THE EPISTLE OF POLYCARP TO THE PHILIPPIANS.[1]
OLYCARP, and the presbyters[2] with him, to the church of God sojourning at Philippi: Mercy to you, and peace from God Almighty, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour, be multiplied.
Chap. i.—Praise of the Philippians.
I have greatly rejoiced with you in our Lord Jesus Christ, because ye have followed the example[3] of true love [as displayed by God], and have accompanied, as became you, those who were bound in chains, the fitting ornaments of saints, and which are indeed the diadems of the true elect of God and our Lord; and because the strong root of your faith, spoken of in days[4] long gone by, endureth even until now, and bringeth forth fruit to our Lord Jesus Christ, who for our sins suffered even unto death, [but] "whom God raised from the dead, having loosed the bands of the grave."[5] "In whom, though now ye see Him not, ye believe, and believing, rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory;"[6] into which joy
- ↑ The title of this epistle in most of the mss. is, "The Epistle of St Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, and holy martyr, to the Philippians."
- ↑ Or, "Polycarp, and those who with him are presbyters."
- ↑ Literally, "ye have received the patterns of true love."
- ↑ Phil. i. 5.
- ↑ Acts ii. 24. Literally, "having loosed the pains of Hades."
- ↑ 1 Pet. i. 8.
