Pseudo Clementine Homilies

Clement Searches for Truth

1 I, Clement, a Roman citizen, was able to live with sexual self-restraint from my earliest youth, because from boyhood my mind diverted my lust into sadness and distress. I had a habit of thinking—I do not know how it began—and often reflected on death: When I die, will I cease to exist, and will no one ever remember me, as endless time carries everything about everyone into oblivion? And will I then have no existence or knowledge of those who exist, neither knowing nor being known, neither having existed nor existing? And was the world ever created? Was there anything before its creation? If it has always existed, it will continue to exist; but if it was created, it will also come to an end. And after it comes to an end, will anything ever exist again except, perhaps, silence and oblivion? Or perhaps something will exist that we cannot now imagine. 2 As I kept thinking about these and similar questions—I do not know where they came from—I felt such bitter grief that I grew pale and wasted away; and, worst of all, whenever I tried to dismiss these thoughts as useless, my suffering grew even worse; and I grieved over this, unaware that I had a beautiful guest within me: my thinking, which would lead me to a blessed immortality. I later learned this through experience and thanked God, the Lord of all. These thoughts, which troubled me at first, drove me to investigate and discover the truth; and then I pitied those whom I had first dared to call blessed in my ignorance. 3 So, from boyhood, as I wrestled with these questions, I used to visit the philosophers’ schools to learn something definite. But all I saw was doctrines being proposed and refuted, arguments, efforts to win, techniques of syllogistic reasoning, and skill in making assumptions; and sometimes one opinion won out—for example, that the soul is immortal—and sometimes the opposite, that it is mortal. Whenever the teaching that it is immortal won out, I was glad; and when the teaching that it is mortal won out, I was sad. I was even more discouraged because I could not establish either teaching to my satisfaction. However, I realized that people accept opinions on the subjects being discussed as true or false according to who defends them, rather than seeing them as they really are. Now that I realized acceptance did not depend on the true nature of the subjects being discussed, but that opinions were made to seem true or false according to their defenders’ skill, I was more confused than ever about these matters. So I groaned from the depths of my soul. I could neither establish anything nor stop thinking about these things, although, as I said before, I wanted to. Although I often told myself to be at peace, thoughts about these subjects would somehow enter my mind, accompanied by a feeling of pleasure. 4 Still living in doubt, I said to myself, Why am I struggling uselessly? It is clear that if I cease to exist when I die, I should not distress myself now while I do exist. So I will save my grief for that day, when I will cease to exist and will not feel grief. But if I will continue to exist, what good does it do me to distress myself now for no reason? Immediately afterward another thought troubled me, and I said, If I have not lived a godly life, will I not suffer something worse then than what distresses me now; and will I not be handed over, according to some philosophers’ teachings, to Pyriphlegethon and Tartarus, like Sisyphus, or Tityus, or Ixion, or Tantalus, and be punished forever in Hades? But again I answered: These things do not exist. Then I said again: But what if they do? So, I said, since the matter is uncertain, it is safer for me to live a godly life. But how can I restrain bodily pleasures for the sake of righteousness when my hope is uncertain? I am neither fully convinced about what kind of righteous conduct pleases God, nor do I know whether the soul is immortal or mortal. I can neither find any firmly established teaching nor stop debating these questions. 5 What else, then, can I do? I will go to Egypt and befriend the priests who reveal the sacred mysteries of the shrines, and the prophets; and I will search for a magician and persuade him with large bribes to summon a soul, a practice called necromancy, pretending that I want to ask it about some business. My real purpose in asking will be to learn whether the soul is immortal. But if the soul answers that it is immortal, I will know this because I have seen it, rather than because it has spoken or I have heard it; so that, seeing it with my own eyes, I can have adequate proof in its appearance alone that it exists; and uncertain words I hear will never again overturn what my eyes have established. However, I put this very plan to a companion who was a philosopher, and he advised me against attempting it for many reasons. He said, “If the soul will not listen to the magician, you will live with a guilty conscience because you have broken the laws that forbid these practices. But if it will listen to him, then, besides living with a guilty conscience, I think this attempt will do nothing to advance your devotion to God. They say that God is angry with those who disturb souls after their release from the body.” When I heard this, I became more reluctant to attempt it, but I did not abandon my original plan. I was distressed because I was prevented from carrying it out.

News of Jesus Reaches Clement

6 I will not give you a long account of these matters. While I was occupied with these thoughts and activities, a report arose in the spring, during the reign of Tiberius Cæsar, gradually spread everywhere, and traveled through the world as truly God’s good news, since God’s plan could not be silenced. So it spread more widely and was proclaimed more loudly everywhere, saying that a certain One in Judæa had begun in the spring to preach the kingdom of the invisible God to the Jews, saying that any of them who changed their way of life for the better would enjoy it. And so that people might believe He spoke these things filled with divinity, He performed many wonderful miracles and signs simply by commanding them, having received power from God. He made the deaf hear, the blind see, and the lame walk, straightened those who were bent over, cured every disease, and drove out every demon; and even people with scabbed leprosy were cured by Him and sent away simply by looking at Him from a distance; and the dead were brought to Him and raised; and there was nothing He could not do. As time passed and more people arrived, what grew stronger and more widely known was no longer simply the report, but the truth of the matter; for people were now finally meeting in various places to discuss and investigate who this person was who had appeared, and what His purpose was. 7 Then, in the autumn of that same year, someone stood in a public place and called out, “Men of Rome, listen. The Son of God has come to Judæa, proclaiming eternal life to all who want it, if they live according to the guidance of the Father, who sent Him. So change your way of life from worse to better, from temporary things to eternal things; for you must know that there is one God, who is in heaven, and that you live unrighteously in His world before His righteous eyes. But if you change and live according to His guidance, you will be born into the other world and become eternal, and will enjoy His good things beyond description. But if you are unbelieving, your souls will be thrown into the place of fire after the body breaks down. There they will be punished eternally and repent of their useless deeds. For everyone, this present life is the time for repentance.” When I heard this, I was sad that no one among such large crowds, hearing this announcement, said: I will go to Judæa, so that I can find out whether this man who tells us these things is speaking the truth, that the Son of God has come to Judæa to give us a good and eternal hope by revealing the will of the Father who sent Him. What they say He preaches is no small matter: He declares that the souls of some people, being immortal, will enjoy eternal good things; and that the souls of others will be thrown into a fire that cannot be put out and will be punished forever. 8 While I spoke this way about others, I also rebuked myself, saying, Why do I blame others when I am guilty of the very same offense of carelessness? I will hurry to Judæa after first putting my affairs in order. After I had made up my mind, there was a long delay because my worldly affairs were difficult to arrange. So, thinking further about the nature of life—how it entangles people in hopes and sets traps for those in a hurry, how much time I had lost while being tossed about by hopes, and how we humans die while occupied this way—I left all my affairs as they were and hurried to Portus; and after reaching the harbor and boarding a ship, unfavorable winds carried me to Alexandria instead of Judæa; and while bad weather kept me there, I spent time with the philosophers and told them about the report and the words of the man who had appeared in Rome. They answered that they knew nothing about the man who had appeared in Rome; but about Him who was born in Judæa and was reported to be the Son of God, they had heard from many who had come from there, and had learned about all the wonderful things He did with a word.

Clement Hears Barnabas in Alexandria

9 When I said that I wished I could meet someone who had seen Him, they immediately took me to such a person, saying, “There is someone here who not only knows Him, but also comes from that country, a Hebrew named Barnabas, who says that he himself is one of His disciples; and he lives nearby and readily explains the terms of His promise to those who want to hear.” Then I went with them; and when I came, I stood listening to his words with the crowd around him; and I realized that he was speaking the truth without techniques of philosophical argument, simply describing without preparation what he had heard and seen the Son of God do and say when He appeared. He even brought forward many people from the crowd around him as witnesses to the miracles and teachings he described. 10 But while the crowds responded favorably to what he said so simply, the philosophers, driven by their worldly learning, began laughing at him and mocking him. They rebuked him and accused him of excessive presumption, using their vast arsenal of syllogisms. But he ignored their babbling and did not engage with their intricate questions, continuing what he was saying without embarrassment. And then one of them asked, Why was it that a gnat, although it is so small and has six legs, also has wings, while an elephant, the largest animal, has no wings and only four legs? But after the question was asked, he resumed the speech that had been interrupted, as though he had answered the question. He simply returned to his original speech, adding only this introduction after each interruption: Our commission is simply to tell you the words and wonderful deeds of Him who sent us; and instead of a logical proof, we present many witnesses from among you standing here, whose faces I remember, as living images. You are free to accept or disbelieve this sufficient testimony. But I will not stop telling you what benefits you; keeping silent would be a loss to me, and refusing to believe means ruin for you. I could answer your frivolous questions if you asked them out of love for the truth. But it is not appropriate to explain why the gnat and elephant are built differently to those who do not know the God of all.” 11 When he said this, they all burst out laughing together, trying to silence him and drive him away as a madman from an uncivilized people. But when I saw this, enthusiasm seized me—I do not know how—and in my righteous anger I could no longer remain silent. I boldly called out, “God rightly arranged that you should be unable to accept His guidance, foreseeing that you would be unworthy. This is clear to those here who can judge. Messengers of His guidance have now been sent out. They make no display of skill with language, but explain His will in simple words without artifice, so that anyone who hears can understand what is said. They feel no jealousy, as though unwilling to offer it to everyone; yet you come here and, besides failing to understand what benefits you, harm yourselves by laughing at the truth. To your condemnation, that truth keeps company with uncivilized peoples. When it visits you, you refuse to welcome it because of your wickedness and its plain words, for fear of being exposed as people who merely love words rather than truth and wisdom. How long will you keep learning to speak when you lack the ability to speak? Many of your sayings are not worth a single word. What, then, will your crowd of Greeks say together if there is a judgment, as he says? “God, why did you not proclaim Your guidance to us?” If you are considered worthy of an answer at all, will you not be told this? “Before the world was founded, I knew the character of everyone who would exist. I acted toward each one in advance according to what they deserved, without making it known; but I wished to fully assure those who have taken refuge in me that this is so, and to explain why, from the beginning and in the earliest ages, I did not allow my guidance to be publicly proclaimed; now, at the end of the world, I have sent messengers to proclaim my will, and they are insulted and mocked by those who refuse to benefit and willfully reject my friendship. What a great injustice! The preachers face danger, even death, at the hands of the very people being called to salvation, 12 “And all my messengers would have suffered this wrongful treatment from the beginning if the unworthy had been called to salvation from the beginning. The wrong these people now do vindicates my righteous foreknowledge: I was right not to choose from the beginning to needlessly expose the message worthy of honor to public contempt; instead I decided to withhold it because it deserved honor. I did not withhold it from those who were worthy from the beginning, for I shared it with them too, but from these people and others like them, whom you see to be unworthy—those who hate me and refuse to love themselves. And now stop laughing at this man and listen to what I say about his announcement, or let any listener who wishes answer. And do not bark like vicious dogs, deafening those who want to be saved with your disorderly shouting, you unrighteous people who hate God, and twisting the way of salvation into unbelief. How can you obtain forgiveness when you scorn the man sent to speak to you about God’s divine nature? And you do this to a man whom you should have welcomed because of his goodwill toward you, even if he had not spoken the truth.” 13 While I spoke these words and others to the same effect, the crowd became very excited; and some pitied Barnabas and sympathized with me; but others senselessly ground their teeth at me in terrible anger. But evening had already come, so I took Barnabas by the hand and forcibly led him against his will to my lodging. I made him stay there so that no one could attack him. After spending several days and briefly instructing me in the true teaching, as well as he could in a few days, he said he had to hurry to Judæa to observe the festival, and also because he wanted to spend his time from then on with people of his own nation. 14 But he seemed clearly unsettled to me. When I said to him, “Just tell me the words you have heard from the Man who has appeared, and I will embellish them with my eloquence and preach God’s guidance; and if you do so, within a few days I will sail with you, for I very much want to go to the land of Judæa, and perhaps I will live with you all my life,” he answered: “If you want to investigate our affairs and learn what benefits you, sail with me at once. But if you will not, I will give you directions now to my house and to the houses of those you want to meet, so that you can find us when you choose to come. I will leave for home tomorrow.” When I saw that I could not persuade him, I went with him as far as the harbor; and after he gave me the directions he had promised for finding their homes, I said to him, “If I were not due to collect a debt tomorrow, I would set sail with you at once. But I will soon catch up with you.” After saying this and entrusting him to those in command of the ship, I returned in grief, remembering him as an excellent and dear friend.

Clement Meets Peter at Caesarea

15 After spending a few days without being able to collect the entire debt, I left the balance behind because it was delaying me, and I too set sail for Judæa, and in fifteen days arrived at Cæsarea Stratonis. After landing, while I was looking for lodging, I learned that a man named Peter, the most highly regarded disciple of the Man who had appeared in Judæa and had performed signs and wonders, was going to debate Simon, a Samaritan from Gitthi, the next day. When I heard this, I begged someone to show me his lodging; as soon as I found out where it was, I went and stood at the door. Those in the house saw me and discussed who I was and where I had come from. Then Barnabas came out; as soon as he saw me, he embraced me with great joy and tears. He took me by the hand and led me to Peter, saying to me, “This is Peter, whom I told you was the greatest in God’s wisdom, and I have spoken to him about you continually. So come in without hesitation, for I have told him truthfully about your excellent qualities and have also told him your purpose, so that he too wants to see you. So I offer him a great gift by introducing you to him myself.” With these words he introduced me and said, “Peter, this is Clement.” 16 Then the blessed man sprang forward as soon as he heard my name and kissed me. He had me sit down and immediately said, “You acted nobly by welcoming Barnabas, a messenger of the truth, in honor of the living God. You generously felt no shame and did not fear the hostility of the rude crowd. You will be blessed. Just as you welcomed the ambassador of truth with full honor, truth herself will make you, a stranger, a citizen of her own city. You will be filled with joy because of the small favor you have now offered: the kindness of good words. You will inherit blessings that are eternal and can never be taken from you. Do not trouble yourself to describe your way of life to me; the truthful Barnabas has told us everything about you, speaking well of you almost every day. And so that I can briefly tell you, as a true friend, what we are doing, travel with us unless anything prevents you. Share in the words of truth I will speak from city to city, as far as Rome itself. And if you want to say anything, go ahead.” 17 Then I explained my purpose from the beginning, how I had worn myself out over difficult questions, and everything I told you at the start, so I do not need to write the same things again. Then I said, “I am ready to travel with you; for some reason I cannot explain, this is what I gladly want to do. However, I first want to be convinced of the truth, so that I can know whether the soul is mortal or immortal; and whether, if it is eternal, it will be judged for what it has done here. Also, whether anything is righteous and pleasing to God; whether the world was created and for what purpose; whether it will come to an end; and if it does, whether it will be made better or cease to exist altogether.” Without listing everything in detail, I said that I wanted to learn these things and what follows from them. He answered: “Clement, I will soon give you knowledge of what exists; listen now.

Peter Introduces the True Prophet

18 “God’s will has been obscured in many ways. First, there is evil teaching, wicked companionship, terrible company, improper talk, and unjust prejudice. These lead to error, then fearlessness, unbelief, sexual immorality, greed, and conceit; and ten thousand other such evils fill the world as smoke fills a house. They have obscured the vision of the people living in the world and have not allowed them to look up and come to know God the Creator through the picture of Himself He has given, or to know what pleases Him. So those who love truth must cry out from deep within their hearts and, with reason that loves truth, call for help. Then someone living inside the smoke-filled house may come and open the door, so that the sunlight outside can enter the house and the smoke from the fire inside can be driven out. 19 “I call this Man who helps us the true Prophet; He alone can enlighten human souls, so that we can see the way of eternal salvation with our own eyes. Otherwise this is impossible, as you also know, since you said a little while ago that every teaching is proposed and refuted, and the same teaching is considered true or false according to the skill of its advocate; so that teachings do not appear as they are, but seem true or false according to who advocates them. For this reason, religion as a whole needed a true prophet to tell us about things as they really are and what we must believe about everything. So we must first test the prophet by every prophetic sign. Once we have established that he is true, we must then believe him in everything, without judging each of his sayings, and accept them as certain. Although this acceptance appears to rest on faith, it rests on sound judgment. Through our initial test and rigorous investigation from every angle, we accept everything on sound rational grounds. So we must seek the true Prophet before anything else, because without Him people cannot attain any certainty.” 20 At the same time, he satisfied me by explaining who He is and how He is found, and showing me that He can truly be found. He showed that the prophet’s speech makes the truth clearer to the ear than visible things are to the eye; so I was astonished and wondered why no one sees the things everyone seeks, although they lie right in front of them. However, after I wrote down this teaching about the Prophet at his instruction, he had the volume sent to you from Cæsarea Stratonis, saying that you had instructed him to send accounts of his teachings and actions each year. So, on the very first day, simply by beginning with the prophet of truth, he gave me confidence in every respect. Then he said: “From now on, pay attention to the discussions between me and my opponents; and even if I fare badly, I am not afraid that you will ever doubt the truth given to you. You know well that it is I who seem defeated, while the teaching given to us by the Prophet remains undefeated. However, I hope not to fare badly in our investigations before people who have understanding. I mean people who love truth and can distinguish arguments that are deceptively plausible, contrived, and pleasing from those that are plain and simple, relying only on the truth conveyed through them.” 21 After he had spoken this way, I answered: “Now I thank God; I wanted to be convinced, and He has granted me this. As far as I am concerned, you can be completely at ease that I will never doubt; I know so well what I have received that even if you yourself ever wanted to turn me away from the prophet’s teaching, you could not. And do not think I am making a great promise when I say I will never doubt; for neither I nor anyone who has heard your teaching about the Prophet can ever doubt the true teaching after first hearing and understanding the truth of the prophet’s announcement. So have confidence in the teaching God has willed, for every wicked trick has been defeated. Neither rhetorical techniques, deceptive arguments, syllogisms, nor any other device can succeed against prophecy; that is, if the person who has heard the true Prophet really wants truth and does not pay attention to anything else disguised as truth. So, my lord Peter, do not be troubled, as though you had given the greatest good to someone unable to understand it; you have given it to someone who appreciates the favor and cannot be lured away from the truth entrusted to him. I know it is one of those things people want to receive quickly, rather than acquire slowly. So I know I should not despise what has been entrusted to me simply because I received it quickly. It is beyond comparison, and it alone is safe.” 22 After I had spoken this way, Peter said: “I thank God both for your salvation and for my own satisfaction. I am truly pleased to know that you understand the greatness of prophecy. Since, as you say, even if I myself ever wanted—may God forbid it—to turn you to another teaching, I could not persuade you, begin joining me tomorrow in my discussions with opponents. Tomorrow I have one with Simon Magus.” After speaking this way and eating privately, he told me to eat too; and after blessing the food, giving thanks when he had eaten enough, and explaining this practice to me, he went on to say: “May God grant that you become like me in everything and, after being baptized, share the same table with me.” After saying this, he told me to go to bed, for my body now needed sleep.

Peter Teaches Clement about Prophecy

1 The next day I, Clement, woke before dawn and learned that Peter was awake and talking with his attendants about worshiping God (There were sixteen of them, and I thought it would be good to list their names, which I learned later, so that you too can know who they were. The first of them was Zacchæus, who had been a tax collector, and Sophonias his brother; Joseph and his foster-brother Michaias; also Thomas and Eliezer the twins; also Æneas and Lazarus the priests; and also Elisæus, and Benjamin the son of Saphrus; and Rubilus and Zacharias the builders; and Ananias and Haggæus the Jamminians; and Nicetas and Aquila the friends.) So I went in and greeted him, and sat down at his request. 2 He interrupted his discussion to apologize and explain why he had not woken me to hear his teaching: I was still suffering from the discomfort of my voyage. He had let me sleep because he wanted me to recover. He said, “Whenever a physical need distracts the soul, it cannot properly attend to the teaching it receives. For this reason I am unwilling to discuss these things with people overwhelmed by grief after some disaster, excessively angry, driven into a frenzy by love, physically exhausted, distressed by life’s worries, or troubled by any other suffering, because, as I said, their soul is dejected, shares in the body’s suffering, and directs its own thoughts toward it too. 3 “But someone may ask, Is it not right to offer comfort and advice to people in distress? My answer is that anyone who can do so should offer them; otherwise, they should wait for the right time. I know there is a right time for everything. So it is right to give people words that strengthen the soul before trouble comes; so that if trouble ever comes, the mind, prepared with sound reasoning, can withstand what happens: then, in the crisis of its struggle, the mind knows to turn to the person who helped it with good advice. 4 “However, Clement, I have learned that in Alexandria Barnabas thoroughly explained the teaching about prophecy to you. Was it not so?” I answered, “Yes, and extremely well.” Then Peter said: “So we do not need to spend time now on teaching you already know when we could use it for other teaching you do not know.” Then I said: “You are right, Peter. But grant me this: since I intend always to accompany you, keep explaining the Prophet’s teaching to me. I will gladly listen. Apart from Him, as I learned from Barnabas, it is impossible to learn the truth.” 5 Peter was very pleased and answered: “The process of setting you right is already complete, because you know the greatness of infallible prophecy, without which no one can receive what benefits them most. Of the many different blessings that exist or may exist, the greatest of all—whether eternal life, lasting health, perfect understanding, light, joy, immortality, or anything else supremely good that exists or can exist—cannot be gained without first knowing things as they are; and this knowledge can be obtained only by first coming to know the Prophet of truth. 6 “Now the Prophet of the truth is He who always knows all things—past things as they were, present things as they are, and future things as they will be; He is sinless and merciful, and He alone is entrusted with declaring the truth. Read, and you will find that those who thought they had found the truth by themselves were deceived. Declaring the truth belongs to the Prophet alone, just as bringing daylight belongs to the sun alone. So even those who wanted to know the truth, but were not fortunate enough to learn it from Him, did not find it and died still searching. How can someone find the truth by searching from a position of ignorance? Even if he finds it, he does not recognize it and passes it by as though it did not exist. Nor can he gain the truth from someone else who similarly promises him knowledge from a position of ignorance; the only exception is knowledge of morality and similar things that reason can establish. Reason teaches everyone not to wrong another person, because no one wants to be wronged. 7 “So everyone who ever searched for truth, trusting their own ability to find it, fell into a trap. This happened both to Greek philosophers and to the more intelligent people among the non-Greek peoples. Studying visible things, they drew conclusions by guessing about things that were not visible, thinking that whatever appeared true to them at a given time was the truth. While still searching for truth, they act like people who already know it: they reject some proposed assumptions and accept others, as though they knew what was true and false, when they do not. Even while searching for truth, they make dogmatic claims about it, unaware that someone searching for truth cannot learn it by wandering on their own. As I said, he cannot even recognize truth when she stands beside him, because he does not know her. 8 “Everyone who tries to learn on their own is persuaded by what pleases them, rather than by what is true. Since different things please different people, one person accepts one thing as true and another accepts something else. But truth is what the Prophet approves, rather than what each individual finds pleasing. If what pleased people were true, truth, which is one, would be many; that is impossible. So the Greek lovers of words—rather than lovers of wisdom—approached matters by guessing and made many different dogmatic claims, thinking that a coherent sequence of hypotheses was truth, without realizing that when they started from false premises, their conclusion matched their starting point. 9 “So a person should set everything else aside and entrust himself to the Prophet of truth alone. We can all judge whether He is a prophet, even if we are completely uneducated, inexperienced in deceptive arguments, unskilled in geometry, and untrained in music. Because God cares for everyone, He has made discovering Him easier for everyone, so that neither non-Greek peoples nor Greeks would be unable to find Him. So discovering Him is easy; here is how:— 10 “If he is a Prophet and can know how the world was made, everything in it, and everything that will happen until the end, then if He has predicted anything to us and we have established that it was fulfilled completely, what has already happened makes it easy to believe that what He says will happen really will happen; we believe Him, I say, because He not only knows things, but knows them in advance. Who, however limited their understanding, cannot see that in matters pleasing to God we should believe above all others the One who knows more than anyone else, even though He has not been taught? So if someone refuses to acknowledge that such a One can know the truth—I mean the One who knows the future through the divinity of the Spirit within Him—but grants this ability to someone else, is that not senseless? They grant someone who is no prophet the knowledge they refuse to grant the Prophet. 11 “So before anything else we must carefully judge and test the Prophet by His prophetic promise; and once we have established that He is the Prophet, we must follow the rest of His teaching without doubt; and with confidence in what we hope for, we must live according to our initial judgment, knowing that the One who tells us these things cannot lie by nature. So if anything He says afterward seems wrong to us, we must recognize that the fault is in our understanding rather than in what He said. Ignorance cannot judge knowledge, and knowledge likewise cannot properly judge foreknowledge; but foreknowledge gives knowledge to the ignorant.

God's Justice and the Immortal Soul

12 “So, dear Clement, if you want to know about God, you have to learn from Him alone, because He alone knows the truth. If anyone else knows anything, he has received it from Him or from His disciples. This is His teaching and true proclamation: there is one God, who made the world. He is completely righteous and will certainly one day repay everyone according to their deeds. 13 “Anyone who says that God is righteous by nature must also believe that human souls are immortal: for where would His justice be if some people lived godly lives but were mistreated and sometimes violently killed, while others lived wholly ungodly lives, indulged in luxury, and died ordinary deaths? Since God, who is good, is also unquestionably just, His justice can be known only if the soul is immortal after separation from the body, so that the wicked man, who received his good things here, can be punished for his sins in hell; and the good man, who was punished for his sins here, can then inherit good things, welcomed into the embrace of the righteous. So because God is righteous, it is completely clear to us that there is a judgment and that souls are immortal. 14 “But if someone follows this Simon the Samaritan’s opinion and refuses to admit that God is just, to whom can anyone attribute justice, or even the ability to be just? If the Root of everything lacks justice, we must conclude that it cannot be found in human nature, which is, so to speak, the fruit. And if it can be found in humans, how much more in God! But if righteousness can be found nowhere, neither in God nor in man, then neither can unrighteousness. But there is such a thing as righteousness, for unrighteousness gets its name from the existence of righteousness: when compared with righteousness and found to be its opposite, it is called unrighteousness.

Peter Explains the Pairs of Opposites

15 “So God, teaching people the truth about what exists, has divided all principles into pairs and opposites, although He Himself has been the one and only God from the beginning, having made heaven and earth, day and night, light and fire, sun and moon, life and death. But among these He made humans alone able to govern themselves, capable of being either righteous or unrighteous. For humans He also varied the patterns of these pairings, setting small things before them first and great things afterward, such as the world and eternity. The present world is temporary; the world to come is eternal. First is ignorance, then knowledge. He has arranged the leaders of prophecy in the same way. The present world is female, like a mother giving birth to her children’s souls, while the world to come is male, like a father receiving his children from their mother. So a succession of prophets comes into this world as sons of the world to come, with knowledge of humanity. If godly people had understood this mystery, they would never have gone astray, and even now they would know that Simon, who now captivates everyone, works alongside error and deceit. Here is the teaching about the prophetic rule. 16 “In the beginning God, who is one, made the heavens first and then the earth, like a right hand and a left. He similarly established all the pairings in order; but with humans He changes this pattern and varies all the pairings. What comes from Him is greater first and lesser second, but with humans we find the opposite: the first is worse and the second better. So Adam, who was made in God’s image, first fathered the unrighteous Cain and then the righteous Abel. Again, the man you call Deucalion sent out two forms of spirits, one impure and one pure: first the black raven, and then the white dove. From Abraham, too, our nation’s patriarch, came two firstborn sons: first Ishmael, then Isaac, whom God blessed. Isaac himself similarly had two: Esau, who was irreverent, and Jacob, who was godly. Likewise the high priest Aaron was born first, as the firstborn in the world, and then came Moses the lawgiver. 17 “Similarly, the pairing involving Elias, which should have come, was willingly postponed to another time, with a decision to enjoy it at a suitable time later. So, too, the one among those born of women came first; then the one among the sons of men came second. Following this order, you can see which series Simon belongs to, since he came to the Gentiles before me, and which series I belong to, since I came after him. I have come upon him as light upon darkness, knowledge upon ignorance, and healing upon disease. And thus, as the true Prophet has told us, a false prophet must first come from some deceiver; and then, similarly, after the removal of the holy place, the true Gospel must be secretly spread to correct the heresies that will arise. After this, too, near the end, Antichrist must first come, and then our Jesus must be revealed as truly the Christ; after this, eternal light will arise and everything belonging to darkness must disappear. 18 “As I said, some people do not know the rule of pairing, so they do not recognize who Simon, my predecessor, is. If people knew him, they would not believe him; but because they do not know him, they wrongly believe him; and though his deeds are those of a hater, he is loved; and though an enemy, he is received as a friend; and although he is death, people desire him as a savior; although he is fire, they value him as light; and though a deceiver, he is believed as a speaker of truth.” When I, Clement, heard this, I said, “Please tell me, then, who is this great deceiver? I would like to know.” Then Peter said: “If you want to learn, you can hear from the people who also gave me accurate information about every aspect of his life.

Justa, Nicetas, and Aquila

19 “Among us is a woman named Justa, a Syro-Phœnician of Canaanite ancestry, whose daughter suffered from a severe disease. She came to our Lord, crying out and begging Him to heal her daughter. We also asked Him, but He said, ‘It is not lawful to heal the Gentiles, who are like dogs because of the various foods they eat and the practices they follow, while the table in the kingdom has been given to the sons of Israel.’ But when she heard this, she begged to share like a dog in the crumbs falling from this table. By changing what she was and living like the sons of the kingdom, she obtained healing for her daughter as she had asked. If she had remained a Gentile and continued her former way of life, He would not have healed her daughter, because it was not lawful to heal her as a Gentile. 20 “After adopting a way of life in keeping with the law, she and her healed daughter were driven from home by her husband, whose beliefs opposed ours. But she remained faithful to her commitments and, being wealthy, continued to live as a widow. She gave her daughter in marriage to a poor man devoted to the true faith. Refraining from marriage for her daughter’s sake, she bought two boys, educated them, and treated them as sons. They were educated with Simon Magus from boyhood and learned everything about him. Their friendship was so close that they joined him in everything he wanted to share with them. 21 “These men met Zacchæus, who was staying here, received the message of truth from him, and repented of their earlier novel teachings. They immediately denounced Simon, having shared in all his secrets, and as soon as I came to stay here, they came to me with their foster mother. Zacchæus introduced them to me, and they have remained with me ever since, enjoying instruction in the truth.” After saying this, Peter sent for them and instructed them to tell me everything about Simon accurately. They called God as their witness that they would falsify nothing, then began their account.

Aquila and Nicetas Describe Simon's Career

22 First Aquila began speaking as follows: “Listen, dear brother, so that you can know everything about this man accurately: whose son he is, what he is, where he comes from, what he does, and how and why he does it. This Simon is the son of Antonius and Rachel, a Samaritan by ancestry from the village of Gitthæ, six schoeni from the city. He trained extensively in Alexandria and is very powerful in magic. In his ambition he wants to be regarded as a supreme power, even greater than the God who created the world. Sometimes suggesting that he is Christ, he calls himself the Standing One. He uses this title to suggest that he will always stand and has no cause of decay that could make his body fall. He neither calls the God who created the world the Supreme nor believes that the dead will be raised. He rejects Jerusalem, and substitutes Mount Gerizzim for it. Instead of our Christ, he proclaims himself. He presumptuously explains the law in his own way; and he says, indeed, that there is to be a judgment, but he does not expect it. If he were convinced that God would judge him, he would not dare act irreverently toward God Himself. So some people are ruined because they do not realize that he uses religion as a disguise to corrupt the truth. They faithfully believe in the hope and judgment that he claims in some way will come. 23 “Here is how he became involved in religious teachings. There was a man named John, who baptized daily and, according to the pattern of pairing, was the forerunner of our Lord Jesus; and as the Lord had twelve apostles, matching the number of the twelve solar months, John similarly had thirty leading followers, corresponding to the lunar month’s count. They included a woman named Helena, so that even this would carry significance in the divine arrangement. A woman, being half a man, made up the incomplete number in the group of thirty, just as the moon’s revolution does not fill the entire course of the month. Among these thirty, Simon ranked first and was most highly regarded by John. Here is why he did not become leader after John’s death:— 24 “While Simon was away in Egypt practicing magic, John was killed. Dositheus wanted the leadership, so he falsely announced that Simon was dead and took over the position. Simon returned soon afterward and firmly considered the position his own. But when he met Dositheus, he did not demand it, knowing that a man who gains power beyond his expectations cannot be removed from it. So, pretending friendship, he accepted second place under Dositheus for a while. After a few days he took his place among the thirty fellow disciples and began attacking Dositheus for teaching incorrectly. He said Dositheus did this through ignorance, rather than an unwillingness to teach correctly. One day Dositheus realized that Simon’s crafty accusation was undermining many people’s opinion of him, so that they no longer believed he was the Standing One. He came in a rage to their usual meeting place, and finding Simon, struck him with a staff. But it seemed to pass through the body of Simon as if he had been smoke. Dositheus was bewildered and said to him, ‘If you are the Standing One, I also will worship you.’ Then Simon said that he was; and Dositheus, knowing that he himself was not the Standing One, fell down and worshiped him. Joining the twenty-nine leading followers, he raised Simon to his own honored position; and so, a few days later, Dositheus himself fell down and died, while he (Simon) remained standing. 25 “Simon now travels with Helena and, as you see, continues to stir up the people. And he says that he has brought down this Helena from the highest heavens to the world; she is queen, the being who bears everything, and wisdom. For her sake, he says, Greeks and non-Greek peoples fought, although what they saw was only an image of truth; for she, who is truly truth, was then with the highest god. By cleverly explaining similar things fabricated from Greek myths, he deceives many people; especially because he performs many remarkable wonders. If we did not know he does these things by magic, we too would have been deceived. We worked alongside him at first, as long as his activities did not harm religion. But now that he has begun his mad attempt to deceive religious people, we have left him. 26 “He even began committing murder, as he himself told us, speaking as a friend to friends: he had separated a child’s soul from its body by horrible incantations to assist him in displaying whatever he wished. After drawing the boy’s likeness, he set it up in the inner room where he sleeps. He said that he once formed the boy from air by divine techniques and, after painting his likeness, returned him to the air. Here is his explanation of how he did it. He says the first human soul was transformed into heat and drew in the surrounding air, sucking it in like a gourd; then he changed it into water while it was inside the form of the spirit; and he said he changed the air inside it into blood, which could not pour out because of the spirit’s consistency, and made the blood solidify into flesh; then, once the flesh was solid, he displayed a man made from air rather than earth. Having convinced himself that he could make a new kind of man, he said he reversed the changes and returned him to the air. And when he told this to others, he was believed; but we, who attended his ceremonies, rejected his claim on religious grounds. So we denounced his ungodly acts and left him.” 27 After Aquila spoke, his brother Nicetas said: “Clement, our brother, I must mention what Aquila left out. First, God is our witness that we never helped him with any ungodly act, but watched as he worked; and as long as he performed and displayed harmless things, we too were pleased. But when, to deceive the godly, he claimed that he did by divine power what was actually done by magic, we could no longer tolerate him, though he made us many promises, especially that our statues would be considered worthy of a place in the temple, that people would consider us gods and the crowds would worship us, that kings would honor us, and that we would receive public honors and limitless wealth. 28 “He promised us these things and others considered even greater, on the sole condition that we join him and keep quiet about the wickedness of his undertaking, so that his deceptive scheme could succeed. Still we refused, and even advised him to stop this madness, saying: ‘Simon, remembering our friendship with you since childhood and out of affection for you, we offer you good advice. Stop this attempt. You cannot be a God. Fear Him who is really God. Know that you are a man, and that the time of your life is short; and even if you gain great riches or become a king, you will have little time to enjoy them in your short life. Things gained wickedly soon disappear and bring eternal punishment on the person who pursues them. So we advise you to fear God, who must judge everyone’s soul for the deeds they have done here.’ 29 “When he heard this he laughed; when we asked why he laughed at our good advice, he answered: ‘I laugh at your foolish supposition, because you believe the human soul is immortal.’ Then I said: ‘Simon, we are not surprised that you try to deceive us, but we are bewildered by how you deceive even yourself. Tell me, Simon, even if no one else is fully convinced that the soul is immortal, surely you and we should be: you because you separated one from a human body, spoke with it, and gave it commands; and we because we were present, heard your commands, and clearly saw them carried out.’ Then Simon said: ‘I know what you mean; but you know nothing about the matters you are discussing.’ Then Nicetas said: ‘If you know, speak; but if you do not know, do not suppose that we can be deceived by your saying that you know, and that we do not. We are not so childish that you can cleverly make us suspect you know unspeakable secrets, and so gain and keep control over us by holding us back through our desire to know.’ 30 “Then Simon said: ‘I am aware that you know that I separated a soul from a human body; but I know you do not realize that the dead person’s soul does not serve me, because it does not exist. A demon does the work, pretending to be the soul.’ Then Nicetas said: ‘We have heard many incredible things in our lives, but we never expect to hear anything more senseless than this. For if a demon pretends to be the soul of the dead person, what use is there in separating the soul from the body at all? Were we not there ourselves, hearing you summon the soul from the body? And why, when one is summoned, does another who was not summoned obey, as though frightened? And whenever we asked why these meetings sometimes stop, did you not tell us yourself that the soul goes to Hades after completing the time on earth it was supposed to spend in the body? And you added, that the souls of those who commit suicide are not easily permitted to come, because they are guarded after returning home to Hades.’” 31 After Nicetas spoke, Aquila said in turn: “Simon, I want to learn just this from you: whether it is a soul or a demon that is summoned, what does it fear that makes it obey the summons? Then Simon said: ‘It knows it would be punished if it disobeyed.’ Then Aquila said: ‘So if the soul comes when summoned, there is also a judgment. If souls are immortal, there is certainly also a judgment. Since you say that souls summoned for wicked business are punished if they disobey, how can you be unafraid to compel them, when those you compel are punished for disobedience? It is no surprise that you do not yet suffer for your deeds, since judgment has not yet come. Then you will pay the penalty for the deeds you forced others to do, and what was done under compulsion will be forgiven because it was done out of respect for the oath that led to the evil act.’ When he heard this, he was enraged and threatened to kill us if we did not keep quiet about his deeds.” 32 After Aquila spoke, I, Clement, asked: “What wonders does he perform, then?” And they told me that he makes statues walk, and that he rolls himself on the fire, and is not burned; and sometimes he flies; and he makes loaves from stones; he becomes a serpent; he transforms himself into a goat; he becomes two-faced; he changes himself into gold; he opens locked gates; he melts iron; at banquets he produces images of every kind of form. In his house he makes dishes appear to carry themselves to serve him, with no one visible carrying them. I was amazed when I heard them say this, but many testified that they had been there and seen such things.

