# To the Philippians 2.3

- Author: [Polycarp of Smyrna](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/authors/polycarp-of-smyrna/)
- Work: [To the Philippians](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/pol-philippians/) (*Epistula ad Philippenses*)
- Date: ca. 110–135 (disputed)
- Source: Lake, LCL 24:284–286; 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)
- Also in: PG 5:1008a–1008b (found by text match)
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26
- Canonical URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/pol-philippians/2/3/

Summary: Polycarp quotes Jesus's teaching on not judging, on forgiving, and on the blessedness of the poor and the persecuted.

## Greek text

μνημονεύοντες δὲ ὧν εἶπεν ὁ κύριος διδάσκων· Μὴ κρίνετε, ἵνα μὴ κριθῆτε· ἀφίετε, καὶ ἀφεθήσεται ὑμῖν· ἐλεᾶτε, ἵνα ἐλεηθῆτε· ᾧ μέτρῳ μετρεῖτε, ἀντιμετρηθήσεται ὑμῖν· καὶ ὅτι μακάριοι οἱ πτωχοὶ καὶ οἱ διωκόμενοι ἕνεκεν δικαιοσύνης, ὅτι αὑτῶν ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ.

## English translation (Claude)

but remembering what the Lord said when he taught: “Do not judge, so that you may not be judged; forgive, and you will be forgiven; show mercy, so that you may be shown mercy; with the measure you measure, it will be measured back to you”; and, “Blessed are the poor and those persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of God.”

## Scripture references

- Matt 7:1–2: quotation, high confidence
- Luke 6:36–38: quotation, high confidence
- Luke 6:20: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 5:3: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 5:10: quotation, high confidence

## Extrabiblical texts

- 1 Clem. 13.2 (1 Clement): allusion, medium confidence

## Translation notes

- The first saying combines wording found in Matthew 7:1–2 and Luke 6:36–38 and closely matches 1 Clem. 13.2; the second combines Luke 6:20 and Matthew 5:3, 10.

## Citation (SBL)

Pol. Phil. 2.3 (PG 5:1008a–1008b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/pol-philippians/2/3/).