The Writings of Saint Polycarp of Smyrna

Greeting

Polycarp and the presbyters with him, to the Church of God sojourning at Philippi: may mercy and peace from God Almighty and Jesus Christ our Savior be multiplied to you.

Chapter 1. Praise of the Philippians

I rejoiced with you greatly in our Lord Jesus Christ, because you welcomed the images of true love and sent on their way, as was fitting for you, those bound in chains that befit saints — chains that are indeed the crowns of those truly chosen by God and our Lord; and because the firm root of your faith, proclaimed since ancient times,¹ endures to this day and bears fruit for our Lord Jesus Christ, who endured even to face death for our sins, whom God raised, loosing the pangs of Hades; in whom, though you have not seen him, you believe with joy inexpressible and full of glory² — a joy into which many long to enter — knowing that you are saved by grace, not by works,³ but by the will of God through Jesus Christ.

Chapter 2. An Exhortation to Virtue

Therefore, making yourselves ready,⁴,⁵ serve God in fear and truth, having abandoned empty talk and the error of the crowd, and having believed in him who raised our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead and gave him glory⁶ and a throne at his right hand,⁷ to whom all things in heaven and on earth were made subject,⁸ to whom every living breath renders worship, who comes as judge of the living and the dead,⁹ whose blood God will require from those who disobey him. But he who raised him from the dead will also raise us, if we do his will and walk in his commandments and love what he loved, keeping ourselves from all injustice, greed, love of money, slander, and false witness — not repaying evil for evil, or reviling for reviling,¹⁰ or blow for blow, or curse for curse — but remembering what the Lord said in his teaching: "Judge not, that you may not be judged;¹¹,¹² with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you";¹³,¹⁴ and, "Blessed are the poor, and those persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of God."

Chapter 3. Polycarp's Modesty

I write you these things, brothers, about righteousness not on my own initiative, but because you invited me to do so. For neither I nor anyone like me can attain to the wisdom¹⁵ of the blessed and glorious Paul, who, when he was among you, taught the word of truth accurately and reliably to the people of that time, face to face, and who also, when absent, wrote you letters.¹ If you study them closely, you will be able to be built up in the faith that has been given to you — faith, which is the mother of us all,¹⁶ when it is followed by hope and led onward by love for God and Christ and one's neighbor. For if anyone is inwardly possessed of these, he has fulfilled the commandment of righteousness; for whoever has love is far from all sin.

Chapter 4. Various Exhortations

The love of money is the beginning of all troubles.¹⁷ Knowing, then, that we brought nothing into the world and can carry nothing out of it,¹⁸ let us arm ourselves with the weapons of righteousness,¹⁹ and let us first teach ourselves to walk in the Lord's commandment, and then teach our wives to abide in the faith given to them, and in love and purity, cherishing their own husbands in all fidelity and loving all people equally in all self-control, and to raise their children in the training that comes from the fear of God. Teach the widows to be sound-minded in the faith of the Lord, interceding without ceasing²⁰ for all people, staying far from all slander, backbiting, false witness, love of money, and every evil, knowing that they are God's altar, and that everything is examined for blemish, and that nothing escapes him — neither reasonings nor thoughts nor anything hidden in the heart.

Chapter 5. The Duties of Deacons, Young Men, and Virgins

Knowing, then, that God is not mocked,²¹ we ought to walk worthily of his commandment and glory. Likewise, deacons must be blameless before his righteousness, as servants of God and Christ and not of men — not slanderers, not double-tongued,²² not lovers of money, self-controlled in all things, compassionate, diligent, walking according to the truth of the Lord, who became the servant of all.²³ If we please him in this present age, we will also receive the age to come, just as he promised us that he would raise us from the dead, and that if we live worthily of him, we will also reign together with him²⁴ — if indeed we believe.