Peter Questions the Value of Miracles

33 After they said these things, the excellent Peter also began to speak: “Brothers, you must understand the truth of the rule of pairing. Anyone who follows it cannot be misled. As we said, we see everything in pairs and opposites: night first, then day; ignorance first, then knowledge; disease first, then healing. In the same way, error comes into our lives first, and then truth arrives, as a doctor comes after disease. So when our nation, loved by God, was about to be freed from Egyptian oppression, diseases were first brought on through the rod given to Aaron that turned into a serpent. Then cures followed through Moses’ prayers. Now too, as the Gentiles are about to be freed from superstitious worship of idols, wickedness, which rules them, has sent her ally ahead like another serpent: this Simon you see, who performs wonders to astonish and deceive, rather than signs of healing to convert and save. So you too must judge miracle workers by their miracles, considering the character both of the performer and of the deed. If he performs useless miracles, he serves wickedness; but if he does beneficial things, he leads people toward goodness. 34 “So the signs you say Simon performed are useless. I say that making statues walk, rolling on burning coals, becoming a dragon, changing into a goat, flying through the air, and all such things can deceive many people because they do nothing to heal humans. But the miracles of compassionate truth benefit humanity, such as those you heard the Lord performed and those I now perform after Him through my prayers; most of you have witnessed these. Some people were freed from all kinds of diseases and others from demons; some had their hands restored and others their feet; some recovered their sight and others their hearing. They include anything else a person can do out of love for humanity.” 35 After Peter spoke, Zacchæus came in near dawn, greeted us, and said to Peter: “Simon is postponing the debate until tomorrow because today is his Sabbath, which occurs at intervals of eleven days.” Peter answered him: “Tell Simon, Whenever you wish; know that by divine providence we are always ready to meet you whenever you want.” When Zacchæus heard this, he went out to deliver the answer. 36 But he (Peter) saw that I was discouraged and asked why. When I told him it was only because the debate had been postponed, he said: “Dear Clement, anyone who understands that God’s good providence governs the world is not troubled by whatever happens, knowing that things unfold for good under the Ruler’s providence. So, knowing He is just and living with a clear conscience, that person uses sound reasoning to free his soul from whatever troubles him, because the final outcome must be some good he cannot yet know. So do not let Simon the magician’s postponement of the debate upset you; perhaps God’s providence has brought this about for your benefit. So I will not hesitate to speak to you as my special friend.

Peter on False Passages in Scripture

37 “Some of our people pretend to be Simon’s companions, as though convinced by his utterly godless error. They do this to learn his purpose and reveal it to us, so that we can face this terrible man with an advantage. I have now learned from them what arguments he plans to use in the discussion. Knowing this, I thank God and congratulate you on the postponement of the discussion; because I can teach you beforehand about the arguments he will use to destroy the ignorant, you will be able to listen without danger of going astray. 38 “For this reason many falsehoods against God have been added to the Scriptures. At God’s command the prophet Moses gave the law, with explanations, to about seventy chosen men, so that they too could instruct any of the people who wished to learn. A little later, falsehoods contrary to the law of God, who made heaven and earth and everything in them, were added to the written law; the wicked one dared to do this for a righteous purpose. This happened with reason and judgment, so that those who dared to listen to what was written against God could be exposed, as could those who, out of love for Him, would not only disbelieve what was said against Him but refuse even to hear it, even if it happened to be true. They considered it much safer to risk an error in religious belief than to live with a guilty conscience because of blasphemous words. 39 “So, as I have learned, Simon plans to appear publicly and discuss the passages against God that were added to the Scriptures, using them as a temptation to lure as many unfortunate people as possible away from loving God. We do not want to say publicly that these passages were added to the Bible, because that would confuse the uneducated crowds and fulfill this wicked Simon’s purpose. Lacking discernment as yet, they would run from us as ungodly people, or even abandon the message, as though more than just the blasphemous passages were false. So we must assent to the false passages and ask him questions about them in return, to put him in a difficult position, and privately explain the passages against God to willing listeners after testing their faith. There is only one way to do this, and it is brief. Here it is. 40 “Everything that is spoken or written against God is false. A little further into my explanation, I will convince you that we say this sincerely, for the sake of truth as well as our reputation. So, my dear Clement, you should not be upset that Simon has put a day between now and the discussion. Today, before the discussion, you will be taught about the passages added to the Scriptures; then you need not be confused in the discussion about the one and only good God, who also made the world. During the discussion you will even wonder how ungodly people can overlook the many things Scripture says in God’s favor, focus on what is said against Him, and gladly bring those things forward; in this way the listeners, through ignorance, believe the things said against God and are excluded from His kingdom. So you will have incomparable joy as you benefit from the postponement, learn the mystery of the Scriptures, and gain the means to avoid sinning against God.” 41 When I, Clement, heard this, I said: “I am truly glad and thank God, who does everything well. He knows that I can think only that everything supports God. So do not think I ask questions because I doubt what has been said about God or what will be said. I ask to learn, so that I too can teach someone else who sincerely wants to learn. So tell me what falsehoods were added to the Scriptures, and why they really are false.” Then Peter answered: “Even if you had not asked, I would have continued in order and explained these matters to you as I promised. Learn how the Scriptures misrepresent Him in many ways, so that you can recognize these passages when you encounter them. 42 “What I am about to tell you will be enough as an example. But, my dear Clement, I do not think anyone with even a little love for God and sincerity can accept, or even bear to hear, what is said against Him. How can someone have a soul devoted to a single ruler and be holy while believing there are many gods rather than only one? And even if there is only one, who will eagerly pursue holiness if he finds many faults in Him? He will expect that the Beginning of all things, because of the faults in His own nature, will not punish others’ crimes. 43 “So we must never believe that the Lord of all, who made the heaven and the earth, and all things that are in them, shares His government with others, or that He lies. If He lies, who speaks the truth? Nor must we believe that He experiments as though ignorant; who, then, knows the future? And if He deliberates, and changes His purpose, who has perfect understanding and an unchanging purpose? If He envies, who is above rivalry? If He hardens hearts, who makes wise? If He makes blind and deaf, who has given sight and hearing? If He steals, who administers justice? If He mocks, who is sincere? If He is weak, who is all-powerful? If He is unjust, who is just? If He makes evil things, who will make good things? If He does evil, who will do good? 44 “But if He desires the fertile hill, who owns everything? If He is false, who then is true? If He lives in a sacred tent, who is limitless? If He likes fat, sacrifices, offerings, and drink offerings, who needs nothing, and who is holy, pure, and perfect? If candles and candleholders please Him, who placed the lights in heaven? If He lives in shadow, darkness, storm, and smoke, who is the light that illuminates the universe? If He comes with trumpets, shouting, darts, and arrows, who is the peace everyone hopes for? If He loves war, who wants peace? If He makes evil things, who makes good things? If He has no affection, who loves humanity? If He is not faithful to His promises, who can be trusted? If He loves the wicked, and adulterers, and murderers, who will be a just judge? If He changes His mind, who is steadfast? If He chooses evil men, who supports the good? 45 “So, Clement, my son, take care to think of God only as the one God, Lord, and Father, good and righteous, the Creator, patient, merciful, the sustainer, the benefactor, commanding love for humanity and advising purity, immortal and making immortal, incomparable, living in the souls of the good, unable to be contained and yet contained, who has fixed the great world as a center in space, who has spread out the heavens and solidified the earth, who has stored up the water, who has arranged the stars in the sky, who has made springs flow in the earth, has produced faults, has raised up mountains, has set boundaries for the sea, has ordered winds and blasts, who through the spirit of wisdom has kept safe the body enclosed within a boundless sea. 46 “This is our Judge, to whom we must look as we govern our souls, interpreting everything in His favor and speaking well of Him, convinced that through His patience He reveals everyone’s stubbornness and that He alone is good. At the end of everything He will sit as a just Judge over everyone who has attempted what they should not.”

Clement Questions Peter about Scripture

47 When I, Clement, heard this, I said, “This truly is godliness; this truly is devotion to God.” And again I said: “So I would like to learn why the Bible has written anything like this. I remember you said it was to expose those who dared believe anything said against God. But since you permit us, we dare to ask, as you instructed: dear Peter, if anyone chooses to say to us, ‘The Scriptures are true, although to you the things spoken against God seem to be false,’ how should we answer him?” 48 Then Peter answered: “Your question is good, because it will help keep you safe. So listen: Since the Scriptures say many things against God and we have little time because evening is approaching, ask about any single matter you choose, and I will explain it, showing that it is false, not only because it is spoken against God, but because it is really false.” Then I answered: “I want to learn how you can show that God knows when the Scriptures say He is ignorant.” 49 Then Peter answered: “You have raised a question we can easily answer. Listen to how God is ignorant of nothing and even knows the future. But first answer my question. Was the one who wrote the Bible, described how the world was made, and said God does not know the future a human being or not?” Then I said: “He was a man.” Then Peter answered: “How, then, could he, as a human being, know for certain how the world was made and that God does not know the future?” 50 I already understood the explanation, so I smiled, and said that he was a prophet. And Peter said: “If he was a prophet and, although human, was ignorant of nothing because he had received foreknowledge from God, how could God Himself, who gave humans the gift of foreknowledge, be ignorant?” And I said: “You have spoken rightly.” Then Peter said: “Come with me one step further. Since we acknowledge that God knows everything in advance, the scriptures that say He is ignorant must be false, and those that say He knows must be true.” Then I said: “That must be so.” 51 Then Peter said: “So if some Scriptures are true and some false, our Master had good reason to say, ‘Be good money changers,’ because the Scriptures contain some true sayings and some false ones. He appropriately showed those misled by the false scriptures the cause of their error, saying, ‘You are mistaken because you do not know the true things in the Scriptures; for this reason you are also ignorant of God’s power.’” Then I said: “You have explained this extremely well.” 52 Then Peter answered: “Certainly, I have good reason to believe nothing said against God or against the righteous men recorded in the law, assuming such stories are ungodly inventions. I am convinced that Adam, formed by God’s hands, was not a sinner; nor was Noah, found more righteous than anyone else in the world, drunk; nor did Abraham live with three wives at once, since his self-restraint made him worthy of many descendants; nor did Jacob, the father of the twelve tribes who foreshadowed our Master’s coming, live with four women—two of whom were sisters; nor was Moses a murderer, nor did he learn to judge from a priest who worshiped idols—he who presented God’s law to the whole world and was attested as a faithful steward because of his sound judgment. 53 “I will explain these and similar things to you at the right time. For now, since evening has arrived, as you see, let what has been said be enough for today. But ask us freely whenever you want and about whatever you want, and we will gladly explain it at once.” After speaking, he got up. Then we ate and went to sleep, because night had come.

Peter Prepares for the Debate

1 Two days passed. As the third day dawned, I, Clement, and the rest of our companions woke at about the rooster’s second crow for the debate with Simon. We found the lamp still burning and Peter kneeling in prayer. After finishing his prayer, he turned, saw that we were ready to listen, and said: — 2 I want you to know that the men who, by our arrangement, spend time with Simon to learn his intentions and report them to us, so that we can counter his many kinds of wickedness, have sent me this news: Simon is ready today, as he arranged, to appear before everyone and show from the Scriptures that He who made the heaven and the earth, and all things in them, is not the Supreme God, but that there is another, unknown and supreme, who is God of gods in a way beyond description; and that He sent two gods, one of whom is he who made the world, and the other he who gave the law. He plans to say these things to destroy the correct faith of those who want to worship the one and only God who made heaven and earth. 3 How could I not be discouraged when I heard this! So I wanted you too, my brothers and companions, to know that my soul is grieved beyond measure: I see the wicked one alert to tempt people, while people are completely indifferent to their own salvation. He has devised a way to introduce belief in many other gods to Gentiles who were about to be convinced that earthly images are not gods, so that if they abandon their obsession with many gods, they may be deceived into speaking differently and even worse than they now do against God’s sole rule, so that they will still fail to value the truths about His sole rule and will never obtain mercy. For this purpose Simon comes to fight us, armed with the false passages in the Scriptures. More dreadful still, he is unafraid to make these dogmatic claims against the true God using prophets he does not actually believe. 4 He will not succeed with us, who inherited from our ancestors worship of the God who made everything and knowledge of the mystery of the books that can deceive; but he will have great success with Gentiles brought up to believe in many gods, who do not know the falsehoods in the Scriptures. He is not the only one: if anyone tells the Gentiles an empty, dreamlike, elaborately told story against God, they will believe it, because from childhood their minds have been accustomed to accept things said against God. Only a few among the crowd will have the sincerity to refuse even to hear an evil word against the God who made everything. These alone among the Gentiles will be granted salvation. So none of you should put all the blame on Simon or anyone else; nothing happens unjustly, since even Scripture’s falsehoods are presented as a test for a good reason. 5 When I, Clement, heard this, I said: My lord, how can you say that even the falsehoods in the Scriptures are beneficially presented to test people? And he answered: The falsehoods in the Scriptures were allowed to be written for a particular righteous reason, at evil’s demand. When I say beneficially, I mean this: in God’s judgment, the wicked one loves God no less than the good one. The good one exceeds him in this one thing alone, that the wicked one, out of love for what is profound, refuses to forgive those whose ignorance makes them ungodly and desires their destruction; but the good one wants to offer them a remedy. The good one wants everyone to be healed through repentance, but saves only those who know God. He does not heal those who do not know Him. He wants to, but it is not lawful to give the good things prepared for the children of the kingdom to those who, through lack of judgment, are like irrational animals. 6 The one and only God, who made the world, created us, and gave us everything, has this nature: as long as someone remains within the bounds of devotion to God and does not blaspheme His Holy Spirit, God draws that person’s soul to Himself through His love for the person and for the soul. Although the soul is sinful, it is His nature to save it after it has been appropriately punished for its deeds. If someone denies Him or acts irreverently toward Him in any other way, and then repents, he will indeed be punished for his sins against Him, but will be saved because he turned back and lived. Perhaps exceptional devotion and prayer will even bring release from punishment, with ignorance accepted as grounds for forgiving sin after repentance. But those who do not repent will be destroyed by punishment with fire, even if they are most holy in every other respect. But, as I said, at an appointed time a fifth part will be consumed through punishment with eternal fire. Those who have acted irreverently toward the one God cannot endure forever. 7 In religion, irreverence toward Him means dying while saying there is another God, whether higher or lower, or claiming in any way that there is another besides the One who truly exists. The One who truly exists is the One whose form the human body bears. For His sake, heaven and all the stars, although superior in essence, submit to serve humans, who are inferior in essence, because they bear the Ruler’s form. God has blessed humans above everything else to this extent so that, by loving the Benefactor in proportion to His many benefits, they may be saved for the world to come through this love. 8 So human love for God is enough for salvation. The wicked one knows this. While we hurry to sow the love for Him that brings immortality in the souls of Gentiles ready to believe in the one and only God, this wicked one, with enough weapons to destroy the ignorant, hurries to sow belief in many gods, or at least in one greater god, so that people may embrace and believe what is not wisdom, die as though guilty of adultery, and be thrown out of His kingdom. 9 So everyone willing even to hear anything against God’s sole rule deserves rejection; but if anyone dares to hear anything against God because he trusts the Scriptures, let him first consider this with me: anyone can devise a teaching to suit himself, search the Scriptures carefully, and find much testimony supporting the teaching he devised. How, then, can they be trusted against God when everyone can find what they want in them? 10 So Simon, who will debate us publicly tomorrow, boldly opposes God’s sole rule, wanting to produce many statements from these Scriptures claiming that there are many gods, including one who is not the Maker of this world but is greater than Him; and at the same time he will offer many scriptural proofs. But we too can easily show many passages in them proving that the Maker of the world alone is God, and that there is no other besides Him. If anyone wants to argue otherwise, he too can produce whatever proofs he likes from them. The Scriptures say all kinds of things so that no one who investigates ungratefully will find the truth, but only what he wants to find. Truth is reserved for the grateful. Gratitude means preserving our love for the One who causes us to exist.

Peter Explains True and False Prophecy

11 So we must know above all that truth can be found only through a prophet of truth. The true Prophet always knows everything, even everyone’s thoughts, and is without sin because He is convinced of God’s judgment. So we should consider more than His foreknowledge alone: we must ask whether it can operate without an external cause. Doctors predict certain things from a patient’s pulse; some people predict things using birds, others sacrifices, and others many different things presented to them. Yet these people are not prophets. 12 Anyone who says the foreknowledge shown in these predictions is like truly innate foreknowledge is badly mistaken. He declares only present things, and even then only if he speaks truthfully. Still, even these things help my argument, because they establish that foreknowledge exists. But the one true Prophet’s foreknowledge knows more than present things: it extends prophecy without limit as far as the world to come. It needs no interpretation, because He does not prophesy obscurely or ambiguously so that another prophet would be needed to interpret His words; instead He speaks clearly and simply, just as our Master and Prophet always knew everything through the innate and ever-flowing Spirit. 13 So He spoke confidently about what would happen—I mean sufferings, places, limits. As a faultless Prophet, He sees everything with the boundless eye of His soul and knows hidden things. But if we believed, as many do, that even the true Prophet knows the future only sometimes, when He has the Spirit and acts through it, while remaining ignorant when He lacks it, we would deceive ourselves and mislead others. That belongs to those driven mad by the spirit of disorder—those who are drunk beside the altars and stuffed with fat. 14 If anyone claiming to prophesy were allowed to explain every false prediction by saying he lacked the Holy Spirit of foreknowledge at that moment, it would be difficult to expose him as a false prophet; for a few of his many statements come true, and people then believe he has the Spirit, although he speaks of the first things last and the last things first; speaks of past events as future, and future as already past; and also speaks without any order, or borrows and alters others’ words, offering statements that are reduced, incomplete, foolish, ambiguous, improper, or obscure, proclaiming every kind of dishonesty. 15 But our Master did not prophesy this way; but, as I have already said, as a prophet through the innate and ever-flowing Spirit, knowing everything at all times, He confidently and plainly described, as I said before, sufferings, places, appointed times, ways of acting, and limits. So when He prophesied about the temple, He said: 'Do you see these buildings? Truly I tell you, not one stone will be left here on another; all will be torn down. This generation will not pass away before the destruction begins. They will come and settle here, and besiege it, and kill your children here.' He likewise spoke plainly about things that would happen immediately, which we can now see with our own eyes, so that the fulfillment would take place among those who heard the prediction. The Prophet of truth speaks words that provide proof so that His hearers may believe. 16 However, many people proclaim error under one leader, the chief of wickedness, just as the one Prophet of truth, who also leads devotion to God, will at His appointed times have everyone found pure as His prophets. But the main reason people are deceived is that they do not first understand the teaching about pairing. I will be sure to explain it briefly to you in private every day, because a detailed explanation would take too long. So judge what I say as people who love the truth.

Adam and the True Prophet

17 I will begin the explanation now. Since God made everything, anyone who denies that the man formed by His hands possessed His great and Holy Spirit of foreknowledge makes a grave mistake by attributing it to another born of an illegitimate line! I do not think he will be forgiven, even if false scripture misleads him into thinking dreadful things against the Father of all. Anyone who insults the eternal King’s image and possessions has that sin counted as an offense against the One whose likeness the image bears. But, he says, the Divine Spirit left him when he sinned. In that case the Spirit sinned with him; how can anyone who says this escape danger? But perhaps he received the Spirit after he sinned. Then the Spirit is given to the unrighteous; where is justice? But suppose it was given to both the just and the unjust. That would be the most unrighteous possibility of all. So every falsehood must be refuted, even if supported by ten thousand arguments and even if it takes a long time. 18 Do not be deceived. Our father was ignorant of nothing; even the law in public circulation, although accusing him of the offense of ignorance for the sake of the unworthy, sends those who want knowledge to him, saying, 'Ask your father, and he will tell you; your elders, and they will explain it to you.' You should ask this father and these elders. But you have not asked to whom the time of the kingdom and the seat of prophecy belong, although He Himself identifies Himself, saying, 'The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat; listen to everything they tell you.' Listen to them, He said, because they are entrusted with the key of the kingdom, which is knowledge. This alone can open the gate of life, the only entrance to eternal life. But truly, He says, they possess the key but do not allow those who want to enter to do so. 19 For this reason, I say, He Himself rose from His seat as a father for his children. He proclaimed what had been secretly given to the worthy from the beginning, extended mercy even to the Gentiles, and felt compassion for everyone’s souls, while neglecting His own relatives. Considered worthy to be King of the world to come, He fights the one who, by predestination, has seized the present kingdom. What grieved Him deeply was that the very people He fought for as His children attacked Him because of their ignorance. And yet He loved even those who hated Him, and wept over the unbelieving, and blessed those who slandered Him, and prayed for His enemies. He did this as a father and also taught His disciples to do the same, treating others as brothers. This is what our Father did, what our Prophet did. It is reasonable for Him to be King over His children, so that a father’s affection for his children and the children’s deeply rooted respect for their father may bring eternal peace. When a good man rules, his subjects have true joy because of their ruler. 20 But pay attention to my first teaching about the truth. If someone denies that the man formed by God’s hands had the Holy Spirit of Christ, how can he avoid the greatest irreverence by granting it to another born of an impure line? He would act with the greatest devotion if he denied it to anyone else and said that only the one who has changed his forms and names since the beginning of the world has it, reappearing again and again in the world, until he reaches his own appointed time and, anointed with mercy for God’s works, enjoys rest forever. His honor is to rule and exercise authority over everything in the air, earth, and waters. In addition, having made humanity himself, he had breath, the soul’s indescribable garment, so that he could be immortal. 21 As the only true prophet, he appropriately named each animal according to its nature, since he had made it. Whatever name he gave an animal was also the name of the creature, because its maker gave it. Why, then, would he still need to eat from a tree to know good and evil if he was commanded not to eat from it? Yet senseless people believe this, thinking that an irrational animal was more powerful than the God who made these things.

Peter Contrasts Male and Female Prophecy

22 But a companion was created alongside him, a female nature very different from him, as quality differs from substance, the moon from the sun, and fire from light. As a female ruling the present world, which is like her, she was entrusted with being the first prophetess, proclaiming prophecy with all those born of women. But the other, as the son of man and a male, prophesies better things to the world to come, which is male. 23 We should understand that there are two kinds of prophecy, one male. Let us establish that the first, the male, is ranked after the other in the order of arrival, while the second, the female, is appointed to arrive first in the pairing. This second kind, being among those born of women, is the female overseer of this present world but wants to be considered male. So she steals the male’s seeds, sows them with her own fleshly seeds, and produces the fruits—that is, words—as entirely her own. She promises to give present earthly riches as a dowry, wanting to exchange the slow for the swift and the small for the greater. 24 She presumes to speak and hear of many gods and even believes she is one. Hoping to become what she cannot be by nature, she throws away what she had. As a female menstruating while sacrifices are offered, she is stained with blood and then defiles those who touch her. When she conceives and gives birth to temporary kings, she stirs up wars and sheds much blood; and by telling those who want to learn truth from her contradictory things and presenting many different forms of worship, she keeps them searching without finding anything until death. From the beginning a cause of death has rested on blind people, because she deceives those who believe her by prophesying lies, ambiguities, and evasions. 25 This explains the ambiguous name she gave her firstborn son, Cain, which can be interpreted in two ways; it means both Possession and Envy, suggesting that in the future he would envy a woman, possessions, or his parents’ love for her. But if none of these applies, he will be called the Possession. She possessed him first, which also benefited him. He was a murderer and a liar, and in his sins he refused to be at peace with the ruling authority. His descendants were also the first adulterers. There were also stringed instruments, harps, and makers of weapons of war. So his descendants’ prophecy, full of adulterers and stringed instruments, secretly uses pleasures to stir up wars. 26 But the one among the sons of men whose soul possessed prophecy by nature, as its own, was male and plainly indicated the hopes of the world to come. He named his own son Abel, which unambiguously means Grief. He appoints his sons to grieve over their deceived brothers. He does not deceive them when he promises them comfort in the world to come. When he says that we must pray to one only God, he neither speaks of gods himself nor believes anyone else who does. He keeps the good he has and increases it more and more. He hates sacrifices, bloodshed, and drink offerings; he loves those who are sexually restrained, pure, and holy. He puts out altar fires, suppresses wars, teaches wisdom to godly preachers, cleanses sins, approves marriage and self-restraint, leads everyone to sexual purity, makes people generous, commands justice, marks the perfect with a seal, proclaims the message of peace, prophesies clearly, speaks decisively, frequently mentions the eternal fire of punishment, constantly announces God’s kingdom, points to heavenly riches, promises unfading glory, and shows forgiveness of sins through deeds. 27 What more needs to be said? The male is entirely truth, the female entirely falsehood. But someone born of male and female speaks truth in some matters and falsehood in others. The female surrounds the male’s white seed with her own blood, like red fire, and supports her own weakness with bones supplied from outside herself, and, pleased with the flesh’s temporary bloom, she weakens judgment through brief pleasures, leads most people into sexual immorality, and so deprives them of the excellent Bridegroom who is coming. Every person becomes a bride whenever the true Prophet’s complete word of truth is sown in them and enlightens their understanding. 28 So we should listen to the one and only Prophet of truth, knowing that a word sown by another, carrying the charge of sexual immorality, is, so to speak, thrown out of the Bridegroom’s kingdom by Him. Those who know the mystery also know that spiritual adultery produces death. Whenever others sow in the soul, the Spirit abandons it as guilty of sexual immorality or adultery; and so, when the life-giving Spirit is withdrawn, the living body breaks down into dust. After the body breaks down, the soul suffers its rightful punishment for sin at the judgment; just as, among humans, a woman caught in adultery is first thrown out of the house and then sentenced to punishment.

Peter Addresses the Crowd at Caesarea

29 As Peter was about to explain this mysterious teaching to us fully, Zacchæus came, saying: Peter, it is now time for you to go out and join the discussion; a large crowd is waiting for you, packed into the courtyard, with Simon standing among them like a war leader surrounded by his spearmen. When Peter heard this, he told me to withdraw for prayer because I had not yet received baptism for salvation. Then he said to those who had already been fully initiated: Let us rise and pray that God, by His unfailing mercies, may help me as I strive to save the people He has made. After saying this and praying, he went out into the courtyard’s uncovered area, which was spacious; many people had gathered to see him, his prominence making them hurry all the more eagerly to listen. 30 He stood and saw everyone gazing at him in deep silence, with Simon the magician standing among them, and began to speak: Peace to all of you ready to give your right hands in acceptance of God’s truth, which is His great and incomparable gift in the present world. The One who sent us, an infallible Prophet of what benefits us most, commanded us to announce this greeting to you before we teach, so that if any son of peace is among you, peace may reach him through our teaching; but if any of you refuse to receive it, we will shake the road dust from our feet as a testimony—the dust we carried through our hard work to bring you salvation—and go to others’ homes and cities. 31 We tell you truly, on judgment day it will be more bearable to live in the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than in a place of unbelief. First, because you did not preserve sound reasoning on your own; second, because you heard about us but did not come to us; and third, because you refused to believe us when we came to you. So, out of concern for you, we pray of our own free will that our peace may come to you. If you want it, you must willingly promise not to act unjustly and generously endure wrong; human nature could not bear this without first learning what benefits it most: knowing the righteous nature of the One over everything, that He defends and avenges those who are wronged and does good forever to the godly. 32 So, as grateful servants of God, use your own understanding to recognize what is reasonable and adopt the way of life that pleases Him, so that by loving Him and being loved by Him you may enjoy good forever. He alone is fully able to give it: He brought into existence things that did not exist, created the heavens, established the earth, set boundaries for the sea, stored up what is in Hades, and filled every place with air. 33 He alone changed the one original, simple substance into the four opposing elements. By combining them He made countless compounds, so that, changed into opposing natures and mixed together, they could produce life’s pleasure through the combination of opposites. Similarly, He alone populated the heavens, creating races of angels and spirits by the command of His will; He also adorned the visible expanse of heaven with stars, assigning their paths and arranging their courses. He made the earth firm so that it could produce fruit. He set boundaries for the sea, marking out a place to live on dry land. He stores up what is in Hades, appointing it as the place for souls; and He filled all places with air, so that all living creatures could breathe safely and live. 34 How great is the hand of the wise God, which does everything in everything! He has made countless birds of many kinds, differing from each other in every respect: their colors, beaks, talons, appearance, senses, voices, and everything else. And how many different species of plants, distinguished by boundless variety of colors, qualities, and scents! And how many animals on land and in water, whose shapes, forms, habitats, colors, food, senses, natures, and numbers are impossible to describe! Then also the multitude and height of mountains, the varieties of stones, awe-inspiring caverns, springs, rivers, marshes, seas, harbors, islands, forests, the whole inhabited world, and uninhabited places! 35 How many other unknown things have escaped human understanding! And even among things we can understand, who knows their limits? I mean how heaven revolves, how the stars travel in their courses, what forms they have, what sustains their existence, and what paths they follow through the upper air. And where the gusts of wind come from, how they sweep around, and why they have different powers; where springs flow endlessly from, and how rivers constantly flow into the sea without emptying their source or filling the sea they enter! How far the unfathomable depth of boundless Tartarus extends! What supports heaven, which surrounds everything! How the clouds spring from air, and are absorbed into air! What is the nature of thunder and lightning, snow, hail, mist, ice, storms, showers, hanging clouds! And how He makes plants and animals! And all these things continually brought to perfection with complete precision in their countless varieties! 36 So anyone who examines all this carefully and rationally will find that God made these things for humanity. Rain falls to produce fruit for humans to eat and feed animals so that they can be useful to humans. The sun shines to change the air through four seasons, so that each season can give humanity its own special benefit. Springs flow to give people water to drink. And who rules over the creatures as far as possible? Is it not humanity, given wisdom to cultivate the earth, sail the sea, and hunt fish, birds, and animals; to investigate the course of the stars, to mine the earth, to sail the sea; to build cities, to define kingdoms, to establish laws, carry out justice, know the invisible God and the names of angels, drive away demons, try to cure diseases with medicines, find charms against venomous snakes, and understand natural antagonisms? 37 But if you are grateful, human being, understanding that God benefits you in everything, you may even become immortal, with the things made for you continuing through your gratitude. You can now become imperishable if you acknowledge the One you did not know, love the One you abandoned, if you pray to Him alone who is able to punish or to save your body and soul. So before anything else, recognize that no one shares His rule or His name—that is, is called God. For He alone is both called and is God. It is not lawful to think there is another or to call anyone else by that name. Anyone who dares do so will suffer eternal punishment of the soul.

Simon Challenges Peter with Scripture

38 After Peter spoke, Simon called out from the edge of the crowd: Why would you lie and deceive the uneducated crowd around you, persuading them that it is unlawful to think that there are gods, and to call them so, when the books circulating among the Jews say there are many gods? Now, before everyone, I want to use these books to debate why we must believe there are gods; first showing that the one you call God is not the supreme and all-powerful Being, because he lacks foreknowledge, is imperfect, needy, and not good, and is subject to countless painful passions. So once this is shown from the Scriptures, as I say, it follows that there is another, not described in writing, who knows the future, is perfect, lacks nothing, is good, and is free from all painful passions. But he whom you call the Creator is subject to the opposite evils. 39 So Adam too, originally made in his likeness, is created blind, is said to lack knowledge of good and evil, is found to be a sinner, is driven from paradise, and is punished with death. Similarly, his maker, because he cannot see everywhere, says about Sodom’s destruction, 'Come, let us go down and see whether they have acted according to the outcry that reaches me; and if not, I will know.' Thus he shows himself ignorant. And when he says about Adam, 'Let us drive him out so that he does not reach out his hand, touch the tree of life, eat, and live forever;' the phrase So that he does not shows ignorance; and by driving him out to prevent him from eating and living forever, he is also envious. And when it is written that 'God regretted making humanity,' this implies both regret and ignorance. Such reflection is either an attempt, through ignorance, to investigate the outcome of what one wills, or the act of someone who regrets an event because it did not meet his expectations. And when it is written, 'And the Lord smelled a sweet scent,' this is the behavior of someone in need; and his pleasure in animal fat is the behavior of someone who is not good. But his testing, as it is written, 'And God tested Abraham,' is the behavior of someone wicked who does not know the experiment’s outcome. 40 By taking many passages from the Scriptures in this way, Simon seemed to show that God is subject to every weakness. Peter replied: Does someone evil and utterly wicked like to accuse himself of his own sins? Answer me that. Then Simon said: He does not. Then Peter said: How, then, can God be evil and wicked if those evil things commonly written about Him were added by His own will? Then Simon said: Perhaps another power wrote the accusation against Him, against His wishes. Then Peter said: Let us investigate that first. If He accused Himself of His own free will, as you acknowledged earlier, He is not wicked. But if another power did this, we must make every effort to investigate who has subjected the One who alone is good to every evil. 41 Then Simon said: You are clearly avoiding hearing the Scriptures’ accusation against your God. Then Peter said: You seem to me to be doing that yourself; anyone who refuses an orderly investigation does not want a true inquiry. So by proceeding in order and wanting to consider the writer first, I clearly show that I want to follow a straight path. Then Simon said: First admit that if what is written against the Creator is true, he is not above everything, since the Scriptures subject him to every evil. Then we will investigate the writer. Then Peter said: I will answer so that you do not think I object to your lack of order because I am unwilling to investigate. I say that if the things written against God are true, they do not show that God is wicked. Then Simon said: How can you claim that? 42 Then Peter said: Because other passages contradict those that speak evil of him, neither set can be confirmed. Then Simon said: How can we establish which Scriptures are true, those that say he is evil or those that say he is good? Then Peter said: Whatever the Scriptures say in agreement with His creation is true; whatever contradicts it is false. Then Simon said: How can you show that the Scriptures contradict themselves? And Peter said: You say that Adam was created blind, which was not so; He would not have pointed out the tree of the knowledge of good and evil to a blind man and commanded him not to eat from it. Then Simon said: He meant Adam’s mind was blind. Then Peter said: How could his mind be blind when, before eating from the tree and in agreement with his Maker, he gave appropriate names to every animal? Then Simon said: If Adam knew the future, why did he not know the serpent would deceive his wife? Then Peter said: If Adam did not know the future, how could he name his sons at their birth according to their future deeds, calling the first Cain (which is interpreted 'envy'), who through envy killed his brother Abel (which is interpreted 'grief'), because his parents grieved over him, the first person killed? 43 But if Adam, God’s creation, knew the future, how much more must the God who created him know it. The statements that God reflected, as though reasoning from ignorance, and that the Lord tested Abraham to learn whether he would endure it, are false; and so is the statement, 'Let us go down and see whether they have acted according to the outcry that reaches me; and if not, I will know.' Without extending my discussion too far, statements attributing ignorance or any other evil to Him are disproved by other statements affirming the opposite. Because He does know the future, He says to Abraham, 'Know for certain that your descendants will live as foreigners in a land not their own; the people there will enslave them, mistreat them, and oppress them for four hundred years. But I will judge the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out here with much property; but you will go to your ancestors in peace, sustained to a good old age; and in the fourth generation they will return here, because the Amorites’ sins have not yet reached their full measure.' 44 And does Moses not foretell the people’s sins and predict their scattering among the nations? If He gave foreknowledge to Moses, how could He lack it Himself? He has it. And if He has it, as we have shown, it is absurd to say He reflected, regretted, went down to see, or anything similar. Everything known in advance before it happens unfolds under a wise arrangement, without regret. 45 His displeasure with sacrifices is shown by the fact that those who craved meat were killed as soon as they tasted it and were buried, so that the place was called the grave of cravings. So the One who from the first disliked the slaughter of animals and did not want them killed did not command sacrifices because He desired them, nor did He require them from the beginning. Neither sacrifices nor offerings of the first produce can be presented without slaughtering animals. But how can He live in darkness, smoke, and storm (for this also is written), when He created a pure heaven, made the sun to give light to everyone, and assigned countless stars the unchanging order of their revolutions? So, Simon, God’s handwriting—I mean heaven—shows that its Maker’s plans are pure and unchanging. 46 So the statements accusing the God who made heaven are invalidated by the opposite statements beside them and refuted by creation. They were not written by a prophet’s hand. That is also why they contradict the hand of God, who made everything. Then Simon said: How can you show this?

Moses, Jesus, and the Written Law

47 Then Peter said: Moses gave God’s law orally to seventy wise men to pass down, so that government could continue through succession. After Moses was taken up, someone wrote it down, but it was not Moses. For in the law itself it is written, 'And Moses died; and they buried him near the house of Phogor, and no one knows his tomb to this day.' But how could Moses write that Moses died? About 500 years after Moses, it was found lying in the temple that had been built; about 500 years later it was carried away and destroyed by fire in Nebuchadnezzar’s time; its being written after Moses and frequently lost itself shows Moses’ foreknowledge, because he foresaw its disappearance and did not write it; but its writers were not prophets, as their failure to foresee its disappearance exposed their ignorance. 48 Then Simon said: Since, as you say, we must understand matters about God by comparing them with creation, how can we recognize the other true things in the law that come from Moses’ tradition but are mixed with these falsehoods? Then Peter said: By God’s providence, a particular verse has been preserved undisputed in the written law to show clearly which statements are true and which are false. Then Simon said: Which verse? Show it to us. 49 Then Peter said: I will tell you immediately. Near the end of the law’s first book it is written: 'Judah will not lack a ruler, nor a leader from between his thighs, until the One comes to whom it belongs; He is the One the nations expect.' So anyone who can understand the One who came after Judah ceased to have a ruler and leader, the One the nations were to expect, can recognize from this verse that He has truly come; and by believing His teaching, he will know which Scriptures are true and which are false. Then Simon said: I understand you mean that your Jesus is the One the scripture prophesied about. Let us grant that this is so. Tell us, then, how he taught you to distinguish between the Scriptures. 50 Then Peter said: About the mixture of truth and falsehood, I remember that He once criticized the Sadducees, saying, 'You are mistaken because you do not know the true things in the Scriptures; for this reason you are ignorant of God’s power.' If He reproached them for not knowing the true things in the Scriptures, clearly there are also false things in them. Also, when He said, 'Be discerning money changers,' it is because there are genuine and spurious words. And when He said, 'Why do you not recognize what is reasonable in the Scriptures?' He strengthens the understanding of anyone who freely exercises sound judgment. 51 It is well known that He sent people to the scribes and teachers of the existing Scriptures as people who knew the true things in the law of that time. Also, when He said, 'I have not come to destroy the law,' although He seemed to be destroying it, He was indicating that what He destroyed did not belong to the law. And His saying, 'Heaven and earth will pass away, but not one tiny letter or stroke will pass from the law,' indicated that things passing away before heaven and earth do not really belong to the law. 52 Since sacrifices, kingdoms, prophecies among those born of women, and similar things have passed away while heaven and earth still stand, they are not God’s commands. So He says, 'Every plant the heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.' So as the true Prophet He said, 'I am the gate of life; he who enters through me enters into life,' because no other teaching can save. That is also why He called out, 'Come to me, all who labor,' that is, who are seeking the truth, and not finding it; and again, 'My sheep hear my voice;' and elsewhere, 'Seek and find,' because truth does not lie on the surface. 53 A voice was also heard from heaven testifying, 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.' Moreover, to expose more fully the error of the prophets from whom they claimed to have learned, He declared that those prophets died wanting the truth without having learned it, saying, 'Many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see and hear what you hear; truly I tell you, they neither saw nor heard.' Still further He said, 'I am the one Moses prophesied about, saying, The Lord our God will raise up for you a Prophet from among your brothers, like me: listen to Him in everything; whoever refuses to listen to that Prophet will die.' 54 So without His teaching no one can reach saving truth, even by searching forever where what they seek is absent. But it was, and is, in our Jesus’ word. So, knowing the true things in the law, He said to the Sadducees, who asked why Moses allowed marriage to seven, 'Moses gave you commandments because of your hard hearts; it was not this way from the beginning, for the One who first created humanity made them male and female.' 55 But to those who think, as the Scriptures teach, that God swears, He said, 'Let your yes be yes and your no be no; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.' And to those who say that Abraham and Isaac and Jacob are dead, He said, 'God is not of the dead, but of the living.' And to those who suppose that God tempts, as the Scriptures say, He said, 'The tempter is the wicked one,' who also tempted Himself. To those who suppose God does not know the future, He said, 'Your heavenly Father knows you need all these things before you ask Him.' And to those who believe, as the Scriptures say, that He does not see all things, He said, 'Pray in secret, and your Father, who sees secret things, will reward you.' 56 And to those who think that He is not good, as the Scriptures say, He said, 'Which of you would give his son a stone when he asks for bread, or a snake when he asks for a fish? If you, although evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask Him and to those who do His will!' But to those who affirmed that He was in the temple, He said, 'Do not swear by heaven, for it is God's throne; or by the earth, for it is His footstool.' And to those who supposed that God is pleased with sacrifices, He said, 'God desires mercy rather than sacrifices' —knowledge of Himself rather than burnt offerings. 57 But to those convinced He is evil, as the Scriptures say, He said, 'Do not call me good, for only One is good.' And again, 'Be good and merciful like your Father in heaven, who makes the sun rise on good and evil people and sends rain on the just and unjust.' But to those misled into believing in many gods, as the Scriptures say, He said, 'Listen, Israel; the Lord your God is one Lord.'

