People’s Open Bible
Polycarp to the Philippians 12
Reject Greed and Idolatry Now
Open in the reader →1I was deeply grieved for Valens, who was formerly a presbyter among you, because he understands so little of the office entrusted to him. Therefore, I warn you to keep away from greed and to be pure and truthful. Keep away from every evil. But if someone cannot control himself in these matters, how can he command another to do so? 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. Nay, do we not know that the saints will judge the world, as Paul teaches? But I have neither found nor heard of any such thing among you, among whom the blessed Paul labored and who were his letters in the beginning. For he boasts about you in all those churches that alone knew God at that time; for we did not yet know Him. Therefore, I am deeply grieved for him and for his wife, to whom may the Lord grant true repentance. You yourselves also must be sober in this matter. Do not regard such people as enemies, but restore them as frail and erring members, so that you may save the whole body of you. For by doing this, you build one another up.
Composed from original Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and Ge’ez manuscripts, rendered in multiple passes to stay as close to the originals as possible. About this project