Sophia Scriptura

To the Philippians 12.1

Polycarp of Smyrna · To the Philippians · ca. 110–135 · Smyrna · Read in context

Summary: Polycarp trusts the Philippians' knowledge of Scripture and reminds them to be angry without sinning and not to let the sun go down on their anger.

Latin text · Lake, LCL 24:298

Confido enim vos bene exercitatos esse in sacris literis, et nihil vos latet; mihi autem non est concessum. Modo, ut his scripturis dictum est, irascimini et nolite peccare, et sol non occidat super iracundiam vestram. Beatus, qui meminerit; quod ego credo esse in vobis.

English · Claude translation

For I am confident that you are well trained in the sacred writings, and nothing is hidden from you; but to me this has not been granted. Only, as it is said in these scriptures, “Be angry and do not sin,” and “Do not let the sun go down on your anger.” Blessed is the one who remembers this; and I believe that it is so with you.

About this passage

Source
Lake, LCL 24:298 · Kirsopp Lake, ed. and trans., The Apostolic Fathers, vol. 1, LCL 24 (London: Heinemann; New York: Macmillan, 1912), 282–301 · Greek text: K. Lake, The Apostolic Fathers (LCL, 1912), digitized by the First Thousand Years of Greek project (Open Greek and Latin), CC BY-SA 4.0
Translation
Claude translation (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26 · Translated by Claude from the Latin version (the Greek of this passage is lost), text of Lake (LCL 24, 1912).
Scripture
  • Ps 4:4 (4:5 LXX) · quotation, high confidence
  • Eph 4:26 · quotation, high confidence
Topics
Scripture and canon, Ethics

Notes

Translation notes

  • “These scriptures” here introduces Psalm 4 and Ephesians 4:26 together; this is often discussed as an early case of a letter of Paul being called Scripture.
  • “To me this has not been granted”: either Polycarp does not claim their learning, or he does not claim the right to instruct them; the Latin is unclear.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (capitals lost in the digitization restored): confido / modo / beatus → Confido / Modo / Beatus.

Cite this passage

Pol. Phil. 12.1 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/pol-philippians/12/1/).

Plain text
Pol. Phil. 12.1 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/pol-philippians/12/1/).

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