The Apology of Aristides the Philosopher.

 I.  I, O King, by the grace of God came into this world and when I had considered the heaven and the earth and the seas, and had surveyed the sun and

 II.  Since, then, we have addressed you concerning God, so far as our discourse can bear upon him, let us now come to the race of men, that we may kno

 III.  Let us begin, then, with the Barbarians, and go on to the rest of the nations one after another, that we may see which of them hold the truth as

 IV.  Let us turn now, O King, to the elements in themselves, that we may make clear in regard to them, that they are not gods, but a created thing, li

 V.  In the same way, again, those erred who believed the waters to be gods.  For the waters were created for the use of man, and are put under his rul

 VI.  So also they erred who believed that the sun is a god.  For we see that it is moved by the compulsion of another, and revolves and makes its jour

 VII.  And those who believed of the men of the past, that some of them were gods, they too were much mistaken.  For as you yourself allow, O King, man

 VIII.  Let us turn further to the Greeks also, that we may know what opinion they hold as to the true God.  The Greeks, then, because they are more su

 IX.  Let us proceed further to their account of their gods that we may carefully demonstrate all that is said above.  First of all, the Greeks bring f

 X.  Again they bring forward as another god Hephaistos.  And they say of him, that he is lame, and a cap is set on his head, and he holds in his hands

 XI.  And after him they bring forward another god and call him Apollon.  And they say that he is jealous and inconstant, and at times he holds the bow

 XII.  The Egyptians, moreover, because they are more base and stupid than every people that is on the earth, have themselves erred more than all.  For

 XIII.  But it is a marvel, O King, with regard to the Greeks, who surpass all other peoples in their manner of life and reasoning, how they have gone

 XIV.  Let us come now, O King, to the history of the Jews also, and see what opinion they have as to God.  The Jews then say that God is one, the Crea

 XV.  But the Christians, O King, while they went about and made search, have found the truth and as we learned from their writings, they have come ne

 XVI.  Such, O King, is the commandment of the law of the Christians, and such is their manner of life.  As men who know God, they ask from Him petitio

 XVII.  Thus far, O King, I have spoken for concerning that which remains, as is said above, there are found in their other writings things which are

XVII.  Thus far, O King, I have spoken; for concerning that which remains, as is said above,16    The Christian Scriptures are previously referred to as a source of information, not as containing difficulties.  cf. 2 Peter iii. 16. there are found in their other writings things which are hard to utter and difficult for one to narrate,—which are not only spoken in words but also wrought out in deeds.

Now the Greeks, O King, as they follow base practises in intercourse with males, and a mother and a sister and a daughter, impute their monstrous impurity in turn to the Christians.  But the Christians are just and good, and the truth is set before their eyes, and their spirit is long-suffering; and, therefore, though they know the error of these (the Greeks), and are persecuted by them, they bear and endure it; and for the most part they have compassion on them, as men who are destitute of knowledge.  And on their side, they offer prayer that these may repent of their error; and when it happens that one of them has repented, he is ashamed before the Christians of the works which were done by him; and he makes confession to God, saying, I did these things in ignorance.  And he purifies his heart, and his sins are forgiven him, because he committed them in ignorance in the former time, when he used to blaspheme and speak evil of the true knowledge of the Christians.  And assuredly the race of the Christians is more blessed than all the men who are upon the face of the earth.

Henceforth let the tongues of those who utter vanity and harass the Christians be silent; and hereafter let them speak the truth.  For it is of serious consequence to them that they should worship the true God rather than worship a senseless sound.  And verily whatever is spoken in the mouth of the Christians is of God; and their doctrine is the gateway of light.  Wherefore let all who are without the knowledge of God draw near thereto; and they will receive incorruptible words, which are from all time and from eternity.  So shall they appear before the awful judgment which through Jesus the Messiah is destined to come upon the whole human race.

The Apology of Aristides the Philosopher is finished.

[17] ἕως ὧδε ὁ πρὸς σέ μου λόγος, βασιλεῦ, ὁ ὑπὸ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐν τῷ νοΐ μου ὑπαγορευθείς. διὸ παυσάσθωσαν οἱ ἀνόητοί σου σοφοὶ ματαιολογοῦντες κατὰ τοῦ Κυρίου. συμφέρει γὰρ ὑμῖν θεὸν κτίστην σέβεσθαι καὶ τὰ ἀνωλέθρου δειχθείητε κληρονόμοι.