CHAPTER I -- OCCASION OF THE EPISTLE.
Since I see thee, most excellent Diognetus, exceedingly desirous to learn
the mode of worshipping God prevalent among the Christians, and
inquiring very carefully and earnestly concerning them, what God they
trust in, and what form of religion they observe, so as all to look down
upon the world itself, and despise death, while they neither esteem those
to be gods that are reckoned such by the Greeks, nor hold to the
superstition of the Jews; and what is the affection which they cherish
among themselves; and why, in fine, this new kind or practice [of piety]
has only now entered into the world, and not long ago; I cordially
welcome this thy desire, and I implore God, who enables us both to
speak and to hear, to grant to me so to speak, that, above all, I may hear
you have been edified, and to you so to hear, that I who speak may have
no cause of regret for having done so.
CHAPTER II -- THE VANITY OF IDOLS.
Page | 1Come, then, after you have freed yourself from all prejudices possessing
your mind, and laid aside what you have been accustomed to, as
something apt to deceive you, and being made, as if from the beginning,
a new man, inasmuch as, according to your own confession, you are to
be the hearer of a new [system of] doctrine; come and contemplate, not
with your eyes only, but with your understanding, the substance and the
form of those whom ye declare and deem to be gods. Is not one of them
a stone similar to that on which we tread? Is not a second brass, in no
way superior to those vessels which are constructed for our ordinary
use? Is not a third wood, and that already rotten? Is not a fourth silver,
which needs a man to watch it, lest it be stolen? Is not a fifth iron,
consumed by rust? Is not a sixth earthenware, in no degree more
valuable than that which is formed for the humblest purposes? Are not
all these of corruptible matter? Are they not fabricated by means of iron
and fire? Did not the sculptor fashion one of them, the brazier a second,
the silversmith a third, and the potter a fourth? Was not every one of
them, before they were formed by the arts of these [workmen] into the
shape of these [gods], each in its own way subject to change? Would not
those things which are now vessels, formed of the same materials,
become like to such, if they met with the same artificers? Might not
these, which are now worshipped by you, again be made by men vessels
similar to others? Are they not all deaf? Are they not blind? Are they not
without life? Are they not destitute of feeling? Are they not incapable of
motion? Are they not all liable to rot? Are they not all corruptible?
These things ye call gods; these ye serve; these ye worship; and ye
become altogether like to them. For this reason ye hate the Christians,
because they do not deem these to be gods. But do not ye yourselves,
who now think and suppose [such to be gods], much more cast contempt
upon them than they [the Christians do]? Do ye not much more mock
and insult them, when ye worship those that are made of stone and
earthenware, without appointing any persons to guard them; but those
made of silver and gold ye shut up by night, and appoint watchers to
look after them by day, lest they be stolen? And by those gifts which ye
mean to present to them, do ye not, if they are possessed of sense, rather
punish [than honour] them? But if, on the other hand, they are destitute
of sense, ye convict them of this fact, while ye worship them with blood
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there are many book that are not in the bible it helps to understand the bible un the Love of elohim ( god) for us an his son the word our savior