Simon Leaves and Peter Appoints Zacchaeus

58 So Simon, realizing that Peter was forcing him to use the Scriptures as Jesus taught, did not want the discussion to move into the teaching about God, even though Peter had changed it to questions and answers as Simon himself requested. However, the discussion occupied three days. As the fourth day dawned, he set out while it was still dark and traveled as far as Tyre of Phœnicia. A few days later, some of those who had gone ahead came and told Peter: Simon is performing great miracles in Tyre and unsettling many people there; with many slanders he has made them hate you. 59 When Peter heard this, he gathered the crowd of listeners the next night. As soon as they assembled, he said: As I go to the nations that say there are many gods, to teach and preach that there is one God who made heaven, earth, and everything in them, so that they may love Him and be saved, evil has gone ahead of me and, through the very law of pairing, sent Simon before me, so that if these people stop saying there are many gods and reject the so-called gods on earth, they may believe there are many gods in heaven; and so, failing to appreciate the excellence of God’s sole rule, they may perish in eternal punishment. Most dreadful of all, because true teaching has incomparable power, he goes ahead of me with slanders and persuades them not even to welcome me in the first place; for fear that the slanderer himself will be exposed as truly a devil and that people will receive and believe the true teaching. So I must catch up with him quickly, before his false accusation has time to take complete hold of everyone. 60 Since we must appoint someone to take my place, let us all pray to God together to reveal the best person among us, so that he may sit in Christ’s chair and lead His Church with devotion. Who, then, should be appointed? God’s guidance declares the man blessed 'whom his Lord appoints to serve his fellow servants, giving them their food at the right time, without thinking and saying in his heart, My Lord is slow to come, and without beginning to beat his fellow servants and eat and drink with prostitutes and drunkards. That servant’s Lord will come at an hour he does not expect and on a day he does not know, cut him apart, and assign him, as unfaithful, a place with the hypocrites.' 61 But if anyone here can teach the ignorant and avoids doing so, thinking only of his own comfort, he should expect to hear this judgment: 'Wicked and lazy servant, you should have given my money to the money changers, so that I could recover what was mine when I returned. Throw the useless servant into the outer darkness.' And with good reason; 'for,' says He, 'it is your task, human being, to test my words as silver and money are tested among the money changers.' So the community of believers should obey one person so that they can live in harmony. Government by one person, in the form of monarchy, enables subjects to enjoy peace through good order; but if everyone wants to rule and refuses to submit to one person, division must bring them all down. 62 Let what is happening before your eyes also convince you: wars constantly arise because there are now many kings throughout the earth. Each uses another’s rule as a pretext for war. But if one ruled over everyone, he would have no reason to wage war and would enjoy lasting peace. So, briefly, God appoints one universal King for those considered worthy of eternal life in the world to come, so that rule by one may bring unfailing peace. So everyone should follow one person as leader, honoring him as God’s image; and the leader must know the road into the holy city. 63 But who among those present should I choose except Zacchæus, whose house the Lord entered and rested in, judging him worthy of salvation? After saying this, he placed his hand on Zacchæus, who stood nearby, and made him sit in his own chair. But Zacchæus fell at his feet and begged permission to decline the leadership; he promised, saying, I will do whatever a ruler must do; just allow me to avoid this title. I fear taking the title of ruler, because it is full of bitter envy and danger. 64 Then Peter said: If you are afraid of this, do not be called Ruler, but The Appointed One. The Lord allowed you to be called this when He said, 'Blessed is the man whom his Lord will Appoint to serve his fellow servants.' But if you want your administrative authority to remain completely unknown, you seem unaware that a leader’s recognized authority greatly influences the community’s respect. Everyone obeys the one who has received authority, strongly compelled by conscience. You surely know that you must not rule like the nations’ rulers, but serve the people as a servant, be a father to the oppressed, visit them as a doctor, and guard them as a shepherd—in a word, take every care for their salvation. Do you think I do not know the work I am forcing you to undertake by asking you to be judged by crowds that no one can please? But someone who does good can certainly please God. So I appeal to you by God and by Christ: undertake it wholeheartedly for the brothers’ salvation and good order, and for your own benefit. 65 Consider this too: the greater the work and danger of leading Christ’s Church, the greater the reward. But the punishment is also greater for someone who can do it and refuses. So, knowing you are the best instructed of my attendants, I want you to put the noble powers of judgment the Lord has entrusted to you to use, so that you may be greeted with Well done, good and faithful servant, rather than blamed and declared deserving of punishment like the man who hid the one talent. But if you refuse appointment as a good guardian of the Church, name someone more learned and faithful than yourself to replace you. But you cannot do that; you accompanied the Lord, witnessed His marvelous deeds, and learned how to administer the Church.

Peter Gives Instructions to the Community

66 Your work is to direct what is proper; the brothers’ work is to submit rather than disobey. So if they submit, they will be saved; if they disobey, the Lord will punish them, because the leader is entrusted with Christ’s place. So honor or contempt shown to the leader passes to Christ, and from Christ to God. I have said this so these brothers will know the danger they bring on themselves by disobeying you: whoever disobeys your orders disobeys Christ, and whoever disobeys Christ offends God. 67 So the Church, like a city built on a hill, must have God-approved order and good government. In particular, listen to what the bishop says as leader, and let the elders make sure his instructions are carried out. Let the deacons make their rounds, care for the brothers’ bodies and souls, and report to the bishop. Let all the other brothers patiently endure wrong; but if they want a judgment about wrongs done to them, let them be reconciled in the elders’ presence; and let the elders report the reconciliation to the bishop. 68 Let them urge marriage on both young and old, so that burning lust does not bring a plague on the Church through sexual immorality or adultery. God hates the wickedness of adultery above every other sin, because it destroys both the sinner and those who eat and associate with him. It is like rabies in a dog, because it spreads its own madness. So for the sake of sexual purity, let everyone, as well as the elders, hurry to arrange marriages. The adulterer’s sin necessarily affects everyone. So urging the brothers to practice sexual purity is the first act of love, because it heals the soul. For the body’s nourishment is rest. 69 But if you love your brothers, take nothing from them; share what you have with them. Feed the hungry; give drink to the thirsty; clothe the naked; visit the sick; so far as you can, help those in prison; gladly welcome strangers into your own homes; hate no one. Your own mind, judging rightly, will teach you how to live a godly life. But above all, if I even need to tell you, gather frequently, every hour if possible, especially on the appointed meeting days. If you do this, you are within a protective wall. Disorder is the beginning of destruction. So no one should abandon the assembly because of envy toward a brother. Anyone who abandons the assembly will be considered one of those who scatter Christ’s Church and will be thrown out with adulterers. Like an adulterer, influenced by the spirit within him, he separates himself on some pretext and gives the wicked one an opening against him—a sheep ready to be stolen, found outside the sheepfold. 70 But listen to your bishop and never tire of giving him full honor; know that honor shown to him passes to Christ, and from Christ to God, and is repaid many times over to the person who gives it. So honor Christ’s throne. You are commanded even to honor Moses’ chair, although its occupants are considered sinners. I have now said enough to you. I consider it unnecessary to tell him how to live blamelessly, since he is an approved disciple of the One who taught me too. 71 But, brothers, some things you should not wait to be told; you must consider for yourselves what is reasonable. Zacchæus alone has devoted himself completely to working for you and cannot attend to his own affairs. Since he needs food, how can he obtain the support he needs? Is it not reasonable for you to provide for his living in advance, without waiting for him to ask? Asking is a beggar’s role. He would rather starve than do that. Will you not be punished for failing to consider that a worker deserves his wages? Let no one say: Is the message that was freely given being sold? It should never be. If someone already has the means to live and takes anything, he sells the message; but if someone without means accepts support to live—as the Lord also accepted support at supper and among His friends, having nothing even though He alone owns everything—he does not sin. So appropriately honor elders, teachers of the faith, helpful deacons, widows who have lived well, and orphans as children of the Church. Whenever provisions are needed for an emergency, contribute together. Be kind to each other, willing to endure anything for your own salvation. 72 After speaking, he placed his hand on Zacchæus, saying, Ruler and Lord of all, Father and God, guard the shepherd with the flock. You are the cause, You the power. We are those who receive help; You are the helper, the physician, the savior, the wall, the life, the hope, the refuge, the joy, the expectation, the rest. In a word, You are everything to us. You work with us, preserve us, and protect us so that we may attain eternal salvation. You can do all things. For You are the Ruler of rulers, the Lord of lords, the Governor of kings. Give the leader power to release what should be released and bind what should be bound. Make him wise. Protect the Church of Your Christ by His name as a beautiful bride. For Yours is eternal glory. Praise to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit forever. Amen. 73 After speaking this way, he then said: Those of you who want to be baptized should begin fasting tomorrow, have hands laid on you each day, and ask about whatever matters you wish. I intend to stay with you ten more days. After three days, once he had begun baptizing, he called me, Aquila, and Nicetas and said to us: Since I will leave for Tyre in seven days, I want you to leave today, stay secretly with Bernice the Canaanite, Justa’s daughter, learn from her what Simon is doing, and send me an accurate written account. This is very important to me, so that I can prepare accordingly. So leave at once in peace. Leaving him to baptize, we went ahead of him to Tyre of Phœnicia as he commanded.

Clement Arrives in Tyre

1 So I, Clement, left Cæsarea Stratonis with Nicetas and Aquila and entered Tyre of Phœnicia; and we followed the instructions of Peter, who sent us, and stayed with Bernice, the daughter of Justa the Canaanitess. She received us with great joy; and she made every effort to honor me and show affection to Aquila and Nicetas. Speaking freely as a friend, she joyfully treated us with courtesy and hospitality and urged us to have some food. Realizing that she was trying to delay us briefly, I said: You are right to work so hard to show love; but the fear of our God must come before this. For we face a struggle for many souls, and we are afraid of putting our own comfort before their salvation. 2 For we hear that after Simon the magician was defeated in debate with our lord Peter at Cæsarea, he immediately hurried here and is causing much harm. For he is slandering Peter, contrary to the truth, to all his opponents, and leading the souls of the crowds astray. For although he himself is a magician, he calls Peter a magician; and although he himself is a deceiver, he declares Peter a deceiver. And although in the discussions he was beaten on every point and fled, he still says that he was victorious; and he constantly instructs them not to listen to Peter,—as though he were really concerned that they might be bewitched by a terrible magician. 3 Our lord Peter has therefore learned this and sent us to investigate what he has been told; if it is true, we can write and tell him, and he can come and confront him face to face and expose the accusations he has made against Peter. Since many souls are in danger, we must go without physical rest for a short time; and we want you who live here to tell us whether what we have heard is true. Now tell us in detail. 4 But Bernice, when we asked her, said: These things are indeed as you have heard; and I will tell you other things about this same Simon, which perhaps you do not know. For he astonishes the whole city every day, by making apparitions and ghosts appear in the middle of the marketplace; and when he walks outside, statues move, and many shadows walk ahead of him, which, he says, are souls of the dead. And he quickly won over many who tried to expose him as an impostor. Then, under the pretext of a banquet, he killed an ox and gave them some of it to eat, and he infected them with various diseases, and subjected them to demons. In short, he has harmed many and is regarded as a god, so he is both feared and honored. 5 So I do not think anyone will be able to put out a fire like the one he has started. For no one doubts his promises; but everyone affirms that this is so. So, to avoid exposing yourselves to danger, I advise you not to attempt anything against him until Peter comes. As the most esteemed disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ, he alone will be able to resist such power. For I fear this man so much that if he had not been defeated elsewhere in debate with my lord Peter, I would advise you to persuade even Peter himself not to try to oppose Simon. 6 Then I said: If our lord Peter did not know that he himself alone can overcome this power, he would not have sent us before him with orders to gather information secretly about Simon, and to write to him. Then evening came, and we had dinner and went to sleep. But in the morning, one of Bernice's friends came and said that Simon had set sail for Sidon, and that he had left behind Appion Pleistonices, —a man of Alexandria, a grammarian by profession, whom I knew as a friend of my father; and an astrologer, Annubion the Diospolitan, and Athenodorus the Athenian, a follower of the teaching of Epicurus. After learning this about Simon, we wrote and sent a letter to Peter that morning and went for a walk.

Clement Meets Appion

7 And Appion met us, not only with the two companions just named, but with about thirty other men. And as soon as he saw me, he greeted and kissed me, and said, This is Clement, whose noble birth and broad education I have often described to you; for he is related to the family of Tiberius Cæsar, and thoroughly educated in Greek learning, but a certain barbarian called Peter has persuaded him to speak and act like the Jews. So I beg you to work with me to set him right. And now I ask him in your presence: since he thinks he has devoted himself to piety, let him tell me whether he is not acting very irreverently by abandoning the customs of his country and turning to those of the barbarians. 8 I answered: I accept your kind affection for me, but I object to your ignorance. For your affection is kind, because you wish me to continue in those customs which you consider to be good. But your mistaken understanding tries to trap me, under the guise of friendship. Then Appion said: Do you think it is ignorance to observe the customs of one's ancestors and make judgments like the Greeks? Then I answered: Anyone who wants to be devout should not simply follow the customs of his ancestors. He should follow them if they are devout and reject them if they are irreverent. For the son of an irreverent father may want to be devout and therefore not want to follow his father's religion. Then Appion answered: What then? Do you say that your father was a man who lived an evil life? Then I said: His life was not evil, but his beliefs were. Then Appion said: I would like to know what his evil belief was. Then I said: Because he believed the false and wicked myths of the Greeks. Then Appion asked: What are these false and evil myths of the Greeks? Then I said: The mistaken belief about the gods. If you will be patient with me, you and the others who want to learn will hear it. 9 So, before we begin our conversation, let us go somewhere quieter, and I will speak with you there. The reason I want to speak privately is that neither the crowds nor even all philosophers honestly try to judge things as they are. For we know many people, even among those who pride themselves on their philosophy, who are conceited or have put on the philosopher's robe to make money rather than for virtue itself; and if they do not find what they took up philosophy to obtain, they turn to mockery. Therefore, because of people like these, let us choose a suitable place for a private discussion. 10 And one of them—a rich man who owned a garden of evergreen plants —said: Since it is very hot, let us leave the city for a little while and go to my gardens. Accordingly they went out, and sat down in a place where there were pure streams of cool water, and green shade from all sorts of trees. I sat there comfortably, with the others around me. They remained silent, but instead of asking me aloud, their eager looks showed that they wanted proof of my claim. So I began to speak as follows:—

Clement Challenges Greek Customs and Teaching

11 Men of Greece, there is a great difference between truth and custom. For truth is found when it is honestly sought; but inherited custom, whether true or false, reinforces itself without anyone exercising judgment; and the person who has inherited it is neither pleased with it as true nor distressed by it as false. For such a person has believed through prejudice rather than judgment, resting his hope on the opinions of his predecessors purely by chance. And it is not easy to take off the ancestral garment, even when he is shown that it is entirely foolish and ridiculous. 12 Therefore I say that all Greek learning is a very dreadful invention of a wicked demon. For they have introduced many gods of their own, and these are wicked and subject to all kinds of passion; so that anyone who wants to do similar things may feel no shame, although shame is proper to a human being, because he has the wicked and restless lives of the mythological gods as his example. Since he feels no shame, such a person offers no hope of repentance. And others have introduced fate, which is called genesis, which no one can act or suffer against. This teaching is therefore also like the first. For anyone who thinks that no one can act or suffer against genesis easily falls into sin; and having sinned, he does not repent of his impiety, using as his excuse the claim that genesis drove him to do these things. And as he cannot change genesis, he has no reason to be ashamed of the sins he commits. 13 And others introduce a destiny with no foresight, as if all things turned on their own, without any master overseeing them. But to think this way is, as we have said, the most harmful of all beliefs. For they act as though no one were overseeing things, judging in advance, and giving everyone what he deserves. Their lack of fear makes it easy for them to do anything they can. Therefore those who hold such beliefs find it hard, perhaps impossible, to live virtuously; for they do not foresee the danger that might lead them to change. But the doctrine of the barbarian Jews, as you call them, is deeply devout, presenting One as the Father and Creator of all this world, by nature good and righteous; good, indeed, in pardoning the sins of those who repent; but righteous, in repaying everyone after repentance according to the worth of his deeds. 14 This doctrine, even if it too were mythical, would benefit this life because it encourages devotion. For everyone, in expectation of being judged by the all-seeing God, has a greater incentive to be virtuous. And if the doctrine is also true, it saves the person who has lived virtuously from eternal punishment and grants him eternal blessings from God beyond description.

Clement Questions the Conduct of the Gods

15 But I return to the first Greek doctrine, whose stories say that there are many gods who are subject to all kinds of passions. Without spending much time on obvious things, when it comes to the irreverent deeds of each of those called gods, I could not recount all their love affairs; those of Zeus and Poseidon, of Pluto and Apollo, of Dionysus and Hercules, and of each of them individually. You yourselves know about these things. Your education in Greek learning has taught you how they lived, so that you might do similar things in competition with the gods. 16 But I will begin with Zeus, the most royal. As you say, his father Kronos devoured his own children and cut off the genitals of his father Uranus with a sickle made of adamant. In this way he showed those devoted to the mysteries of the gods an example of devotion to parents and love for children. And Jupiter himself bound his own father, and imprisoned him in Tartarus; and he also punishes the other gods. And for those who wish to do unspeakable things, he fathered Metis, and devoured her. But Metis was seed; for it is impossible to devour a child. And to provide an excuse for men who have sex with men, he carries away Ganymedes. And as a helper of adulterers in their adultery, he is often found an adulterer. And to those who wish to commit incest with sisters, he sets the example in his intercourse with his sisters Hera and Demeter, and the heavenly Aphrodite, whom some call Dodona. And to those who wish to commit incest with their daughters, his story offers a wicked example in his incest with Persephone. But in countless instances he acted impiously, so that his excessive wickedness might lead irreverent men to accept the story that he was a god. 17 You will consider it reasonable for ignorant men to be moderately indignant at these fancies. But what must we say to learned people, some of whom claim to be grammarians and sophists and affirm that these acts are worthy of gods? For, lacking self-control themselves, they seize on this mythical pretext; and as imitators of the gods, they freely practice improper things. 18 For this reason, those who live in the country sin much less than they do, because they have not been indoctrinated in the teachings that embolden others to do these things, after evil instruction has taught them irreverence. For those who learn to read through such fables from childhood, while their souls are still impressionable, plant the irreverent deeds of those called gods in their own minds. As a result, when they grow up, these deeds bear ripe fruit, like evil seeds planted in the soul. Worst of all, these deeply rooted impurities cannot easily be cut down when, as adults, they recognize their bitterness. For everyone is pleased to keep the habits he forms in childhood; and thus, since custom is not much less powerful than nature, it becomes difficult to turn them toward the good things that were not planted in their souls from the beginning. 19 So young people should not be satisfied with those corrupting lessons, and those who are in their prime should carefully avoid listening to the mythologies of the Greeks. For lessons about their gods are much worse than ignorance, as we have shown from the case of those living in the country, who sin less because they have not been instructed by Greeks. Truly, their fables and public shows and books should be avoided, and even their cities if that were possible. For those filled with evil learning infect their associates with their own passions like a madness, even through their breath. And what is worst, the more educated someone is among them, the further he turns away from natural judgment. 20 And some of those among them who even profess to be philosophers, assert that such sins are morally neutral, and say that those who are indignant at such practices are senseless. For they say that such things are not sins by nature, but have been forbidden by laws made by wise men in early times, because they knew that people, with their unstable minds, become greatly agitated over these things and wage war against one another; and for this reason, wise men have made laws to forbid such things as sins. But this is a ridiculous supposition. For how can things that cause riots, murders, and every kind of disorder be anything but sins? For do not lives cut short and many other evils result from adultery? 21 But, it is asked, if a man does not know his wife is an adulteress, why is he not indignant, enraged, or distraught? Why does he not make war? So these things are not evil by nature; unreasonable human opinions make them terrible. But I say that even if these dreadful things do not occur, a woman who has sexual relations with an adulterer commonly leaves her husband or, if she continues to live with him, plots against him or gives the adulterer the possessions acquired through her husband's labor; and if she conceives by the adulterer while her husband is absent, shame at being exposed leads her to try to destroy what is in her womb, and so to become a child-murderer, or even to die herself while destroying it. But if while her husband is at home she conceives by the adulterer and bears a child, the child when he grows up does not know his father, and thinks that a man who is not his father is his father; and so, at his death, the man who is not the father leaves his property to another man's child. And how many other evils naturally spring from adultery! And we do not know the hidden evils. For as the rabid dog destroys all that he touches, infecting them with the invisible disease, so also the hidden evil of adultery, though unknown, causes the family line to die out. 22 But let us move on from this for now. We all know that people everywhere become immeasurably enraged over it, and that it has caused wars, the destruction of households, the capture of cities, and countless other evils. For this reason I turned to the holy God and law of the Jews, putting my faith in the firmly established conclusion that the law has been assigned by the righteous judgment of God, and that the soul must at some time receive what its deeds deserve.

Appion Defends Greek Law and Myth

23 When I had said this, Appion interrupted my speech. What! he said; do not the laws of the Greeks also forbid wickedness, and punish adulterers? Then I said: Then the gods of the Greeks, who acted contrary to the laws, deserve punishment. But how will I be able to control myself if I suppose that the gods themselves first practiced every kind of wickedness as well as adultery, and did not suffer punishment; although they had even more reason to suffer punishment, since they were not slaves to lust? But if they were subject to it, how were they gods? Then Appion said: Let us keep the judges in view rather than the gods; looking to them will make us afraid to sin. Then I said: This is not fitting, Appion: for someone who keeps his eyes on people will dare to sin, in the hope of escaping detection; but someone who keeps the all-seeing God before his soul, knowing that he cannot escape His notice, will refrain from sinning even in secret. 24 When Appion heard this, he said: I knew, ever since I heard that you were associating with Jews, that you had abandoned sound judgment. For someone has rightly said, 'Bad company corrupts good character.' Then I said: Therefore good company corrects bad character. And Appion said: Today I am fully satisfied now that I have learned your position; that is why I let you speak first. But tomorrow, in this place, if you agree, I will show, in the presence of these friends when they meet, that our gods are neither adulterers, nor murderers, nor corrupters of children, nor guilty of incest with sisters or daughters. But the ancients, wishing that only lovers of learning should know the mysteries, veiled them with the fables you have mentioned. For they use the name Zen to speak about boiling substance in natural terms, the name Kronos for time, and the name Rhea for the ever-flowing nature of water. However, as I have promised, tomorrow I will demonstrate the truth about these things, explaining them one by one to you when you come together in the morning. In reply to this I said: Do so tomorrow, as you have promised. But now hear something in opposition to what you are going to say. 25 If the gods' deeds were good but have been veiled in evil fables, the person who wove that veil must have been very wicked, because he hid noble things beneath evil stories so that no one would imitate them. But if they really committed irreverent deeds, they should instead have veiled them in good stories, so that people who regarded them as their superiors would not begin to sin in the same way. As I spoke this way, those present were evidently beginning to be receptive to what I said; for they repeatedly and earnestly asked me to come on the following day, and departed.

Clement Remembers His Earlier Meeting with Appion

1 So the next day in Tyre I came to the quiet place, as we had agreed, and found the rest there, along with some others. Then I greeted them. But as I did not see Appion, I asked why he was absent; and someone said that he had been unwell ever since last evening. Then I said it would be reasonable to set out at once to visit him, but almost everyone begged me to speak to them first, after which we could go to see him. Therefore, since everyone agreed, I began to speak: — 2 Yesterday, when I left here, friends, I confess that, because I was very anxious about the discussion that was to take place with Appion, I was not able to get any sleep. And while I was unable to sleep, I remembered a trick that I played upon him in Rome. It was this. From boyhood I, Clement, loved truth and sought what benefits the soul, spending my time proposing and refuting theories. But I could not find anything complete, and my mental distress made me ill. And while I was confined to bed, Appion came to Rome and stayed with me because he was my father's friend; and when he heard I was in bed, he came to see me and, having some knowledge of medicine, asked why I was bedridden. But I knew that the man hated the Jews intensely and had written many books against them. He had befriended this Simon not from a desire to learn, but because he knew Simon was a Samaritan who hated the Jews and had come out against them. That was why he had allied himself with Simon: to learn something from him to use against the Jews; —

Clement Pretends to Be Lovesick

3 Since I already knew this about Appion, as soon as he asked why I was ill, I pretended that I was suffering the mental distress common to young men. And to this he said, 'My son, speak freely as you would to a father: what is your soul's ailment?' Then I again pretended to groan, as though ashamed to speak of love. By keeping silent and looking down, I conveyed the impression I wanted to suggest. But he, being convinced that I was in love with a woman, said: 'There is nothing in life that cannot be helped. For when I was young, I myself was in love with a very accomplished woman. I not only thought it impossible to obtain her, but did not even hope ever to speak to her. And yet I met an Egyptian extremely well versed in magic and became his friend. I told him of my love, and he not only helped me with everything I wished, but generously honored me still further by readily teaching me an incantation through which I obtained her; and as soon as I had obtained her, through his secret instruction and won over by my teacher's generosity, I was cured of love. 4 'So, if you too are suffering anything like this, as people do, speak freely to me with complete confidence; for within seven days I will ensure that she is fully yours.' When I heard this, keeping my purpose in mind, I said: 'Forgive me for not entirely believing in the existence of magic; for I have already tried many people who made many promises and deceived me. However, your promise encourages me, and leads me to hope. But when I think of the matter, I am afraid that the demons are sometimes not subject to the magicians in what they are ordered to do.' 5 Then Appion said: 'Admit that I know more of these things than you do. However, so that, in light of your objection, you will not think what you have heard from me is groundless, I will tell you how the demons are compelled to obey the magicians in whatever they are ordered to do. For as it is impossible for a soldier to contradict his general, and impossible for the generals themselves to disobey the king—for if anyone opposes those in authority over him, he fully deserves punishment—so it is impossible for the demons not to serve the angels who are their generals; and when they are commanded under oath by them, they submit trembling, well knowing that if they disobey they shall be fully punished. But the angels themselves also obey when the magicians command them under oath in their ruler's name, so that they will not be found guilty of disobedience and destroyed. For unless all living, rational beings anticipated punishment from the ruler, disorder would follow, with everyone rebelling against one another.' 6 Then I said: 'Is it correct, then, as poets and philosophers say, that in Hades the souls of the wicked are judged and punished for their attempts; such as those of Ixion, and Tantalus, and Tityus, and Sisyphus, and the daughters of Danaus, and all the others who have been irreverent here? And how, if these things are not true, is it possible that magic can exist?' Then, after he told me that this is what happens in Hades, I asked him: 'Why are we ourselves not afraid of magic, since we are convinced that adultery is punished in Hades? For I do not accept that it is right to force an unwilling woman into adultery; but if anyone will undertake to persuade her, I am ready for that, and will also express my thanks.' 7 Then Appion said: 'Do you not think it is the same thing, whether you obtain her by magic, or by deceiving her with words?' Then I said: 'Not altogether the same; for these differ widely from one another. For the man who compels an unwilling woman by the force of magic, subjects himself to the most terrible punishment, because he has plotted against a chaste woman; but the man who persuades her with words, and leaves the choice to her own power and will, does not force her. And I believe that a man who has persuaded a woman will not suffer as severe a punishment as one who has forced her. Therefore, if you can persuade her, I shall be thankful to you when I have obtained her; but otherwise, I would rather die than force her against her will.' 8 Then Appion, being really puzzled, said: 'What am I to say to you? For one moment, like someone distraught with love, you beg to obtain her; and the next, as though you did not love her, you give your fear more weight than your desire: and you think that if you can persuade her you shall be blameless, as without sin; but obtaining her by the power of magic, you will incur punishment. But do you not know that it is the end of every action that is judged, the fact that it has been committed, and that no consideration is given to the means by which it was done? And if you commit adultery, with the help of magic, will you be judged to have acted wickedly, while if you do so by persuasion, will you be absolved of the sin of adultery?' Then I said: 'Because of my love, I must choose one of the available ways to obtain the woman I love; and I shall choose, as far as possible, to cajole her rather than to use magic. But it is not easy to persuade her through flattery either, for the woman is quite a philosopher.'

Appion Writes a Letter about Love

9 Then Appion said: 'I am all the more hopeful that I can persuade her, as you wish, provided we can speak with her.' 'That,' I said, 'is impossible.' Then Appion asked whether it was possible to send a letter to her. Then I said: 'That indeed may be done.' Then Appion said: 'This very night I shall write a paper praising adultery, which you will get from me and send to her; and I hope that she will be persuaded and consent.' Appion accordingly wrote the paper, and gave it to me; and I thought of it this very night, and I remembered that fortunately I have it with me, along with other papers which I carry with me. After saying this, I showed the paper to those who were present, and read it to them as they wished to hear it; and after reading it, I said: Men, this is what the Greeks teach, giving generous permission to sin without fear. The paper was as follows:— 10 'Anonymously, on account of the laws of foolish men. At the command of Love, the first-born of all, greetings: I know that you are devoted to philosophy, and for the sake of virtue you adopt the life of noble people. But who are nobler than the gods among all beings, and philosophers among human beings? For these alone know what deeds are good or evil by nature, and which are not so by nature but are considered so because laws have been imposed. Now, then, some have supposed that the action which is called adultery is evil, although it is in every respect good. For Eros has appointed it for the increase of life. And Eros is the eldest of all the gods. For without Eros there can be no mingling or reproduction either of elements, or gods, or men, or irrational animals, or anything else. For we are all instruments of Eros. Through us He is the maker of everything that is born, the mind inhabiting our souls. Hence it is not when we ourselves wish it, but when we are ordered by him, that we desire to do his will. But if, while we desire according to his will, we attempt to restrain the desire for the sake of what is called chastity, what do we do but the greatest act of irreverence, when we oppose the oldest of all gods and men? 11 'But let all doors be opened to him, and let all harmful and arbitrary laws be set aside, which fanatical men have established. Ruled by foolishness, unwilling to understand what is reasonable, and suspicious of those called adulterers, these men are rightly mocked by Zeus himself through Minos and Rhadamanthus, who impose arbitrary laws. For Eros, who lives in our souls, cannot be restrained; for the passion of lovers is not voluntary. Therefore Zeus himself, the giver of these laws, approached countless women; and, according to some wise men, he sometimes had intercourse with human beings, as a benefactor for the production of children. But when he knew that remaining unrecognized would be a favor to them, he changed his form so that he would neither distress them nor seem to act against the laws he himself had given. So, for the sake of a good life, you who debate philosophy should imitate those who are acknowledged to be the nobler, who have had sexual intercourse ten thousand times. 12 'And to avoid wasting time in giving more examples, I shall begin with mentioning some embraces of Zeus himself, the father of gods and men. For it is impossible to mention all, because there are so many. So listen to the love affairs of this great Jupiter, which he concealed by changing his form, on account of the fanaticism of senseless men. For, first of all, when he was going to marry, he wanted to show wise men that adultery is no sin. In his first marriage, the crowd considered him knowingly adulterous, though he was not so in reality. Through what seemed a sin, as I said, he accomplished a sinless marriage. For he married his own sister Hera, assuming the likeness of a cuckoo's wing; and she gave birth to Hebe and Ilithyia. For he gave birth to Metis without copulation with anyone, as Hera also gave birth to Vulcan. 13 'Then he committed incest with his sister, who was born of Kronos and Thalasse, after the dismemberment of Kronos, and she gave birth to Eros and Cypris, whom they also call Dodone. Then, in the likeness of a satyr, he had intercourse with Antiope the daughter of Nycteus; she gave birth to Amphion and Zethus. And he embraced Alcmene, the wife of Amphitryon, in the form of her husband Amphitryon; she gave birth to Hercules. And, changed into an eagle, he approached Ægina, the daughter of Asclepius, with whom he fathered Æacus. And in the form of a bear he had sex with Amalthea the daughter of Phocus; and in a golden shower he fell upon Danae, the daughter of Acrisius; she gave birth to Perseus. He became wild as a lion to Callisto the daughter of Lycaon and fathered Arcus the second. And with Europa the daughter of Phœnix he had intercourse in the form of a bull; she gave birth to Minos, Rhadamanthus, and Sarpedon; and he had intercourse with Eurymedusa the daughter of Achelous after changing himself into an ant; she gave birth to Myrmidon. He had intercourse with a nymph of Hersæus, in the form of a vulture; from her descended the ancient wise men of Sicily. He came to Juno the earth-born in Rhodes, and she gave birth to Pargæus, Kronius, Kytis. And he took the virginity of Ossia, taking the likeness of her husband Phœnix, with whom he fathered Anchinous. In the form of a swan or goose, he fathered Helena with Nemesis the daughter of Thestius, who is also thought to be Leda; and again, in the form of a star, he produced Castor and Polydeuces. With Lamia he took the form of a hoopoo. 14 'In the likeness of a shepherd he made Mnemosyne mother of the Muses. Setting himself on fire, he married Semele, the daughter of Cadmus, with whom he fathered Dionysus. In the likeness of a dragon he took the virginity of his daughter Persephone, thought to be the wife of his brother Pluto. He had intercourse with many other women without undergoing any change in his form; for the husbands bore him no ill will, as though it were a sin, but knew well that by having intercourse with their wives he generously produced children for them, giving them the Hermeses, the Apollos, the Dionysi, the Endymions, and others whom we have mentioned, whose exceptional beauty came from his fatherhood. 15 'And to avoid an endless discussion, you will find that there were numerous unions with Jupiter among all the gods. But senseless men call these doings of the gods adulteries; even those gods who did not avoid sexual relations with males as disgraceful, but considered even this a proper practice. For instance, Jupiter himself was in love with Ganymede: Poseidon with Pelops; Apollo with Cinyras, Zacyinthus, Hyacinthus, Phorbas, Hylas, Admetus, Cyparissus, Amyclas, Troilus, Branchus the Tymnæan, Parus the Potnian, Orpheus; Dionysus with Laonis, Ampelus, Hymenæus, Hermaphrodites, Achilles; Asclepius with Hippolytus, and Hephæstus with Peleus; Pan with Daphnis; Hermes with Perseus, Chrysas, Theseus, Odrysus; Hercules with Abderus, Dryops, Jocastus, Philoctetes, Hylas, Polyphemus, Hæmon, Chonus, Eurystheus. 16 'Beloved, I have now presented some of the love affairs of all the more famous gods, so that you may know that only senseless people are fanatical about this matter. These people are therefore mortal and spend their lives in sadness, because through their zeal they proclaim those things to be evil which the gods regard as excellent. Therefore from now on you will be blessed, imitating the gods, and not men. For when people see you preserving what is considered chastity, their own feelings lead them to praise you, but they do not help you. But the gods, seeing you like themselves, will both praise and help. 17 'For count for me how many mistresses they have rewarded, some of whom they have placed among the stars; and in other cases they have blessed both their children and their associates. Thus Zeus made Callisto a constellation, called the Little Bear, which some also call the Dog's Tail. Poseidon also placed the dolphin in the sky for the sake of Amphitrite; and he gave a place among the stars to Orion the son of Euryale, the daughter of Minos, for the sake of his mother Euryale. And Dionysus made a constellation of the crown of Ariadne, and Zeus honored the eagle that helped him abduct Ganymede, and honored Ganymede himself as the Water-pourer. Also he honored the bull for the sake of Europa; and also having given Leda Castor, Polydeuces, and Helena, he made them stars. He also made Perseus a star for the sake of Danae, Arcus for the sake of Callisto, the virgin who is also Dice for the sake of Themis, and Heracles for the sake of Alcmene. But I will not elaborate further. It would take a long time to tell in detail how many others the gods have blessed for the sake of their many mistresses through their intercourse with human beings. Senseless people condemn these acts as evil, not knowing that pleasure is the great benefit among human beings. 18 'But why? Do not the celebrated philosophers praise pleasure, and have they not had intercourse with whatever women they wanted? The first of these was that teacher of Greece, about whom Phœbus himself said, Of all men, Socrates is the wisest. Does he not teach that in a well-regulated state women should be shared in common? and did he not conceal the handsome Alcibiades under his philosopher's gown? And the Socratic Antisthenes writes that it is necessary not to abandon what is called adultery. And even his disciple Diogenes, did he not freely have sexual relations with Lais, in return for carrying her on his shoulders in public? Does not Epicurus praise pleasure? Did not Aristippus anoint himself with perfumes, and devote himself entirely to Aphrodite? Does not Zeno, suggesting that these matters are morally neutral, say that the deity pervades all things, so that intelligent people may understand that whoever a man has intercourse with, it is like intercourse with himself; and that it is unnecessary to forbid what are called adulteries, or intercourse with mother, or daughter, or sister, or children. And Chrysippus, in his erotic letters, mentions the statue in Argos, representing Hera and Zeus in an obscene position. 19 'I know that to those uninitiated in the truth these things seem dreadful and utterly degrading; but not so to the gods and the philosophers of the Greeks, nor to those initiated in the mysteries of Dionysus and Demeter. Above all, to avoid wasting time discussing the lives of all the gods and all the philosophers, take the two foremost as your models—Zeus the greatest of the gods, and Socrates of philosophic men. Understand and pay attention to the other things I have mentioned in this letter, so that you do not distress your lover; since, if you act contrary to gods and heroes, you will be judged wicked, and will subject yourself to fitting punishment. But if you offer yourself to every lover, then, as an imitator of the gods, you shall receive benefits from them. Finally, dearest one, remember what mysteries I have disclosed to you, and inform me by letter of your choice. Farewell.'

