324; 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 5:1036c (found by text match)
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26
- Canonical URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/mart-pol/9/3/

Summary: Polycarp refused to curse Christ, whom he had served for eighty-six years.

## Greek text

ἐγκειμένου δὲ τοῦ ἀνθυπάτου καὶ λέγοντος· Ὄμοσον, καὶ ἀπολύω σε, λοιδόρησον τὸν Χριστόν, ἔφη ὁ Πολύκαρπος· Ὀγδοήκοντα καὶ ἓξ ἔτη δουλεύω αὐτῷ, καὶ οὐδέν με ἠδίκησεν· καὶ πῶς δύναμαι βλασφημῆσαι τὸν βασιλέα μου τὸν σώσαντά με;

## English translation (Claude)

When the proconsul pressed him and said, “Swear, and I will release you; curse Christ,” Polycarp said, “Eighty-six years I have served him, and he has done me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King who saved me?”

## Translation notes

- “Eighty-six years” may count from his birth or from his baptism; if from birth, and if he died in 155/156, he was born about AD 70.

## Citation (SBL)

Mart. Pol. 9.3 (PG 5:1036c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/mart-pol/9/3/).