# To the Philippians 11.2

- Author: [Polycarp of Smyrna](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/authors/polycarp-of-smyrna/)
- Work: [To the Philippians](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/pol-philippians/) (*Epistula ad Philippenses*)
- Date: ca. 110–135 (disputed)
- Source: Lake, LCL 24:296; Kirsopp Lake, ed. and trans., The Apostolic Fathers, vol. 1, LCL 24 (London: Heinemann; New York: Macmillan, 1912), 282–301 (Greek text: K. Lake, The Apostolic Fathers (LCL, 1912), digitized by the First Thousand Years of Greek project (Open Greek and Latin), CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26
- Canonical URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/pol-philippians/11/2/

Summary: A leader who cannot control his own greed cannot teach others, for greed is idolatry and the saints will judge the world.

## Latin text

Qui autem non potest se in his gubernare, quomodo alii pronuntiat hoc? Si quis non se abstinuerit ab avaritia, ab idololatria coinquinabitur et tamquam inter gentes iudicabitur, qui ignorant iudicium domini. Aut nescimus, quia sancti mundum iudicabunt? sicut Paulus docet.

## English translation (Claude)

But how can someone who cannot govern himself in these matters preach this to another? If anyone does not keep away from greed, he will be defiled by idolatry and judged as one of the Gentiles, “who do not know the judgment of the Lord.” Or do we not know that “the saints will judge the world,” as Paul teaches?

## Scripture references

- Col 3:5: allusion, medium confidence
- Eph 5:5: allusion, medium confidence
- Jer 5:4: allusion, low confidence
- 1 Cor 6:2: quotation, high confidence

## Translation notes

- The text followed here makes “who do not know the judgment of the Lord” describe the Gentiles (echoing Jer 5:4). Some editions punctuate it as a separate question, “But which of us is ignorant of the judgment of the Lord?” (so the Ante-Nicene Fathers translation).

## Citation (SBL)

Pol. Phil. 11.2 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/pol-philippians/11/2/).