Clement Composes a Reply to Appion

20 So I received this note from Appion as though I were really going to send it to a woman I loved, and pretended that she had written a reply to it; and the next day, when Appion came, I gave him the reply, as if from her, as follows:— 21 'I wonder how, when you praise my wisdom, you write to me as to a fool. For you want to persuade me to satisfy your passion, and you use examples from the myths of the gods, saying that Eros is the eldest of all and above all gods and men. You are unafraid to blaspheme so that you might corrupt my soul and insult my body. For Eros is not the leader of the gods,—I mean the one concerned with lust. For if he lusts willingly, he is himself his own suffering and punishment; and someone who willingly suffers could not be a god. But if he lusts for intercourse against his will, and, pervading our souls as through the parts of our bodies, is driven to interfere with our minds, then the one who drives him to love is greater than he is. And if the one driving him is himself driven by another desire, we find another, greater than he, driving him. And thus we come to an endless succession of lovers, which is impossible. So there is neither one who drives nor one who is driven; but it is the lustful passion of the lover himself, which is increased by hope and diminished by despair. 22 'But those who will not control degrading lusts misrepresent the gods so that, by depicting the gods as the first to do what they themselves do, they may escape blame. For if those who are called gods committed adulteries for the sake of fathering children, and not out of lust, why did they also sexually corrupt males? But it is said they complimented their mistresses by making them stars. So were there no stars before this, until adulterers adorned the sky with stars because of their lust? And how is it that the children of those who have been made stars are punished in Hades,—Atlas burdened, Tantalus tortured with thirst, Sisyphus pushing a stone, Tityus pierced through the intestines, Ixion continually rolled around a wheel? How is it that these divine lovers made stars of the women whom they defiled, but gave no such favor to these men? 23 'They were not gods, then, but representations of tyrants. For a certain tomb is shown among the Caucasian mountains, not in heaven, but in the earth, as that of Kronos, a barbaric man and a devourer of children. Further, the tomb of the lustful Zeus, so famous in stories, who likewise devoured his own daughter Metis, can be seen in Crete, and those of Pluto and Poseidon in the Acherusian lake; and that of Helius in Astra, and of Selene in Carræ, of Hermes in Hermopolis, of Ares in Thrace, of Aphrodite in Cyprus, of Dionysus in Thebes, and of the rest in other places. In any case, people show the tombs of those I have named; for they were men, and in these respects, wicked men and magicians. For otherwise they would not have become despots—I mean Zeus, famous in stories, and Dionysus—except that, by changing their forms, they overcame whoever they wished, for whatever purpose they intended. 24 'But if we must emulate their lives, let us imitate not only their adulteries, but also their banquets. For Kronos devoured his own children, and Zeus likewise his own daughter. And what must I say? Pelops served as a supper for all the gods. So let us also, before unholy marriages, carry out a dinner like that of the gods; that way the dinner would be worthy of the marriages. But you would never consent to this, and neither will I consent to adultery. Besides this, you threaten me with the anger of Eros as though he were a powerful god. Eros is not a god, as I understand him, but a desire arising from the constitution of a living creature to perpetuate life, according to the foresight of Him who works all things, so that the whole race will not die out. Through pleasure another person may be produced from the substance of someone who will die, born through lawful marriage so that he may know he should support his own father in old age. Those born from adultery cannot do this, because they lack natural affection for those who fathered them. 25 'Since, therefore, the erotic desire occurs for the sake of continuing and legitimately increasing the population, as I have said, parents who provide for their children's chastity should anticipate this desire by instilling instruction through chaste books and preparing them through excellent discussions; for custom is a second nature. They should also frequently remind them of the punishments appointed by the laws, so that fear may act as a bridle and keep them from rushing into wicked pleasures. They should also, before desire arises, satisfy the natural passion of puberty through marriage, first persuading their children not to look at another woman's beauty. 26 'For whenever the image of a loved one makes a delightful impression on our mind, it constantly sees that form as in a mirror and is tormented by the memory; and if it does not obtain its desire, it contrives ways of obtaining it; but if it does obtain it, the desire increases instead, like a fire supplied with wood, and especially when no fear has been impressed on the lover's soul before passion arises. For as water extinguishes fire, so fear extinguishes unreasonable desire. So I, having learned from a certain Jew both to understand and to do the things that are pleasing to God, will not be trapped into adultery by your lying fables. But may God help you in your wish and efforts to be chaste, and provide a remedy for your soul burning with love.' 27 When Appion heard the fabricated reply, he said: 'Is it without reason that I hate the Jews? Here now some Jew has met her, and has converted her to his religion, and persuaded her to chastity, and from now on she can never have intercourse with another man; for these fellows, keeping God before them as the one who sees every action, are extremely persistent in chastity, because they cannot hide from Him.'

Clement Reveals His Deception

28 When I heard this, I said to Appion: 'Now I shall confess the truth to you. I was not in love with the woman, or with anyone else, since my soul was deeply absorbed in other desires and in investigating true doctrines. And until now, although I have examined many teachings of philosophers, I have favored none except that of the Jews. One of their merchants stayed here in Rome selling linen clothing, and a fortunate meeting with him presented to me in simple terms the teaching that God is one.' 29 Then Appion heard the truth from me. With his unreasonable hatred of the Jews, neither knowing nor wanting to know what their faith was, he became senselessly angry and immediately left Rome in silence. And as this is my first meeting with him since then, I naturally expect his anger as a result. However, I shall ask him in your presence what he has to say about those who are called gods, whose lives are portrayed in fables as filled with every passion and constantly celebrated before the people for them to imitate; besides their human passions, as I have said, their graves are also shown in different places. 30 After hearing these things from me, the others wanted to learn what would happen next and accompanied me to visit Appion. And we found him bathed, and sitting at a table set for a meal. So we asked only a little about the gods. But he, understanding, I suppose, our wish, promised that next day he would have something to say about the gods, and arranged to speak with us in the same place. And we, as soon as he had promised, thanked him, and departed, each to his own home.

Appion Explains the Myths as Natural Processes

1 And on the third day, when I came with my friends to the appointed place in Tyre, I found Appion sitting between Anubion and Athenodorus, and waiting for us, along with many other learned men. But I was completely undismayed, and greeted them and sat down opposite Appion. And a little later he began to speak: I want to begin with the following point and get to the question as quickly as possible. Before you, my son Clement, joined us, my friend Anubion here, and Athenodorus, who yesterday were among those who heard you speak, were telling me what you said about the numerous false accusations I brought against the gods when I was visiting you in Rome, when you were pretending to be in love: how I charged them with pederasty, lustfulness, and numerous incests of all kinds. But, my son, you ought to have known that I was not serious when I wrote such things about the gods, but was concealing the truth, out of my love for you. That truth, however, if you wish, you may hear from me now. 2 The wisest of the ancients, men who had by hard work learned all truth, kept the path of knowledge hidden from those who were unworthy and had no taste for lessons in divine things. For it is not really true that from Ouranos and his mother Ge were born twelve children, as the myth counts them: six sons, Okeanos, Koios, Krios, Hyperion, Japetos, Kronos; and six daughters, Thea, Themis, Mnemosyne, Demeter, Tethys, and Rhea. Nor that Kronos, with a knife made of adamant, mutilated his father Ouranos, as you say, and threw the part into the sea; nor that Aphrodite sprang from the drops of blood which flowed from it; nor that Kronos had sexual relations with Rhea, and devoured his firstborn son Pluto, because a certain saying of Prometheus led him to fear that a child born from him would grow stronger than he was and rob him of his kingdom; nor that he devoured in the same way Poseidon, his second child; nor that, when Zeus was born next, his mother Rhea concealed him, and when Kronos asked for him so that he could devour him, gave him a stone instead; nor that this, when it was devoured, pressed those who had been previously devoured, and forced them out, so that Pluto, who was devoured first, came out first, and after him Poseidon, and then Zeus; nor that Zeus, as the story goes, saved by his mother's cleverness, ascended into heaven, and robbed his father of the kingdom; nor that he punished his father's brothers; nor that he came down to lust after mortal women; nor that he had sexual relations with his sisters, and daughters, and sisters-in-law, and was guilty of shameful pederasty; nor that he devoured his daughter Metis, so that he might cause Athene to be born from her out of his own brain, and might bear Dionysos from his thigh, who is said to have been torn to pieces by the Titans; nor that he held a feast at the marriage of Peleus and Thetis; nor that he excluded Eris from the marriage; nor that Eris on her part, dishonored in this way, devised a way to provoke quarreling and discord among the guests; nor that she took a golden apple from the gardens of the Hesperides, and wrote on it 'For the beautiful.' And then they tell the story of how Hera, and Athena, and Aphrodite, found the apple, and quarreling about it, came to Zeus; and he did not decide it for them, but sent them by Hermes to the shepherd Paris, to have their beauty judged. But there was no such judging of the goddesses; nor did Paris give the apple to Aphrodite; nor did Aphrodite, being honored in this way, honor him in return, by giving him Helen as his wife. For the honor given by the goddess could never have provided a pretext for a universal war that ruined the man being honored, who was himself closely related to the family of Aphrodite. But, my son, as I said, such stories have a distinctive philosophical meaning, which can be explained allegorically in a way that would make you yourself listen in wonder. And I said, I beg you not to torment me with delay. And he said, Do not be afraid; for I shall lose no time, but begin at once.

Appion Describes Creation from a Cosmic Egg

3 There was once a time when nothing existed but chaos and a confused mixture of disordered elements, which were still simply heaped together. Nature testifies to this, and great men have held the same view. Of these great men I will present Homer, who surpassed them all in wisdom, in the passage where he says, in reference to the original confused mass, 'But may you all become water and earth;' implying that all things originated from these, and that all things return to their first state, which is chaos, when the watery and earthy substances are separated. And Hesiod in the Theogony says, 'Certainly chaos was the very first to come into being.' Now, by 'come into being,' he evidently means that chaos came into being, as something with a beginning, and did not always exist, without beginning. And Orpheus likens chaos to an egg, which contained the confused mixture of the primordial elements. This chaos, which Orpheus calls an egg, is assumed by Hesiod to have a beginning and to be produced from infinite matter, and it originated in the following way. 4 This matter, consisting of four kinds and endowed with life, was, so to speak, one infinite abyss in eternal flow. It was carried about without order, occasionally forming countless ineffective combinations that it dissolved again because they lacked order. It was indeed ripe, but could not be bound together to generate a living creature. And once it happened that this infinite sea, which was driven about in this way by its own nature with a natural motion, flowed in an orderly manner from one point back to that same point, like a whirlpool, mixing the substances in such a way that from each precisely what was most useful and suitable flowed down through the middle of the universe, as in the funnel of a mold, for generating a living creature. This was carried down by the whirlpool that carried everything, drew in the surrounding spirit, and formed a separate substance, having been conceived in a very fertile condition. For just as a bubble is usually formed in water, so everything around it contributed to the conception of this ball-like globe. Then, after being conceived within itself and carried upward by the divine spirit surrounding it, perhaps the greatest thing ever born came into the light: a work of craftsmanship, so to speak, containing life conceived from that entire infinite abyss, shaped like an egg and as swift as a bird. 5 Now you must think of Kronos as time, and Rhea as the flowing of the watery substance. For the whole body of matter was carried about for some Time before it produced, like an egg, the sphere-like, all-embracing heaven, which at first was full of productive marrow, so that it was able to produce out of itself elements and colors of all sorts, while from the one substance and the one color it produced all kinds of forms. For as a peacock's egg seems to have only one color, while potentially it has in it all the colors of the animal that is to be, so this living egg, conceived out of infinite matter, when set in motion by the underlying and ever-flowing matter, produces many different forms. For within the circumference, the divine spirit living there skillfully forms a living creature that is both male and female. Orpheus calls this creature Phanes, because when it appeared the universe shone forth from it, with the luster of that most glorious of the elements, fire, perfected in moisture. Nor is this incredible, since in glowworms nature shows us a moist light. 6 This egg, the first substance, grew somewhat hot and was broken by the living creature inside. Then something took shape and emerged, as Orpheus also describes when he says, 'when the spacious egg was broken,' etc. And so by the mighty power of that which appeared and emerged, the globe became coherent and maintained order, while the creature itself took its seat, so to speak, at the summit of heaven, spreading light there through endless ages in indescribable mystery. But the productive matter left inside the globe separated the substances of all things. For its lower part first sank downward under its own weight like sediment; and they called this Pluto because of its gravity, weight, and great quantity of underlying matter, calling it the king of Hades and the dead. 7 When, then, they say that this primordial substance, although extremely filthy and rough, was devoured by Kronos, that is, time, this should be understood in a physical sense to mean that it sank downward. They called the water that gathered after this first sediment and floated on the surface of the first substance Poseidon. Then they called what remained Zeus because of its glowing nature. It was the purest and noblest of all, because it was translucent fire. Now since fire rises, time or Kronos did not swallow this and make it descend; but, as I said, the fiery substance has life in it and naturally rises, so it flew right up into the air, which is very intelligent because of its purity. By his own inherent heat, then, Zeus—that is, the glowing substance—draws up what is left in the underlying moisture, namely, that very strong and divine spirit which they called Metis. 8 And when this reached the summit of the ether, the ether devoured it, mixing moisture with heat, so to speak; and by causing that ceaseless throbbing in it, it generated intelligence, which they call Pallas from this throbbing. And this is artistic wisdom, by which the ethereal craftsman made the whole world. And from all-pervading Zeus, that is, from this very hot ether, air extends all the way to our earth; and this they call Hera. Air has come below ether, the purest substance, just as a woman is inferior in purity. So when the two were compared to see which was better, Hera was rightly regarded as the sister of Zeus because she came from the same substance, but as his wife because she was inferior like a wife. 9 And we understand Hera to be a favorable blending of the atmosphere, and therefore she is very fruitful; but Athena, as they call Pallas, was considered a virgin, because on account of the intense heat she could produce nothing. Artemis is explained in a similar way: for they take her to be the lowest depth of air, and so they called her a virgin, because she could not bear anything on account of the extreme cold. And they called the troubled and drunken mixture arising from the upper and lower vapors Dionysus, because it disturbs the intellect. And they called the water under the earth Osiris: it is one in nature, but flows through all the paths of the earth and is divided into many parts, because it is cut into pieces. And they interpret Adonis as favorable seasons, Aphrodite as intercourse and reproduction, Demeter as the earth, the Girl as seeds; and some understand Dionysus as the vine. 10 And I must ask you to think of all such stories as embodying some such allegory. Think of Apollo as the wandering Sun, a son of Zeus, also called Mithras because he completes the period of a year. And these transformations of the all-pervading Zeus must be regarded as the numerous changes of the seasons, while you must understand his countless wives as years or generations. For the power that comes from the ether and passes through the air unites with all the years and generations in turn, and continually varies them, and so produces or destroys the crops. And ripe fruits are called his children, while the barrenness of some seasons is attributed to unlawful unions.

Clement Replies to Appion's Interpretations

11 While Appion was allegorizing in this way, I became absorbed in thought, and seemed to be missing what he was saying. So he interrupted his speech, and said to me, If you do not follow what I am saying, why should I speak at all? And I answered, Do not suppose that I do not understand what you say. I understand it thoroughly; all the more because this is not the first time I have heard it. And to show you that I know these things, I will summarize what you have said, and give, in their order, the allegorical interpretations of the stories you omitted, as I have heard them from others. And Appion said: Do so. 12 And I answered: I will not now speak in detail about that living egg, which was conceived by a favorable combination out of infinite matter, and from which, when it was broken, Phanes, who was both male and female, leaped out, as some say. I say little about all that, up to the point when this broken globe became coherent, with some of its marrow-like matter remaining inside; and I will briefly review the description of what took place in it through the action of this matter, with all that followed. For, as you say, Kronos and Rhea—that is, time and matter—first produced Pluto, who represents the sediment which settled down; and then produced Poseidon, the liquid substance in the middle, which floated over the heavier body below; and the third child—that is, Zeus—is the ether, and is highest of all. It was not devoured; but as it is a fiery power, and naturally ascends, it flew up as though with a leap to the very highest ether. 13 And the bonds of Kronos are the binding together of heaven and earth, as I have heard others allegorizing; and his mutilation is the separation and parting of the elements; for they were all divided and separated according to their respective natures, so that each kind could be arranged by itself. And time no longer generates anything; but the things that it has generated, by a law of nature, produce their successors. And the Aphrodite who emerged from the sea is the fruitful substance which arises out of moisture, which the warm spirit mixes with, causing sexual desire and perfecting the beauty of the world. 14 And the banquet Zeus held for the marriage of the Nereid Thetis and the beautiful Peleus contains the following allegory. I tell it so that you may know, Appion, that you are not the only one from whom I have heard this sort of thing. The banquet, then, is the world, and the twelve are these heavenly props of the Fates, called the Zodiac. Prometheus is foresight, by which all things arose; Peleus is clay, namely, that which was collected from the earth and mixed with Nereis, or water, to produce man; and the mixing of the two, i.e., water and earth, produced the first offspring, who was made complete rather than born, and called Achilles because he never put his lips to the breast. Still in the bloom of life, he is killed by an arrow while seeking to obtain Polyxena, that is, something other than the truth, and foreign to it, with death stealing up on him through a wound in his foot. 15 Then Hera, and Athena, and Aphrodite, and Eris, and the apple, and Hermes, and the judgment, and the shepherd, have a hidden meaning something like the following:—Hera is dignity; Athena, manliness; Aphrodite, pleasure; Hermes, language, which interprets thought; the shepherd Paris, unreasoned and brutish passion. Now if reason, the shepherd of the soul, is brutish in the prime of life, disregards its own advantage, rejects manliness and self-control, chooses only pleasure, and gives the prize to lust alone in exchange for whatever delight lust can offer, then the person who judges incorrectly in this way will choose pleasure and destroy himself and his friends. And Eris is jealous spite; and the golden apples of the Hesperides are perhaps riches, by which occasionally even self-controlled people like Hera are seduced, and manly ones like Athena are made jealous, so that they do things that are improper for them, and the soul's beauty like Aphrodite is destroyed under the guise of refinement. In brief, riches provoke evil discord in all people. 16 And Hercules, who killed the serpent which led and guarded riches, is the true philosophical reason which, free from all wickedness, wanders all over the world, visiting the souls of men, and correcting everyone it meets,—namely, men like fierce lions, or timid stags, or savage boars, or many-shaped hydras; and the same applies to all the other legendary labors of Hercules: they all contain a hidden reference to moral courage. But these examples must be enough, for all our time would be insufficient if we were to go over each one.

Clement Questions the Use of Myth

17 Now, since these things can be explained clearly, usefully, openly, and straightforwardly, without harming devotion, I wonder why you call those men sensible and wise who concealed them under crooked riddles, and overlaid them with filthy stories, and in this way, as if driven by an evil spirit, deceived almost all men. For either these things are not riddles, but real crimes of the gods, in which case they should not have been exposed to contempt, nor should these deeds of theirs have been presented to people as models at all; or things falsely attributed to the gods were presented as an allegory, and then, Appion, those you call wise were mistaken: by hiding things worthy in themselves under unworthy stories, they led people to sin while dishonoring those they believed to be gods. 18 So do not suppose that they were wise men, but rather evil spirits, who could cover honorable actions with wicked stories, in order that those who want to imitate their superiors may emulate these deeds of so-called gods, which I spoke about so freely in my speech yesterday,—namely, their murders of parents, their murders of their children, their incests of all kinds, their shameless adulteries and countless impurities. The most irreverent of them are those who wish these stories to be believed, in order that they may not be ashamed when they do the same things. If they had wanted to act reverently, they ought, as I said a short time ago, even if the gods really did the things that are celebrated in songs about them, to have veiled their indecencies under more appropriate stories, and not, on the contrary, as you say they did, when the deeds of the gods were honorable, clothed them in wicked and indecent forms, which, even when interpreted, can only be understood by much work; and those who understood them gained, for all their effort, the privilege of not being deceived, which they could have had without the effort, while those who were deceived were utterly ruined. I do not object, however, to those who trace the allegories to a more honorable source; as, for instance, those who explain one allegory by saying that it was wisdom which sprang from the head of Zeus. On the whole, it seems to me more probable that wicked men, robbing the gods of their honor, dared to spread these insulting stories. 19 Nor do we find the poetic allegory about any of the gods consistent with itself. To go no further than the fashioning of the universe, the poets sometimes say that nature was the first cause of all creation and sometimes that it was mind. For, they say, the first moving and mixture of the elements came from nature, but it was the foresight of mind which arranged them in order. Even when they assert that nature made the universe, the traces of design in the work prevent them from proving this conclusively. They therefore weave in the foresight of mind in a way that can trap even the wisest. But we say to them: If the world arose from nature moving on its own, how did it ever acquire proportion and shape, which can come only from an overseeing wisdom, and can be comprehended only by knowledge, which alone can trace such things? If, on the other hand, it is by wisdom that all things exist and maintain order, how can it be that those things arose from chance moving on its own? 20 Then those who chose to make dishonorable allegories of divine things—as, for instance, that Metis was devoured by Zeus—have fallen into a dilemma, because they did not see that those who indirectly taught natural science through these stories about the gods, denied the very existence of the gods, reducing every kind of god to mere allegorical representations of the various substances of the universe. And so it is more likely that the gods these persons celebrate were some sort of wicked magicians, who were in reality wicked men, but by magic assumed different shapes, committed adulteries, and killed, and through these deeds seemed to be gods to ancient people who did not understand magic; and the bodies and tombs of these men can be seen in many towns. 21 For instance, as I have mentioned already, in the Caucasian mountains people show the tomb of Kronos, a man and a fierce ruler who killed his children. And the son of this man, called Zeus, became worse than his father; and having by the power of magic been declared ruler of the universe, he committed many adulteries, and inflicted punishment on his father and uncles, and so died; and the Cretans show his tomb. And in Mesopotamia there are buried a certain Helios at Atir, and a certain Selene at Carrhæ. A certain Hermes, a man, lies buried in Egypt; Ares in Thrace; Aphrodite in Cyprus; Æsculapius in Epidaurus; and the tombs of many other such persons can be seen. 22 So, to people who think correctly, it is clear that they were acknowledged to be mortal. And their contemporaries, knowing that they were mortal, paid no more attention to them after they died; and it was the passage of time that clothed them with the glory of gods. You need not wonder that those who lived in the times of Æsculapius and Hercules were deceived, or the contemporaries of Dionysus or any other men of that time, when even Hector in Ilium, and Achilles in the island of Leuce, are worshiped by the inhabitants of those places; and the Opuntines worship Patroclus, and the Rhodians Alexander of Macedon. 23 Moreover, among the Egyptians even to the present day, a man is worshiped as a god before his death. And this truly is a small impiety, that the Egyptians give divine honors to a man in his lifetime; but what is of all things most absurd is, that they worship birds and crawling creatures, and all kinds of beasts. For most people neither think nor do anything with sound judgment. But please look at what is most disgraceful of all: the one they call the father of gods and men is said to have had intercourse with Leda; and many of them set up in public a painting of this, writing above it the name Zeus. To punish this insult, I could wish that they would paint their own present king in such degrading embraces as they have dared to do with Zeus, and set it up in public, so that the anger of a temporary, mortal ruler might teach them to give honor where it is due. I say this to you without yet knowing the true God myself; but I am happy to say that even if I do not know who God is, I think I at least know clearly what God is.

Clement Argues for a Creator

24 And first, then, the four original elements cannot be God, because they have a cause. Nor can that mixing be God, nor that compounding, nor that generating, nor that globe which surrounds the visible universe; nor the dregs which flow together in Hades, nor the water which floats over them; nor the fiery substance, nor the air which extends from it to our earth. For the four elements, if they lay outside one another, could not have been mixed together so as to generate animal life without some great craftsman. If they have always been united, even in this case they are fitted together by an artistic mind to meet the requirements of the limbs and parts of animals, so that they can preserve their respective proportions, have a clearly defined shape, and achieve proper cohesion in all their internal parts. In the same way, the craftsman's mind determines the suitable positions for each, and does so very beautifully. To be brief, in all other things which a living creature must have, this great being of the world is lacking in no respect. 25 So we are compelled to conclude that there is a craftsman who was not himself generated, who brought the elements together if they were separate, or skillfully blended them if they were together, to generate life and make one perfect work from them all. For it cannot be that a work which is completely wise can be made without a mind which is greater than it. Nor will it do to say that love is the craftsman of all things, or desire, or power, or any such thing. All these are subject to change and temporary by their very nature. Nor can something moved by another be God, much less what is altered by time and nature, and can be annihilated.

Peter Arrives in Tyre

26 While I was saying these things to Appion, Peter approached from Cæsarea, and in Tyre the people were flocking together, hurrying to meet him and join in expressing their pleasure at his visit. And Appion withdrew, accompanied by Anubion and Athenodorus only; but the rest of us hurried to meet Peter, and I was the first to greet him at the gate, and I led him toward the inn. When we arrived, we dismissed the people; and when he kindly asked what had taken place, I hid nothing, but told him about Simon's slanders, and the monstrous shapes he had taken, and all the diseases he had sent after the sacrificial feast, and that some of the sick persons were still there in Tyre, while others had gone on with Simon to Sidon just as I arrived, hoping to be cured by him, but that I had heard that none of them had been cured by him. I also told Peter of the debate I had with Appion; and he, out of his love for me and his desire to encourage me, praised and blessed me. Then, after dinner, he took the rest that his tiring journey had made so necessary.

Peter Teaches and Heals in Tyre

1 And on the fourth day of our stay in Tyre, Peter went out about daybreak, and many residents of the surrounding area met him, along with very many inhabitants of Tyre itself, who cried out, and said, May God have mercy on us through you! May God heal us through you! And Peter stood on a high stone, so that everyone could see him; and having greeted them in a godly manner, began as follows:— 2 God, who created the heavens and the whole universe, does not lack an opportunity for the salvation of those who would be saved. So let no one rashly accuse Him of unkindness to humanity because of apparent evils. For men do not know the outcome of what happens to them; rather, they suspect that the result will be evil; but God knows that they will turn out well. So it is in the case of Simon. He is a power of the left hand of God, and has authority to do harm to those who do not know God, so that he has been able to afflict you with diseases; but these very diseases, which God's good providence allowed to come upon you, have led you to seek and find someone able to heal you, and the healing of your bodies has compelled you to submit to God's will and consider believing, in order that in this way you may have your souls as well as your bodies in a healthy state. 3 Now I have been told that after sacrificing an ox he gave you a feast in the middle of the forum, and that, carried away by much wine, you befriended not only the evil demons but also their prince, and that in this way most of you were seized by these sicknesses, unwittingly drawing upon yourselves with your own hands the sword of destruction. For the demons would never have had power over you, if you had not first dined with their prince. For from the beginning God, the Creator of all things, imposed this law on each of the two princes, the one of the right hand and the one of the left: neither should have power over anyone they might wish to benefit or harm unless that person had first sat at the same table with them. When you ate food offered to idols, you became servants of the prince of evil. In the same way, if you stop these practices and seek refuge in God through the good Prince of His right hand, honoring Him without sacrifices by doing whatever He wills, know for certain that your bodies will be healed and your souls will also become healthy. For He alone, who destroys with His left hand, can give life with His right; He alone can both strike down and raise the fallen. 4 So, just as you were deceived by the forerunner Simon and became dead to God in your souls and were struck in your bodies, now, if you repent as I said and submit to what pleases God, you may regain physical strength and recover your soul's health. And the things which are pleasing to God are these: to pray to Him, to ask from Him, recognizing that He is the giver of all things, and gives according to a discerning law; to abstain from the table of devils, not to taste dead flesh, not to touch blood; to be washed from all pollution; and to sum up the rest,—as the God-fearing Jews have heard, you too should hear, and be of one mind in many bodies; let each man intend to do for his neighbor the good things he wishes for himself. And you may all find out what is good, by having a conversation with yourselves along the following lines: You would not like to be murdered; do not murder another man: you would not like your wife to be seduced by another; do not commit adultery: you would not like any of your things to be stolen from you; do not steal anything from another. By understanding for yourselves what is reasonable and doing it, you will become dear to God, and will obtain healing; otherwise in this present life your bodies will be tormented, and in the life to come your souls will be punished. 5 After Peter had spent a few days in teaching them in this way, and in healing them, they were baptized. And after that, all sat down together in the marketplaces in sackcloth and ashes, grieving because of his other wonderful works, and repenting their former sins. And when the people of Sidon heard it, they did likewise, and sent to beg Peter to come, since they could not come themselves because of their diseases. And Peter did not spend many days in Tyre; but when he had instructed all its inhabitants, and freed them from all kinds of diseases and had founded a church, and appointed as its bishop one of the elders who were with him, he departed for Sidon. But when Simon heard that Peter was coming, he immediately fled to Beyrout with Appion and his friends.

Peter Teaches in Sidon

6 And as Peter entered Sidon, they brought many on stretchers, and laid them before him. And he said to them: Please do not think that I can do anything to heal you, since I am a mortal man, myself subject to many troubles. But I shall not refuse to show you the way in which you must be saved. For I have learned from the Prophet of truth the conditions God established before the foundation of the world, namely, the evil deeds for which He has ordained that those who commit them will be harmed by the prince of evil, and in the same way the good deeds for which He has decreed that those who have believed in Him as their Physician will have their bodies healed and their souls made secure. 7 Knowing, then, these good and evil deeds, I present to you what might be called two paths, and I shall show you by which travelers are lost and by which they are saved, under God's guidance. The path of the lost, then, is broad and very smooth—it ruins them without troubling them; but the path of the saved is narrow, rugged, and in the end it saves those who have traveled it, though only with much effort. And these two paths are presided over by unbelief and faith; and those who have preferred pleasure travel the path of unbelief. Because of that pleasure, they have forgotten the day of judgment, do what displeases God, do not care to save their souls through the word, and have not earnestly sought their own good. Truly they do not know that God's plans are not like human plans; for, in the first place, He knows the thoughts of all men, and all must give an account not only of their actions, but also of their thoughts. The sin of those who strive for a good understanding and fall is much less than that of those who make no effort at all to pursue good things. For it has pleased God that the person who is mistaken in his understanding of good, as people judge mistakes, should be saved after being slightly punished. But those who have made no effort at all to know the better way are charged with indifference if they have not undertaken the service He Himself appointed, even though they may have done countless other good deeds, and they are severely punished and utterly destroyed. 8 And this is the service He has appointed: To worship Him only, and trust only in the Prophet of truth, and to be baptized for the forgiveness of sins, and thus by this pure baptism to be born again to God by saving water; to abstain from the table of devils, that is, from food offered to idols, from dead carcasses, from animals which have been suffocated or caught by wild beasts, and from blood; not to live any longer impurely; to wash after intercourse; for women to keep the law of purification; for everyone to be sober-minded, devoted to good works, refraining from wrongdoing, looking for eternal life from the all-powerful God, and asking through prayer and continual pleading that they may win it. This was Peter's advice to the men of Sidon as well. And in a few days many repented and believed, and were healed. And Peter having founded a church, and appointed as its bishop one of the elders who were with him, left Sidon.

Peter Confronts Simon in Berytus

9 No sooner had he reached Beyrout than an earthquake took place; and the multitude, running to Peter, said, Help us, for we are afraid we will all be completely destroyed. Then Simon, along with Appion and Anubion and Athenodorus and the rest of his companions, dared to cry out publicly against Peter: Flee, friends, from this man! He is a magician; trust us, he was the one who caused this earthquake: he sent us these diseases to terrify us, as if he were God Himself. Simon and his friends brought many such false charges against Peter, portraying him as someone who could do things beyond human power. But as soon as the people gave him a moment's quiet, Peter with surprising boldness gave a little laugh, and said, Friends, I admit that I can do, God willing, what these men say; and more than that, I am ready, if you do not believe what I say, to overturn your city from top to bottom. 10 And the people were afraid, and promised to do whatever he commanded. Then none of you, said Peter, should talk with these sorcerers or have anything to do with them. And as soon as the people heard this concise command, they took up sticks, and pursued them until they had driven them completely out of the town. And those who were sick and possessed by devils came and threw themselves at Peter's feet. Seeing all this and eager to free them from their terror, he said to them:— 11 If I could cause earthquakes, and do all that I wish, I assure you I would not destroy Simon and his friends (for I was not sent to destroy people), but would make him my friend, so that his slanders against my preaching of the truth would no longer hinder the salvation of many. But if you believe me, he himself is a magician; he is a slanderer; he is a minister of evil to those who do not know the truth. So he has power to bring diseases on sinners, with the sinners themselves helping him exercise power over them. But I am a servant of God the Creator of all things, and a disciple of His Prophet who is at His right hand. So, as His apostle, I preach the truth: in serving a good man I drive away diseases, for I am His second messenger, since first the disease comes, but after that the healing. By that evil-working magician, then, you were struck with disease because you rebelled against God. Through me you will be healed if you believe in Him: and so having experienced His power, you may turn to good works, and have your souls saved. 12 As he said these things, all fell on their knees before his feet. And he, lifting up his hands to heaven, prayed to God, and healed them all by his simple prayer alone. And he did not remain many days in Beyrout; but after he had taught many to serve the one God, and had baptized them, and had appointed a bishop for them from the elders who were with him, he went to Byblus. And when he came there, and learned that Simon had not waited for them for a day, but had gone immediately to Tripolis, he remained there only a few days; and after he had healed many and trained them in the Scriptures, he followed Simon's trail to Tripolis, preferring to pursue him rather than flee from him.

Peter Arrives in Tripolis

1 Now, as Peter was entering Tripolis, the people from Tyre and Sidon, Berytus and Byblus, who were eager to learn, and many from the neighborhood, entered along with him; and especially large crowds from the city itself gathered to see him. In the suburbs we met the brothers whom he had sent to find out about the city and Simon's activities and to return and report on them. They received him, and led him to the house of Maroones. 2 But at the very gate of the place where he was staying, he turned around, and promised the crowds that after the next day he would speak with them on the subject of religion. And when he had gone in, those who had gone ahead assigned places to stay to those who had come with him. And the hosts fully met the wishes of those who sought hospitality. But Peter knew nothing of this, and when we asked him to eat, he said that he would not eat himself until those who had come with him were settled. We assured him that this was already done: everyone had eagerly received them out of affection for him, and those with no guests to entertain were deeply distressed. Peter was pleased to hear of their eager generosity, blessed them, and went out. After bathing in the sea, he ate with those who had gone ahead; and when evening came, he slept. 3 But awaking around the second crowing of the rooster, he found us up. There were sixteen of us in all, namely, Peter himself, and I, Clement, Nicetas and Aquila, and the twelve who had preceded us. After greeting us, he said, Today we are not busy with outsiders, so we are free to spend time with one another. So I shall tell you the things that happened after your departure from Tyre; and tell me in detail what Simon has been doing here. While we were exchanging accounts, one of our friends entered, and announced to Peter that Simon, learning of his arrival, had set off for Syria, and that to the crowds this one night seemed like a year, and they could not wait for the appointment he had made. They were standing before the doors, talking with one another in groups and circles about the accusation brought by Simon, and how, having raised their expectations, and promised that when Peter came he would accuse him of many evils, he had fled by night when he knew of his arrival. However, he said, they are eager to hear you; and I do not know where they heard a rumor that you are going to address them today. You yourself know what you should do so that they will not become very tired and then be sent away needlessly.

Peter on Moses, Jesus, and Obedience

4 Then Peter, wondering at the eagerness of the multitudes, answered, You see, brothers, how the words of our Lord are clearly fulfilled. For I remember His saying, 'Many shall come from the east and from the west, the north and the south, and shall recline close to Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob.' 'But many,' said He also, 'are called, but few chosen.' So the coming of those who were called has been fulfilled. But since their coming is not their own doing, but the work of God who called them and brought them here, they receive no reward for this alone. It is not their own doing, but His work in them. But if they do excellent things after being called, they will be rewarded for this, because it is their own doing. 5 For even the Hebrews who believe Moses but do not obey what he said are not saved unless they obey what they were told. For their believing Moses was not of their own will, but of God, who said to Moses, 'Look, I am coming to you in a pillar of cloud, so that the people may hear me speaking to you, and may believe you forever.' Since, therefore, both to the Hebrews and to those who are called from the Gentiles, belief in the teachers of truth comes from God, while excellent actions are left to everyone to do by his own judgment, the reward is justly given to those who do well. For there would have been no need of Moses, or of the coming of Jesus, if they could have understood for themselves what is reasonable. Nor does salvation come from believing in teachers and calling them lords. 6 For this reason Jesus is hidden from the Jews, who have taken Moses as their teacher, and Moses is hidden from those who have believed Jesus. For both give one teaching, and God accepts anyone who has believed either of them. But the purpose of believing a teacher is to do the things spoken by God. Our Lord Himself confirms this when He says, 'I thank you, Father of heaven and earth, because You have concealed these things from the wise and the elders, and have revealed them to nursing infants.' So God Himself has hidden a teacher from some, knowing in advance what they should do, and has revealed him to others who do not know what they should do. 7 The Hebrews, therefore, are not condemned for their ignorance of Jesus, since God has concealed Him, if they do what Moses commanded and do not hate the one they do not know. Nor are those among the Gentiles who do not know Moses because God has concealed him condemned, provided that they too do what Jesus said and do not hate the one they do not know. And some will not benefit from calling the teachers lords while failing to do the work of servants. For on this account our Jesus Himself said to one who often called Him Lord, but did none of the things which He prescribed, 'Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do what I say?' For actions benefit a person, rather than mere words. So good works are certainly necessary. Moreover, if anyone has been thought worthy to recognize both as preaching one doctrine, that man has been counted rich in God, understanding both the old things as new in time, and the new things as old.

Peter Begins His Public Teaching

8 While Peter was speaking this way, the multitudes, as if they had been called by someone, entered into the place where Peter was. Then he, seeing a great multitude, like the smooth current of a river gently flowing toward him, said to Maroones, Do you have a place here better able to hold the crowd? Then Maroones led him to a garden plot in the open air, and the multitudes followed. But Peter stood on the base of a statue that was not very high and greeted the crowd in a devout way. He knew that many standing there were tormented by demons and many long-standing sufferings, and heard them shrieking in grief and saw them fall down before him pleading. He rebuked them and ordered them to be quiet; and after promising to heal them after his speech, he began to speak as follows:— 9 As I begin to speak about the worship of God to those who are entirely ignorant and whose minds have been corrupted by our opponent Simon's accusations, I have thought it necessary first to speak of the blamelessness of the God who made all things. I begin with the timely opportunity His providence has provided, so that it may be known why many are justly held by many demons and subjected to strange sufferings, and so that God's justice may be seen in this; and so that those who blame Him through ignorance may now learn through good speech and good deeds what views they should hold, and withdraw their earlier accusation, acknowledging ignorance as the cause of their evil presumption, in order that they may be pardoned. 10 This is how the matter stands. The only good God made all things well and handed them over to man, who was made in His image. This man, breathing the divinity of his Maker, was a true prophet and knew all things. To honor the Father who had given him everything and to save his own sons, he showed them the way to God's friendship. As a genuine father, he preserved his affection for his children and wanted them, for their own benefit, to love God and be loved by Him. He taught them what human deeds please the one God and Lord of all; and after showing them the things that please Him, he established an enduring law for everyone, which enemies cannot abolish, no irreverent person can corrupt, and no place can conceal, but which everyone can read. Through obedience to the law, they therefore had everything in abundance: the finest fruits, a full lifespan, freedom from grief and disease, all given to them without fear, with completely healthy air. 11 But because they had at first experienced no evils, they were unaware of the good things given to them. Their abundance of food and luxuries turned them toward ingratitude, so that they even thought there was no Providence, since they had not obtained good things through earlier labor as a reward for righteousness. None of them had experienced suffering, disease, or any other need that would lead them to seek the God able to heal them, as people afflicted because of wicked wrongdoing usually do. But immediately after their contempt, which arose from fearlessness and secure luxury, a just punishment came upon them in keeping with an established harmony, taking away the good things that had harmed them and bringing evils in their place to benefit them.

