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| Chapter IX.—Polycarp refuses to revile Christ. PREVIOUS SECTION - NEXT SECTION - HELP
Chapter IX.—Polycarp refuses to
revile Christ.
Now, as Polycarp was entering
into the stadium, there came to him a voice from heaven, saying,
“Be strong, and show thyself a man, O Polycarp!” No one saw
who it was that spoke to him; but those of our brethren who were present
heard the voice. And as he was brought forward, the tumult became great
when they heard that Polycarp was taken. And when he came near, the
proconsul asked him whether he was Polycarp. On his confessing that he
was, [the proconsul] sought to persuade him to deny [Christ], saying,
“Have respect to thy old age,” and other similar things,
according to their custom, [such as], “Swear by the fortune of
Cæsar; repent, and say, Away with the Atheists.” But Polycarp,
gazing with a stern countenance on all the multitude of the wicked
heathen then in the stadium, and waving his hand towards them, while with
groans he looked up to heaven, said, “Away with the
Atheists.”445 Then, the proconsul urging him, and saying,
“Swear, and I will set thee at liberty, reproach Christ;”
Polycarp declared, “Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He
never did me any injury: how then can I blaspheme my King and my
Saviour?”E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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