# To the Philippians 3.2

- 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 24:286; 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 5:1008b (found by text match)
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26
- Canonical URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/pol-philippians/3/2/

Summary: No one can match the wisdom of Paul, who taught the Philippians in person and then wrote them letters that still build up their faith.

## Greek text

οὔτε γὰρ ἐγὼ οὔτε ἄλλος ὅμοιος ἐμοὶ δύναται κατακολουθῆσαι τῇ σοφίᾳ τοῦ μακαρίου καὶ ἐνδόξου Παύλου, ὃς γενόμενος ἐν ὑμῖν κατὰ πρόσωπον τῶν τότε ἀνθρώπων ἐδίδαξεν ἀκριβῶς καὶ βεβαίως τὸν περὶ ἀληθείας λόγον, ὃς καὶ ἀπὼν ὑμῖν ἔγραψεν ἐπιστολάς, εἰς ἃς ἐὰν ἐγκύπτητε, δυνηθήσεσθε οἰκοδομεῖσθαι εἰς τὴν δοθεῖσαν ὑμῖν πίστιν·

## English translation (Claude)

For neither I nor anyone else like me can keep pace with the wisdom of the blessed and glorious Paul, who, when he was among you, taught the word of truth accurately and firmly face to face with the people of that time, and who also, when he was absent, wrote you letters; if you study them closely, you will be able to be built up in the faith that has been given to you,

## Translation notes

- “Letters” (ἐπιστολάς) is plural; whether Polycarp knew more than one letter of Paul to the Philippians or uses the plural loosely for one letter is debated.

## Citation (SBL)

Pol. Phil. 3.2 (PG 5:1008b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/pol-philippians/3/2/).