Peter Tells of the Angels and Giants

12 For among the spirits who inhabit heaven, the angels who live in the lowest region were distressed by human ingratitude toward God and asked to enter human life and truly become human, so that through closer contact they could expose those who had acted ungratefully toward Him and subject everyone to appropriate punishment.⁠a When their request was granted, they transformed themselves into every kind of thing; for their more godlike substance allows them easily to assume any form. So they became precious stones, and fine pearl, and the most beautiful purple, and choice gold, and all the materials held in highest esteem. And they fell into the hands of some, and into the laps of others, and allowed themselves to be stolen by them. They also changed themselves into beasts and reptiles, and fishes and birds, and into whatever they pleased. Your own poets also sing of these things as they happened, because they feel no fear, attributing to one the many varied deeds of them all. 13 But after assuming these forms and exposing the greed of those who stole them, they changed themselves into human beings. They intended to live holy lives and show that such a life was possible, so that they could subject the ungrateful to punishment. Yet having become human in every respect, they also shared in human lust, and under its power they began having sexual intercourse with women; and through their involvement with them they sank into impurity and were completely drained of their original power. They were unable to turn back to the original purity of their own nature, because their bodily parts had changed from their fiery substance: for the fire itself was extinguished by the weight of lust and changed into flesh, and they walked the irreverent path downward. For the bonds of flesh shackled them, confining and tightly binding them; so they have no longer been able to ascend into the heavens. 14 For after intercourse, they were asked to show what they had been before, but could no longer do so. Unable to do anything else after their defilement, yet wishing to please their mistresses, they showed the depths of the earth instead of their own former nature; I mean, the choice metals, gold, brass, silver, iron, and similar things, with all the most precious stones. And along with these charmed stones, they passed on the crafts associated with each and revealed the discovery of magic, and taught astronomy, and the powers of roots, and whatever the human mind could not discover; also the melting of gold and silver, and similar things, and the various ways of dyeing clothing.⁠b In short, these demons bound in flesh discovered everything used to adorn and delight women. 15 But their unholy intercourse produced men of mixed parentage, much taller than ordinary men, whom they later called giants; not those dragon-footed giants who waged war against God, as those blasphemous Greek myths relate, but wild in behavior, and greater than men in size, since they descended from angels; yet less than angels, as they were born of women. God therefore knew that they were reduced to brutal savagery and that the world was insufficient to satisfy them (for it was created to suit the size of humans and their use). So that lack of food would not drive them, contrary to nature, to eat animals and yet appear blameless for having dared this out of necessity, Almighty God rained manna upon them, suited to their various tastes; and they enjoyed everything they wished. But because of their illegitimate nature, pure food did not please them, and they longed only for the taste of blood. So they first tasted flesh. 16 And the men there with them were for the first time eager to do the same. Thus, although we are born neither good nor bad, we become one or the other; and having formed habits, it is difficult to draw us away from them. But when there were not enough irrational animals, these illegitimate men tasted also human flesh. For it was not a long step to the consumption of flesh like their own, having first tasted it in other forms.

The Flood and the Surviving Demons

17 But by the shedding of much blood, the pure air was polluted with impure vapor, making those who breathed it sick and prone to disease, so that from then on people died prematurely. But the earth was greatly defiled in this way and began to teem with venomous and deadly creatures. Since everything was going from bad to worse because of these brutal demons, God wished to remove them like harmful yeast, so that each generation of wicked offspring, resembling the one before it and equally irreverent, would not empty the world to come of saved people. And for this purpose, having warned a certain righteous man, with his three sons, together with their wives and their children, to save themselves in an ark, He sent a flood of water so that, once all had been destroyed, the purified world could be handed over to the man saved in the ark for a second beginning of life. And so it happened. 18 Since the dead giants' souls were greater than human souls, just as their bodies were also greater, they were given a new name as a new race. And God prescribed through an angel a law for those who survived in the world, telling them how they should live. For they were of mixed parentage, from the fire of angels and the blood of women, and were therefore likely to desire offspring of their own. A righteous law was established before they could do so. For a certain angel was sent to them by God, declaring to them His will, and saying:— 19 'The all-seeing God considers these things good: that you dominate no one and trouble no one, unless someone willingly subjects himself to you, worshiping you, and sacrificing and pouring libations, and eating at your table, or doing anything else that they should not, or shedding blood, or tasting dead flesh, or filling themselves with what has been torn by beasts, or what has been cut, or what has been strangled, or anything else that is unclean. But you shall not touch those who turn to my law; you shall honor them and flee from their presence. For you shall be compelled to undergo whatever just treatment of you they choose. But if any of those who worship me go astray, either committing adultery, or practicing magic, or living impurely, or doing any other of the things which are not pleasing to me, then they will have to suffer something at your hands or those of others, according to my command. But when they repent, I shall judge their repentance, whether it deserves pardon or not, and pass sentence on them. So remember these things and do them, knowing well that not even your thoughts can be hidden from Him.'

Peter Calls for Repentance and Baptism

20 After giving them these instructions, the angel departed. But you still do not know this law: everyone who worships demons, sacrifices to them, or eats with them at their table will become subject to them and receive every punishment from them, under wicked masters. And you who, on account of ignorance of this law, have been corrupted beside their altars, and have been filled with food offered to them, have come under their power, and do not know how you have been physically harmed in every way. But you ought to know that the demons have no power over anyone, unless he first eats at their table; since not even their chief can do anything contrary to the law imposed upon them by God, so he has no power over anyone who does not worship him; and otherwise no one can receive from them anything he wishes or be harmed by them in any way, as you may learn from the following statement. 21 For once the king of the present time came to our King of righteousness, using no violence, for this was not in his power, but inducing and persuading, because each person has the power to decide whether to be persuaded. So he approached Him as king of present things and said to the King of future things, 'All the kingdoms of the present world are subject to me; also the gold and the silver and all the luxury of this world are under my power. So fall down and worship me, and I will give you all these things.' He said this knowing that once He worshiped him, he would also have power over Him and so rob Him of the future glory and kingdom. But He, knowing all things, not only did not worship him, but would not receive any of the things that were offered by him. For He pledged Himself together with those who belong to Him that from then on it is unlawful even to touch the things handed over to the evil king. Therefore He answered and said, 'You shall fear the Lord your God, and you shall serve Him alone.' 22 However, the king of the ungodly, trying unsuccessfully to win the King of the devout over to his own plan, ceased his efforts, committing himself to persecuting Him for the remainder of His life. But you, being ignorant of the law established in advance, are under his power through evil deeds. So you are polluted in body and soul, and in the present life you are tyrannized over by sufferings and demons, but in the life to come your souls will be punished. And you are not the only ones to suffer this through ignorance. Some of our nation have also been brought under the power of the prince of wickedness through evil deeds and have failed to obey, like people invited to dinner by a father celebrating his son's marriage. But in place of those too preoccupied to obey, the Father celebrating His Son's marriage has ordered us through the Prophet of the truth to go to the crossroads, that is, to you, and to clothe you in the clean wedding garment, which is baptism, which is for the forgiveness of the sins you have committed, and to bring the good to the supper of God by repentance, although at first they were left out of the banquet. 23 If, therefore, you wish to be the clothing of the Divine Spirit, first hurry to take off your degrading presumption, which is an unclean spirit and a foul garment. You can take this off only by first being baptized in good works. And when you are pure in body and soul in this way, you will enjoy the future eternal kingdom. Therefore do not believe in idols, eat with them at the impure table, commit murder or adultery, hate those it is wrong to hate, steal, or undertake any evil deeds; Otherwise, deprived of the hope of future blessings, you will be subjected to evil demons and terrible sufferings in this present life, and in the world to come you will be punished with eternal fire. Now, then, what has been said is enough for today. As for the rest, those of you who are afflicted with ailments remain for healing; and of the others, those who wish may go in peace. 24 When he had said this, all of them remained, some in order to be healed, and others to see those who obtained cures. But Peter healed them simply by laying his hands on them and praying; so that those who were immediately cured were extremely glad, and those who looked on were greatly amazed, and blessed God, and believed with firm hope, and went home with those who had been healed, after receiving instructions to meet early the next day. And when they had gone, Peter remained there with his associates, and ate, and refreshed himself with sleep.

Peter Recalls the Flood

1 So the next day Peter went out with his companions, returned to the same place, took his stand, and began to speak: God destroyed all the irreverent people of ancient times by water. Finding only one devout man among them all, He saved him in an ark with his three sons and their wives. From this we can see that it is His nature neither to spare a multitude of wicked people nor to disregard the salvation of one devout person. Therefore the greatest act of irreverence is abandoning the sole Lord of all, and worshiping many, who are no gods, as if they were gods. 2 If, therefore, while I explain and show you that this is the greatest sin, which is able to destroy you all, you think that you are not destroyed because there are so many of you, you are deceived. For you have the example of the ancient world destroyed by the flood. And yet their sin was much less than the sin charged against you. For they were wicked toward their equals, murdering or committing adultery. But you are wicked against the God of all, worshiping lifeless images instead of Him or along with Him, and attributing His divine name to every kind of unthinking matter. In the first place, therefore, you are unfortunate in not knowing the difference between monarchy and polyarchy—that rule by one produces harmony, while rule by many produces wars. For unity does not fight with itself, but a multitude has opportunities to wage war against one another.

Peter Traces the Origins of Idolatry

3 Therefore immediately after the flood, Noe continued to live three hundred and fifty years with the multitude of his descendants in harmony, being a king according to the image of the one God. But after his death many of his descendants wanted the kingdom, and each eagerly considered how to gain power; and one attempted it by war, another by deceit, another by persuasion, and one in one way and another in another; one of them belonged to the family of Ham, whose descendant was Mestren, from whom the tribes of the Egyptians, Babylonians, and Persians multiplied. 4 In time a man named Nebrod was born into this family. He took up magical practices and, like a giant, chose to devise things against God. The Greeks called him Zoroaster. After the flood, this great magician was ambitious to rule and used magical arts to compel the world-guiding star of the wicked one who now rules to grant him sovereignty as a gift. But the star, being a prince with authority over the man who had compelled him, angrily poured out the fire of the kingdom, both to bring that man into submission and to punish him for having first compelled him. 5 So the magician Nebrod was destroyed by this lightning falling from heaven to earth, and his name was changed to Zoroaster because the living (ζῶσαν) stream of the star (ἀστέρος) was poured upon him. But the unintelligent people of that time, thinking that through the love of God his soul had been sent for by lightning, buried the remains of his body, and honored his burial-place with a temple among the Persians, where the descent of the fire occurred, and worshiped him as a god. By this example also, others there bury those who die by lightning as beloved of God, and honor them with temples, and erect statues of the dead in their own forms. From then on, rulers in different places likewise competed for similar honor, and very many of them honored the tombs of those they loved, even if they had not died from lightning, with temples and statues, and lit fires on altars, and ordered them to be worshiped as gods. Much later, after the passage of time, later generations thought they really were gods. 6 In this way the one original kingdom came to be divided into many parts. The Persians first took coals from the lightning that fell from heaven, kept them alive with ordinary fuel, and honored the heavenly fire as a god. As its first worshipers, they were honored by the fire itself with the first kingdom. After them the Babylonians stole coals from the fire there, carried it safely home, and worshiped it, and also came to rule in their turn. The Egyptians acted in the same way, calling the fire Phthaë in their own dialect, which is translated Hephaistus or Osiris. Their first ruler is called by its name. Most of those who ruled in different places, acted in this way, made an image, and kindled altars in honor of fire were excluded from the kingdom. 7 But they did not cease to worship images, because the magicians used their evil ingenuity to find excuses that could compel them to this foolish worship. For they established these things through magical ceremonies and assigned them sacrificial feasts, drink offerings, flutes, and shouting. Through these, senseless people were deceived and still did not stop the worship they had adopted, even after their kingdom was taken from them. They preferred error over truth to this extent because it was pleasant. They also howl after overeating at sacrifices, their soul warning them from its depths, as if through dreams, of the punishment that will come upon them for these deeds. 8 Many forms of worship have therefore passed away in the world, and we come to you as good merchants, bringing the worship handed down to us from our ancestors and preserved. We show you what might be called the seeds of plants, leaving them for you to judge and choose. Choose what seems good to you. If, therefore, you choose our wares, not only will you be able to escape demons, and the sufferings which are inflicted by demons, but you yourselves will put them to flight and reduce them to pleading with you, and will enjoy future blessings forever.

Peter Explains How Demons Gain Power

9 On the other hand, since demons oppress you with strange sufferings, your souls too will be punished forever when you leave the body; not indeed by God's inflicting vengeance, but because this is the judgment upon evil deeds. For the demons, having power by means of the food given to them, are admitted into your bodies by your own hands; and lying hidden there for a long time, they become blended with your souls. And through the carelessness of those who do not think, or even wish, to help themselves, when their bodies dissolve, their souls, united with the demon, are inevitably carried by it wherever it pleases. And what is most terrible of all, when at the end of all things the demon is first consigned to the purifying fire, the soul mixed with it must suffer horrible punishment, while the demon must feel pleasure. For the soul is made of light and cannot bear the flame of fire, which is of a different nature, so it is tortured; but the demon is in a substance of its own kind and is greatly pleased, becoming a strong chain for the soul it has swallowed up. 10 But the reason why the demons delight in entering into men's bodies is this. As spirits, they desire food, drink, and sexual pleasure, but cannot enjoy them because they are spirits and lack the necessary organs. They enter human bodies to acquire organs that will serve them and obtain what they desire, whether it is food, by means of men's teeth, or sexual pleasure, by means of human sexual organs. So, to drive demons away, the most useful help is abstinence, and fasting, and enduring affliction. For if they enter into men's bodies for the sake of sharing pleasures, it is clear that they are put to flight by suffering. But some of the more malicious kind remain with the body undergoing punishment, even though they suffer with it. It is therefore necessary to turn to God through prayers and petitions, refraining from every occasion of impurity, so that God's hand may touch and heal the person who is pure and faithful. 11 But it is necessary in our prayers to acknowledge that we have turned to God, and to bear witness to the demon's delay rather than its immunity to suffering. For all things are done to the believer, nothing to the unbeliever. Therefore the demons themselves, knowing the amount of faith of those of whom they take possession, measure their stay proportionately. So they stay permanently with the unbelieving, remain for a while with the weak in faith; but with those who thoroughly believe, and who do good, they cannot remain even for a moment. For faith turns the soul, so to speak, into the nature of water, which quenches the demon like a spark of fire. Everyone must therefore work diligently to drive away his own demon. For, being mixed up with men's souls, they suggest to each person's mind desires for whatever they please, in order that he may neglect his salvation. 12 So many, not knowing how they are influenced, consent to the evil thoughts suggested by the demons, as if they were the reasoning of their own souls. So they become less willing to come to those who are able to save them, and do not know that they themselves are held captive by the deceiving demons. Therefore the demons who lurk in their souls induce them to think that it is not a demon that is distressing them, but a bodily disease, such as some acrid matter, or bile, or phlegm, or excess of blood, or inflammation of a membrane, or something else. But even if this were so, it would still be a kind of demon. For the universal, earthly soul enters through all kinds of food. When too much food is consumed, it unites with the spirit, the human soul, because they are of the same kind; and the material part of the food unites with the body and remains there as a dreadful poison. So in all respects moderation is excellent. 13 But some of the harmful demons deceive in another way. For at first they do not even show their existence, so that no precautions will be taken against them; but in due time, by means of anger, love, or some other emotion, they suddenly injure the body, by a sword, a noose, a fall from a cliff, or something else, and finally, when they withdraw into the purifying fire, they bring punishment upon the deceived souls mixed with them, as we said. But others, who are deceived in another way, do not approach us, because harmful demons entice them into believing that the gods themselves have caused these sufferings because they have neglected them. They believe they can appease the gods through sacrifices and need not come to us, but should instead flee from us and hate us. And at the same time they hate and flee from those who have greater compassion for them, and who follow them in order to do good to them. 14 So they are deceived into shunning and hating us, without understanding how they come to devise things harmful to their health. For we cannot compel them against their will to turn toward health, since we now have no such power over them, and they cannot understand the demon's evil suggestions on their own; for they do not know where these evil suggestions come from. And these are the people the demons frighten, appearing in such forms as they please. And sometimes they prescribe remedies for those who are diseased, and thus they receive divine honors from those who have previously been deceived. And they conceal from many that they are demons, but not from us, who know their mystery, and why they do these things, changing their forms in the dreams of those over whom they have power; and why they terrify some, and give responses through oracles to others, and demand sacrifices from them, and command them to eat with them, so that they may swallow up their souls. 15 For as terrible serpents draw sparrows to them by their breath, so these demons draw those who eat at their table under their own will, being mixed up with their understanding by means of food and drink, changing themselves in dreams according to the forms of the images, so that they may increase error. For the image is neither a living creature, nor has it a divine spirit, but the demon that appeared misused the form. How many people have similarly been seen by others in dreams; and when they meet while awake and are compared with what was seen in the dream, the appearances do not agree: so that the dream is not a manifestation, but is either the production of a demon or of the soul, giving forms to present fears and desire. For the soul, being struck with fear, conceives forms in dreams. But if you think that images, as being alive, can accomplish such things, place them on an accurately balanced beam, and place an equal weight in the other scale, then ask them to become either heavier or lighter: and if this happens, then they are alive. But this does not happen. But if it were so, this would not prove them to be gods. For this might be accomplished by the finger of the demon. Even maggots move, yet they are not called gods.

Peter Questions Oracles and Their Cures

16 The fact that they do not appear to the Jews makes it clear that each person's soul gives demons forms according to its own preconceptions, and that those called gods do not appear. But someone will say, How then do they give responses through oracles, forecasting future things? This also is false. But suppose it were true, this does not prove them to be gods; for it does not follow, if anything prophesies, that it is a god. For python spirits prophesy, yet they are cast out by us as demons, and put to flight. But someone will say, They work cures for some persons. It is false. But suppose it were true, this is no proof of divinity; for physicians also heal many, yet are not gods. But, says one, physicians do not completely heal those of whom they take charge, but these heal through oracles. But the demons know the remedies that are suited to each disease. So they are skillful physicians, able to cure diseases that humans can cure, and also prophets who know when each disease heals on its own. They arrange their remedies so that they may take credit for producing the cure. 17 For why do they foretell through oracles cures that will come only after a long time? And why, if they are almighty, do they not bring about cures without administering any medicine? And for what reason do they prescribe remedies to some of those who pray to them, while they give no response to others, who may be more suitable cases? Thus, whenever a cure is going to take place spontaneously, they promise a cure so that they may get the credit for it; and others who have been sick, prayed, and recovered spontaneously attribute the cure to those they invoked and make offerings to them. Those, however, who, after praying, have failed, are not able to offer their sacrifices. But if the relatives of the dead, or any of their children, inquired into the losses, you would find the failures to be more than the successes. But no one who has been taken in by them is willing to bring an accusation against them, through shame or fear; but, on the other hand, they conceal the crimes which they believe them to be guilty of. 18 And how many also falsify the responses given and the cures effected by them, and confirm them with an oath! And how many hire themselves out to them to pretend to suffer certain things, proclaiming their suffering and then being restored by remedies! They say the demons promised them healing through oracles so that they can credit their senseless worship with the cure! And how many of these things were formerly done by magical art, in the way of interpreting dreams, and divining! Yet in the course of time these things have disappeared. And how many are there now, who, wishing to obtain such things, make use of charms! However, even if something is prophetic or healing, it is not divine.

Peter on Repentance and Freedom from Demons

19 For God is almighty. For He is good and righteous, now patient with everyone, so that those willing to repent of the evils they have done and to live well may receive a worthy reward on the day when all things are judged. So now begin to obey God through sound knowledge, and to oppose your evil lusts and thoughts, so that you may be able to recover the original saving worship which was committed to humanity. For blessings will then immediately spring up for you, and when you receive them you will leave the experience of evils behind. But give thanks to the Giver, as kings forever over good things beyond description, together with the King of peace. But in the present life, by washing in a flowing river, a spring, or even the sea with the three times blessed invocation, you will not only be able to drive away the spirits lurking in you, but also, if you yourselves no longer sin and believe God without doubt, drive evil spirits and terrible demons with terrible diseases out of others. And sometimes they shall flee when you merely look at them. For they know those who have given themselves up to God. So they honor them and flee in terror, as you saw yesterday. After my address I delayed praying for those suffering from these illnesses, and out of respect for the worship the demons cried out, unable to endure it even for a short time. 20 Do not then suppose that we are unafraid of demons because we have a different nature from you. For we have the same nature, but a different worship. So, since we are not merely much but completely superior to you, we do not begrudge your becoming like us; but instead advise you, knowing that all these demons immeasurably honor and fear those who are reconciled to God. 21 For soldiers placed under one of Cæsar's captains know to honor the person given authority because of the one who gave it. So the commanders say to one man, Come, and he comes, and to another, Go, and he goes; so a faithful person who has given himself to God is obeyed when he merely speaks to demons and diseases; and the demons yield, although they are much stronger than those who command them. For with indescribable power God subjects the mind of everyone to whom He pleases. For many captains, along with whole camps and cities, fear Cæsar, who is only a man. Everyone's heart is eager to honor the image of all according to God's will, and all are enslaved by fear without knowing its cause. In the same way, all disease-producing spirits, awed in some natural way, honor and flee from the person who has turned to God and carries right faith as His image in his heart. 22 But still, though all demons, with all diseases, flee before you, your joy should come not only from this, but from the fact that, through grace, your names, as of the ever-living, are written in heaven. Thus also the Divine Holy Spirit rejoices because man has overcome death; for driving demons away contributes to another person's safety. We say this without denying that we should help others, but to keep us from becoming puffed up by this and neglecting ourselves. It happens, also, that the demons flee before some wicked men because of the honored name, and both he who expels the demon and he who witnesses it are deceived: the person who expels him thinks he is honored for his righteousness, without knowing the demon's wickedness. For he has both honored the name, and by his flight has made the wicked man think himself righteous, and so deceived him and turned him away from repentance. But the onlooker, associating with the person who expelled it as a devout man, hurries to adopt a similar way of life, and is ruined. Sometimes also they pretend to flee before commands under oath not made in the name of God, so that they may deceive people and destroy whoever they wish. 23 This, then, is what we want you to know, that unless someone willingly hands himself over as a slave to demons, as I said before, the demon has no power against him. So, by choosing to worship one God, staying away from the table of demons, practicing chastity with generosity and righteousness, being baptized with the three times blessed invocation for the forgiveness of sins, and devoting yourselves as much as you can to complete purity, you can escape everlasting punishment and become heirs of eternal blessings. After saying this, he ordered those suffering from diseases to approach; and thus many approached, having come together through the experience of those who had been healed yesterday. And he laid his hands on them and prayed, and immediately healed them. After instructing them and the others to come earlier, he bathed, ate, and went to sleep.

Peter Prepares to Teach in Tripolis

1 On the third day in Tripolis, Peter got up early and went into the garden, where a full stream of water constantly flowed into a large reservoir. After bathing and praying there, he sat down. Seeing us sitting around him and watching eagerly, wanting to hear something from him, he said:— 2 There seems to me to be a great difference between the ignorant and those who go astray. An ignorant person seems to me like someone who does not want to set out for a well-stocked city because he does not know about the excellent things there. Someone who goes astray, however, seems like a person who has learned about the good things in the city but has left the main road while traveling toward it and wandered off. So it seems to me that there is a great difference between those who worship idols and those who go wrong in their worship of God. For those who worship idols are ignorant of eternal life, and therefore they do not desire it; for what they do not know, they cannot love. But those who have chosen to worship one God and learned about the eternal life given to the good may still believe or do something that displeases God. In that case, they are like people who have left the city of punishment and want to reach the well-stocked city but have strayed from the right path on the way.

Peter Calls for Worship of One God

3 While he was speaking to us in this way, one of our people came in. He had been appointed to make the following announcement to him, and said: My lord Peter, there are large crowds standing outside the doors. With his consent, a large crowd entered. Then he got up and stood on the platform as he had the day before, and after greeting them in a religious manner, he said: After God formed heaven and earth and made everything in them, as the true Prophet has told us, the human being, made in the image and likeness of God, was appointed ruler and lord of things in the air, on earth, and in water. This is clear from the fact that human intelligence brings down the creatures that are in the air, and brings up those that are in the deep, and hunts those on earth, even though they are much stronger than humans; I mean elephants, lions, and similar creatures. 4 While he was righteous, then, he was also beyond all suffering, since his immortal body could not experience pain; but when he sinned, as I showed you yesterday and the day before, he became, so to speak, the servant of sin. He became subject to every kind of suffering and was deprived of all excellent things by a righteous judgment. For it was not reasonable that the ungrateful should keep the gifts after abandoning the Giver. So in His abundant mercy He sent His Prophet, so that we could receive future blessings along with the original ones. And the Prophet has instructed us to tell you what you ought to think, and what to do. Choose, then; this is within your power. This, then, is what you should think: worship the God who made everything. If you receive Him in your minds, you shall receive from Him the future eternal blessings along with the original excellent things. 5 You shall be able to convince yourselves of what is beneficial if, like snake charmers, you say to the horrible serpent which lurks in your heart, 'You shall fear the Lord God, and you shall serve Him alone.' It is beneficial in every way to fear Him alone, as a righteous God rather than an unjust one. People fear an unjust being because he might destroy them unjustly, but they fear a righteous one because he might catch them in sin and punish them. Fearing Him can free you from many harmful fears. For if you do not fear the one Lord and Maker of all, you shall become slaves of every evil, to your own harm. I mean demons and diseases and everything that can hurt you in any way. 6 You were originally made rulers and lords of everything, so approach God with confidence. Just as your bodies bear His image, make your minds bear the likeness of His judgment. By acting like irrational animals, you have lost the human soul within your soul and become like pigs, so you are prey to demons. If you receive God’s law, you become human beings. You cannot tell irrational animals, 'You shall not kill, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal,' and so forth. So do not refuse the invitation to return to your original nobility. You can do this if you become like God through good deeds. And because your likeness to Him makes you recognized as sons, you shall be restored as lords of everything.

Peter Tells the Crowd to Abandon Idols

7 Begin, then, to rid yourselves of the harmful fear of worthless idols, so that you may escape unrighteous bondage. For things that are useless to you even as servants have become your masters. I mean the material of these lifeless images, which cannot serve you in any useful way. For they neither hear nor see nor feel, nor can they be moved. For is there anyone among you who would like to see as they see, and to hear as they hear, and to feel as they feel, and to be moved as they are? God forbid that such a wrong should be done to any person who bears God’s image, even if he has lost His likeness. 8 So return your gods of gold, silver, or any other material to their original nature. I mean, turn them into cups, basins, and any other utensils that may be useful to you, and the good things you were given at first can be restored. But perhaps you will say, The laws of the emperors do not permit us to do this. You are right to say that it is the law that stops you. The worthless idols themselves have no power. How, then, have you regarded as gods these things protected by human laws, guarded by dogs, and watched by crowds?—and this only if they are of gold, silver, or brass. Wooden or earthenware gods are kept safe by their worthlessness, because no one wants to steal them! So the more valuable their material, the greater the danger to your gods. How, then, can they be gods, when they are stolen, melted down, weighed, and guarded? 9 Oh, how miserable are the minds of people who fear things deader than dead people! For I cannot even call things dead when they have never lived, unless they are the tombs of ancient men. Sometimes a person visiting an unfamiliar place does not know whether the temples he sees are monuments to the dead or belong to the so-called gods. But when he asks and hears that they belong to the gods, he worships. He feels no shame about the fact that, if he had not asked, he would have passed them by as monuments to a dead person because they look exactly alike. However, I do not need to offer much proof about such superstition. For anyone willing to understand can easily see that an idol is nothing, unless that person is blind. But at least listen now: it does not hear. Understand that it does not understand. A dead man’s hands made it. If, then, the maker is dead, how could what he made avoid falling apart? Why, then, do you worship the work of a mortal which is entirely without perception? But those who have reason do not worship animals, nor do they seek to appease the elements which have been made by God,—I mean the heaven, the sun, the moon, lightning, the sea, and all things in them,—rightly deciding to worship the Maker and Sustainer of these things rather than the things He has made. For these things themselves are also glad that no one gives them the honor belonging to their Maker. 10 For the excellent glory of being the only uncreated being belongs to Him alone, while everything else is created. Since being God is the privilege of the uncreated, whatever is created is not truly God. Above all, consider the harmful suggestion of the deceiving serpent within you. It leads you astray by promising better understanding, creeps from your brain to your spinal marrow, and attaches great importance to deceiving you. 11 For he knows the original law: if he persuades you to believe in the so-called gods and so sin against the one good of God’s sole rule, your downfall becomes his gain. This is because he is condemned to eat earth and has the power to eat anyone who has become earth by dissolving into it through sin. Your souls go into his belly of fire. So, to make you suffer these things, he suggests every harmful thought to you. 12 For he plants all the deceptive ideas against God’s sole rule in your mind to your harm. First, he traps you with a pretense of knowledge to keep you from hearing teaching about devotion to God and driving away ignorance, which gives rise to evils. First he gives you, and then continually uses, this assumption: the misguided thought that anyone who does not hear the word of devotion to God is not subject to judgment. So some who are deceived in this way are unwilling to listen, so that they may remain ignorant, not knowing that ignorance is a deadly drug all by itself. For if anyone should take a deadly drug in ignorance, does he not die? So naturally sins destroy the sinner, even if he commits them in ignorance of what is right. 13 But if disobeying instruction brings judgment, God will even more surely destroy those who refuse to worship Him. Anyone who refuses to learn for fear of becoming subject to judgment is already judged as someone who knows, for he knew what he refuses to hear. So that notion is a useless excuse before God, who knows the heart. So avoid that cunning thought suggested by the serpent to your minds. But if anyone ends this life in real ignorance, he will face this accusation: after living so long, he did not know who gave him his food. As a senseless, ungrateful, and very unworthy servant, he is rejected from God’s kingdom.

Peter Answers Defenses of Lesser Gods

14 Again, the terrible serpent suggests this idea to you, to make you think and say the very thing most of you do say; namely, We know that there is one Lord of all, but there also are gods. Just as there is one Cæsar with procurators, proconsuls, prefects, and commanders of thousands, hundreds, and tens under him, so there is one great God, like the one Cæsar, with other gods as subordinate powers. These are certainly inferior to Him but rule over us. Listen, then, you who have been led astray by this conception as by a terrible poison—I mean the evil conception of this illustration—so that you may know what is good and what is evil. For you do not yet see it or examine what you say. 15 For if you say that, like Cæsar, God has subordinate powers—those, namely, which are called gods—you are not following your own illustration. If you followed it, you would have to know that the name Cæsar cannot lawfully be given to anyone else, whether a consul, prefect, captain, or anyone else. Whoever gives someone that name shall not live, and whoever takes it shall be put to death. So, according to your own illustration, the name of God must not be given to another, and anyone tempted to take or give it is destroyed. Now, if insulting a man in this way brings punishment, those who call others gods shall be even more subject to eternal punishment, because they insult God. This is with good reason, because you insult in every way you can the name entrusted to you to honor His sole rule. For God is not properly His name; but you, having received it in the meantime, insult what has been given to you. Depending on how you use it, the insult may be counted as directed against the real name. But you subject it to every kind of insult. 16 So the ringleaders among you Egyptians boasted of studying the heavens and promised to judge the natures of the stars. Because of the evil opinion lurking in them, they subjected that name to every kind of dishonor as far as they could. For some of them taught the worship of an ox called Apis, some that of a male goat, some of a cat, some of a serpent; yes, even of a fish, and of onions, and rumblings in the stomach, and common sewers, and body parts of irrational animals, and they gave the name of god to countless other vile abominations. 17 When Peter said this, the surrounding multitude laughed. Then Peter said to the laughing multitude: You laugh at their practices without knowing that they find you far more ridiculous. But you laugh at one another's practices because evil custom has led you into deception and kept you from seeing your own. But I admit that you have reason to laugh at the idols of the Egyptians, since, despite being rational, they worship irrational animals that certainly die. But listen to what they say when they ridicule you. We, they say, worship dying creatures, but they are still creatures that have had life: but you honor things that never lived. And in addition to this, they say, We wish to honor the form of the one God, but we cannot find out what it is, and so we choose to give honor to every form. With statements like these, they think their judgment is better than yours. 18 So answer them this way: You lie, for you do not worship these things in honor of the true God, because if you did, all of you would worship every form, which is not what you do. For those of you who suppose the onion to be the divinity, and those who worship rumblings in the stomach, dispute with one another; and so everyone similarly prefers one particular thing and insults what others prefer. And with differing judgments, one honors one limb of the same animal, and another honors another limb. Those among them who still have a breath of sound reason are ashamed of this obvious degradation. They try to turn these things into allegories, hoping to establish their deadly error through another fanciful notion. If we were there, we would refute those allegories. The foolish passion for them has become so strong that it amounts to a serious disease of the understanding. A dressing needs to be applied to a diseased part of the body, not a healthy part. By laughing at the Egyptians, you show that you do not have their disease, so it would be reasonable for me to offer you an immediate cure for your own. 19 Anyone who wishes to worship God should first know what is unique to God’s nature and cannot belong to another. By looking at this unique quality and not finding it in anyone else, that person can avoid being led astray into attributing divinity to another. What is unique to God is that He alone is both the Maker of all and the best of all. The maker is superior in power to what is made; the boundless is superior in magnitude to what is bounded. In beauty, the most beautiful is superior; in happiness, the most blessed; in understanding, the most perfect. Similarly, in other respects, His superiority is incomparable. As I said, being the best of all is unique to God, and He made the world that encompasses everything. So nothing He made can compare with Him as an equal. 20 But the world cannot be God, because it is not incomparable, unsurpassable, and completely free of defects in every respect. But if the whole world cannot be God, because it was made, there is even more reason not to call its parts God; I mean the parts you call gods, made of gold and silver, brass and stone, or any other material at all, and constructed by mortal hands. Now let us also see how the terrible serpent speaks through human mouths and poisons those led astray by his enticements.

Peter Questions Whether Spirits Inhabit Images

21 For many say, We do not worship the gold or silver, wood or stone that our objects of worship are made of. For we also know that these are nothing but lifeless matter, and the craftsmanship of mortal humans. But we call the spirit that lives in them God. Look at the immorality of those who speak this way! For when what is visible is easily proved to be nothing, they turn to the invisible, since they cannot be disproved about something unseen. But they partly agree with us: one half of their images is not God, but matter without perception. They still have to show why we should believe these images have a divine spirit. But they cannot prove to us that it is so, for it is not so; and we do not believe them when they say that they have seen it. We shall give them proof that they do not have a divine spirit, so that those who love truth may hear the idea that the images are alive refuted and turn away from this harmful delusion. 22 First, if you worship them as living beings, why do you also worship the tombs of notable men of the past, who admittedly had no divine spirit? So you are not telling the truth about this at all. But if your objects of worship were really alive, they would move by themselves; they would have a voice; they would shake off the spiders that are on them; they would drive away those who wish to take them by surprise and steal them; they would easily capture those who pilfer the offerings. But they do none of these things. Instead, they are guarded like criminals, especially the more costly ones, as we have already said. And is it not true that the rulers demand duties and taxes from you on their account, as if you were greatly benefited by them? And have they not often been taken as plunder by enemies, and been broken and scattered? And do not the priests, more than the ordinary worshipers, carry off many of the offerings, thus acknowledging the uselessness of their worship? 23 No, someone will say; the gods use their foresight to expose the thieves. It is false; for how many of them have not been detected? And if someone says that the gods have power because some thieves are captured, it is a mistake. Some tomb robbers are discovered and some escape, but the power of the dead does not expose those who are arrested. We should reach the same conclusion about those who steal and pilfer the gods. But someone will say, The gods that are in them do not care for their images. Why, then, do you tend them, wiping them, and washing them, and scouring them, crowning them, and sacrificing to them? So agree with me that your actions are completely unreasonable. Just as you mourn the dead, you sacrifice and pour drink offerings to your gods. 24 Nor does calling them administrators fit the illustration of Cæsar, and of the powers under him, since you take every care of them, as I said, tending your images in every respect. They do nothing because they have no power. So tell us, what do they administer? What do they do that resembles what rulers do in different places? And what influence do they exert like the stars of God? Do they give any light like the sun, or do you light lamps before them? Are they able to bring showers, as the clouds bring rain,—these things which cannot even move themselves, unless men carry them? Do these things to which you supply sacrifices make the earth fruitful for your labors? Thus they can do nothing. 25 But if they were able to do something, you would not be right in calling them gods: for we should not call the elements gods, even though they supply good things. We should call only Him God, since He orders them to accomplish everything for our use and commands them to serve humanity. When speaking properly, we call Him alone God. You do not recognize His generosity, but allow the elements assigned as your servants to rule over you. And why should I speak of the elements, when you have made lifeless images and worship them, and even lower yourselves to serving them in every way? So, because of your erroneous judgments, you have become subject to demons. But by acknowledging God Himself and doing good deeds, you can become masters again, command demons as slaves, and, as sons of God, become heirs of the eternal kingdom. 26 After saying this, he ordered that those possessed by demons and those suffering from diseases be brought to him; and when they were brought, he laid his hands on them, and prayed, and dismissed them healed, reminding them and the rest of the multitude to attend his teaching there every day. Then, when the others had withdrawn, Peter bathed in the reservoir that was there, with those who wanted to; and then he ordered a table to be set on the ground in the shade under the trees’ thick foliage, and told each of us to recline according to our standing, and we ate in this way. After blessing and giving thanks to God for the meal, according to the customary faith of the Hebrews, he allowed us, since we still had plenty of time, to ask him questions about whatever we pleased; and thus, though there were twenty of us asking him questions from all sides, he satisfied everyone. And when evening had fallen, we all went with him into the largest room of the lodging, and there we all slept.

