# Martyrdom of Polycarp 20.1

- Author: Anonymous
- Work: [Martyrdom of Polycarp](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/mart-pol/) (*Martyrium Polycarpi*)
- Date: ca. 156–160 (approximate)
- Source: Lake, LCL 25:338; Kirsopp Lake, ed. and trans., The Apostolic Fathers, vol. 2, LCL 25 (London: Heinemann; New York: Macmillan, 1913), 312–345 (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 5:1044b–1044c (found by text match)
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26
- Canonical URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/mart-pol/20/1/

Summary: The church asks the readers to pass the letter on to other churches.

## Greek text

Ὑμεῖς μὲν οὖν ἠξιώσατε διὰ πλειόνων δηλωθῆναι ὑμῖν τὰ γενόμενα, ἡμεῖς δὲ κατὰ τὸ παρὸν ἐπὶ κεφαλαίῳ μεμηνύκαμεν διὰ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ ἡμῶν Μαρκίωνος. μαθόντες οὖν ταῦτα καὶ τοῖς ἐπέκεινα ἀδελφοῖς τὴν ἐπιστολὴν διαπέμψασθε, ἵνα καὶ ἐκεῖνοι δοξάζωσιν τὸν κύριον τὸν ἐκλογὰς ποιοῦντα ἀπὸ τῶν ἰδίων δούλων.

## English translation (Claude)

You asked that what happened be made known to you more fully, but for the present we have reported it in summary through our brother Marcion. When you have learned these things, send the letter on to the brothers farther away as well, so that they too may glorify the Lord who makes choices from among his own servants.

## Translation notes

- “Marcion” (some manuscripts “Marcianus”): the messenger, not the second-century teacher of the same name.
- The Ante-Nicene Fathers translation (1885) reads “Marcus,” another variant of the name.

## Citation (SBL)

Mart. Pol. 20.1 (PG 5:1044b–1044c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/mart-pol/20/1/).