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Increase the zeal you have; run more intensely. Discern the times. As you are here, conquer. For here is the stadium, but there are the crowns. Expect Christ, the Son of God, the timeless in time, the invisible in nature, visible in flesh, the intangible and untouchable as incorporeal, but for our sakes tangible and touchable in body, the impassible as God, but for our sakes passible as man, who in every way endured for our sakes. Let the widows not be neglected; after the Lord, you be their guardian. Let nothing be done without your consent, nor you do anything without the consent of God, which indeed you do not; stand firm. Let congregations be held more frequently; seek out all by name. Do not be arrogant toward male and female slaves; but neither let them be puffed up, but let them serve more for the glory of God, that they may obtain a better freedom from God. Let them not desire to be set free at the common expense, lest they be found slaves of desire. Flee from evil arts, but rather deliver a discourse about them. Speak to my sisters to love the Lord and to be content with their husbands in flesh and spirit. Likewise also command my brothers in the name of Jesus Christ to love their wives, as the Lord the church. If anyone is able to remain in chastity in honor of the flesh of the Lord, let him remain without boasting. If he boasts, he is lost, and if it becomes known to any besides the bishop, he is ruined. It is fitting for those marrying and being married to make their union with the consent of the bishop, so that the marriage may be according to the Lord and not according to desire. Let all things be done for the honor of God. Give heed to the bishop, that God may also give heed to you. My soul for those who are submissive to the bishop, presbytery, deacons; may my portion be to be with them in God. Labor together with one another, strive together, run together, suffer together, sleep together, rise together as stewards and assessors and ministers of God. Please him for whom you are soldiers, from whom also you will receive your pay; let none of you be found a deserter. Let your baptism remain as your armor, faith as a helmet, love as a spear, patience as full armor; let your works be your deposits, that you may receive your credits worthy of God. Be long-suffering therefore with one another in gentleness, as God is also with you. May I have joy of you always. Since the church which is in Antioch of Syria is at peace, as has been made known to me, through your prayer, I also have become more cheerful in a godly freedom from care, if indeed by my suffering I may attain to God, so as to be found a disciple in answer to your prayer. It is fitting, most blessed-by-God Polycarp, to convene a most God-pleasing council and to appoint someone, if you have someone very beloved and tireless, who will be able to be called a God-runner; to deem him worthy to go to Syria, so that, having gone to Syria, he may glorify your tireless love to the glory of God. A Christian does not have authority over himself, but is devoted to God. This is the work of God and of you, when you complete it. For I trust in grace, that you are ready for a good work that belongs to God. Knowing your zeal for the truth, I have exhorted you with these few letters. Since, therefore, I was not able to write to all the churches because I must sail suddenly from Troas to Neapolis, as the command requires, you will write to the churches before you, as one possessing the mind of God, so that they also may do this (those who are able send men on foot, and others letters through those sent by you, that you may be glorified in an eternal work) as you are worthy. I greet all by name, and the wife of Epitropus with her whole household and her children. I greet Attalus, my beloved. I greet him who is about to be deemed worthy to go to Syria. Grace will be with him always, and with Polycarp who sends him. I pray that you may be strong always in our God Jesus Christ, in whom may you continue in the unity and care of God. I greet Alce, a name dear to me. Amen. Grace. Farewell in the Lord.