Peter Urges the Crowd to Reject Idolatry

1 On the fourth day at Tripolis, Peter got up, found us awake, greeted us, and went out to the reservoir, so that he could bathe and pray; and we also did so after him. After we prayed together and sat down before him, he spoke to us about the need for purity. And when daylight came, he allowed the crowds to enter. Then, when a great crowd had entered, he greeted them according to custom, and began to speak. 2 Your prolonged neglect has harmed you by allowing many harmful ideas about religion to sprout in your mind. You have become like land left fallow through a farmer’s carelessness, so you need a long time for purification. Then your mind can receive the true word given to you like good seed, without choking it with evil anxieties or preventing it from producing the deeds that can save you. So those concerned about their own salvation should listen more constantly, so that constant care for purification in the short time remaining may match the sins that have long been multiplying. Since no one knows when life will end, hurry to pull the many thorns out of your hearts. But do not do this little by little: you have lain fallow for a long time and cannot be purified that way. 3 But you will not persist in taking great care over your purification unless you are angry with yourselves and discipline yourselves for the things that have ensnared you as useless servants when you consented to your evil desires. Then you may be able to let righteous indignation enter your mind like fire on a fallow field. If, therefore, you do not have righteous fire, I mean indignation, against evil desires, learn what good things you have been led away from, who has deceived you, and what punishment awaits you; Then your mind may be able to consume the evils of desire, sober and set ablaze with indignation by the teaching of Him who sent us. Believe me: if you are willing, you can put everything right. 4 You are the image of the invisible God. So those who wish to be devout must not say that idols are images of God, and therefore that it is right to worship them. For human beings are God’s image. Anyone who wishes to show devotion to God does good to human beings, because the human body bears God’s image. Not everyone yet bears His likeness, but the pure mind of the good soul does. However, as we know that man was made in the image and likeness of God, we tell you to show devotion toward human beings, so that the favor may be counted as done to God, whose image they are. Therefore you should give honor to the image of God, which is man—in this way: food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, clothing to the naked, care to the sick, shelter to the stranger, and visits to the person in prison to help him as you can. To avoid a long explanation, let everyone provide another person in need with whatever good things they wish for themselves, and then a good reward can be credited to that person for showing devotion toward God’s image. And for the same reason, anyone who refuses to do these things shall be punished for neglecting the image. 5 Can you therefore say that you worship every form out of devotion to God while harming human beings, His real image, in every way: committing murder, adultery, and theft, and dishonoring them in many other respects? You should not do even one evil thing that grieves another person. Yet you now do everything that disheartens people, for wrongdoing also causes distress. So you murder and plunder his goods, and do every other thing you know you would not accept from another. But some evil reptile has led you into malice by suggesting polytheistic teaching. You dishonor the real image, the human being, and think you show devotion toward things without perception.

Peter Answers Questions about God and Human Choice

6 But some say, If He did not wish these things to exist, they would not exist; He would remove them. But I say this will certainly happen when everyone shows their preference for Him, and the present world will change in this way. However, if you wished Him to act in this way, so that none of the things that are worshiped would continue to exist, tell me what existing things you have not worshiped. Do not some of you worship the sun, and some the moon, and some water, and some the earth, and some the mountains, and some plants, and some seeds, and some also man, as in Egypt? Therefore God would have had to allow nothing to exist, not even you, so that neither objects of worship nor worshipers would have existed. Truly this is what the terrible serpent which lurks in you wants, and it does not spare you. But it shall not be so. The object of worship does not sin; it suffers violence at the hands of the person who worships it. For although all people pass unjust judgment, God does not. For it is not just that the victim and the perpetrator receive the same punishment, unless the victim willingly receives the honor which belongs only to the Most Honourable. 7 But someone will say that the true God should remove the worshipers themselves, so that others may not do it. But you are not wiser than God or able to advise Him as someone more prudent than He is. He knows what He is doing. He is patient with all the ungodly, like a merciful father who loves humanity, knowing that ungodly people become devout. And many of those very worshipers of vile things without perception have come to their senses and stopped worshiping these things and sinning, and many Greeks have been saved and come to pray to the true God. 8 But, you say, God should have made us from the beginning so that we would never have thought of such things. Those who say this do not know what free will is or how someone can be truly good. Someone who chooses to be good is truly good, but someone forced by another to be good is not truly good, because he has not chosen to be what he is. Since everyone’s freedom makes goodness real and reveals real evil, God has arranged for each person to develop friendship or hostility through the opportunities that arise. But no, it is said: He makes us think everything we think. Stop! Why do you blaspheme more and more, in saying this? For if we are under His influence in all that we think, you say that He is the cause of sexual immorality, lusts, greed, and all blasphemy. Stop speaking evil, you who should speak well of Him and give Him every honor. And do not say that God does not claim any honor; for even if He claims nothing Himself, you should consider what is right and thank the One who does you good in everything. 9 But, you say, we do better when we are thankful both to Him and to all others. Now, when you say this, you do not know the plot that is formed against you. For when many powerless physicians promise to cure one patient, a physician truly able to cure him does not apply his remedy, thinking that the others would get the credit if he cured him. In the same way, God does not do you good when He is asked along with many who can do nothing. What! someone will say. Is God enraged if someone else gets the credit when He cures? I answer: Even though He is not indignant, He will not help deceive people. For when He does good, the idol, which has done nothing, is credited with the power. I also tell you that perhaps He (God) would have tolerated even this if the person crouching in worship before idols without perception had not suffered harm as a natural consequence. So pay attention, so that you may reach a reasonable understanding of salvation. For God lacks nothing: He neither needs anything nor suffers harm. It is we who benefit or suffer harm. Cæsar is neither harmed when people speak evil of him nor benefited when they thank him. But the person giving thanks gains safety, and the one speaking evil meets ruin. In the same way, those who speak well of God do Him no actual good but save themselves, and those who blaspheme Him do not harm Him but perish themselves. 10 But someone will say that the cases of God and a human being are not parallel. I agree: someone who dishonors the greater receives a greater punishment, and someone who sins against the lesser receives a lesser one. Since God is greatest of all, anyone who dishonors Him shall receive greater punishment for sinning against the greater; not because He defends Himself with His own hand, but because the whole creation is indignant at that person and naturally takes vengeance on him. The sun will not give the blasphemer his light, nor the earth her fruit, nor the spring its water, nor shall the prince appointed in Hades give the soul rest there; since even now, while the established order of the world continues, the whole creation is indignant at him. So neither the clouds provide enough rain nor the earth enough fruit, and many die as a result. Yes, even the air itself, inflamed with anger, becomes a source of disease. Whatever good things we enjoy, He mercifully compels creation to provide for our benefit. Yet the whole creation is hostile to you who dishonor the Maker of all. 11 And although you might escape punishment when your body breaks down, how can decay let you escape your soul, which cannot decay? For the soul even of the wicked is immortal, although it would be better for them if their souls could perish. For it is punished with endless torture under unquenchable fire and never dies, so its misery can never end. But perhaps one of you will say, 'You terrify us, Peter.' Teach us then how we can be silent about these things, and yet tell you things as they are, for we cannot tell you about them in any other way. If we remain silent, ignorance will trap you in evils. But if we speak, you suspect us of frightening you with a false theory. How, then, shall we charm the wicked serpent lurking in your soul, which subtly plants suspicions hostile to God while pretending to love Him? Be reconciled with yourselves; for to be saved you must turn to Him with good deeds. Unreasonable lust in you is hostile to God, for through imagined wisdom it strengthens ignorance. 12 But others say, God does not care for us. This also is false. For if really He did not care, He would neither cause His sun to rise on the good and the evil, nor send His rain on the just and the unjust. But others say, We are more devout than you, since we worship both him and images. If someone said to a king, 'I give you the same honor I give to corpses and worthless dung,'—I do not think the speaker would benefit. But someone will say, Do you call our objects of worship dung? I say Yes, for you have made them useless to yourselves by setting them aside for worship, although their material might perhaps have been useful for another purpose, or as manure. But now it is not useful even for this purpose, since you have changed its shape and worship it. How can you say you are more devout when you are the most wicked of all? If you persist in this one incomparable sin, you deserve to have your souls destroyed by Him who is true. For if any son who has received many benefits from his father gives someone else, who is not his father, the honor due to his father, he is certainly disinherited. But if he lives according to his father’s judgment and so thanks him for his kindnesses, he is rightly made the heir.

Peter Questions Loyalty to Ancestral Customs

13 But others say, We shall act irreverently if we abandon the objects of worship handed down to us by our fathers; for it is like safeguarding something entrusted to us. But by this principle, the son of a robber or a sexually immoral person should not live soberly or choose a better life, for fear of acting irreverently and sinning by acting differently from his parents! How foolish those people are who say, We worship these things so that we may not be troublesome to Him; as if those who bless God troubled Him, while those who ungratefully blaspheme Him did not. Why is it, then, that when there is a lack of rain, you look only to heaven and pour out prayers and pleas; and when you obtain it, you quickly forget? For when you have reaped your harvest or gathered your grapes, you distribute your first-fruits among those idols which are nothing, quickly forgetting God your benefactor; and thus you go into groves and temples, and offer sacrifices and feasts. So some of you say, These things have been excellently devised for the sake of good cheer and feasting. 14 Oh, people without understanding! Judge what is said rightly. If we needed to devote ourselves to some pleasure to refresh the body, would it be better to do so among the rivers and woods and groves, where there are entertainments and festivities and shady places, or where there is the madness of demons, and cutting of hands, and castrations, and fury and mania, and disheveling of hair, and shouting and frenzied excitement and howling, and all the things done with pretense to bewilder the unthinking, when you offer your prescribed prayers and thanksgivings even to those who are deader than the dead? 15 And why do you take pleasure in these doings? Since the serpent which lurks in you, which has sown in you fruitless lust, will not tell you, I shall speak and put it on record. This is how things stand. In the worship of God, the command is to be sober, to be chaste, to restrain passion, not to pilfer other men's goods, to live uprightly, moderately, fearlessly, gently; to restrain oneself even in need rather than supply one’s needs by wrongfully taking away the property of another. But with the so-called gods the reverse is done. And you renounce certain deeds you have done so that people will admire your righteousness. Yet even if you did everything you are commanded, ignorance of God alone is enough to condemn you. But you gather in the places you have dedicated to them and delight in getting drunk, and you light your altars. The spreading odor attracts the blind and deaf spirits to the place where the fumes rise. And thus, of those who are present, some are filled with inspirations, and some with strange fiends, and some turn to sexual immorality, and some to theft and murder. For the vapors of blood and the poured wine satisfy even these unclean spirits, which lurk within you and cause you to take pleasure in the things done there, and in dreams surround you with false visions, and punish you with countless diseases. Under the appearance of the so-called sacred sacrificial victims, terrible demons fill you. They cunningly conceal themselves and destroy you so that you will not understand the plot against you. For, under the guise of some injury, or love, or anger, or grief, or strangling you with a rope, or drowning you, or throwing you from a cliff, or by suicide, or a stroke, or some other disease, they deprive you of life. 16 But none of us can suffer such a thing. Instead, we punish them: when they enter anyone, they beg us to let them leave slowly. But perhaps someone will say, Even some worshipers of God suffer these things. I say that is impossible. For the worshiper of God I mean is someone who is truly devout, not one who is such only in name, but who really performs the deeds of the law that has been given him. Anyone who acts irreverently is not devout; just as someone from another tribe who keeps the law is a Jew, while someone who does not keep it is a Greek. For the Jew believes God and keeps the law, and through this faith he also removes other sufferings, even if they are heavy as mountains. But someone who does not keep the law is clearly a deserter because he does not believe God. So he is no Jew but a sinner, and his sin subjects him to the sufferings appointed to punish sinners. For, according to God’s will prescribed at the beginning, punishment rightly comes upon His worshipers because of their transgressions. He settles their account by punishing sin as a debt, so that He may present those who have turned to Him as pure at the universal judgment. Just as the wicked enjoy luxury here at the cost of eternal blessings, Jews who transgress receive punishments to settle their accounts. By paying for their transgression here, they may be freed from eternal punishments there. 17 But you cannot speak this way, for you do not believe things will be as we say when everyone receives repayment. And because you do not know what is beneficial, temporary pleasures lead you away from taking hold of eternal things. So we try to show you what is beneficial, so that you may be convinced of the promises belonging to devotion to God and, through good deeds, inherit the world without grief along with us. Until you know us, then, do not be angry with us, as if we spoke falsely of the good things which we desire for you. For we have not hesitated to bring you the things we regard as true and good, but have hurried to make you fellow heirs of things we consider good. For this is how we must speak to unbelievers. But you can know that we truly speak the truth only by first listening with love of the truth. 18 So, to return to the matter at hand, the serpent lurking within you tries to trap you in ten thousand ways with evil arguments and obstacles. Resist him all the more and listen to us attentively. For, having been seriously deceived, you should seek advice to learn how he must be charmed. There is no other way. By charming I mean using reason to oppose their evil advice and remembering that he first brought death into the world by promising knowledge.

Peter on Divided Families and True Worship

19 The Prophet of the truth knew that the world was deeply in error and saw it aligned with evil, so he did not wish it to have peace while it remained in error. So until the end he opposes all who agree with wickedness, setting truth against error. He sends what is like fire upon the sober: anger against the deceiver, which is compared to a sword. By presenting the word, he destroys ignorance through knowledge, cutting, so to speak, and separating the living from the dead. Therefore, while wickedness is being conquered by lawful knowledge, war has taken hold of all. For the submissive son is, for the sake of salvation, separated from the unbelieving father, or the father from the son, or the mother from the daughter, or the daughter from the mother, and relatives from relatives, and friends from associates. 20 And do not let anyone say, How is this just, that parents should be separated from their children, and children from their parents? It is entirely just. If they stayed with them, did them no good, and were destroyed along with them, how would that be just? Surely someone who wishes to be saved should be separated from someone who refuses and wants to destroy him along with himself. Those with better judgment do not wish to separate. They want to stay and help by explaining better things. But the unbelievers do not want to listen, so they make war against them, banishing, persecuting, and hating them. But those who suffer these things pity the people trapped by ignorance. Following the teaching of wisdom, they pray for those who plot evil against them, having learned that ignorance causes their sin. For the Teacher Himself, being nailed to the cross, prayed to the Father that the sin of those who killed Him might be forgiven, saying, 'Father, forgive them their sins, for they do not know what they are doing.' So they too imitate the Teacher in their sufferings and pray for those who cause them, as they have been taught. So they do not separate because they hate their parents, since they make constant prayers even for those who are neither parents nor relatives, but enemies, and strive to love them, as they have been commanded. 21 But tell me, how do you love your parents? If you love them with constant regard for what is right, I congratulate you. But if you love them without thought, I do not, for then a small matter may make you their enemies. But if you love them intelligently, tell me, what are parents? You will say they are the sources of our being. Why, then, do you not love the source of the being of all things, if indeed you have with proper understanding chosen to do this? But you will now say again, we have not seen Him. Why, then, do you not seek Him, but worship things without perception? Even if knowing what God is were difficult for you, you cannot fail to know what is not God. You can reason that God is not wood, stone, brass, or anything else made of matter that decays. 22 For are they not carved with iron? And has not the engraving iron been softened by fire? And is not the fire itself extinguished with water? And does the water not receive its motion from the spirit? And does the spirit not begin its course from the God who made everything? For the prophet Moses said this: 'In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth. And the earth was unsightly, and unadorned; and darkness was over the deep: and the Spirit of God was borne above the waters.' This Spirit makes everything at God’s command, acting like His hand. It divides light from darkness and, after the invisible heaven, spreads out the visible one, so that the places above might be inhabited by the angels of light, and those below by human beings and all the creatures made for their use. 23 For your sake, human being, God commanded the water to withdraw across the face of the earth so that the earth could produce fruit for you. And He made watercourses, so that He might provide you with springs, and riverbeds might be uncovered, and animals might teem; in a word, so that He might provide you with everything. For is it not for you that the winds blow, and the rains fall, and the seasons change for the production of fruits? Moreover, it is for you that the sun and moon, with the other heavenly bodies, rise and set; and rivers and pools, with all fountains, serve you. So, senseless one, just as greater honor has been given to you, greater punishment by fire has been prepared for you in your ingratitude, because you refused to know Him whom you should have known above all.

Peter Explains Baptism and Purification

24 Now learn the cause of everything from lesser things. Reason that water makes all things, and water receives its movement from spirit, and the spirit has its beginning from the God of all. You should have reasoned this way to reach God through reason. Then, knowing your origin and being born again through the first-born water, you may become heir to the parents who have given you birth into immortality. 25 So come willingly, like a son to his father, so that God may attribute your sins to ignorance. But if, after being called, you refuse or delay, you shall be destroyed by the just judgment of God, because you are not accepted, since you are unwilling. And even if you were more devout than all the devout people who ever lived, do not think you shall ever have hope if you remain unbaptized. You shall receive all the greater punishment for this reason, because you have performed excellent deeds in a way that is not excellent. For doing good is excellent when it is done as God has commanded. But if you will not be baptized according to His pleasure, you serve your own will and oppose His counsel. 26 But perhaps someone will say, How does being baptized with water contribute to devotion to God? First, you do what pleases God. Second, by being born again to God through water and fear, you change your first birth, which comes from lust, and so can obtain salvation. But otherwise it is impossible. For the prophet has sworn to us, saying, Truly I say to you, Unless you are born again by living water into the name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. So approach. For something is there, merciful from the beginning and carried on the water, that rescues those baptized with the three times blessed invocation from future punishment. It offers God as gifts the good deeds they do after baptism. So flee to the waters, for this alone can quench the violence of fires. Anyone who refuses to come to it now still has a spirit of conflict, which keeps him from approaching the living water for his own salvation. 27 Therefore approach, whether you are righteous or unrighteous. For if you are righteous, baptism alone is lacking for salvation. But if you are unrighteous, come to be baptized for the forgiveness of the sins formerly committed in ignorance. And the unrighteous man must still perform good deeds after baptism in proportion to his previous ungodliness. So, whether you are righteous or unrighteous, hurry to be born to God, because delay brings danger, since the appointed time of death has not been revealed; and through good deeds show your likeness to the Father, who gives you birth through water. As a lover of truth, honor the true God as your Father. You honor Him by living as He, being righteous, wants you to live. And the will of the righteous One is that you do no wrong. But wrong is murder, hatred, envy, and similar things; and of these there are many forms. 28 We must add something to these duties that belongs specifically to the worship of God rather than to duties toward other people. I mean purification, a man not having sexual relations with his own wife during her menstrual separation, for this is what the law of God commands. And if purity is not added to the service of God, you would roll pleasantly like the dung flies. As human beings, you have something irrational animals lack: reason. So purify your hearts from evil through heavenly reasoning, and wash your bodies in the bath. Purification according to the truth does not put bodily purity before purification of the heart; purity follows goodness. For our Teacher also dealt with certain Pharisees and Scribes among us, who are set apart and, as Scribes, know the matters of the law better than others. Yet He rebuked them as hypocrites, because they cleansed only the things that appear to men, but omitted purity of heart and the things seen by God alone. 29 Therefore He used this memorable expression, speaking the truth about the hypocrites among them, not about all of them. For to some He said that obedience should be given, because they were entrusted with the chair of Moses. However, to the hypocrites he said, 'Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you clean the outside of the cup and the platter, but the inside is full of filth. You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and the platter, so that their outsides may be clean also.' And this is true: when knowledge enlightens the mind, the disciple can be good, and purity follows; for inner understanding produces good care of the outer body. Just as neglect of the body cannot produce care of the understanding, so the pure man can purify both what is outside and what is inside. And anyone who purifies the outside while looking for human praise, and is motivated by the praise of onlookers, receives nothing from God. 30 Who cannot clearly see that it is better to have intercourse with a woman when she is purified and washed rather than during her menstrual separation? And also after sexual intercourse it is proper to wash. But if you resent doing this, remember how you pursued partial purity when you served idols without perception; and be ashamed that you are lazier now, when you must attain complete and undivided purity, not merely, as I might say, more purity. Consider, therefore, Him who made you, and you will understand who He is that makes you so sluggish about purity.

Peter on Conduct after Conversion

31 But one of you will say, Must we then do whatever things we did while we were idolaters? I say to you, Not all things; but whatever you did well, you must do now, and more: for whatever is done well in error depends on truth, just as anything done badly in the truth comes from error. So accept from everywhere what belongs to you, rather than what belongs to someone else, and do not say, If those who are in error do anything well we are not bound to do it. For, on this principle, if anyone who worships idols does not commit murder, we ought to commit murder, because he who is in error does not commit it. 32 No; but rather, if those who are in error do not kill, let us not be angry; if he who is in error does not commit adultery, let us not lust even in the smallest degree; if he who is in error loves him who loves him, let us love even those who hate us; if he who is in error lends to those who have, let us give to those who have nothing. We certainly ought—we who hope to inherit eternal life—to do better than the good deeds of those who know only the present life. We know that if their deeds are judged alongside ours on the day of judgment and found equally good, we shall suffer shame, and they shall suffer destruction, having acted against themselves through error. I say we shall be put to shame because we have not done more than they have, even though we have known more. And if we shall be put to shame for showing good deeds equal to theirs and no more, how much more shame shall we suffer if our good deeds fall short of theirs? 33 The One who does not lie has Himself taught us that on the day of judgment the deeds of those who have known the truth are compared with the good deeds of those who have been in error, saying to those who neglected to come and listen to Him, 'The queen of the south shall rise up with this generation, and shall condemn it; because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon: and look, someone greater than Solomon is here,' and you do not believe Him. And to those among the people who would not repent at His preaching He said, 'The men of Nineveh shall rise up with this generation and shall condemn it, for they heard and repented on the preaching of Jonas: and look, someone greater is here, and no one believes.' In this way he set Gentiles who had done well against all their irreverence, to condemn those who possessed the true religion but had acted less well than those in error. He urged those with reason not only to match the Gentiles in every excellent deed but to do more. The need to respect menstrual separation, to wash after sexual intercourse, and not to reject such purity because those in error do the same has prompted this speech. Those who do well in error without being saved serve to condemn those who worship God and do evil, because their respect for purity comes through error rather than worship of the true Father and God of all.

Clement Is Baptized at Tripolis

34 Having said this, he dismissed the multitudes; and according to his custom, after eating with those dearest to him, he went to rest. And by doing and teaching this day by day, he strongly upheld the law of God, challenging the supposed gods along with the supposed Genesis, or astrological destiny, and arguing that nothing happens by itself, but that the world is governed according to providence. 35 Then after three months had passed, he ordered me to fast for several days, and then brought me to the fountains that are near to the sea, and baptized me in water that flowed continually. Our brothers rejoiced at my rebirth, a gift from God. A few days later, he turned to the elders in front of the whole church and instructed them, saying: Our Lord and Prophet, who sent us, told us that the wicked one disputed with Him for forty days and achieved nothing against Him. Then he promised to send apostles from among his subjects to deceive people. So, above all, remember to avoid any apostle, teacher, or prophet who does not first accurately compare his preaching with that of James, who was called the brother of my Lord, and who was entrusted with administering the church of the Hebrews in Jerusalem,—and do this even if he comes to you with witnesses. This is so that the evil one who disputed with the Lord for forty days and achieved nothing does not later, like lightning falling from heaven upon the earth, send a preacher to harm you, just as he has now sent Simon against us, preaching in the Lord’s name under a pretense of truth and sowing error. So He who has sent us, said, 'Many shall come to me in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You shall know them by their fruits.' 36 After speaking this way, he sent the advance messengers into Antioch of Syria, telling them to expect him there immediately. Then, after they left, Peter drove away diseases, sufferings, and demons from large crowds who were persuaded, and baptized them in the springs near the sea, and celebrated the Eucharist, and appointed as their bishop Maroones, who had received him into his house and was now perfected, and set apart twelve elders, and designated deacons, and arranged matters relating to widows, and spoke about the common good and what was beneficial for the church’s organization, and advised them to obey the bishop Maroones. With three months now completed, he said farewell to those in Tripolis of Phœnicia and set out for Antioch of Syria, all the people accompanying us with due honor.

Peter and Clement Leave Tripolis

1 We left Tripolis of Phœnicia for Antioch of Syria and reached Orthasia that same day, where we stayed. And because it was near the city we had left and almost everyone had heard the preaching before, we stopped there only one day, and set out to Antaradus. And since many people were traveling with us, Peter addressed Nicetus and Aquila and said, The large crowd traveling with us brings considerable envy upon us as we enter city after city. So I think we must arrange things to avoid grieving them by preventing them from accompanying us, while also avoiding the envy of the wicked by being so conspicuous. So I wish you, Nicetus and Aquila, to go ahead of me in two separate groups, and enter secretly into the Gentile cities. 2 I know you are distressed at being told to do this, since it will put two days’ travel between us. I want you to know, therefore, that we who persuaded you love you who have been persuaded much more than you love us who persuaded you. So, since we love one another, let us do everything we can for our safety by avoiding unreasonable actions, even when we wish to do them. As you know, I prefer to visit the more notable cities of the provinces and stay for several days to teach. For now, lead the way to neighboring Laodicea, and, after two or three days, as far as it is up to me, I shall overtake you. And let only you two receive me at the gates because of the confusion, so that we may enter with you without an uproar. And after we stay there for several days, others will take your place and go ahead in turn to the places beyond to prepare lodgings for us. 3 When Peter had spoken this way, they were obliged to agree, saying, Doing this does not entirely grieve us, my lord, because it is your command. First, God’s providence has chosen you as someone worthy to think and advise well in everything. And besides, going ahead of you will generally separate us for only two days. And two days without seeing you would indeed be a long time, Peter, if we did not consider the greater grief of those sent much farther ahead. They must wait longer for you in every city, distressed at spending longer without seeing the face they long for. And although we are no less distressed than they are, we do not object, because you order us to do it for our benefit. After saying this, they went ahead with instructions to tell the accompanying crowd at the first stop to enter the cities separately. 4 After they left, I, Clement, was very glad that he had told me to stay with him. Then I answered and said, I thank God that you have not sent me away as you have done the others, for I would have died of grief. But he said, But if you ever need to be sent away to teach, would you die because you were separated from me for a little while, even for a beneficial purpose? Should you not remind yourself of your duty to bear whatever arrangements necessity imposes and cheerfully accept them? And do you not know that friends remain present to one another in memory even when physically separated? Yet some are physically present while their souls wander from their friends because they fail to remember. 5 Then I answered, Do not think, my lord, that my grief would be foolish; I would have a good reason for it. For I regard you, my lord, as taking the place of everyone: father, mother, brothers, and relatives. Through God, you are the means by which I have the saving truth. Regarding you as taking the place of everyone gives me the greatest comfort. I was also afraid of my natural youthful lust and concerned that, if you left me (I am only a young man, and I am now so firmly resolved that I could not desert you without incurring God’s anger) I should be overcome by lust. But staying with you is much better and safer for me, since my mind is rightly set on reverence. So I ask to stay with you always. Moreover, I remember you saying in Cæsarea, 'If anyone wishes to journey with me, let him travel with devotion to God.' By devotion to God you meant that those devoted to worshiping God should cause no one grief in matters concerning God, such as by leaving parents, a devoted wife, or anyone else. So I am in all respects a fitting fellow traveler for you, and you would do me the greatest favor by letting me perform a servant’s duties. 6 When Peter heard this, he smiled and said, What do you think, then, Clement? Do you not think sheer necessity puts you in the position of my servant? For who else shall take care of those many splendid tunics, with all my changes of rings and sandals? And who shall prepare those delicious, elaborate delicacies, whose variety needs many skillful cooks, and all the things people eagerly obtain and prepare for the appetite of effeminate men as if for some great wild beast? However, perhaps you have made this choice without understanding or knowing my way of life: I eat only bread and olives, and rarely greens; and the coat and cloak I wear are my only ones; and I have no need of any of them, nor of anything else: for even with these I have more than enough. My mind sees all the eternal good things there and pays no attention to the things here. But I accept your goodwill and admire and commend you. Although you are a man of refined habits, you have so easily adapted your way of life to your needs. For both I and Andrew, my brother, who is also my brother in God, were brought up as orphans from childhood and became accustomed to labor through poverty and misfortune. So we easily bear the discomforts of our present journeys. So, if you listen to me, you will allow me, a working man, to serve you. 7 When I heard this, I began trembling and weeping because the man who said it surpasses everyone in this generation in knowledge and devotion to God. Seeing me weep, he asked why I was crying. Then I said, How have I sinned, that you have said such a thing to me? Then Peter answered, If it were wrong of me to speak of being your servant, you were the first at fault in asking to be mine. Then I said, The cases are not parallel; for serving you is entirely fitting for me, but it is terrible for you, God’s herald who saves our souls, to serve me. Then Peter answered, I would agree with you, except that our Lord came to save the whole world and, although He alone was noble above all, accepted the position of a servant, so that He might persuade us not to be ashamed to perform servants’ duties for our brothers, however well-born we may be. Then I said, I am foolish if I think I can defeat you in argument. But I thank God’s providence for considering me worthy to have you in place of parents.

Clement Tells Peter about His Missing Family

8 Then Peter inquired, Are you really, then, alone in your family? Then I answered, There are indeed many great men in it, relatives of Cæsar. So Cæsar himself gave a wife of his own family to my father, who was his foster-brother; and she bore us three sons, two before me, who were twins and very much alike, as my father told me. But I scarcely know them or our mother and carry only a dim image of them, as if from dreams. My mother's name was Mattidia, and my father's, Faustus; and my brothers were called Faustinus and Faustinianus. Then after I, their third son, was born, my mother saw a vision—so my father told me— which told her that unless she immediately took her twin sons away and left the city of Rome for twelve years of exile, a fatal destiny would destroy her and them. 9 My father loved his children, so he provided for their journey with male and female servants and put them aboard a ship. He sent them with her to Athens to be educated and kept only me, of all his sons, with him for comfort. I am very thankful that the vision had not ordered me to leave the city of Rome with my mother too. After a year, my father sent people to Athens with money for them and to learn how they were doing. But those who went on this errand did not return. And in the third year, my distressed father sent others with supplies in the same way, and they returned in the fourth year with the news that they had seen neither my mother nor my brothers, nor had they ever arrived at Athens, nor had they found any trace of any of those who set out with them. 10 When my father heard this, overwhelming grief stunned him, and he did not know where to search for them. He used to take me down to the harbor and ask many people whether they had seen or heard of a shipwreck four years earlier. And one pointed to one place, and another to another. Then he inquired whether they had seen the body of a woman with two children cast ashore. And when they told him they had seen many corpses in many places, my father groaned at the information. But, with his heart aching, he asked unreasonable questions, so that he might try to search such a vast expanse of sea. But he could be forgiven, because love for those he was seeking kept him living on empty hopes. And at last, when I was twelve years old, he left me in Rome under guardians, went down to the harbor in tears, and boarded a ship to search for them. And from that day until now I have neither received a letter from him, nor do I know whether he is alive or dead. But I suspect he has died somewhere, either overcome by grief or lost in a shipwreck. And the proof of that is that it is now twenty years since I heard any reliable news about him. 11 When Peter heard this, he wept in sympathy and immediately said to the gentlemen present: If a worshiper of God had suffered what this man's father suffered, he would immediately have blamed it on his worship of God, attributing it to the wicked one. So the miserable Gentiles suffer too, and we worshipers of God do not know it. But with good reason I call them wretched, because here they are ensnared, and they do not obtain the hope that is yours. For those who suffer afflictions while worshiping God suffer them to atone for their transgressions.

Peter Meets a Woman on Aradus

12 When Peter had spoken this way, one of us ventured to invite him on behalf of everyone to sail early the next morning to Aradus, an island opposite us, not quite thirty stadia away, I think, to see two very thick pillars of vine-wood there. Peter kindly agreed, saying, When you leave the boat, do not go in a large group to see the things that you desire to see; for I do not want you to attract the inhabitants’ attention. And so we sailed, and in a short time arrived at the island. After getting off the boat, we went to the vine-wood pillars and also looked at several works of Phidias. 13 Peter alone did not think the sights worth seeing. He noticed a woman sitting outside the doors, constantly begging to support herself, and said to her, Woman, is something wrong with your limbs that makes you submit to such disgrace—I mean that of begging,—instead of working with the hands God has given you to obtain your daily food? But she, groaning, answered, If only I had hands able to work! Now they only have the shape of hands; gnawing on them has left them dead and useless. Then Peter asked her, What has made you suffer so terribly? And she answered, Weakness of soul; and nothing else. For if I had a man’s resolve, there was a cliff or a pool where I could have thrown myself and found rest from my tormenting misfortunes. 14 Then Peter said, What do you mean? Do you suppose, woman, that those who destroy themselves are freed from punishment? Are the souls of those who die this way not punished more severely in Hades for their suicide? But she said, If only I were convinced that souls really live in Hades! Then I would welcome death and make light of the punishment, just to see the sons I long for, even for one hour! Then Peter said, What grieves you, woman? I would like to know. Tell me, and in return for this favor I shall convince you that souls live in Hades. Instead of a cliff or a pool, I shall give you a drug so that you can live and die without torment.

The Woman Describes Her Flight and Shipwreck

15 The woman did not understand his ambiguous words, but the promise pleased her, and she began to speak:—If I spoke about my family and country, I do not think I could convince anyone. But what does it matter to you to learn this, apart from the reason why in my anguish I have deadened my hands by gnawing them? Yet I shall give you an account of myself, as far as you are able to listen. I was born into a very noble family. A certain man in authority arranged for me to marry a relative of his. And first I had twin sons, and afterwards another son. But my husband's brother was completely mad and fell in love with me, miserable as I am and deeply devoted to chastity. I wanted neither to consent to my admirer nor to reveal his love for me to my husband. I reasoned that it was best to leave the city for a time with my twin children, until the impure love of the man flattering me to my disgrace had ended. This would keep me from defiling myself through adultery or disgracing my husband's bed, setting brother against brother, or exposing the whole family, which is a great one, to everyone’s reproach, as I said. But I left my other son with his father to comfort him. 16 To arrange this, I decided to invent a dream in which someone stood beside me at night and said: 'Woman, at once leave the city with your twin children for some time, until I tell you to return here; otherwise you shall immediately die miserably, with your husband and all your children.' And so I did. As soon as I told my husband the false dream, he became alarmed and sent me by ship to Athens with my two sons, slaves, maids, and plenty of money to educate the boys until, he said, the giver of the oracle was pleased for me to return to him. But, miserable as I am, fierce winds drove me to these parts while I was sailing with my children, and the ship broke apart in the night, leaving me shipwrecked. And all the others died, and I alone, in my misfortune, was tossed by a great wave and cast upon a rock; and while I sat on it in misery, the hope of finding my children alive kept me from throwing myself into the sea. With my mind dazed by the waves, I could easily have done it then. 17 When day dawned, I shouted and howled in misery and looked around for the dead bodies of my unfortunate children. The inhabitants took pity on me and, seeing me naked, first clothed me and then searched the depths for my children. And when they found nothing they were seeking, some of the hospitable women came to me to comfort me, and everyone told her own misfortunes, hoping that hearing about similar misfortunes would comfort me. But this only grieved me more, for I said that I was not so wicked that I could take comfort from the misfortunes of others. And so, when many of them asked me to accept their hospitality, a certain poor woman urgently persuaded me to come into her cottage, saying to me, 'Take courage, woman, for my husband, who was a sailor, also died at sea, while he was still in the prime of his youth; and ever since, though many have asked to marry me, I have preferred living as a widow, mourning the loss of my husband. But we shall have in common whatever we can both earn with our hands.' 18 To avoid dwelling on unnecessary details, I went to live with her because of her love for her husband. And soon afterward, gnawing on my hands weakened them, and the woman who took me in became completely overcome by an illness and confined to the house. Since then, the women’s earlier compassion has faded, and both the woman of the house and I are helpless. For a long time I have sat here, as you see, begging; and I bring whatever I receive to my fellow sufferer to support us. Let this be enough about my affairs. Now what prevents you from fulfilling your promise to give me the drug? I could give it to her too, since she wants to die, and I too could escape from life, as you said.

Peter Recognizes Clement's Mother

19 While the woman spoke this way, Peter seemed uncertain as he considered many thoughts. But I came up and said, I have been looking everywhere for you for a long time. And now, what is happening? But Peter ordered me to lead the way, and wait for him at the boat; and because there was no arguing when he commanded, I did as I was ordered. But Peter felt a slight suspicion in his heart, as he later told me when explaining everything. He asked the woman, Tell me about your family, woman, and your city and your children’s names, and I shall give you the drug immediately. She felt pressured and did not want to speak, but she was eager to obtain the drug, so she cunningly substituted false details. And so she said that she was an Ephesian and her husband a Sicilian; and similarly she changed the names of the three children. Then Peter, supposing that she spoke the truth, said, Alas, woman! I thought today would bring you great joy. I suspected you were someone I was thinking of, whose circumstances I have heard about and know accurately. But she begged him earnestly, saying, Tell me, I beg you, so that I may know whether any woman is more miserable than I am. 20 Peter did not know she had lied and, pitying her, began to tell her the truth: A young Roman citizen attends me and is eager for teaching about religion. He told me that he had a father and two brothers who were twins and had lost sight of them all. For, he says, my father told me that my mother saw a vision and left the city Rome for a time with her twin children for fear of dying through an evil fate. She went away with them and cannot be found. Her husband, the young man's father, went to search for her and cannot be found either. 21 While Peter spoke this way, the woman, who had listened attentively, fainted as if in a stupor. But Peter approached her, and caught hold of her, and urged her to restrain herself, persuading her to confess what was the matter with her. The rest of her body was powerless, as if she were drunk, but she turned her head, able to bear the greatness of the joy she hoped for, and rubbed her face. Where, she said, is this young man? Now understanding the whole affair, he said, Tell me first; for otherwise you cannot see him. Then she earnestly said, I am that youth's mother. Then Peter said, What is his name? And she said, Clement. Then Peter said, It is the same young man. He spoke to me a little while ago, and I told him to wait for me in the boat. And she, falling at Peter's feet, begged him to hurry to come to the boat. Then Peter said, If you will agree to my terms, I shall do so. Then she said, I will do anything; only show me my only child. For I shall seem to see in him my two children who died here. Then Peter said, When you see him, be quiet, until we depart from the island. And she said, I will. 22 Peter, therefore, took her by the hand, and led her to the boat. When I saw him leading the woman by the hand, I laughed and went over to offer to lead her in his place, out of respect for him. But as soon as I touched her hand, she gave a motherly shout, and embraced me violently, and eagerly kissed me as her son. I knew nothing about the situation and shook her off as a madwoman. But my respect for Peter made me stop. 23 But Peter said, Alas! What are you doing, my son Clement, shaking off your real mother? When I heard this, I wept and fell beside my mother, who had fallen, and kissed her. As soon as he told me, I somehow dimly remembered her appearance. Then great crowds ran together to see the beggar woman, telling one another that her son had recognized her, and that he was a man of importance. Then, when we were about to leave the island immediately with my mother, she said to us, My son, how I have longed for you! I should say farewell to the woman who hosted me. She is poor and completely weakened and lies in the house. Peter and the whole crowd standing by heard this and admired the woman’s good character. And immediately Peter ordered some persons to go and bring the woman on her couch. And as soon as the couch was brought and set down, Peter said, in the hearing of the whole multitude, If I am a herald of the truth, let her get up healed at once, to strengthen the bystanders’ faith so that they may know there is one God who made the world. And while Peter was still speaking, the woman arose healed, and fell down before Peter, and kissed her dear associate, and asked her what it all meant. Then she briefly told her all about how they had recognized each other, to the astonishment of the hearers. When my mother saw her hostess cured, she begged to be healed too. And by placing his hand on her, he cured her too. 24 And then, after speaking about God and the service given to Him, Peter concluded as follows: If anyone wishes to learn these things accurately, let him come to Antioch, where I have decided to stay for some time, and learn the things that concern his salvation. If you are used to leaving your country and traveling to distant places for trade or war, you should not be unwilling to travel for three days for eternal salvation. After Peter’s address, I gave the healed woman a thousand drachmas for her support in front of the whole crowd. I entrusted her to a certain good man, the city’s leading man, who willingly and joyfully accepted the responsibility. I also distributed money among many other women and thanked everyone who had ever comforted my mother. Then I sailed to Antaradus with my mother, Peter, and our other companions, and we went to our lodging.