Likewise also the young men must be blameless in everything, caring above all for purity and reining themselves in from the desires that are in the world; for every desire wages war against the spirit,²⁵ and neither the sexually immoral, nor the effeminate, nor men who lie with men will inherit the kingdom of God,²⁶ nor will those who do improper things. Therefore it is necessary to abstain from all these, being subject to the presbyters and deacons as to God and Christ. The virgins must walk with a blameless and pure conscience.

Chapter 6. The Duties of Presbyters and Others

And the presbyters, too, must be compassionate, merciful to all, turning back those who have gone astray, visiting all the sick, not neglecting a widow or an orphan or a poor person, but always taking thought for what is good before God and men,²⁷,²⁸ abstaining from all wrath, favoritism, and unjust judgment, not quick to believe a report against anyone, not harsh in judgment, knowing that we are all debtors of sin. If, then, we ask the Lord to forgive us, we too ought to forgive;²⁹ for we stand before the eyes of the Lord and God, and all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ,³⁰,³¹ and each must give an account of himself. Let us, then, serve him with fear and all reverence, just as he himself commanded, and as did the apostles who preached the gospel to us, and the prophets who announced beforehand the coming of our Lord — being zealous for what is good, keeping ourselves from causes of stumbling, from false brothers, and from those who bear the name of the Lord in hypocrisy and lead empty-headed people astray.

Chapter 7. Beware the Docetists; Persevere in Prayer and Fasting

For everyone who does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is antichrist;³² and whoever does not confess the testimony of the cross is of the devil; and whoever twists the sayings of the Lord to suit his own desires and says there is neither resurrection nor judgment — that man is the firstborn of Satan. ²Therefore, let us abandon the empty talk of the crowd and their false teachings, and turn back to the word delivered to us from³³ the beginning, keeping sober for prayer³⁴ and persevering in fastings, asking the all-seeing God in our petitions not to bring us into temptation,³⁵ just as the Lord said: "The spirit indeed is willing,³⁶ but the flesh is weak."³⁷,³⁸

Chapter 8. Persevere in Hope and Patience

Let us, then, without ceasing hold fast to our hope and to the pledge of our righteousness, who is Christ Jesus, who bore our sins in his own body on the tree,³⁹ who committed no sin, and in whose mouth no deceit was found,⁴⁰ but who endured everything for us, so that we might live in him.⁴¹ Let us, then, become imitators of his endurance, and if we suffer⁴²,⁴³ for his name's sake, let us glorify him; for he set us this example⁴⁴ in himself, and this we have believed.

Chapter 9. Patience Commended

I urge, then, all of you to obey the word of righteousness and to practice all endurance, which you have also seen with your own eyes, not only in the blessed Ignatius and Zosimus and Rufus,³ but also in others from among yourselves, and in Paul himself and the rest of the apostles — being convinced that all these did not run in vain,⁴⁵,⁴⁶ but in faith and righteousness, and that they are with the Lord in the place that is due them, with whom they also suffered. For they did not love the present age, but him who died for us and was raised by God for our sake.

Chapter 10. An Exhortation to the Practice of Virtue

Stand fast, then, in these things, and follow the example of the Lord: firm and unshaken in faith, lovers of the brotherhood,⁴⁷ loving one another, joined together in truth, anticipating one another in the meekness of the Lord, despising no one. When you are able to do good, do not delay, for almsgiving sets free from death.⁴⁸,⁴⁹ Be subject to one another,⁵⁰ keeping your conduct blameless among the nations,⁵¹ so that from your good works you yourselves may receive praise and the Lord may not be blasphemed on your account. But woe to the one on whose account the name of the Lord is blasphemed!⁵² Teach, therefore, sobriety to everyone, that same sobriety in which you yourselves live.