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πρόσθες τῇ σπουδῇ οὗ εἶ· συντονώτερον δράμε. τοὺς καιροὺς καταμάνθανε, ὡς ἐνταῦθα εἶ, νίκησον. ὧδε γάρ ἐστι τὸ στάδιον, ἐκεῖ δὲ οἱ στέφανοι. προσδόκα Χριστὸν τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ, τὸν ἄχρονον ἐν χρόνῳ, τὸν ἀόρατον τῇ φύσει ὁρατὸν ἐν σαρκί, τὸν ἀψηλάφητον καὶ ἀναφῆ ὡς ἀσώματον, δι' ἡμᾶς δὲ ἁπτὸν καὶ ψηλαφητὸν ἐν σώματι, τὸν ἀπαθῆ ὡς θεόν, δι' ἡμᾶς δὲ παθητὸν ὡς ἄνθρωπον, τὸν κατὰ πάντα τρόπον δι' ἡμᾶς ὑπομείναντα. Aἱ χῆραι μὴ ἀμελείσθωσαν· μετὰ τὸν κύριον σὺ αὐτῶν φροντιστὴς ἔσο. μηδὲν ἄνευ τῆς γνώμης σου γινέσθω, μηδὲ σὺ ἄνευ θεοῦ γνώμης τι πρᾶσσε, ὅπερ οὐδὲ πράττεις· εὐστάθει. πυκνότερον συναγωγαὶ γινέσθωσαν· ἐξ ὀνόματος πάντας ζήτει. δούλους καὶ δούλας μὴ ὑπερηφάνει· ἀλλὰ μηδὲ αὐτοὶ φυσιούσθωσαν, ἀλλ' εἰς δόξαν θεοῦ πλείονα δουλευέτωσαν, ἵνα κρείττονος ἐλευθερίας τύχωσιν ἀπὸ θεοῦ. μὴ ἐράτωσαν ἀπὸ τοῦ κοινοῦ ἐλευθεροῦσθαι, ἵνα μὴ δοῦλοι εὑρεθῶσιν ἐπιθυμίας. Tὰς κακοτεχνίας φεῦγε, μᾶλλον δὲ περὶ τούτων ὁμιλίαν ποιοῦ. ταῖς ἀδελφαῖς μου προσλάλει ἀγαπᾶν τὸν κύριον καὶ τοῖς συμβίοις ἀρκεῖσθαι σαρκὶ καὶ πνεύματι. ὁμοίως καὶ τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μου παράγγελλε ἐν ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἀγαπᾶν τὰς συμβίους, ὡς ὁ κύριος τὴν ἐκκλησίαν. εἴ τις δύναται ἐν ἁγνείᾳ μένειν εἰς τιμὴν τῆς σαρκὸς τοῦ κυρίου, ἐν ἀκαυχησίᾳ μενέτω. ἐὰν καυχήσηται, ἀπώλετο, καὶ ἐὰν γνωσθῇ πλὴν τοῦ ἐπισκόπου, ἔφθαρται. πρέπει δὲ τοῖς γαμοῦσι καὶ ταῖς γαμούσαις μετὰ γνώμης τοῦ ἐπισκόπου τὴν ἕνωσιν ποιεῖσθαι, ἵνα ὁ γάμος ᾖ κατὰ κύριον καὶ μὴ κατ' ἐπιθυμίαν. πάντα εἰς τιμὴν θεοῦ γινέσθω. Tῷ ἐπισκόπῳ προσέχετε, ἵνα καὶ ὁ θεὸς ὑμῖν. ἀντίψυχον ἐγὼ τῶν ὑποτασσομένων ἐπισκόπῳ, πρεσβυτερίῳ, διακόνοις· μετ' αὐτῶν μοι τὸ μέρος γένοιτο ἔχειν παρὰ θεῷ. συγκοπιᾶτε ἀλλήλοις, συναθλεῖτε, συντρέχετε, συμπάσχετε, συγκοιμᾶσθε, συνεγείρεσθε ὡς θεοῦ οἰκονόμοι καὶ πάρεδροι καὶ ὑπηρέται. ἀρέσκετε ᾧ στρατεύεσθε, ἀφ' οὗ καὶ τὰ ὀψώνια κομίσεσθε· μήτις ὑμῶν