Nielsen’s Nook

Translation

2 I praise you that you considered me worthy of this day and hour, that I might receive a place [1] in the ranks [2] of martyrs by the cup of Christ into the resurrection of everlasting life, of both the soul and the body, by means of [3] the incorruptibility of the Holy Spirit. [4] May I be received into your presence today as a sacrifice rich and acceptable sacrifice, as you did prepare and reveal beforehand and now fulfilled. You are the true God who does not lie. [5]

[1] μέρος part or share (BAGD, 506). Here, St. Polycarp is looking forward to being counted among the martyrs.

[2] ἀριθμῷ lit. number (BAGD, 106); however, here it seems clear that St. Polycarp views the move to being numbered among the martyrs as a promotion. Hence, we have ἀριθμός rendered as ranks.

[3] ἐν ἀφθαρσίᾳ πνεύματος ἁγίου is taken as a dative of means.

[4] St. Polycarp’s prayer starts in §14.1b and here continues here. Since §14.1b-2 compose a singe Greek sentence we have broken it up a bit for readability in English with every attempt to maintain the original feel and meaning.

[5] ὁ ἀψευδὴς καὶ ἀληθινὸς Θεός. This is a simple statement but very polemical given St. Polycarp’s circumstance. He is denying the Roman pantheon (viz Caesar) by saying the true God is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Second, in denying the pantheon and Caesar, he is subtly repudiating them when he adds that the Christian God does not lie. It was common place for the Greek and Roman gods to lie and deceive both each other and human worshipers. In this way, St. Polycarp shows the moral and ontological superiority of the Christian God.