The Four Classes of Samaritans.
The Gorthenes celebrate their feasts at other times than Sebyaeans.
The Sebyaeans differ from the Gorthenes by reason of their feasts.
The Seven Heresies of the Jews.
Thus far the summary of the thirteen heresies contained in the second part of Book II.
The following belong to this third part, in which thirteen heresies are contained:
Thus far for the eighteen heresies of the fourth part of Book II.
The following five heresies are contained in the fifth part of Book II:
Thus far the five heresies of the fifth part of Book II.
The following seven heresies are contained in the first part of Book III:
Thus far similarly the seven heresies of the first part of Book III.
In the second part of Book III there are four heresies:
There are many other extraordinary and quite ridiculous things in this book which he boasts was sent down to him from God. But when we ask: ‘And who is there to testify that God gave him the book? And which of the prophets foretold that such a prophet would rise up?—they are at a loss. And we remark that Moses received the Law on Mount Sinai, with God appearing in the sight of all the people in cloud, and fire, and darkness, and storm. And we say that all the Prophets from Moses on down foretold the coming of Christ and how Christ God (and incarnate Son of God) was to come and to be crucified and die and rise again, and how He was to be the judge of the living and dead. Then, when we say: How is it that this prophet of yours did not come in the same way, with others bearing witness to him? And how is it that God did not in your presence present this man with the book to which you refer, even as He gave the Law to Moses, with the people looking on and the mountain smoking, so that you, too, might have certainty?—they answer that God does as He pleases. ‘This, we say, ‘We know, but we are asking how the book came down to your prophet. Then they reply that the book came down to him while he was asleep. Then we jokingly say to them that, as long as he received the book in his sleep and did not actually sense the operation, then the popular adage applies to him (which runs: You’re spinning me dreams.)
Καὶ ἄλλα πολλὰ τερατολογῶν ἐν τῇ τοιαύτῃ συγγραφῇ γέλωτος ἄξια, ταύτην πρὸς θεοῦ ἐπ' αὐτὸν κατενεχθῆναι φρυάττεται. Ἡμῶν δὲ λεγόντων: Καὶ τίς ἐστιν ὁ μαρτυρῶν, ὅτι γραφὴν αὐτῷ δέδωκεν ὁ θεός, ἢ τίς τῶν προφητῶν προεῖπεν, ὅτι τοιοῦτος ἀνίσταται προφήτης, καὶ διαπορούντων αὐτοῖς, ὡς ὁ Μωσῆς τοῦ θεοῦ κατὰ τὸ Σινὰ ὄρος ἐπόψεσι παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ, ἐν νεφέλῃ καὶ πυρὶ καὶ γνόφῳ καὶ θυέλλῃ φανέντος ἐδέξατο τὸν νόμον, καὶ ὅτι πάντες οἱ προφῆται ἀπὸ Μωσέως καὶ καθεξῆς περὶ τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ παρουσίας προηγόρευσαν καὶ ὅτι θεὸς ὁ Χριστὸς καὶ θεοῦ υἱὸς σαρκούμενος ἥξει καὶ σταυρωθησόμενος θνῄσκων καὶ ἀναστησόμενος καὶ ὅτι κριτὴς οὗτος ζώντων καὶ νεκρῶν, καὶ λεγόντων ἡμῶν, πῶς οὐχ οὕτως ἦλθεν ὁ προφήτης ὑμῶν, ἄλλων μαρτυρούντων περὶ αὐτοῦ, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ παρόντων ὑμῶν ὁ θεός, ὡς τῷ Μωσεῖ βλέποντος παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ, καπνιζομένου τοῦ ὄρους δέδωκε τὸν νόμον, κἀκείνῳ τὴν γραφήν, ἥν φατε, παρέσχεν, ἵνα καὶ ὑμεῖς τὸ βέβαιον ἔχητε, ἀποκρίνονται, ὅτι ὁ θεός, ὅσα θέλει, ποιεῖ. Τοῦτο καὶ ἡμεῖς, φαμέν, οἴδαμεν, ἀλλ', ὅπως ἡ γραφὴ κατῆλθεν εἰς τὸν προφήτην ὑμῶν, ἐρωτῶμεν. Καὶ ἀποκρίνονται, ὅτι, ἐν ὅσῳ κοιμᾶται, κατέβη ἡ γραφὴ ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ. Καὶ τὸ γελοιῶδες πρὸς αὐτοὺς λέγομεν ἡμεῖς, ὅτι λοιπόν, ἐπειδὴ κοιμώμενος ἐδέξατο τὴν γραφὴν καὶ οὐκ ᾔσθετο τῆς ἐνεργείας, εἰς αὐτὸν ἐπληρώθη τὸ τῆς δημώδους παροιμίας.