Chapter 11. Grief Over Valens

I am deeply grieved for Valens⁴, who was once made a presbyter among you, because he so misunderstands the place that was given him. I warn you, then: abstain from all evil.⁵³ But how can someone who cannot govern himself in these matters preach it to others? If anyone does not abstain from greed, he will be defiled by idolatry, and will be judged as one of the nations, who do not know the judgment of the Lord. Or do we not know that the saints will judge the world, as Paul teaches?⁵⁴ But I have perceived nothing of the kind among you, nor heard of it — you, among whom the blessed Paul labored, and who are named at the beginning of his letter. For he boasts of you in all the churches which at that time alone had come to know the Lord; we, however, had not yet known him. I am deeply grieved, then, brothers, for him and for his wife; may the Lord grant them true repentance. Be sober-minded, then, yourselves in this matter too, and do not regard such people as enemies,⁵⁵ but call them back as suffering and straying members, so that you may save your whole body. For in doing this you build up yourselves.⁵⁶

Chapter 12. An Exhortation to Various Virtues

For I trust that you are well practiced in the Sacred Scriptures, and nothing is hidden from you; but this has not been granted to me. Only, as it is said in these Scriptures,⁵ "Be angry and do not sin," and, "Let not the sun go down on your anger."⁵⁷ Blessed is the one who remembers this — which I believe is true of you. Now may God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ himself, the Son of God, our everlasting High Priest, build you up in faith and truth and in all gentleness, without anger, and in patience, long-suffering, endurance, and purity; and may he grant you a share and a place among his saints, and to us with you, and to all who are under heaven who will believe in our Lord and God Jesus Christ and in his Father, who raised him from the dead.⁵⁸ Pray for all the saints. Pray also for kings⁵⁹ and rulers and leaders, and for those who persecute and hate you,⁶⁰ and for the enemies of the cross, so that your fruit may be evident to all, and that you may be perfect in him.

Chapter 13. Concerning the Transmission of Letters

You, and Ignatius as well, wrote to me that if anyone should go to Syria, he should also carry along the letter from you. I will do this if I find a suitable time — either I myself, or the one I send to act as envoy on your behalf as well. The letters of Ignatius that were sent to us by him⁶, and any others that we had by us, we have sent to you, just as you requested; they are appended to this letter, and you will be able to benefit greatly from them, for they contain faith and endurance and every kind of edification that pertains to our Lord. And whatever more certain word you learn concerning Ignatius himself and those who are with him, let us know.

Chapter 14. Conclusion

I have written you these things by the hand of Crescens⁷, whom I commended to you a short while ago, and commend to you now. For he has lived among us without fault, and I believe he will do the same among you. You will also receive his sister as commended to you, when she comes to you. Be well in the Lord Jesus Christ, in grace, together with all who are yours. Amen.

Greeting

The Church of God sojourning at Smyrna, to the Church of God sojourning in Philomelium, and to all the congregations of the holy and catholic Church⁸ in every place: may mercy, peace, and love from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ be multiplied.

Chapter 1. Occasion of This Letter

We write to you, brothers, an account of those who were martyred, and of the blessed Polycarp, who put an end to the persecution by sealing it, as it were, with his martyrdom. For almost everything that led up to it happened so that the Lord might show us once more, from above, a martyrdom that conforms to the gospel. For he waited to be handed over, just as the Lord also did, so that we too might become his imitators, looking not only to our own affairs but also to those of our neighbors. For it belongs to true and steadfast love to wish not only for oneself to be saved, but for all the brothers as well.

Chapter 2. The Wonderful Constancy of the Martyrs

Blessed and noble, then, are all the martyrdoms that took place according to the will of God; for it is right for us, who are more reverent than others, to ascribe the authority over all things to God. For who would not admire their nobility, their endurance, and their love for their Master? Some were so torn by the scourges that the structure of their flesh was visible all the way to the deep veins and arteries, and yet they endured it, so that even the bystanders felt pity and wept; but they themselves reached such a pitch of nobility that not one of them uttered a cry or a groan, showing us all that in that hour, under torture, the most noble martyrs of Christ were absent from the flesh — or rather, that the Lord was standing by and speaking with them. And giving heed to the grace of Christ, they despised the torments of this world, purchasing eternal life for the price of a single hour. To them the fire of their cruel torturers was cold, for they kept before their eyes their escape from that fire which is eternal and never quenched, and with the eyes of their heart they looked up to the good things reserved for those who endure — things which no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and which have not entered into the heart of man,⁶¹ but were shown by the Lord to them, since they were no longer men but had already become angels.⁹ Likewise also those condemned to the wild beasts endured terrible punishments, being made to lie on beds of sharp shells and being tormented with other varied kinds of torture, so that the tyrant might, if possible, turn them to denial through the persistence of the punishment; for the devil devised many things against them.

