# To Polycarp 1.3

- Author: [Ignatius of Antioch](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/authors/ignatius-of-antioch/)
- Work: [To Polycarp](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-polycarp/) (*Ad Polycarpum*)
- Date: ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) (disputed)
- Source: Lake, LCL 24:268; Kirsopp Lake, ed. and trans., The Apostolic Fathers, vol. 1, LCL 24 (London: Heinemann; New York: Macmillan, 1912), 172–277 (Greek text: K. Lake, The Apostolic Fathers (LCL, 1912-1913), digitized by the First Thousand Years of Greek project (Open Greek and Latin), CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Also in: PG 5:720b (found by text match)
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26
- Canonical URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-polycarp/1/3/

Summary: Polycarp should pray constantly, watch, speak to each person, and bear others' weaknesses.

## Greek text

προσευχαῖς σχόλαζε ἀδιαλείπτοις· αἰτοῦ σύνεσιν πλείονα ἧς ἔχεις· γρηγόρει ἀκοίμητον πνεῦμα κεκτημένος. τοῖς κατʼ ἄνδρα κατὰ ὁμοήθειαν θεοῦ λάλει· πάντων τὰς νόσους βάσταζε ὡς τέλειος ἀθλητής. ὅπου πλείων κόπος, πολὺ κέρδος.

## English translation (Claude)

Give yourself to unceasing prayers; ask for more understanding than you have; keep watch, with a spirit that does not sleep. Speak to each person individually, in the manner of God; bear the diseases of all, as a perfect athlete. Where there is more toil, there is much gain.

## Scripture references

- 1 Thess 5:17: allusion, medium confidence
- Matt 8:17: echo, medium confidence

## Translation notes

- “In the manner of God” (κατὰ ὁμοήθειαν θεοῦ): literally “according to likeness of character with God”; possibly “in godly concord.”
- “Bear the diseases of all” recalls Isa 53:4 as quoted in Matt 8:17.

## Citation (SBL)

Ign. Pol. 1.3 (PG 5:720b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ign-polycarp/1/3/).