Peter and Clement Discuss Kindness and Suffering

25 After we arrived, ate, and gave thanks according to our custom, there was still time, so I said to Peter: My lord Peter, my mother has shown love for humanity by remembering the woman who hosted her. And Peter answered, Clement, do you really think that your mother showed love for humanity in her treatment of the woman who took her in after her shipwreck, or are you saying this to give your mother great praise? If you meant it sincerely, rather than as a compliment, you do not seem to understand the greatness of love for humanity. It is affection toward anyone at all simply for being human, without any physical inducement. I would not even venture to call the hostess who received your mother after her shipwreck someone who loves humanity. Pity moved her to help a shipwrecked woman grieving for her children,—a stranger, naked, destitute, and greatly mourning her misfortunes. Who could have seen her in those circumstances and failed to pity her, even if he was ungodly? So even the woman who took in a stranger does not seem to me to have acted out of love for humanity. Pity for your mother’s countless misfortunes moved her to help. This is even truer of your mother: when her circumstances improved and she repaid her hostess, she acted out of friendship rather than love for humanity! For there is much difference between friendship and love for humanity, because friendship springs from repayment. But love for humanity, apart from physical inducement, loves and benefits every person simply for being human. If she pitied her hostess and also pitied and helped the enemies who wronged her, she would be someone who loves humanity. But if one circumstance makes her friendly or hostile, and another makes her hostile or friendly, her friendship or enmity is directed at some quality rather than at a human being simply as a human being. 26 Then I answered, Do you not think even the hostess loved humanity, since she helped a stranger she did not know? Then Peter said, I can certainly call her compassionate, but I dare not call her someone who loves humanity. In the same way, I cannot call a mother philoteknic, loving children, for her labor pains and her raising her children move her to love them. Just as the lover is gratified by the company and enjoyment of his mistress, and the friend by returned friendship, so the compassionate person is gratified by misfortune. The compassionate person is close to someone who loves humanity, because he is moved to do a kindness without seeking anything in return. But he does not yet love humanity. Then I said, What deeds, then, make someone a person who loves humanity? And Peter answered, I see you are eager to hear what love for humanity does, so I am willing to tell you. The person who loves humanity is the one who does good even to his enemies. Listen to why this is so: Love for humanity is both male and female; and the feminine part of it is called compassion, and the male part is named love for our neighbor. But every person is a neighbor to every other person, not merely this or that person, for the good and the bad, the friend and the enemy, are all human beings. So anyone who practices love for humanity should imitate God, doing good to the righteous and the unrighteous, as God Himself grants His sun and His heavens to all in the present world. But if you are willing to do good to the good but not to the evil, or even punish them, you take on a judge’s work instead of striving to remain faithful to love for humanity. 27 Then I said, Then even God does not love humanity, since you teach that He will judge at some time. Then Peter said, You are contradicting yourself: He loves humanity for the very reason that He shall judge. Someone who loves and has compassion for victims takes vengeance on those who wronged them. Then I said, If, then, I also do good to the good, and punish the wrongdoers for harming people, am I not someone who loves humanity? And Peter answered, If you had both knowledge and authority to judge, you would be right to do this. You would have received authority to judge those God made, and your knowledge would unerringly declare some righteous and condemn others as unrighteous. Then I said, You have spoken rightly and truly; for it is impossible for anyone without knowledge to judge rightly. Sometimes people seem good while committing wickedness in secret, and some good people are thought bad because of their enemies’ accusations. Even a judge with the power to torture and question people would not judge entirely righteously. Some murderers have endured torture and been cleared as innocent, while some innocent people have been unable to endure it, falsely confessed, and been punished as guilty.

Peter on Wrongdoing and Human Choice

28 Then Peter said, These are ordinary matters. Now listen to something greater. There are some men whose sins or good deeds are partly their own, and partly those of others; but it is right that each one be punished for his own sins, and rewarded for his own merits. But it is impossible for anyone except a prophet, who alone has omniscience, to know which of anyone’s deeds are his own and which are not; for he appears to have done them all. Then I said, I would like to learn how some of men's wrong or right actions are their own, and some belong to others. 29 Then Peter answered, The prophet of the truth has said, 'Good things must come, and blessed,' he said, 'is the one through whom they come; similarly evil things must come, but woe to the one through whom they come.' But if evil things come by means of evil men, and good things are brought by good men, each person must have it in his own power to be either good or bad, acting on his intentions to bring about the subsequent good or evil. Since these acts are his own choice, God’s providence does not arrange for them to come from him. So God’s judgment is this: anyone who comes through every misfortune as through a battle and is found blameless is considered worthy of eternal life; for those who willingly continue in goodness are tested by those who willingly continue in evil, being persecuted, hated, slandered, plotted against, struck, cheated, accused, tortured, disgraced,—suffering all the things that might understandably enrage them and stir them to revenge. 30 But the Master knows that those who do these wrongs are guilty because of their earlier sins, and that the spirit of wickedness works through the guilty. He has advised us to have compassion for them, since they are human and sin makes them instruments of wickedness; and He has given this advice to His disciples, since they claim to love humanity. He has also advised us to do as much as we can to free wrongdoers from condemnation, so that the sober may, so to speak, help the drunken through prayers, fasts, and blessings, not resisting, not avenging, for fear of compelling them to sin more. When someone is condemned to suffer, anger at the person who brings the suffering is unreasonable. He should reason that, since he was to be mistreated, he would have had to suffer it through someone else if that person had not mistreated him. Why, then, should I be angry with the person inflicting it, when I was condemned in any case to suffer? Furthermore, if we do these same things to the evil under a pretense of revenge, we who are good do exactly what the evil do, except that they act first and we act second. As I said, we should not be angry, knowing that in God’s providence the evil punish the good. So those who resent their punishers sin by scorning God’s messengers. But those who honor them and oppose those who intend to harm them show devotion to God, who has decreed this. 31 To this I answered, Those, therefore, who do wrong are not guilty, because they wrong the just by the judgment of God. Then Peter said, They indeed sin greatly, for they have given themselves to sin. God knows this, so He chooses some of them to punish those who have righteously repented of earlier sins. Through this punishment, the evils the righteous did before repenting may be forgiven. But the wicked who punish and desire to mistreat them, and refuse to repent, are allowed to mistreat the righteous to bring their own punishment to its full measure. For without the will of God, not even a sparrow can fall into a snare. Thus even the hairs of the righteous are numbered by God. 32 But the righteous person is the one who struggles against nature for the sake of what is reasonable. For example, it is natural to all to love those who love them. But the righteous man tries also to love his enemies and to bless those who slander him, and even to pray for his enemies, and to have compassion for those who do him wrong. He also refrains from doing wrong, and blesses those who curse him, pardons those who strike him, and submits to those who persecute him, and greets those who do not greet him, shares such things as he has with those who have nothing, persuades the person angry with him, reconciles with his enemy, urges the disobedient, instructs the unbelieving, comforts the mourner; he endures distress and does not become angry when treated ungratefully. He is devoted to loving his neighbor as himself, so he does not fear poverty but becomes poor by sharing his possessions with those who have none. But neither does he punish the sinner. Someone who loves his neighbor as himself knows that he does not want punishment when he sins, so he does not punish others who sin either. And just as he wishes to be praised, blessed, honored, and forgiven all his sins, he does the same for his neighbor, loving him as himself. In a word, what he wishes for himself, he wishes also for his neighbor. For this is the law of God and of the prophets; this is the teaching of truth. And this perfect love for every person is the male part of love for humanity, but the female part of it is compassion; that is, to feed the hungry, to give drink to the thirsty, to clothe the naked, to visit the sick, to take in the stranger, to visit the person in prison and help him as much as she can, and, in short, to have compassion on him who is in misfortune. 33 When I heard this, I said: These things are indeed impossible to do; but I do not think human nature can possibly do good to enemies while bearing all their insults. Then Peter answered: You have spoken truly. Love for humanity comes at a great price because it brings immortality. Then I said, How, then, can we acquire this disposition? Then Peter answered: Beloved Clement, the way to acquire it is this: anyone convinced that enemies, by mistreating those they hate for a time, become the cause of their deliverance from eternal punishment will immediately love those enemies passionately as benefactors. Dear Clement, there is only one way to acquire it: fear of God. Someone who fears God cannot love his neighbor as himself from the beginning, for that inclination does not arise in the soul. But fear of God enables him to do what loving people do; and thus, while he does the deeds of love, the bride Love is, so to speak, brought to the bridegroom Fear. This bride gives birth to thoughts of love for humanity and so makes her possessor immortal, an accurate image of God, which by nature cannot be subject to decay. While he was explaining this teaching about love for humanity to us, evening fell and we went to sleep.

Clement's Brothers Recognize Their Mother

1 At dawn Peter came in and said: Clement, and his mother Mattidia, and my wife, must take their seats immediately on the wagon. And so they did at once. And as we were hurrying along the road to Balanæae, my mother asked me how my father was; and I said: My father went in search of you, and of my twin brothers Faustinus and Faustinianus, and is now nowhere to be found. But I think he must have died long ago, either in a shipwreck, after losing his way, or by wasting away from grief. When she heard this, she burst into tears, and groaned through grief; but the joy she felt at finding me somewhat eased her painful memories. And so we all went down together to Balanæae. And on the following day we went to Paltus, and from there to Gabala; and on the next day we reached Laodicea. And, look! Before the gates of the city Nicetas and Aquila met us, embraced us, and brought us to our lodging. Peter saw that the city was beautiful and large and said: It is worthwhile for us to stay here for some days; for, generally speaking, a densely populated place is most likely to provide the people we seek. Nicetas and Aquila asked me who that unfamiliar woman was; and I said: My mother. God has allowed me to recognize her through my lord Peter. 2 When I said this, Peter briefly told them everything that had happened,—how, when they had gone ahead, I, Clement, had told him about my ancestry and my mother’s journey with her twin children on the false pretext of the dream, and my father’s journey to find her; and then how Peter himself, after hearing this, went to the island, met the woman, saw her begging, and asked why she was doing so; and then learned who she was, how she lived, about the invented dream, and her children’s names—that is, my name, since I was left with my father, and the names of the twin children who traveled along with her, and who, she supposed, had perished in the deep. 3 When Peter finished this brief account, Nicetas and Aquila said in amazement: Is this indeed true, Ruler and Lord of the universe, or is it a dream? And Peter said: Unless we are asleep, it certainly is true. At this they paused briefly in deep thought, and then said: We are Faustinus and Faustinianus. From the beginning of your conversation we looked at each other, and wondered a great deal whether what was being said referred to us; for we reflected that many coincidences take place in life. So we remained silent while our hearts beat fast. But when you came to the end of your narrative, we saw clearly that your statements referred to us, and then we declared who we were. After saying this, they rushed in to see their mother, bathed in tears. Although they found her asleep, they were still eager to embrace her. But Peter forbade them, saying: Let me bring you to your mother and introduce you, so that she does not lose her reason from great and sudden joy, since she is sleeping and her spirit is held fast by sleep.

Peter Explains Baptism and Shared Meals

4 As soon as my mother had enough sleep, she awoke, and Peter at once began by talking to her about true devotion to God, saying: Woman, I want you to know the way of life our religion involves. We worship one God, who made the world which you see; and we keep His law, whose chief commands are to worship Him alone, and to treat His name as holy, and to honor our parents, and to be chaste, and to live devoutly. Besides this, we do not live with everyone indiscriminately; nor do we eat at the same table as Gentiles, because their impure lives keep us from eating with them. But once we have persuaded them to think truly and act rightly, and baptized them with a three times blessed invocation, we live with them. For we cannot venture to eat with someone even if it is our father, mother, wife, child, brother, or anyone else with a natural claim on our affection; for our religion compels us to make a distinction. Do not, therefore, regard it as an insult if your son does not eat with you, until you share his opinions and follow his way of life. 5 When she heard this, she said: What, then, prevents me from being baptized today? For before I saw you I turned away from the so-called gods, because I thought that, though I sacrificed much to them almost every day, they did not help me in my need. And with regard to adultery, what do I need to say? For luxury did not lead me into this sin even when I was rich, and the poverty that followed has been unable to force me into it, since I cling to my chastity as the greatest beauty, which brought me into such great distress. My lord Peter, I certainly do not think you are unaware that the greatest temptation arises when everything looks bright. So if I was chaste in prosperity, I do not surrender to pleasure in despair. Do not suppose my soul is now free from distress, even though recognizing Clement has given it some comfort. The gloom I feel at losing my two children rushes over me and partly shadows my joy; I grieve less because they died at sea than because they were destroyed in both soul and body without true devotion to God. Clement has also told me that my husband, their father, went to search for me and his sons. Nothing has been heard of him for so many years that he must undoubtedly have died. The poor man loved me chastely and loved his children. Losing all of us, who were dearer to him than anything else, therefore left the old man to die utterly brokenhearted.

The Brothers Describe Their Rescue

6 When the sons heard their mother speak this way, they could no longer restrain themselves as Peter had instructed. They got up and clasped her in their arms, showering her with tears and kisses. But she said: What is the meaning of this? And Peter answered: Gather your courage, woman, so that you may enjoy your children; for these are Faustinus and Faustinianus, your sons, who, you said, had perished in the deep. They themselves will be able to tell you how they are alive, after you thought they died on that most disastrous night, and how one is now called Nicetas and the other Aquila; for we, as well as you, have yet to learn this. When Peter said this, my mother fainted from overwhelming joy and nearly died. We revived her, and she sat up, recovered her senses, and said: Please, my darling children, tell us what happened to you after that disastrous night. 7 And Nicetas, who from now on is to be called Faustinus, began to speak. That very night, when the ship broke apart, as you know, we were picked up by some men who were not afraid to work as pirates at sea. They placed us in a boat, and brought us along the coast, sometimes rowing and sometimes sending for provisions, and eventually took us to Cæsarea Stratonis, and tormented us there with hunger, fear, and blows so that we would not carelessly reveal anything they wanted kept secret. They also changed our names and managed to sell us. Now the woman who bought us was a convert to Judaism, an altogether worthy person, named Justa. She adopted us as her own children, and zealously brought us up in all the learning of the Greeks. As we grew older and more discerning, we became strongly attached to her religion. We paid close attention to our education so that we could debate with other nations and convince them of their error. We also made an accurate study of the doctrines of the philosophers, especially the most atheistic,—I mean those of Epicurus and Pyrrho,—so that we could refute them better. 8 We were brought up along with a man named Simon, a magician; and because of our friendly association with him, we were in danger of being led astray. There is a report that when a certain man appears, most of those who have lived devoutly will live free from death and pain in his kingdom. This matter, however, mother, will be explained more fully at the proper time. But when Simon was about to lead us astray, a friend of our lord Peter, named Zacchæus, came to us and warned us not to be led astray by the magician; and when Peter came, he brought us to him so that he might give us full information, and convince us about those matters relating to devotion to God. So we beg you, mother, to share in those blessings granted to us, so that we may unite around the same table! This, mother, is why you thought we were dead. On that disastrous night we had been picked up at sea by pirates, but you supposed that we had perished.

Mattidia Requests Baptism

9 When Faustinus had said this, our mother fell down at Peter's feet, begging and pleading with him to send for her and her hostess, and baptize them immediately, so that, she says, after recovering my children I may not spend a single day without eating with them. When we joined our mother in the same request, Peter said: What are you thinking? Am I the only heartless one, unwilling to baptize your mother today so you can eat with her? But yet she must fast for one day before she is baptized. It is only one day because she innocently said something on her own behalf that I considered a sufficient sign of faith; otherwise, her purification would have had to last many days. 10 And I said: Tell us what it was that she said which made her faith clear. And Peter said: Her request that her hostess and benefactress should be baptized along with her. For she would not have begged for this to be granted to the woman she loves unless she herself had first felt that baptism was a great gift. For this reason I condemn many who have been baptized and claim to have faith but do nothing worthy of it; nor do they urge those whom they love—I mean their wives, or sons, or friends—to be baptized. If they believed that God grants eternal life with good works when baptism is accepted, they would immediately urge those they loved to be baptized. But one of you will say, 'They do love them, and care for them.' That is nonsense. Surely they mourn for them and pity them when they see them sick, being led down the road to death, or enduring any other trial? So if they believed eternal fire awaits those who do not worship God, and saw them disobeying, they would never stop urging them or grieving deeply for them as unbelievers. They would be fully certain that punishment awaits them. But now I shall send for the hostess, and question her as to whether she deliberately accepts the law which is proclaimed through us; and so, according to her state of mind, we shall do what ought to be done. 11 But since your mother has real confidence in the efficacy of baptism, let her fast at least one day before her baptism. But she swore: For the past two days, while telling the woman everything about our recognition, I could not eat because of my overwhelming joy. All I had was a little water yesterday. Peter's wife confirmed her statement with an oath, saying: In truth she did not taste anything. And Aquila, who should now be called Faustinianus instead, said: There is nothing, therefore, to prevent her being baptized. And Peter, smiling, replied: But a fast that did not take place for the sake of baptism is not a baptismal fast. And Faustinus answered: Perhaps God arranged the fast beforehand because He did not want our mother kept from our table for a single day after we recognized one another. Just as she was chaste while living in ignorance, doing what the true religion taught, perhaps God has now arranged for her to fast one day in advance for the sake of true baptism, so that, from the first day she recognized us, she might take her meals along with us. 12 And Peter said: Do not let wickedness rule over us, using Providence and your affection for your mother as a pretext; but rather continue fasting today, and I shall join you in it, and tomorrow she will be baptized. And, besides, this hour of the day is not suitable for baptism. Then we all agreed that it should be so.

Peter Teaches about Chastity and Marriage

13 That same evening we all enjoyed the benefit of Peter's instruction. Prompted by what had happened to our mother, he showed us how the results of chastity are good, while those of adultery are disastrous, and naturally bring destruction on the whole race, if not quickly, then at least slowly. And deeds of chastity please God so much, he says, that in this life He grants some small favor on account of it, even on those who are in error; for salvation in the other world is granted only to those who have been baptized on account of their trust in Him, and who act chastely and righteously. You yourselves have seen in your mother’s case that the results of chastity are in the end good. For perhaps she would have been killed if she had committed adultery; but God took pity on her for having behaved chastely, rescued her from the death that threatened her, and restored to her her lost children. 14 But someone will say, 'How many have perished on account of chastity!' Yes; but it was because they did not perceive the danger. For the woman who perceives that she is in love with anyone, or that anyone loves her, should immediately avoid all association with him as she would avoid a blazing fire or a mad dog. And this is exactly what your mother did, for she really loved chastity as a blessing: so she was preserved, and, along with you, obtained the full knowledge of the everlasting kingdom. A woman who wishes to be chaste should know that wickedness envies her and that love makes many people lie in wait for her. If she remains holy by persisting steadfastly in chastity, she will overcome every temptation and be saved. But even if she did everything right and then committed adultery once, she would have to be punished, as the prophet said. 15 The chaste wife who does God’s will is a good reminder of His first creation; for God, being one, created one woman for one man. She is also still more chaste if she does not forget her own creation, keeps future punishment before her eyes, and knows about the loss of eternal blessings. The chaste woman takes pleasure in those who wish to be saved, and is a devout example for devout people, for she is the model of a good life. A woman who wishes to be chaste removes every opportunity for slander; but if she is slandered by an enemy, though giving him no pretext, she is blessed and avenged by God. The chaste woman longs for God, loves God, pleases God, glorifies God; and she gives people no occasion for slander. The chaste woman perfumes the Church with her good reputation, and glorifies it by her devotion to God. She also brings praise to her teachers and helps them in their chastity. 16 The chaste woman is adorned with the Son of God as her bridegroom. She is clothed with holy light. Her beauty lies in a well-ordered soul; and she is fragrant with ointment, namely, a good reputation. She is dressed in beautiful clothing, namely, modesty. She wears precious pearls, namely, chaste words. And she is radiant, for her mind has been brilliantly lighted up. She looks into a beautiful mirror, for she looks into God. She uses beautiful cosmetics, namely, the fear of God, with which she guides her soul. The woman is beautiful not because she has chains of gold on her, but because she has been set free from transient lusts. The chaste woman is greatly desired by the great King; she has been wooed, watched, and loved by Him. The chaste woman gives no one but her own husband an occasion to desire her. The chaste woman is grieved when she is desired by another. The chaste woman loves her husband from the heart, embraces, soothes, and pleases him, serves him as a slave, and is obedient to him in all things, except when she would be disobedient to God. For the woman who obeys God is chaste in soul and pure in body without the help of watchmen. 17 Every husband who separates his wife from the fear of God is therefore foolish; for she who does not fear God is not afraid of her husband. If she does not fear God, who sees what is invisible, how will she be chaste in her unseen choice? And how will she be chaste if she does not come to the assembly to hear words that foster chastity? And how could she receive guidance? And how will she be chaste without watchmen, if she has not learned about God’s coming judgment and is not fully certain that eternal punishment is the penalty for that slight pleasure? So instead, compel her, even against her will, always to come and hear the teaching that fosters chastity. Yes, coax her to do so. 18 It is much better to take her by the hand and come with her so that you too may become chaste; for you will desire to become chaste, so that you may experience the full benefits of a holy marriage, and if you desire it, you will not hesitate to become a father, love your own children, and be loved by them. A man who wishes to have a chaste wife is chaste himself, gives her what is due to a wife, takes his meals with her, keeps company with her, goes with her to the teaching that fosters chastity, does not grieve her, does not rashly quarrel with her, does not make himself hateful to her, provides her with all the good things he can, and when he does not have them, he makes up for it with caresses. The chaste wife does not expect to be caressed, recognizes her husband as her lord, bears his poverty when he is poor, is hungry with him when he is hungry, travels with him when he travels, consoles him when he is grieved, and even if she has a large dowry, submits to him as though she had nothing. But if the husband has a poor wife, let him consider her chastity a great dowry. The chaste wife is temperate in her eating and drinking, so that the weariness of a body pampered in this way may not drag the soul down to unlawful desires. Moreover, she certainly never remains alone with young men, and she suspects the old; she turns away from disorderly laughter, gives herself up to God alone; she is not led astray; she delights in listening to holy words, but turns away from those which are not spoken to produce chastity. 19 God is my witness: one act of adultery is as bad as many murders; and what makes it terrible is that the horror and ungodliness of its murders remain unseen. For, when blood is shed, the dead body remains lying, and all are struck by the terrible nature of the occurrence. But although the murders of the soul caused by adultery are more frightful, people cannot see them, so those who dare commit them are no less eager to act. Know, human being, whose breath keeps you alive, and you shall not want it to be polluted. The breath of God is polluted by adultery alone. And therefore it drags him who has polluted it into the fire; for it hurries to hand over the person who insults it to everlasting punishment.

Peter Consoles Mattidia

20 While Peter was saying this, he saw the good and chaste Mattidia weeping for joy; but thinking that she was grieved at having suffered so much in past times, he said: Take courage, woman. Many have suffered many evils because of adultery, but you suffered because of chastity, and so you did not die. But if you had died, your soul would have been saved. You left your native city of Rome because of chastity, but through it you found the truth, the diadem of the eternal kingdom. You faced danger at sea, but you did not die; and even if you had died, the sea itself would have been a baptism to save your soul, since you would have died because of chastity. You lost your children for a little while, but you have found them, your husband’s true offspring, in better circumstances. When starving, you begged for food, but you did not defile your body by sexual immorality. You exposed your body to torture, but you saved your soul; you fled from the adulterer, so that you might not defile your husband’s bed: but, because of your chastity, God, who knows your flight, will take your husband’s place. Grieving and desolate, you lost your husband and children for a short time. But sooner or later you would inevitably have lost them all through death, humanity’s appointed fate. But it is better that you willingly lost them because of chastity than that you should have perished unwillingly after a time, simply because of sins. 21 It is much better, then, to face distressing circumstances at first. They do not grieve you as deeply because you hope they will pass, and expecting better circumstances brings joy. But, above all, I wish you to know how much chastity is pleasing to God. The chaste woman is God's choice, God's good pleasure, God's glory, God's child. Chastity is so great a blessing that if there had not been a law that not even a righteous person should enter into the kingdom of God unbaptized, perhaps even the Gentiles in error might have been saved solely on account of chastity. So I am deeply sorry for chaste people in error who shrink from baptism—thus choosing to be chaste without good hope. So they are not saved; for God’s decree is clearly stated: an unbaptized person cannot enter His kingdom. When he said this, and much more, we turned to sleep.

Peter Baptizes Mattidia

1 Peter woke much earlier than usual, came to us, and woke us, saying: Let Faustinus and Faustinianus, along with Clement and the household, accompany me, so that we can go to a sheltered spot by the sea and baptize her there without attracting attention. When we reached the seashore, he baptized her between rocks that sheltered the place from both wind and dust. We brothers withdrew with our brother and some others because of the women, and bathed. Then we returned to the women and took them with us to a private place to pray. Because of the crowd, Peter then sent the women ahead, ordering them to go to their lodging by another route, and we were the only men he allowed to accompany our mother and the other women. We went then to our lodging, and while waiting for Peter's arrival, we talked with each other. Peter came several hours later, broke the bread for the Eucharist, put salt on it, and gave it first to our mother and then to us, her sons. In this way we ate with her and blessed God.

Peter Describes His Debate with an Old Man

2 Eventually Peter saw that the crowd had entered, sat down, and told us to sit beside him. First he explained why he had sent us ahead after the baptism and why he had returned late. He gave this reason: When you came up, he said, an old working man entered with you, concealing himself out of curiosity. He had watched us earlier, as he later admitted, in order to see what we were doing when we entered into the sheltered place, and then he came out secretly and followed us. And he approached me at a suitable place and said, 'For a long time I have been following you and wishing to talk with you, but I was afraid that you might be angry with me, as if I were driven by curiosity; but now I shall tell you, if you please, what I think is the truth.' And I replied, 'Tell us what you think is good, and we shall approve your conduct, even if what you say is not really good, since your intention is good and you are eager to state what you consider good.' 3 The old man began to speak as follows: 'After you bathed in the sea, I saw you withdraw into the private place. I went up and secretly watched to see why you were entering it, and when I saw you pray, I withdrew; but taking pity on you, I waited so that I might speak with you when you came out, and persuade you not to be led astray. For there is neither God nor providence; everything is subject to Genesis, or astrological destiny. I am fully convinced of this because of what I myself have endured, having for a long time made a careful study of the science. Do not therefore be deceived, my child. Whether you pray or not, you must endure what Genesis assigns to you. If prayers could accomplish anything or do any good, I would be in better circumstances now. And now, unless my shabby clothing misleads you, you will not refuse to believe what I say. I was once wealthy; I sacrificed much to the gods and gave generously to the needy; and yet, though I prayed and acted devoutly, I was not able to escape my destiny.' And I said: 'What are the calamities you have endured?' And he answered: 'I need not tell you now; perhaps at the end you shall learn who I am, and who are my parents, and how difficult my circumstances have become. But at present I wish you to become fully assured that everything is subject to Genesis.' 4 And I said: 'If all things are subject to Genesis, and you are fully convinced that this is the case, your thoughts and advice are contrary to your own opinion. If even our thoughts cannot oppose Genesis, why do you waste your effort advising me to do the impossible? Yes, even if Genesis exists, do not rush to persuade me to stop worshiping Him who is also Lord of the stars. If He wishes something not to happen, it is impossible. For what is subordinate must always obey what rules. But worshiping the common gods is unnecessary if Genesis rules. For nothing happens contrary to fate’s wishes, and the gods themselves can do nothing because they are subject to their own universal Genesis. If Genesis exists, this is the objection to it: something that did not come first holds power. In other words, the uncreated cannot be subordinate, because nothing is older than what was never created.' 5 While we were talking this way, a great multitude gathered round us. Then I turned to the crowd and said: 'My tribe and I have received the worship of God from our ancestors, and we have a commandment to pay no attention to Genesis, I mean to the science of astrology; and therefore I gave no attention to it. For this reason I have no skill in astrology, but I shall state what I do have skill in. Since I cannot refute Genesis by appealing to the science that studies it, I wish to prove in another way that providence governs this world’s affairs, and that each one will receive reward or punishment according to his actions. Whether this happens now or in the future makes no difference to me. I affirm only that everyone will certainly reap the fruit of his deeds. Here is the proof that there is no Genesis. If anyone present has been deprived of eyes, or has a maimed hand, a disabled foot, or something wrong with another part of the body, and if it is utterly incurable, and completely beyond medical treatment,—a case that even astrologers do not claim to cure, for no such cure has taken place over a vast period of time,—yet I will cure it by praying to God, although it could never have been set right by Genesis. Since this is so, do those who blaspheme the God who fashioned all things not sin?' And the old man answered: 'Is it then blasphemy to say that all things are subject to Genesis?' And I replied: 'Most certainly it is. For if the stars cause all human sins and all acts of irreverence and sexual immorality, and if the stars have been appointed by God to do this work, so as to be the active causes of all evils, then everyone’s sins are traced back to Him who placed Genesis in the stars.'

The Old Man Explains His Belief in Fate

6 And the old man answered: 'You have spoken truly, and yet, despite all your incomparable demonstration, my own knowledge prevents me from agreeing. For I was an astrologer, and first lived at Rome. Then I befriended a member of Cæsar’s family and accurately established his and his wife’s genesis, their birth charts. Tracing their history, I find that everything they actually did agreed exactly with their genesis, so I cannot accept your argument. Her genesis had the arrangement that makes women commit adultery, fall in love with their own slaves, and die in water abroad. And this actually took place; for she fell in love with her own slave, and not being able to bear the disgrace, she fled with him, hurried to a foreign land, shared his bed, and perished in the sea.' 7 And I answered: 'How, then, do you know that the woman who fled to a foreign land married the slave and died after marrying him?' And the old man said: 'I am quite sure this is true, though not that she married him, for I did not even know she had fallen in love with him. But after she left, her husband's brother told me the whole story of her passion, and how he acted as an honorable man, and did not wish to defile his brother’s bed, and he told me how the miserable woman (for she is not to blame, since she was compelled to do and suffer all this in consequence of Genesis) longed for him, yet feared him and his rebukes. He also told me how she devised a dream, though I cannot say whether it was true or false. He reported that she said, Someone in a vision stood by me, and ordered me to leave the city of the Romans immediately with my children. Her husband was eager to save her and his sons, so he sent them at once to Athens for their education, with their mother and slaves, while keeping the third and youngest son with him, for he who gave the warning in the dream permitted this son to remain with his father. And when a long time passed with no letters from her, he frequently sent people to Athens. Eventually he took me, his truest friend, and went to search for her. And I eagerly exerted myself a great deal alongside him during our travels; for I remembered that, in the past when he was prosperous, he had given me a share of all he had and loved me above all his friends. Eventually we set sail from Rome itself, and so we arrived in these parts of Syria, and we landed at Seleucia, and a few days after we landed, he died of a broken heart. But I came here, and have earned my living from that day until now by the work of my hands.' 8 When the old man said this, I knew that the man he said had died was your father. I did not wish, however, to tell him your circumstances until I could consult you. But I learned where he was staying and showed him where I was staying. To check my suspicion, I asked him this question: 'What was the name of the old man?' And he said, 'Faustus.' 'And what were the names of his twin sons?' And he answered, 'Faustinus and Faustinianus.' 'What was the name of the third son?' He said, 'Clement.' 'What was their mother's name?' He said, 'Mattidia.' Out of compassion I wept with him, dismissed the crowds, and came to you so that I could consult you after we ate together. But I did not wish to disclose the matter to you before we had eaten, for fear that you might be overcome by sorrow, and continue sad on the day of baptism, when even angels rejoice. When Peter said this, we all began weeping with our mother. But when he saw us in tears, he said: Now let your fear of God help each of you bear this news bravely. Your father certainly did not die today, but long ago, as you yourselves guessed.

Clement's Family Is Reunited with Faustus

9 When Peter said this, our mother could no longer endure it, but cried out, Alas, my husband! Your love for us made you choose death, while we are still alive, see the light, and have just eaten. Before this cry had ended, look! The old man came in, wanting to ask what had caused it. He looked at the woman and said, What does this mean? Who do I see? He went up to her and looked at her, and she looked at him more carefully, and he embraced her. The sudden joy nearly killed them. They wanted to speak to each other but could not, because their overwhelming joy left them speechless. But not long after, our mother said to him: Now I have you back, Faustus, the person dearest to me in every way. How then are you alive, when we heard a short time ago that you were dead? But these are our sons, Faustinus, Faustinianus, and Clement. When she said this, all three of us threw ourselves on him and kissed him, dimly remembering his appearance. 10 Peter seeing this, said: Are you Faustus, the husband of this woman, and the father of her children? And he said: I am. And Peter said: Why, then, did you tell me your own story as if it belonged to someone else, telling me about your labors, sorrow, and burial? And our father answered: I belong to Cæsar’s family and did not want to be discovered, so I invented the story under another person’s name, so that no one would recognize who I was. I knew that if I were recognized, the local governors would hear about it and recall me to please Cæsar. They would restore the prosperity I had given up with all the resolve I could summon. I could not surrender to a luxurious life after condemning myself so strongly, because I believed I had caused the deaths of those I loved.

Peter and Faustus Debate Astrology

11 And Peter said: You acted on your resolve. But when you affirmed Genesis, were you only playing a part, or did you sincerely believe it existed? Our father said: I will not speak falsely to you. I was in earnest when I maintained that Genesis existed. For I am no newcomer to the science; on the contrary, I associated with one who is the best of the astrologers, an Egyptian named Annubion, who became my friend at the beginning of my travels, and disclosed to me the death of my wife and children. And Peter said: Are you not now convinced by facts, that the doctrine of Genesis has no firm foundation? And my father answered: I must present all the ideas that occur to me so that I may listen and understand your refutation of them. I know, indeed, that astrologers both make many mistakes, and frequently speak the truth. I suspect, therefore, that they speak the truth so far as they are accurately acquainted with the science, and that their mistakes are the result of ignorance; so I suspect the science has a firm foundation, but astrologers make false statements solely through ignorance, because they cannot know everything with absolute accuracy. And Peter answered: Consider whether they tell the truth by chance and make their declarations without accurate knowledge of the matters. For when many prophecies are made, some must inevitably come true. And the old man said: How, then, can we become fully convinced whether the science of Genesis, astrology, has a sound foundation or not? 12 When both were silent, I said: Since I know the science accurately and our lord and our father do not, I wish Annubion himself were here so I could discuss it with him in my father’s presence. The matter could then become public through a discussion between two people with equally practical knowledge of the subject. And our father answered: Where, then, is it possible to meet Annubion? And Peter said: In Antioch, for I learn that Simon Magus is there, and Annubion is his inseparable companion. When, then, we go there, if we come upon them, the discussion can take place. And so, when we had discussed many subjects, and rejoiced at recognizing one another and given thanks to God, evening fell, and we turned to sleep.

Peter and Faustus Discuss Death and Judgment

1 At dawn our father came with our mother and his three sons to where Peter was, greeted him, and sat down. Then we also did the same at his request; and Peter looked at our father and said: I am eager for you to come to share the views of your wife and children, so that you can live with them here and continue with them free from sorrow in the other world, after the soul separates from the body. Does being unable to associate with each other not grieve you deeply? And my father said: Most assuredly. And Peter said: If separation here pains you and you certainly face the penalty of separation after death, how much greater will your grief be then? You, a wise man, will be separated from your own family because of your opinions. They too must feel all the more distressed by knowing that eternal punishment awaits you because you hold different opinions from theirs, and deny the established truth. 2 Our father said: But, my very dear friend, souls are not punished in Hades, for the soul is dissolved into air as soon as it leaves the body. And Peter said: Until we convince you on this point, answer me, does it not seem to you that, while you are not grieved because you do not believe in future punishment, those who fully believe in it must be distressed about you? And our father said: You speak sense. And Peter said: Why, then, will you not relieve their greatest grief about you by agreeing to their religion? I mean through kindness rather than dread: listen to what I say and judge whether it is true. And if the truth is as we state it, then here you will enjoy life with those who are dearest to you, and in the other world you will have rest with them; but if you examine the arguments and show that our account is fiction, you will do a good service, for you will have your friends on your side, and you will put an end to their relying on false hopes, and you will free them from false fears.

Peter Interprets the Family's Separation

3 And our father said: There is evidently much reason in what you say. And Peter said: What is it, then, that prevents you from coming to our faith? Tell me, so that we may begin our discussion with it. For there are many obstacles. The faithful are held back by trade, public business, farming, anxieties, and similar things. Unbelievers, including you, are hindered by ideas such as these: that gods who do not exist really exist; that everything is subject to Genesis, or astrological destiny, or to chance; that souls are mortal; or that our teachings are false because there is no providence. 4 But I maintain that your own experiences show God’s providence governs everything, and that providence separated you from your family for so many years; if they had stayed with you, perhaps they would not have listened to the teachings of the true religion. So it was arranged for your children to travel with their mother, be shipwrecked, be presumed dead, and be sold; they were also to receive a Greek education, especially in atheistic teachings, so that knowing those teachings would help them refute them better; and they were to become attached to the true religion and be able to join me to help with my preaching; furthermore, their brother Clement was to meet us in the same place, so that his mother could be recognized and fully convinced of the right worship of God through her cure; after a short interval, the twins were to recognize and be recognized, and the other day we were to meet you, so that you could receive your family back. I do not think events could have converged so rapidly from every direction, so to speak, to accomplish one design without Providence directing them.