Chapter 3. The Constancy of Germanicus; the Death of Polycarp Is Demanded

But thanks be to God, for he did not prevail over all of them. For the most noble Germanicus¹⁰ strengthened the fearfulness of the others through the endurance that was in him, and he fought the beasts in a remarkable way. For when the proconsul wished to persuade him, urging him to have pity on his youth, he violently drew the beast toward himself, wanting to be released all the more quickly from their unjust and lawless life. At this, then, the whole crowd, marveling at the nobility of the God-loving and God-fearing race of the Christians, cried out: "Away with the atheists! Let Polycarp be sought out!"

Chapter 4. Quintus the Apostate

Now one man, named Quintus, a Phrygian who had recently arrived from Phrygia, lost heart when he saw the wild beasts. He was the one who had forced himself, and some others, to come forward of their own accord. The proconsul, after much entreaty, persuaded him to swear the oath and offer sacrifice. For this reason, then, brothers, we do not commend those who hand themselves over, since the gospel does not so teach.⁶²

Chapter 5. The Departure and Vision of Polycarp

When the most admirable Polycarp first heard of it, he was not troubled, but wished to remain in the city. Most of those with him, however, urged him to withdraw quietly, and he withdrew to a small farm not far from the city, and stayed there with a few companions, doing nothing else, night and day, but praying for everyone and for the churches throughout the world, as was his custom. And while praying, three days before he was arrested, he fell into a trance and saw his pillow burning up in fire; and turning to those who were with him, he said: "I must be burned alive."

Chapter 6. Polycarp Is Betrayed

And as those who were searching for him persisted, he moved to another small farm, and immediately those searching for him arrived; and not finding him, they seized two young slaves, one of whom, under torture, confessed. For indeed it was impossible for him to remain hidden, since it was members of his own household who betrayed him. And the captain of the peace — allotted, as it happened, the very same name, being called Herod — was eager to bring him into the stadium, so that Polycarp might fulfill his own appointed lot by becoming a partaker of Christ, while those who betrayed him would undergo the punishment of Judas himself.

Chapter 7. Polycarp Is Found by His Pursuers

Having, then, the young slave in hand, the police and horsemen went out on the day of preparation about suppertime, with their usual weapons, hurrying along as if against a robber.⁶³ Arriving late in the evening, they found him lying in an upper room of a certain house; and though he could still have gone off from there to another place, he was unwilling to do so, saying, "The will of God be done."⁶⁴,⁶⁵ So when he heard that they were there, he went down and spoke with them, while those present marveled at his age and his composure, and that there was such urgency to arrest so old a man. He immediately ordered that food and drink be set before them at that hour, as much as they wished, and asked of them one thing — that they grant him an hour to pray undisturbed. And when they had granted this, he stood and prayed, so full of the grace of God that for two hours he could not stop, and those listening were amazed, and many began to regret that they had come out against so godly an old man.

Chapter 8. Polycarp Is Brought into the City

When at last he ended his prayer, having remembered everyone he had ever come into contact with, small and great, famous and obscure, and the whole catholic Church throughout the world, the hour had come for him to leave; so they set him on a donkey and led him into the city, it being the day of the great Sabbath. And the captain of the peace, Herod, and his father Nicetes, met him, and taking him up into their carriage, sat beside him and tried to persuade him, saying: "What harm is there in saying, 'Caesar is Lord,' and offering sacrifice, and the rest that goes with it, and so saving yourself?" At first he gave them no answer; but when they persisted, he said, "I am not going to do what you advise me." So, failing to persuade him, they spoke harsh words to him and hastily threw him down, so that in getting down from the carriage he scraped his shin. But without turning around, as though nothing had happened to him, he went on eagerly and with haste, being led to the stadium, where the uproar was so great that no one could even be heard.

