The Apology of Aristides

 I.  I, O King in the providence of God came into the world and when I had considered the heaven and the earth, the sun and the moon and the rest, I m

 II.  Having thus spoken concerning God, so far as it was possible for me to speak of Him, let us next proceed to the human race, that we may see which

 III.  Let us see then which of them participate in truth and which of them in error.

 IV.  Let us proceed then, O King, to the elements themselves that we may show in regard to them that they are not gods, but perishable and mutable, pr

 V.  They also erred who believed the water to be a god.  For it, too, has been made for the use of men, and is controlled by them it is defiled and d

 VI.  They also err who believe the sun to be a god.  For we see that it moves by necessity and revolves and passes from sign to sign, setting and risi

 VII.  They also err who believe that man is a god.  For we see that he is moved by necessity, and is made to grow up, and becomes old even though he w

 VIII.  Let us proceed then to the Greeks, that we may see whether they have any discernment concerning God.  The Greeks, indeed, though they call them

 IX.  But, further, if we be minded to discuss their gods individually, you will see how great is the absurdity for instance, how Kronos is brought fo

 X.  Along with him, too, they bring forward one Hephaistos as a god, and they say that he is lame and wields a hammer and tongs, working as a smith fo

 XI.  They represent Apollo also as a jealous god, and besides as the master of the bow and quiver, and sometimes of the lyre and flute, and as divinin

 XII.  The Egyptians, again, being more stupid and witless than these have gone further astray than all the nations.  For they were not content with th

 XIII.  So the Egyptians and the Chaldæans and the Greeks made a great error in bringing forward such beings as gods, and in making images of them, and

 XIV.  Let us proceed then, O King, to the Jews also, that we may see what truth there is in their view of God.  For they were descendants of Abraham a

 XV.  Now the Christians trace their origin from the Lord Jesus Christ.  And He is acknowledged by the Holy Spirit to be the son of the most high God,

 XVI.  Verily then, this is the way of the truth which leads those who travel therein to the everlasting kingdom promised through Christ in the life to

 XVII.  Thus far, O King, extends my discourse to you, which has been dictated in my mind by the Truth.   Wherefore let thy foolish sages cease their i

XV.  Now the Christians6    This, the “Christological” passage, occurs earlier in the Syriac.  Chap. II. trace their origin from the Lord Jesus Christ.  And He is acknowledged by the Holy Spirit to be the son of the most high God, who came down from heaven for the salvation of men.  And being born of a pure virgin, unbegotten and immaculate, He assumed flesh and revealed himself among men that He might recall them to Himself from their wandering after many gods.  And having accomplished His wonderful dispensation, by a voluntary choice He tasted death on the cross, fulfilling an august dispensation.  And after three days He came to life again and ascended into heaven.  And if you would read, O King, you may judge the glory of His presence from the holy gospel writing, as it is called among themselves.  He had twelve disciples, who after His ascension to heaven went forth into the provinces of the whole world, and declared His greatness.  As for instance, one of them traversed the countries about us, proclaiming the doctrine of the truth.  From this it is, that they who still observe the righteousness enjoined by their preaching are called Christians.

And these are they who more than all the nations on the earth have found the truth.  For they know God, the Creator and Fashioner of all things through the only-begotten Son and the Holy Spirit7    The Armenian agrees with the Greek against the Syriac.  “Uná cum Spiritu Sancto” Arm.; and beside Him they worship no other God.  They have the commands of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself graven upon their hearts; and they observe them, looking forward to the resurrection of the dead and life in the world to come.  They do not commit adultery nor fornication, nor bear false witness, nor covet the things of others; they honour father and mother, and love their neighbours; they judge justly, and they never do to others what they would not wish to happen to themselves; they appeal to those who injure them, and try to win them as friends; they are eager to do good to their enemies; they are gentle and easy to be entreated; they abstain from all unlawful conversation and from all impurity; they despise not the widow, nor oppress the orphan; and he that has, gives ungrudgingly for the maintenance of him who has not.

If they see a stranger, they take him under their roof, and rejoice over him as over a very brother; for they call themselves brethren not after the flesh but after the spirit.

And they are ready to sacrifice their lives for the sake of Christ; for they observe His commands without swerving, and live holy and just lives, as the Lord God enjoined upon them.

And they give thanks unto Him every hour, for all meat and drink and other blessings.