δε σέρτωρ εὑρεθῇ. τὸ βάπτισμα ὑμῶν μενέτω ὡς ὅπλα, ἡ πίστις ὡς περικεφαλαία, ἡ ἀγάπη ὡς δόρυ, ἡ ὑπομονὴ ὡς πανοπλία· τὰ δεπόσιτα ὑμῶν τὰ ἔργα ὑμῶν, ἵνα τὰ ἄκκεπτα ὑμῶν ἄξια θεοῦ κομίσησθε. μακροθυμεῖτε οὖν μετ' ἀλλήλων ἐν πραΰτητι, καὶ ὁ θεὸς μεθ' ὑμῶν. ὀναίμην ὑμῶν διὰ παντός. Ἐπειδὴ ἡ ἐκκλησία ἡ ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ τῆς Συρίας εἰρηνεύει, ὡς ἐδηλώθη μοι, διὰ τῆς προσευχῆς ὑμῶν, κἀγὼ εὐθυμότερος ἐγενόμην ἐν ἀμεριμνίᾳ θεοῦ, ἐάνπερ διὰ τοῦ παθεῖν θεοῦ ἐπιτύχω, εἰς τὸ εὑρεθῆναί με ἐν τῇ αἰτήσει ὑμῶν μαθητήν. πρέπει, Πολύκαρπε θεομακαριστότατε, συμβούλιον ἀγαγεῖν θεοπρεπέστατον καὶ χειροτονῆσαι, εἴ τινα ἀγαπητὸν λίαν ἔχετε καὶ ἄοκνον, ὃς δυνήσεται θεόδρομος καλεῖσθαι· τοῦτον καταξιῶσαι πορευθῆναι εἰς Συρίαν, ἵνα πορευθεὶς εἰς Συρίαν δοξάσῃ ὑμῶν τὴν ἄοκνον ἀγάπην εἰς δόξαν θεοῦ. ὁ Χριστιανὸς ἐξουσίαν ἑαυτοῦ οὐκ ἔχει, ἀλλὰ θεῷ σχολάζει. τοῦτο τὸ ἔργον θεοῦ ἐστιν καὶ ὑμῶν, ὅταν αὐτὸ ἀπαρτίσητε. πιστεύω γὰρ τῇ χάριτι, ὅτι ἕτοιμοί ἐστε εἰς εὐποιΐαν θεῷ ἀνήκουσαν. εἰδὼς ὑμῶν τὸ σύντομον τῆς ἀληθείας, δι' ὀλίγων ὑμᾶς γραμμάτων παρεκάλεσα. Ἐπεὶ οὖν πάσαις ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις οὐκ ἠδυνήθην γράψαι διὰ τὸ ἐξαίφνης πλεῖν με ἀπὸ Tρωάδος εἰς Nεάπολιν, ὡς τὸ θέλημα προστάσσει, γράψεις ταῖς ἔμπροσθεν ἐκκλησίαις, ὡς θεοῦ γνώμην κεκτημένος, εἰς τὸ καὶ αὐτοὺς τοῦτο ποιῆσαι (οἱ μὲν δυνάμενοι πεζοὺς πέμψαι, οἱ δὲ ἐπιστολὰς διὰ τῶν ὑπό σου πεμπομένων, ἵνα δοξασθῆτε ἐν αἰωνίῳ ἔργῳ) ὡς ἄξιος ὤν. ἀσπάζομαι πάντας ἐξ ὀνόματος καὶ τὴν τοῦ Ἐπιτρόπου σὺν ὅλῳ τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτῆς καὶ τῶν τέκνων. ἀσπάζομαι Ἄτταλον τὸν ἀγαπητόν μου. ἀσπάζομαι τὸν μέλλοντα καταξιοῦσθαι εἰς Συρίαν πορεύεσθαι. ἔσται ἡ χάρις μετ' αὐτοῦ διὰ παντὸς καὶ τοῦ πέμποντος αὐτὸν Πολυκάρπου. ἐρρῶσθαι ὑμᾶς διὰ παντὸς ἐν θεῷ ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷ εὔχομαι, ἐν ᾧ διαμείναιτε ἐν ἑνότητι θεοῦ καὶ ἐπισκοπῇ. ἀσπάζομαι Ἄλκην τὸ ποθητόν μοι ὄνομα. ἀμήν. ἡ χάρις. ἔρρωσθε ἐν κυρίῳ.