Chapter 9. Polycarp Refuses to Revile Christ

Now as Polycarp was entering the stadium, a voice came from heaven: "Be strong, Polycarp, and act like a man." No one saw the speaker, but our own people who were present heard the voice. And when he was finally brought forward, there was a great uproar among those who heard that Polycarp had been arrested. When he was brought forward, the proconsul asked him whether he was Polycarp; and when he confessed that he was, the proconsul tried to persuade him to deny it, saying, "Respect your age," and other such things as they are accustomed to say: "Swear by the fortune of Caesar; repent; say, 'Away with the atheists!'" But Polycarp, looking with a stern face at the whole crowd of lawless heathen gathered in the stadium, waved his hand at them, and groaning, looked up to heaven and said, "Away with the atheists!" But when the proconsul pressed him and said, "Swear, and I will release you; revile Christ," Polycarp said, "For eighty-six years I have been his servant, and he has done me no wrong. How, then, can I blaspheme my King, who saved me?"

Chapter 10. Polycarp Confesses Himself a Christian

But when he pressed him still further and said, "Swear by the fortune of Caesar," he answered, "If you vainly suppose that I will swear by the fortune of Caesar, as you say, and pretend not to know who I am, hear plainly: I am a Christian. And if you wish to learn the teaching of Christianity, set a day and listen." The proconsul said, "Persuade the people." Polycarp said, "You I would have thought worthy of an explanation, for we have been taught to render, as is fitting, honor to rulers and authorities appointed by God,⁶⁶,⁶⁷ so long as it does us no harm. But as for them, I do not consider them worthy that I should offer a defense to them."

Chapter 11. No Threats Have Any Effect on Polycarp

The proconsul said, "I have wild beasts; I will throw you to them, unless you repent." He said, "Call for them, for repentance from better to worse is not permitted us; but it is good to change from what is harsh to what is just." The proconsul said, "I will have you consumed by fire, since you scorn the wild beasts, unless you repent." Polycarp said, "You threaten with the fire that burns for an hour and after a little is quenched; for you do not know the fire of the coming judgment and of the eternal punishment reserved for the ungodly. But why do you delay? Bring on whatever you wish."

Chapter 12. Polycarp Is Sentenced to Be Burned

As he said these things and many others besides, he was filled with courage and joy, and his face was filled with grace, so that not only did he not collapse in dismay at what was said to him, but on the contrary the proconsul himself was astonished, and sent his herald to proclaim three times in the middle of the stadium, "Polycarp has confessed that he is a Christian." When this was said by the herald, the whole crowd of Gentiles and Jews living in Smyrna cried out with uncontrollable rage and a loud voice: "This is the teacher of Asia, the father of the Christians, the destroyer of our gods, who teaches many not to sacrifice or worship them!" Saying this, they shouted and asked Philip the Asiarch to release a lion against Polycarp. But he said it was not lawful for him to do so, since he had already closed the animal contests. Then they resolved to shout with one accord that Polycarp be burned alive. For the vision that had appeared to him concerning his pillow had to be fulfilled — when he saw it on fire while praying, and, turning to the faithful who were with him, said prophetically, "I must be burned alive."

Chapter 13. The Funeral Pile Is Prepared

This, then, took place with such speed — faster than it can be told — the crowds at once gathering wood and kindling from the workshops and the bathhouses, the Jews being especially eager, as is their custom, to assist in this. When the fire was ready, he took off all his outer garments and loosened his belt; he tried also to remove his sandals, though he had not been used to doing this himself before, since each of the faithful was always eager to be the first to touch his body — for on account of his good life, he had been adorned with every kind of honor even before his martyrdom. At once, then, the implements prepared for the fire were placed around him. And when they were about to nail him as well, he said, "Leave me as I am; for he who grants me to endure the fire will also grant me, even without the security of your nails, to remain in the fire unflinching."

