1
“When I saw that the world and all that is in it is moved by a force, I understood
that He who moves and maintains it is God; for whatever moves something is
stronger than that which is moved, and whatever maintains something is stronger
than that which is maintained. I call the One who constructed all things and
maintains them God: He that is without beginning and eternal, immortal and
lacking nothing, and who is above all passions and failings such as anger and
forgetfulness and ignorance and the rest.”
4
“Let us proceed, then, O King, to the elements themselves, so that we may
demonstrate concerning them that they are not gods, but corruptible and
changeable things, produced out of the non-existent by Him that is truly God, who
is incorruptible and unchangeable and invisible, but who sees all things and
changes them and alters them as He wills.”
15
“Christians trace their origin to the Lord Jesus Christ. He that came down from
heaven in the Holy Spirit for the salvation of men is confessed to be the Son of the
Most High God. He was born of a holy Virgin without seed of man, and took flesh
without defilement; and He appeared among men so that He might recall them
from the error of polytheism. When He had accomplished His wonderful design, by
His own free will and for a mighty purpose He tasted of death on the cross. After
three days, however, He came to life again and went up into the heavens.
It is possible for you, O king, to learn to know the report of His coming in the holy
gospel writing, as it is called by us - should you chance to come upon a copy. He
had twelve disciples who, after His ascent into the heavens, went out into the
provinces of the world teaching about His greatness. In this way one of them came
through the places around about us, announcing the doctrine of truth. Since then,
they who continue to observe the righteousness which was preached by His
disciples are called Christians. These are they who, above every people of the
earth, have found the truth; for they acknowledge God, the Creator and Maker of
all things, in the only-begotten Son and in the Holy Spirit.
Other than Him, no god do they worship. They have the commandments of the Lord
Jesus Christ Himself impressed upon their hearts, and they observe them, awaiting
the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. They do not commit
adultery nor fornication, nor do they bear false witness, nor covet the goods of
other men. They honor father and mother and love their neighbors; and they
render just judgment. What they would not want done to them, they do not do to
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