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Works Polycarp (69-155) Epistula ad Philippenses The Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians

Chapter III.--Expressions of personal unworthiness.

These things, brethren, I write to you concerning righteousness, not because I take anything upon myself, but because ye have invited me to do so. For neither I, nor any other such one, can come up to the wisdom 1 of the blessed and glorified Paul. He, when among you, accurately and stedfastly taught the word of truth in the presence of those who were then alive. And when absent from you, he wrote you a letter, 2 which, if you carefully study, you will find to be the means of building you up in that faith which has been given you, and which, being followed by hope, and preceded by love towards God, and Christ, and our neighbour, "is the mother of us all." 3 For if any one be inwardly possessed of these graces, he hath fulfilled the command of righteousness, since he that hath love is far from all sin.


  1. Comp. 2 Pet. iii. 15.  ↩

  2. The form is plural, but one Epistle is probably meant. [So, even in English, "letters" may be classically used for a single letter, as we say "by these presents." But even we might speak of St. Paul as having written his Epistles to us; so the Epistles to Thessalonica and Corinth might more naturally still be referred to here].  ↩

  3. Comp. Gal. iv. 26.  ↩

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The Epistle of S. Polycarp to the Philippians (Loeb) Compare
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Der Brief des Polykarp von Smyrna an die Gemeinde von Philippi (BKV) Compare
The Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians
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Introductory Note to the Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians

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Faculty of Theology, Patristics and History of the Early Church
Miséricorde, Av. Europe 20, CH 1700 Fribourg

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