Chapter 14. The Prayer of Polycarp

So they did not nail him but bound him instead. And with his hands behind him, bound like a distinguished ram taken from a great flock for sacrifice, made ready as an acceptable burnt offering to God, he looked up to heaven and said:

"O Lord God Almighty, Father of your beloved and blessed Servant Jesus Christ, through whom we have received the knowledge of you, God of angels and powers and of all creation, and of the whole race of the righteous who live before you — I bless you, for having counted me worthy of this day and this hour, to receive a portion among the number of your martyrs in the cup of your Christ, for the resurrection to eternal life of soul and body in the incorruption of the Holy Spirit. Among them may I be received before you today as a rich and acceptable sacrifice, just as you, the God who does not lie and who is true, have prepared beforehand, revealed, and now fulfilled. For this, and for all things, I praise you, I bless you, I glorify you, through the eternal and heavenly High Priest, Jesus Christ, your beloved Servant, through whom, with him and the Holy Spirit, be glory to you, both now and for the ages to come. Amen."

Chapter 15. Polycarp Is Not Harmed by the Fire

When he had offered up the "Amen" and finished his prayer, the men in charge of the fire lit it. And as a great flame blazed up, we, to whom it was given to see it, beheld a marvel — we who were also kept alive to report to the rest what took place. For the fire took the shape of a vaulted chamber, like a ship's sail filled with wind, and formed a wall around the body of the martyr; and he was in the middle not like burning flesh but like bread being baked, or like gold and silver glowing in a furnace. And indeed we caught such a fragrance that it was as if frankincense were smoking, or some other precious spice.

Chapter 16. Polycarp Is Pierced with a Dagger

At last, when the lawless men saw that his body could not be consumed by the fire, they ordered an executioner to go up and stab him with a dagger. When he did this, a dove came out, along with such a quantity of blood that it put out the fire, and the whole crowd marveled that there should be such a difference between the unbelievers and the elect — one of whom was this most admirable martyr Polycarp, who in our own times proved to be an apostolic and prophetic teacher, bishop of the catholic Church in Smyrna. For every word that came out of his mouth either has been fulfilled or will yet be fulfilled.

Chapter 17. The Christians Are Refused Polycarp's Body

But the envious and malicious and evil one, the adversary of the race of the righteous, seeing the greatness of his martyrdom and his blameless conduct from the very beginning, and that he had been crowned with the crown of immortality and had carried off a prize beyond dispute, took care that not even his poor body should be taken by us, though many desired to do this and to have a share in his holy flesh. So he put it into the mind of Nicetes, the father of Herod and brother of Alce, to petition the magistrate not to give up his body, "lest," he said, "they abandon the Crucified One and begin to worship this man instead." They said this at the urging and insistence of the Jews, who also kept watch as we were about to take him from the fire — not knowing that we will never be able to abandon the Christ who suffered for the salvation of the whole world of those who are saved, the blameless one on behalf of sinners, nor to worship anyone else. For him, since he is the Son of God, we worship, but the martyrs, as disciples and imitators of the Lord, we love as they deserve, on account of their unsurpassable devotion to their own King and Teacher. May it be granted to us also to become their companions and fellow disciples!

Chapter 18. The Body of Polycarp Is Burned

So the centurion, seeing the contentiousness raised by the Jews, set him in the middle and burned him, as is their custom. And so we later took up his bones, more precious than costly gems and more valuable than gold, and laid them to rest in a fitting place. There, as we are able, gathering together in gladness and joy, the Lord will grant us to celebrate the birthday of his martyrdom,¹¹ both in memory of those who have already competed, and for the training and preparation of those who are yet to come.