[15] Οἱ δὲ Χριστιανοὶ γενεαλογοῦνται ἀπὸ τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. οὗτος δὲ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ὑψίστου ὁμολογεῖται ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ ἀπ' οὐρανοῦ καταβὰς διὰ τὴν σωτηρίαν τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ ἐκ παρθένου ἁγίας γεννηθεὶς ἀσπόρως τε καὶ ἀφθόρως, σάρκα ἀνέλαβε καὶ ἀνεφάνη ἐν ἀνθρώποις, ὅπως ἐκ τῆς πολυθέου πλάνης αὐτοὺς ἀνακαλέσηται. καὶ τελέσας τὴν θαυμαστὴν αὐτοῦ οἰκονομίαν, διὰ σταυροῦ θανάτου ἐγεύσατο ἑκουσίᾳ βουλῇ κατ' οἰκονομίαν μεγάλην: μετὰ δὲ τρεῖς ἡμέρας ἀνεβίω καὶ εἰς οὐρανοὺς ἀνῆλθεν. οὗ τὸ κλέος τῆς παρουσίας ἐκ τῆς παρ' αὐτοῖς καλουμένης εὐαγγελικῆς ἁγίας γραφῆς ἔξεστί σοι γνῶναι, βασιλεῦ, ἐὰν ἐντύχῃς. οὗτος δώδεκα ἔσχε μαθητὰς οἱ μετὰ τὴν ἐν οὐρανοῖς ἄνοδον αὐτοῦ ἐξῆλθον εἰς τὰς ἐπαρχίας τῆς οἰκουμένης καὶ ἐδίδαξαν τὴν ἑκείνου μεγαλωσύνην: καθάπερ εἷς ἐξ αὐτῶν τὰς καθ' ἡμᾶς περιῆλθε χώρας τὸ δόγμα κηρύττων τῆς ἀληθείας. ὅθεν οἱ εἰσέτι διακονοῦντες τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ τοῦ κηρύγματος αὐτῶν καλοῦνται Χριστιανοί. καὶ οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ ὑπὲρ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη τῆς γῆς εὑρόντες τὴν ἀλήθειαν: γινώσκουσι γὰρ τὸν θεὸν κτίστην καὶ δημιουργὸν τῶν ἁπάντων ἐν υἱῷ μονογενεῖ καὶ πνεύματι ἁγίῳ καὶ ἄλλον θεὸν πλὴν τούτου οὐ σέβονται. ἔχουσι τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις κεχαραγμένας, καὶ ταύτας φυλάττουσι, προσδοκῶντες ἀνάστασιν νεκρῶν καὶ ζωὴν τοῦ μέλλοντος αἰῶνος. οὐ μοιχεύουσιν, οὐ πορνεύουσιν, οὐ ψευδομαρτυροῦσιν, οὐκ ἐπιθυμοῦσι τὰ ἀλλότρια, τιμῶσι πατέρα καὶ μητέρα, καὶ τοὺς πλησίον φιλοῦσι, δίκαια κρίνουσιν. ὅσα οὐ θέλουσιν αὐτοῖς γίνεσθαι ἑτέρῳ οὐ ποιοῦσι, τοὺς ἀδικοῦντας αὐτοὺς παρακαλοῦσι καὶ προσφιλεῖς αὐτοὺς ἑαυτοῖς ποιοῦσι, τοὺς ἐχθροὺς εὐεργετεῖν σπουδάζουσι, πραεῖς εἰσι καὶ ἐπιεικεῖς. ἀπὸ πάσης συνουσίας ἀνόμου καὶ ἀπὸ πάσης ἀκαθαρσίας ἐγκρατεύονται, χήραν οὐχ ὑπερορῶσιν, ὀρφανὸν οὐ λυποῦσιν: ὁ ἔχων τῷ μὴ ἔχοντι ἀφθόνως ἐπιχορηγεῖ: ξένον ἐὰν ἴδωσιν ὑπὸ στέγην εἰσάγουσι καὶ χαίρουσιν ἐπ' αὐτῷ ὡς ἐπὶ ἀδελφῷ ἀληθινῷ: οὐ γὰρ κατὰ σάρκα ἀδελφοὺς ἑαυτοὺς καλοῦσιν ἀλλὰ κατὰ πνεῦμα. ἕτοιμοί εἰσιν ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ τὰς ψυχὰς αὐτῶν προέσθαι: τὰ γὰρ προστάγματα αὐτοῦ ἀσφαλῶς φυλάττουσιν, ὁσίως καὶ δικαίως ζῶντες, καθὼς κύριος ὁ θεὸς αὐτοῖς προσέταξεν, εὐχαριστοῦντες αὐτῷ κατὰ πᾶσαν ὥραν ἐν παντὶ βρώματι καὶ ποτῷ καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς ἀγαθοῖς.