Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol I:
POLYCARP: Chapter IV.—Various exhortations.

Chapter IV.—Various exhortations.

“But the love of money is the root of all evils.” 360 Knowing, therefore, that “as we brought nothing into the world, so we can carry nothing out,” 361 let us arm ourselves with the armour of righteousness; 362 and let us teach, first of all, ourselves to walk in the commandments of the Lord. Next, [teach] your wives [to walk] in the faith given to them, and in love and purity tenderly loving their own husbands in all truth, and loving all [others] equally in all chastity; and to train up their children in the knowledge and fear of God. Teach the widows to be discreet as respects the faith of the Lord, praying continually 363 for all, being far from all slandering, evil-speaking, false-witnessing, love of money, and every kind of evil; knowing that they are the altar 364 of God, that He clearly perceives all things, and that nothing is hid from Him, neither reasonings, nor reflections, nor any one of the secret things of the heart.

Footnotes

1 Tim. vi. 10.

1 Tim. vi. 7.

Comp. Eph. vi. 11.

Comp. 1 Thess. v. 17.

Some here read, “altars.”