Chapter 19. In Praise of the Martyr Polycarp

Such, then, is the account concerning the blessed Polycarp, who, though the twelfth to be martyred in Smyrna, counting those from Philadelphia as well, is remembered above all others, more than any other, so that he is spoken of by the pagans themselves in every place — not only as a distinguished teacher but also as an outstanding martyr, whose martyrdom all desire to imitate, since it took place in conformity with the gospel of Christ. Through his endurance he overcame the unjust ruler and so obtained the crown of immortality; and now, rejoicing together with the apostles and all the righteous, he glorifies God the Father Almighty, and blesses our Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of our souls, the Pilot of our bodies, and the Shepherd of the catholic Church throughout the world.

Chapter 20. This Letter Is to Be Sent On to the Brothers

You, then, asked that these things be reported to you at greater length, but for now we have given you a summary account through our brother Marcion¹². When you have learned these things, send this letter on to the brothers farther off as well, so that they too may glorify the Lord, who makes his choices from among his own servants. Now to him who is able to bring us all, by his grace and gift, into his heavenly kingdom through his only-begotten Servant Jesus Christ, be glory, honor, might, and majesty forever. Greet all the saints. Those who are with us greet you, as does Evaristus, who wrote this letter, together with his whole household.

Chapter 21. The Date of the Martyrdom

The blessed Polycarp was martyred on the second day of the month of Xanthicus, the seventh day before the Kalends of March, on a great Sabbath, at the eighth hour.¹³ He was arrested by Herod, when Philip of Tralles was high priest, and Statius Quadratus was proconsul, but Jesus Christ was reigning as King forever — to whom be glory, honor, majesty, and an eternal throne, from generation to generation. Amen.

Chapter 22. Final Greeting

We wish you good health, brothers, as you walk according to the word of the gospel of Jesus Christ; with whom be glory to God the Father and the Holy Spirit, for the salvation of his holy elect, just as the blessed Polycarp suffered martyrdom — following in whose footsteps may we too be found in the kingdom of Jesus Christ.

These things Gaius, who had also lived alongside Irenaeus, copied from the writings of Irenaeus, a disciple of Polycarp; and I, Socrates, wrote them at Corinth from the copies made by Gaius.

And I, Pionius, again wrote these things from the previously written copy, having searched them out — for the holy Polycarp made them known to me by a revelation, as I shall show in what follows — gathering them together when they had already almost faded away through the passage of time, so that the Lord Jesus Christ may gather me also, together with his elect, into his heavenly kingdom, to whom, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Another Ending, Copied from the Moscow Manuscript

These things Gaius, who had also lived alongside Irenaeus, copied from the writings of Irenaeus, Irenaeus having been a disciple of the holy Polycarp. For this Irenaeus, who was in Rome at the time of the martyrdom of the bishop Polycarp, taught many; and many of his excellent and thoroughly sound writings are extant, in which he makes mention of Polycarp, saying that he learned from him. He also refuted every heresy quite ably, and handed down the rule of the Church, catholic and whole, just as he had received it from the saint.

He also relates this: that once, when Marcion — from whom those called Marcionites take their name — met the holy Polycarp and said, "Recognize us, Polycarp," Polycarp said to Marcion, "I recognize you — I recognize the firstborn of Satan."

It is also recorded in the writings of Irenaeus that on the very day and hour that Polycarp was martyred at Smyrna, Irenaeus, who was then in the city of Rome, heard a voice like a trumpet, saying, "Polycarp has been martyred."

From these writings of Irenaeus, then, as has already been said, Gaius made his copy, and from the copies of Gaius, Isocrates did so at Corinth. And I, Pionius, again wrote from the copies of Isocrates, having sought these things out according to a revelation of the holy Polycarp, gathering them together when they had already almost faded away through the passage of time, so that the Lord may gather me also together with his elect into his heavenly kingdom; to whom be glory, with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, for ages of ages. Amen.