Faustus Questions Divine Justice

5 And our father began to say: Do not suppose, my dearest Peter, that I am not thinking of the doctrines preached by you. I was thinking of them. But last night, when Clement earnestly urged me to accept the truth you preach, I finally answered, 'Why should I? What new commandment can anyone give beyond what people in ancient times urged us to obey?' And he, with a gentle smile, said, 'There is a great difference, father, between the doctrines of the true religion and those of philosophy; for the true religion receives its proof from prophecy, while philosophy, giving us beautiful sayings, seems to present its proofs from conjecture.' After saying this, he took an example and presented your teaching about love for humanity. It seemed very unjust to me, and I shall explain why. He asserted that it was right to offer the other cheek also to someone who strikes you on one cheek, and to give your tunic too to someone who takes your cloak, and to go two miles with someone who compels you to go one, and similar things. 6 And Peter answered: You have called the most just thing unjust. If you are willing, will you listen to me? And my father said: With all my heart. And Peter said: What is your opinion? Suppose there were two kings who were enemies, with their countries cut off from each other; and suppose one king’s subject was caught in the other’s country and faced the death penalty for it: if he escaped punishment by receiving a blow instead of death, is it not clear that the person who spared him loves humanity? And our father said: Most certainly. And Peter said: Now suppose that same person stole something belonging to the victim or to someone else; and when caught paid double instead of receiving his due punishment: paying four times the amount and also being put to death for being caught in enemy territory; do you not think the person who accepts double and spares him the death penalty loves humanity? And our father said: He certainly seems so. And Peter said: Well, then, should someone in another’s kingdom, especially a hostile and wicked monarch’s, not please everyone to preserve his life, yield even more when force is used against him, greet those who do not greet him, reconcile enemies, avoid quarreling with those who are angry, give his own property freely to all who ask, and do similar things? And our father said: He would have good reason to endure all these things instead, if he prefers life to them. 7 And Peter said: Are those whom you said suffered injustice not themselves transgressors, since they are in the kingdom of the other, and have they not obtained all they possess by taking more than their share? Those thought to act unjustly are doing each subject of the hostile kingdom a favor by allowing him to have property. For these possessions belong to those who have chosen the present. And they are kind enough to permit the others to live. This, then, is the parable; now listen to the actual truth. The prophet of the truth who appeared on earth taught us that the Maker and God of all gave two kingdoms to two beings, one good and one evil; granting the evil one sovereignty over the present world along with law, so that he would have the right to punish those who act unjustly; but to the good He gave the eternal world to come. But He made each person free to give himself to whichever he prefers: the present evil or the future good. Those who choose the present can be rich, revel in luxury, indulge in pleasures, and do whatever they can. For they will have none of the future good things. But those who have determined to accept the blessings of the future reign have no right to regard as their own the things that are here, since they belong to a foreign king, except for water and bread and the things they obtain through hard labor to sustain life (for it is not lawful for them to commit suicide), and one garment, because the all-seeing Heaven does not permit them to go naked. 8 If, then, you wish to have an accurate account of the matter, listen. Those whom you said a little earlier suffer injustice are instead acting unjustly themselves; for those who have chosen future blessings live with the bad in the present world and enjoy many of the same things,—such as life itself, light, bread, water, clothing, and other similar things. But those you think act unjustly shall not live with the good in the coming age. And our father replied to this: Now that you have convinced me that those who act unjustly suffer injustice themselves, while those who suffer injustice have by far the advantage, the whole affair seems even more unjust than anything else; for those who seem to act unjustly grant many things to those who have chosen the future blessings, but those who seem to receive injustice themselves commit injustice, because they do not give those who blessed them here the same advantages in the other world. And Peter said: This is not unjust at all, because each one has the power to choose the present or the future goods, whether they are small or great. Anyone who chooses by his own judgment and wish suffers no injustice,—I mean, not even if he chooses what is small, since the great was available for him to choose, just as the small was. And our father said: You are right, for one of the Greek wise men said, 'The blame rests with those who chose—God is blameless.'

Peter Explains Suffering and Forgiveness

9 Would you please explain this matter also? I remember Clement saying to me, that we suffer injuries and afflictions for the forgiveness of our sins. Peter said: This is quite correct. We who have chosen future things possess sins whenever we possess more goods than these, whether clothing, food, drink, or anything else, because we should not have anything, as I explained to you a little while ago. To all of us possessions are sins. Losing these things, however it happens, removes sins. And our father said: That seems reasonable, as you explained that these were the two boundary lines of the two kings, and that it was in the power of each to choose whatever he wished of what was under their authority. But why are the afflictions sent, or do we suffer them justly? And Peter said: Most justly. As I said, the boundary for the saved is that no one should possess anything. But many have many possessions, or in other words sins. So God’s immense love sends afflictions on those who do not act with pure hearts, so that, because they have some measure of love for God, they might, through temporary suffering, be saved from eternal punishments. 10 And our father said: How, then, does this work? Do we not see many ungodly people who are poor? Then do these belong to the saved on this account? And Peter said: Not at all; for poverty is not acceptable when it longs for what it should not. Some are rich in what they choose, although poor in actual wealth, and are punished because they desire more. But one is not unquestionably righteous because he happens to be poor. He may be a beggar in actual wealth but desire and even do what he should avoid above everything else. Thus he may worship idols, or be a blasphemer or sexually immoral person, or he may live indiscriminately, or perjure himself, or lie, or live the life of an unbeliever. But our teacher declared the faithful poor blessed. He did so not because they had given anything, for they had nothing, but because they were not to be condemned simply for giving no charitable gifts. They had committed no sin by giving nothing, since they had nothing to give. And our father said: Truly, everything in our discussion seems to make sense; so I have resolved to listen to the whole of your argument in its proper order. 11 And Peter said: Since you are now eager to learn about our religion, I should explain it in order, beginning with God Himself. I shall show that we should call Him alone God, neither call others gods nor consider them gods, and that anyone who acts otherwise will be punished eternally for showing the greatest irreverence to the Lord of all. After saying this, he laid his hands on those troubled by afflictions, disease, and demons, prayed, healed them, and dismissed the crowds. Then he went inside, ate his usual food, and went to sleep.

Simon Returns to Challenge Peter

1 At dawn Peter went out, and reaching the place where he usually spoke, he saw a large crowd gathered. At the very time when he was about to speak, one of his deacons entered, and said: Simon has come from Antioch, having left as soon as evening came after learning that you promised to speak on the unity of God; and he is ready, together with Athenodorus the Epicurean, to come to hear your speech, so that he can publicly oppose all the arguments you have ever presented for the unity of God. Just as the deacon said this, look! Simon himself entered, accompanied by Athenodorus and some other friends. And before Peter spoke at all, Simon spoke first, and said:— 2 I heard you promised Faustus yesterday that you would prove today, presenting your arguments in sequence, and beginning with Him who is Lord of the universe, that we ought to say that He alone is God, and that we ought neither to say nor to think that there are other gods, because anyone who acts against this will be punished eternally. But, above all, I am truly amazed at your madness in hoping to convert a wise man, and someone so old, to your state of mind. But you will not succeed in your plans; and especially because I am present, and can thoroughly refute your false arguments. For perhaps, if I had not been present, the wise old man might have been led astray, because he has no critical knowledge of the books publicly accepted among the Jews. For now I will leave out much, so that I can more quickly refute what you have promised to prove. So begin saying what you promised to say before us, who know the Scriptures. But if, fearing our refutation, you are unwilling to fulfill your promise in our presence, this in itself will be sufficient proof that you are wrong, because you dared to speak in the presence of those who know the Scriptures. And now, why should I wait till you tell me, when I have a fully reliable witness of your promise in the old man who is present? And, saying this, he looked to my father, and said: Tell me, most excellent man, is not this the man who promised to prove to you today that God is one, and that we ought not to say or think that there is any other god, and that anyone who acts against this will be punished eternally, for committing the most terrible sin? Then do you refuse to reply to me? 3 And our father said: You would have been right to demand testimony from me, Simon, if Peter had first denied that he had made the promise. But now I shall feel no shame in saying what I am obliged to say. I think that you wish to begin the discussion burning with anger. Now this is a state of mind in which it is improper for you to speak and for us to listen to you; for we are no longer being led toward the truth, but we are watching the progress of a contest. And now, having learned from Hellenic culture how those who seek the truth ought to act, I shall remind you. Let each of you explain his own opinion, and let the right of speech pass from the one to the other. For if Peter alone should wish to explain his thinking, but you should say nothing about yours, it is possible that some argument you present might crush both your opinion and his; and although this argument defeated both of you, only the one who explained his opinion would appear defeated; while the one who did not explain his, though equally defeated, would not appear defeated, but would even be thought to have won. And Simon answered: I will do as you say; but I am afraid that you may not turn out to be a judge who loves truth, as you have already been influenced by his arguments. 4 Our father answered: Do not force me to agree with you without using my judgment at all so that I may seem to be a judge who loves truth; but if you wish me to tell you the truth, my existing sympathies lean toward your opinions. And Simon said: How can that be, when you do not know what my opinions are? And our father said: It is easy to know this, and I will tell you how. You promised that you would prove Peter wrong in maintaining the unity of God; but if one undertakes to prove someone wrong who maintains the unity of God, it is perfectly plain that he does not hold the same opinion, since he claims to be right. For if he holds the same opinion as the man who is thoroughly in error, then he himself is in error; but if he gives his proofs holding opposite opinions, then he is in the right. So you have no sound basis for asserting that he who maintains the unity of God is wrong, unless you believe that there are many gods. Now I maintain that there are many gods. Since I hold the same opinion as you before the discussion, my sympathies lean toward you. For this reason you should have no anxiety about me, but Peter should, for I still hold opinions contrary to his. And so after your discussion I hope that, as a judge who loves truth and has set aside his prior sympathies, I shall agree to the teaching that wins. When my father said this, a murmur of applause rose spontaneously from the crowds because my father had spoken in this way.

Simon Cites Scripture to Argue for Many Gods

5 Peter then said: I am ready to do as the moderator of our discussion has said; and immediately, without any delay, I will explain my opinion about God. I therefore maintain that there is one God who made the heavens and the earth, and all things that are in them. And it is not right to say or to think that there is any other. And Simon said: But I maintain that the Scriptures believed in among the Jews say that there are many gods, and that God is not angry at this, because He has Himself spoken of many gods in His Scriptures. 6 For instance, in the very first words of the law, He clearly speaks of them as like Himself. For it is written that when the first man received a commandment from God to eat of every tree that was in the garden, but not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the serpent having persuaded them by means of the woman, through the promise that they would become gods, made them look upward; and then, when they had looked up in this way, God said, 'Look, Adam has become like one of us.' When, then, the serpent said, 'You shall be like gods,' he plainly speaks in the belief that gods exist; all the more as God also added His testimony, saying, 'Look, Adam has become like one of us.' The serpent, then, who said that there are many gods, did not speak falsely. Again, the scripture, 'You shall not revile the gods, nor curse the rulers of your people,' points out many gods whom it does not wish even to be cursed. But it is also somewhere else written, 'Did another god dare to enter and take a nation for himself from among another nation, as I the Lord God did?' When He says, 'Did another God dare?' He speaks on the supposition that other gods exist. And elsewhere: 'Let the gods that have not made the heavens and the earth perish;' as if those who had made them were not to perish. And in another place, when it says, 'Be careful not to go and serve other gods whom your ancestors did not know,' it speaks as if other gods existed whom they were not to follow. And again: 'The names of other gods shall not pass your lips.' Here it mentions many gods whose names it does not wish to be uttered. And again it is written, 'Your God is the Lord, He is God of gods.' And again: 'Who is like You, Lord, among the Gods?' And again: 'God is Lord of gods.' And again: 'God stood in the assembly of gods: He judges among the gods.' So I wonder how, when there are so many passages in writing which testify that there are many gods, you have asserted that we should neither say nor think that there are many. Finally, if you have anything to say against what has been spoken so clearly, say it in the presence of all.

Peter Defends Worship of One God

7 And Peter said: I shall reply briefly to what you have said. The law, which frequently speaks of gods, itself says to the Jewish crowd, 'Look, the highest heaven belongs to the Lord your God, with everything in it;' implying that, even if there are gods, they are under Him, that is, under the God of the Jews. And again: 'The Lord your God, He is God in heaven above, and on the earth below, and there is no other except Him.' And somewhere else the Scripture says to the Jewish crowd, 'The Lord your God is God of gods;' so that, even if there are gods, they are under the God of the Jews. And somewhere else the Scripture says about Him, God, great and true, who shows no partiality and takes no bribes, gives justice to the orphan and the widow.' The Scripture, in calling the God of the Jews great and true, and giving judgment, identified the others as small, and not true. But also somewhere else the Scripture says, 'As I live, says the Lord, there is no other God but me. I am the first, I am after this; except me there is no God.' And again: 'You shall fear the Lord your God, and you shall serve Him only.' And again: 'Listen, Israel, the Lord your God is one Lord.' And many passages besides seal with an oath that God is one, and except Him there is no God. So I wonder how, when so many passages testify that there is one God, you say that there are many. 8 And Simon said: My original agreement with you was that I should prove from the Scriptures that you were wrong in maintaining that we ought not to speak of many gods. Accordingly I presented many written passages to show that the divine Scriptures themselves speak of many gods. And Peter said: Those very Scriptures which speak of many gods, also urged us, saying, 'The names of other gods shall not pass your lips.' Thus, Simon, I did not speak contrary to what was written. And Simon said: Peter, listen to what I have to say. You seem to me to sin in speaking against them, when the Scripture says, 'You shall not revile the gods, nor curse the rulers of your people.' And Peter said: I am not sinning, Simon, in pointing out their destruction according to the Scriptures; for it is written as follows: 'Let the gods who did not make the heavens and the earth perish.' And He said this, not as though some had made the heavens and were not to perish, as you interpreted the passage. For it is plainly declared that He who made them is one in the very first part of Scripture: 'In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And it did not say, 'the gods.' And somewhere else it says, 'And the expanse of the sky shows His work.' And in another place it is written, 'The heavens themselves shall perish, but You shall remain forever.' 9 And Simon said: I presented clear passages from the Scriptures to prove that there are many gods; and you, in reply, brought forward as many or more from the same Scriptures, showing that God is one, and He is the God of the Jews. And when I said that we ought not to revile gods, you proceeded to show that He who created is one, because those who did not create will perish. And in reply to my assertion that we ought to maintain that there are gods, because the Scriptures also say so, you showed that we ought not to utter their names, because the same Scripture tells us not to utter the names of other gods. Since, then, these very Scriptures say at one time that there are many gods, and at another that there is only one; and sometimes that they ought not to be reviled, and at other times that they ought; what conclusion ought we to come to from this, but that the Scriptures themselves lead us astray? 10 And Peter said: They do not lead astray, but expose and reveal the evil attitude toward God which lurks like a serpent in each one. For the Scriptures lie before each one like many different molds. Each one, then, has his own character, like wax, and examining the Scriptures and finding everything in them, he molds his idea of God according to his wish, pressing onto them, as I said, his own character, which is like wax. Since, then, each one finds in the Scriptures whatever opinion he wishes to have about God, for this reason he, Simon, molds from them the forms of many gods, while we molded the form of Him who truly exists, coming to the knowledge of the true type from our own shape. For certainly the soul within us is clothed with His image for immortality. If I abandon the parent of this soul, it also will abandon me to just judgment, making known the injustice by this very act of defiance; and since it comes from one who is just, it will justly abandon me; and so, as far as the soul is concerned, I shall, after punishment, be destroyed, having abandoned the help that comes from it. But if there is another god, first let him put on another form, another shape, so that I may recognize the new god by the body's new shape. But if he should change the shape, does he also change the substance of the soul? But if he should change it also, then I am no longer myself, having become another both in shape and in substance. Let him, therefore, create others, if there is another. But there is not. For if there had been, he would have created. But since he has not created, then, since he does not exist, let him leave the one who really exists alone. For he is nobody, except only in the opinion of Simon. I do not accept any other god but Him alone who created me. 11 And Simon said: Since I see that you frequently speak of the God who created you, learn from me how you are irreverent even toward him. For there are evidently two who created, as the Scripture says: 'And God said, Let us make man in our image, in our likeness.' Now 'let us make,' implies two or more; certainly not one only. 12 And Peter answered: The one who said to His Wisdom, 'Let us make a man,' is one. But His Wisdom was what He Himself always delighted in, as in His own spirit. It is united to God like a soul, but it is extended by Him, like a hand, shaping the universe. For this reason, too, one man was made, and the female also came from him. And although one in kind, it is still two, for by expansion and contraction the unity is thought to be a duality. So I act rightly in giving all the honor to one God as to one's parents. And Simon said: What then? Even if the Scriptures say that there are other gods, will you not accept the opinion? 13 And Peter answered: If the Scriptures or prophets speak of gods, they do so to test those who hear. For it is written as follows: 'If a prophet arises among you, giving signs and wonders, and that sign and wonder then happens, and he says to you, Let us follow and worship other gods which your ancestors have not known, you shall not listen to the words of that prophet; let your hands be among the first to stone him. For he has tried to turn you from the Lord your God. But if you say in your heart, How did he do that sign or wonder? You shall surely know that the one who tested you, tested you to see if you fear the Lord your God.' The words 'the one who tested you, tested you,' refer to the earliest times; but it appears to be otherwise after the deportation to Babylon. For God knows all things and would not test people in order to learn something Himself, as many arguments can prove, because He knows everything beforehand. But, if you like, let us discuss this point, and I shall show that God knows beforehand. But it has been proved that the opinion is false that He does not know, and that this was written to test us. Thus we, Simon, can be led astray neither by the Scriptures nor by anyone else; nor are we deceived into accepting many gods, nor do we agree to any statement that is made against God. 14 For we ourselves also know that angels are called gods by the Scriptures,—as, for instance, He who spoke at the bush, and wrestled with Jacob,—and the name is also applied to Him who is born Emmanuel, and who is called the mighty God. Yes, even Moses became a god to Pharaoh, though in reality he was a man. The same is true of the idols of the Gentiles. But we have only one God, one who made creation and arranged the universe, whose Son is the Christ. Obeying Christ, we learn to know what is false from the Scriptures. Moreover, having received from our ancestors the truths of the Scriptures, we know that there is only one who has made the heavens and the earth, the God of the Jews, and of all who choose to worship Him. Our ancestors, with reverent thought, establishing a firm belief in Him as the true God, handed down this belief to us, that we may know that if anything is said against God, it is a falsehood. I shall add this remark beyond what I need to say: If things are not as I have said, then may I, and all who love the truth, face danger in praising the God who made us.

Peter Distinguishes God from the Son

15 When Simon heard this, he said: Since you say that we ought not to believe even the prophet that gives signs and wonders if he says that there is another god, and that you know that he even incurs the penalty of death, therefore your teacher also was rightly put to death for having given signs and wonders. And Peter answered: Our Lord neither asserted that there were gods except the Creator of all, nor did He proclaim Himself to be God, but He rightly pronounced the person blessed who called Him the Son of that God who has arranged the universe. And Simon answered: Does it not seem to you, then, that he who comes from God is God? And Peter said: Tell us how this is possible; for we cannot affirm this, because we did not hear it from Him. 16 In addition to this, it is the distinctive quality of the Father not to have been begotten, but of the Son to have been begotten; but what is begotten cannot be compared with that which is unbegotten or self-begotten. And Simon said: Is it not the same because of its origin? And Peter said: He who is not the same in all respects as someone, cannot have all the same names applied to him as that person. And Simon said: This is to assert, not to prove. And Peter said: Why, do you not see that if the one happens to be self-begotten or unbegotten, they cannot be called the same; nor can someone who has been begotten be said to have the same substance as the one who begot him? Learn this also: The bodies of men have immortal souls, which have been clothed with the breath of God; and having come from God, they are of the same substance, but they are not gods. But if they are gods, then in this way the souls of all men, both those who have died, and those who are alive, and those who shall come into being, are gods. But if in a spirit of controversy you maintain that these also are gods, what, then, is so significant about Christ being called God? For He has only what all have. 17 We call Him God whose unique attributes cannot belong to the nature of any other; for, as He is called the Unbounded because He is boundless on every side, it necessarily follows that no one else can have the unique attribute of being called unbounded, as another cannot in the same way be boundless. But if anyone says that it is possible, he is wrong; for two things boundless on every side cannot coexist, for the one is bounded by the other. Thus it is in the nature of things that the unbegotten is one. But if he has a form, even in this case the form is one and incomparable. That is why He is called the Most High, because, being higher than all, He rules over the universe. 18 And Simon said: Is this word 'God' His name that cannot be spoken, which all use, because you insist so strongly that a name cannot be given to anyone else? And Peter said: I know that this is not His name that cannot be spoken, but one which is given by agreement among people; but if you give it to another, you will also assign to this other the name that is not used; and that, too, deliberately. The name that is used precedes the name that is not used. In this way disrespect is directed even at the name that has not yet been spoken, just as honor paid to the known name is passed on to the name that is not yet known.

Peter on the Human Form and God's Image

19 And Simon said: I should like to know, Peter, if you really believe that the shape of man has been molded after the shape of God. And Peter said: I am really quite certain, Simon, that this is the case. And Simon said: How can death dissolve the body, impressed as it has thus been with the greatest seal? And Peter said: It is the shape of the just God. When, then, the body begins to act unjustly, the form which is in it flees, and thus the body is dissolved, by the shape disappearing, so that an unjust body does not have the shape of the just God. The dissolution, however, does not take place to the seal, but to the sealed body. But what is sealed cannot be dissolved without the One who sealed it. And thus it is not permitted to die without judgment. And Simon said: Why was it necessary to give the shape of such a being to man, who was formed from the earth? And Peter said: This was done because of the love of God, who made man. For while, as far as substance is concerned, all things are superior to the flesh of man,—I mean the ether, the sun, the moon, the stars, the air, the water, the fire—in a word, all the other things which have been made for the service of man,—yet, although their substance is superior, they willingly submit to serving someone whose substance is inferior, because of the shape of the superior. For as those who honor the clay image of a king have paid honor to the king himself, whose shape the clay happens to have, so the whole creation with joy serves man, who is made from earth, looking to the honor thus paid to God. 20 Consider, then, the character of that God to whom you, Simon, wish to persuade us to be ungrateful, and the earth continues to bear you, perhaps wishing to see who will dare to hold opinions like yours. For you were the first to dare what no other dared: you were the first to utter what we first heard. We first and alone have seen the boundless patience of God in bearing with such great irreverence as yours, and that God no other than the Creator of the world, against whom you have dared to act irreverently. And yet the earth did not open up, and fire was not sent down from heaven and did not spread to burn up men, and rain was not poured out, and a multitude of beasts was not sent from the thickets, and upon us ourselves the destructive anger of God did not begin to show itself, because of someone who committed what could be called the sin of spiritual adultery, which is worse than physical adultery. For it is not God the Creator of heaven and earth that in the past punished sins, since now, when He is blasphemed in the highest degree, He would inflict the severest punishment. But, on the contrary, He is patient and calls people to repentance, having the arrows which end in the destruction of the irreverent stored in His treasuries, which He will discharge like living animals when He shall sit down to give judgment to those that are His. So let us fear the just God, whose shape the body of man bears as an honor. 21 When Peter said this, Simon answered: Since I see you skillfully hinting that what is written in the books against the maker of the world does not happen to be true, tomorrow I shall show, from the teachings of your teacher, that he asserted that the maker of the world was not the highest God. And when Simon said this, he went out. But Peter said to the assembled crowds: If Simon can do no other injury to us concerning God, he at least prevents you from listening to the words that can purify the soul. When Peter said this, much whispering arose among the crowds, saying, Why must he be allowed to come in here and speak his blasphemies against God? And Peter heard, and said, I wish the teachings against God that are intended to test people went no further than Simon! For there will be, as the Lord said, false apostles, false prophets, heresies, desires for supremacy, who, as I suspect, originating with Simon, who blasphemes God, will work together to assert the same opinions against God that Simon holds. And saying this with tears, he beckoned the crowds to him; and when they came, he laid his hands upon them and prayed, and then dismissed them, telling them to come at an earlier hour next day. Saying this, and groaning, he entered and went to sleep, without eating.

Zacchaeus Reports Simon's Accusations

1 The next day, therefore, as Peter was to hold a discussion with Simon, he rose earlier than usual and prayed. When he finished praying, Zacchæus came in, and said: Simon is seated outside, talking with about thirty of his own special followers. And Peter said: Let him talk until the crowd gathers, and then let us begin the discussion in the following way. We shall hear all that has been said by him, and after tailoring our reply to it, we shall go out and speak. And that is exactly what happened. Zacchæus, therefore, went out, and not long after entered again, and reported to Peter the speech Simon had delivered against him. 2 Now he said: He accuses you, Peter, of being the servant of wickedness, of having great power in magic, and of bewitching people's souls in a way worse than idolatry. To prove that you are a magician, he seemed to me to present the following evidence, saying: 'I am conscious of this, that when I come to hold a discussion with him, I do not remember a single word of what I have been thinking over by myself. For while he is speaking, and my mind is engaged in remembering what it is that I thought of saying on coming to a discussion with him, I do not hear anything at all of what he is saying. Now, since I do not experience this in the presence of anyone else, but only in his, is it not plain that I am under the influence of his magic? And as to his teachings being worse than those of idolatry, I can make that quite clear to anyone who has understanding. For there is no other benefit than this, that the soul should be freed from images of every kind. For when the soul brings an image before its eye, it is bound by fear, and it pines away through anxiety that some disaster might happen to it; and being altered, it falls under the influence of a demon; and being under his influence, it seems wise to most people. 3 'Peter does this to you while promising to make you wise. For, under the pretext of proclaiming one God, he seems to free you from many lifeless images, which do not at all injure those who worship them, because they are seen by the eyes themselves to be made of stone, or brass, or gold, or of some other lifeless material. So the soul, because it knows that what is seen is nothing, cannot be spellbound by fear in an equal degree by means of what is visible. But contemplating a terrifying God through the influence of deceptive teaching, it has all its natural foundations overturned. And I say this, not because I urge you to worship images, but because Peter, seeming to free your souls from terrifying images, drives each of your minds mad by a more terrifying image, introducing God in a shape, and that, too, an extremely just God,—an image which is accompanied by things that inspire terror and dread in the soul that contemplates it, by that which can entirely destroy the energy of a sound mind. For the mind, when in such a storm, is like the depths stirred by a violent wind, disturbed and darkened. So, if he comes to benefit you, while seeming to dissolve the mild fears caused by lifeless shapes, he should not replace them with the terrifying shape of God. But does God have a shape? If He has, He has a form. And if He has a form, how is He not limited? And if limited, He is in space. But if He is in space, He is less than the space which encloses Him. And if less than anything, how is He greater than all, or superior to all, or the highest of all? This, then, is how things stand. 4 'And it is clear that he does not really believe even the teachings proclaimed by his teacher, for he proclaims teachings opposite to his teacher's. For he said to someone, as I learn, Do not call me good, for the good is one. Now in speaking of the good one, he no longer speaks of that just one, whom the Scriptures proclaim, who kills and makes alive,—kills those who sin, and makes alive those who live according to His will. But that he did not really call Him who is the maker of the world good, is plain to anyone who can reflect. For the maker of the world was known to Adam whom He had made, and to Enoch who pleased Him, and to Noah who was seen to be just by Him; also to Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob; also to Moses, and the people, and the whole world. But Jesus, the teacher of Peter himself, came and said, No one knew the Father except the Son, as no one knows even the Son except the Father, and those to whom the Son may wish to reveal Him. If, then, it was the Son himself who was present, it was from the time of his appearance that he began to reveal the one unknown to all to whomever he wished. And thus the Father was unknown to all who lived before him, and could not thus be He who was known to all. 5 'In saying this, Jesus is not even consistent with himself. For sometimes by other utterances, taken from the Scriptures, he presents God as being terrible and just, saying, Do not fear the one who kills the body, but can do nothing to the soul; but fear Him who is able to throw both body and soul into the Gehenna of fire. Yes, I say to you, fear Him. But that he asserted that He is really to be feared because He is a just God, to whom he says those who suffer injustice cry, is shown in a parable of which he gives the interpretation, saying: If, then, the unjust judge did so, because he was continually begged, how much more will the Father avenge those who cry to Him day and night? Or do you think that, because He is patient with them, He will not do it? Yes, I say to you, He will do it, and that quickly. Now he who speaks of God as an avenging and rewarding God, presents Him as naturally just, and not as good. Moreover he gives thanks to the Lord of heaven and earth. But if He is Lord of heaven and earth, He is acknowledged to be the maker of the world, and if maker, then He is just. When, therefore, he sometimes calls Him good and sometimes just, he is not consistent with himself in this point. But his wise disciple maintained yesterday a third point, that real sight is more satisfactory than vision, not knowing that real sight can be human, but that vision admittedly comes from divinity.

Peter Replies about God's Form

6 These and similar statements, Peter, were what Simon addressed to the crowds while he stood outside; and he seems to me to be disturbing the minds of the greater number. So go out immediately, and by the power of truth break down his false statements. When Zacchæus said this, Peter prayed as he usually did and went out, and standing in the place where he spoke the day before, and greeting the crowds according to the custom required by his religion, he began to speak as follows: Our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the true prophet (as I shall prove conclusively at the proper time), made concise declarations about those matters that relate to the truth, for these two reasons: first, because He was in the habit of addressing the devout, who had knowledge enough to enable them to believe the views He expressed as direct statements; for His statements were not strange to their usual way of thinking; and in the second place, because, having a limited time assigned Him for preaching, He did not use demonstrations, so that He would not spend all His limited time on arguments, for in this way it might happen that He would be fully occupied in providing solutions to a few problems which might be understood by mental effort, while He would have given us very few of the statements that concern the truth. Accordingly He stated any opinions He wished, as to a people who were able to understand Him, to whom we also belong, who, whenever we did not understand anything of what had been said by Him,—a thing which rarely happened,—asked Him privately, so that nothing said by Him might be unintelligible to us. 7 Knowing therefore that we knew everything He had said, and that we could supply the proofs, He sent us to the ignorant Gentiles to baptize them for the forgiveness of sins, and commanded us to teach them first. This is the first and greatest of His commandments, to fear the Lord God, and to serve Him only. But He meant us to fear the God to whom the angels of even the least of the faithful among us belong, and who stand in heaven continually seeing the face of the Father. For He has shape, and He has every limb primarily and solely for the sake of beauty, and not for use. For He does not have eyes in order to see with them; for He sees on every side, since He is incomparably more brilliant in His body than the visual spirit which is in us, and He is more splendid than everything, so that in comparison with Him the light of the sun may be considered darkness. Nor does He have ears in order to hear; for He hears, perceives, moves, energizes, acts on every side. But He has the most beautiful shape for man's sake, so that the pure in heart may be able to see Him, so that they may be joyful because they suffered. For He molded man in His own shape as in the grandest seal, so that he may be the ruler and lord of all, and that all may be subject to him. So, judging that He is the universe, and that man is His image (for He is Himself invisible, but His image man is visible), the man who wishes to worship Him honors His visible image, which is man. Whatever anyone therefore does to man, whether good or bad, is regarded as being done to Him. So His judgment shall come first, giving to everyone according to what he deserves. For He avenges His own shape. 8 But someone will say, If He has shape, then He also has form, and is in space; but if He is in space, and is enclosed by it because He is smaller, how is He great above everything? How can He be everywhere if He has form? The first remark I have to make to the person who raises these objections is this: The Scriptures persuade us to have these views and to believe such statements about Him; and we know that their declarations are true, for our Lord Jesus Christ bears witness to them, by whose orders we are obliged to give you proofs that such is the case. But first I shall speak of space. God's space is what does not exist, but God is what exists. But what does not exist cannot be compared with what exists. For how can space exist? Unless it is a second space, such as heaven, earth, water, air, and if there is any other body that fills up the emptiness, which is called emptiness for this reason: that it is nothing. For 'nothing' is its more appropriate name. For what is this so-called emptiness, if not, so to speak, a vessel containing nothing but the vessel itself? But being emptiness, it is not itself space; but space is that in which emptiness itself is, if indeed it is the vessel. For it must be the case that what exists is in what does not exist. But by this nonexistent thing I mean what some call space, which is nothing. But being nothing, how can it be compared with what exists, except by expressing the contrary, and saying that it is what does not exist, and that what does not exist is called space? But even if it were something, there are many examples which I have at hand, but I will limit myself to just one, to show that what encloses something is not necessarily superior to what is enclosed. The sun is a circular figure, and is entirely enclosed by air, yet it lights up the air, it warms it, it divides it; and if the sun is away from it, it is enveloped in darkness; and from whatever part of it the sun is removed, it becomes cold as if it were dead; but again it is illuminated by its rising, and when it has been warmed up by it, it is adorned with still greater beauty. And it does this by giving a share of itself, although its substance is limited. What, then, is there to prevent God, as the Maker and Lord of this and everything else, from having form and shape and beauty, and extending the sharing of these qualities from Himself infinitely? 9 There is, then, one God who truly exists, who presides in a superior shape, being the heart of what is above and what is below, twice, which sends forth from Him as from a center the life-giving and nonphysical power; the whole universe with the stars and regions of the heaven, the air, the fire, and if anything else exists, is proved to be a substance infinite in height, boundless in depth, immeasurable in width, extending the life-giving and wise nature from Him over three infinite dimensions. It must be, therefore, that this infinite which proceeds from Him on every side exists, having as its heart Him who is above all, and who thus has form; for wherever He is, He is as it were in the center of the infinite, being the limit of the universe. And the extensions originating with Him have the nature of six infinite extensions; of which one originating with Him penetrates into the height above, another into the depth below, another to the right hand, another to the left, another in front, and another behind; He Himself, looking at them as a number equal on every side, completes the world in six temporal intervals, Himself being the rest, and having the infinite age to come as His image, being the beginning and the end. For in Him the six infinite extensions end, and from Him they receive their extension to infinity. 10 This is the mystery of the group of seven. For He Himself is the rest of the whole who grants Himself as a rest to those who imitate His greatness in their limited way. For He is alone, sometimes understandable, sometimes beyond understanding, sometimes capable of being limited, sometimes incapable of being limited, having extensions which proceed from Him into infinity. For in this way He is comprehensible and incomprehensible, near and far, being here and there, as the only one who exists, and as giving a share of that mind which is infinite in every direction, as a result of which souls breathe and possess life; and if they are separated from the body and are found with a longing for Him, they are carried into His embrace, as in winter the mists of the mountains, attracted by the rays of the sun, are carried to it as immortal. What love should therefore arise within us if we gaze with our mind on His beautiful shape! But otherwise it is absurd to speak of beauty. For beauty cannot exist apart from shape; nor can one be attracted to the love of God, nor even think that he can see Him, if God has no form.

Peter Criticizes Claims That God Has No Form

11 But some who are strangers to the truth, and who give their energies to the service of evil, under the pretext of glorifying God, say that He has no form, so that, being shapeless and formless, He may be invisible to everyone and therefore not be longed for. For the mind, not seeing the form of God, is empty of Him. But how can anyone pray if he has no one to whom he may flee for refuge, on whom he may lean? For if he meets with no resistance, he falls out into emptiness. Yes, he says, we ought not to fear God, but to love Him. I agree; but the consciousness of having done well in each good act will accomplish this. Now doing good comes from fear. But fear, he says, strikes death into the soul. No, I maintain that it does not strike death, but awakens the soul, and turns it toward God. And perhaps the instruction not to fear God might be right, if we humans did not fear many other things; such, for instance, as plots against us by those who are like us, and wild beasts, serpents, diseases, sufferings, demons, and a thousand other troubles. Let him, then, who asks us not to fear God, rescue us from these, so that we need not fear them; but if he cannot, why should he resent our being freed from a thousand fears by one fear, the fear of the Just One, and that it should be possible through even a little faith in Him to remove a thousand afflictions from ourselves and others, and receive blessings in exchange, and that, doing no wrong because of fear of the God who sees everything, we should continue in peace even in the present life. 12 Thus, then, grateful service to Him who is truly Lord, frees us from service to all other masters. If, then, it is possible for anyone to be free from sin without fearing God, let him have no fear; for under the influence of love to Him one cannot do what is displeasing to Him. For, on the one hand, it is written that we are to fear Him, and we have been commanded to love Him, so that each of us may use the prescription suited to his nature. Fear Him, therefore, because He is just; but whether you fear Him or love Him, do not sin. And may it be that anyone who fears Him shall be able to gain the victory over unlawful desires, shall not covet what belongs to others, shall practice kindness, shall be sober, and act justly! For I see some who are imperfect in their fear of Him sinning very much. Let us therefore fear God, not only because He is just; for it is through pity for those who have suffered injustice that He inflicts punishment on those who have done the injustice. As water therefore puts out fire, so does fear extinguish the desire for evil practices. He who teaches fearlessness does not himself fear; but he who does not fear, does not believe that there will be a judgment, strengthens his wrongful desires, acts as a magician, and accuses others of the deeds which he himself does.

Simon Appeals to Visions

13 Simon, on hearing this, interrupted him, and said: I know against whom you are making these remarks; but so that I do not spend any time in discussing subjects which I do not wish to discuss, repeating the same statements to refute you, reply to what we have stated briefly. You claimed that you had well understood the doctrines and deeds of your teacher because you saw them before you with your own eyes, and heard them with your own ears, and that it is not possible for anyone else to have anything similar by vision or apparition. But I shall show that this is false. He who hears anyone with his own ears, cannot be completely certain of the truth of what is said; for his mind has to consider whether he is wrong or not, since he is a man as far as appearance goes. But an apparition not only presents an object to view, but gives confidence to the person who sees it, for it comes from God. Now reply first to this. 14 And Peter said: You proposed to address one point, you replied to another. For your proposition was, that one is better able to know more fully, and to attain confidence, when he hears through an apparition, than when he hears with his own ears; but when you began your argument, you tried to persuade us that he who hears through an apparition is surer than he who hears with his own ears. Finally, you alleged that, for this reason, you knew more reliably the doctrines of Jesus than I do, because you heard His words through an apparition. But I shall reply to the proposition you made at the beginning. The prophet, because he is a prophet, having first given certain information about what he says in person, is believed with confidence; and being known beforehand to be a true prophet, and being examined and questioned as the disciple wishes, he replies: But he who trusts in an apparition, vision, or dream is insecure. For he does not know whom he is trusting. For it is possible either that he may be an evil demon or a deceptive spirit, pretending in his speeches to be what he is not. But if anyone should wish to ask the one who appeared who he is, he can say to himself whatever he likes. And thus, flashing into view like a wicked one, and remaining as long as he likes, he is eventually extinguished, not remaining with the questioner as long as the questioner wanted for consultation. For anyone that sees by means of dreams cannot inquire about whatever he may wish. For someone asleep has no particular control over reflection. Hence we, desiring to have information about something in our waking hours, inquire about something else in our dreams; or without inquiring, we hear about matters that do not concern us, and waking from sleep we are disheartened because we have neither heard nor inquired about those matters which we were eager to know. 15 And Simon said: If you maintain that apparitions do not always reveal the truth, yet for all that, visions and dreams, being God-sent, do not speak falsely about those matters which they wish to tell. And Peter said: You were right in saying that, being God-sent, they do not speak falsely. But it is uncertain if he who sees has seen a God-sent dream. And Simon said: If he who has had the vision is just, he has seen a true vision. And Peter said: You were right. But who is just, if he needs a vision so that he may learn what he ought to learn, and do what he ought to do? And Simon said: Grant me this, that the just man alone can see a true vision, and I shall then reply to that other point. For I have come to the conclusion that an irreverent man does not see a true dream. And Peter said: This is false; and I can prove it both apart from Scripture and by Scripture; but I do not undertake to persuade you. For the man who is inclined to fall in love with a bad woman, does not change his mind so as to care for a lawful union with another woman who is good in every respect; but sometimes they love the worse woman through prior attachments, though they are conscious that there is another who is more excellent. And you remain ignorant because of some similar state of mind. And Simon said: Leave this subject, and discuss the matter on which you promised to speak. For it seems to me impossible that irreverent men should receive dreams from God in any way whatever.

Peter Distinguishes Visions from Revelation

16 And Peter said: I remember that I promised to prove this point, and to give my proofs on it from Scripture and apart from Scripture. And now listen to what I say. We know that there are many (if you will pardon me the statement; and if you don't, I can appeal to those who are present as judges) who worship idols, commit adultery, and sin in every way, and yet they see true visions and dreams, and some of them have also apparitions of demons. For I maintain that the eyes of mortals cannot see the nonphysical form of the Father or Son, because it is illuminated by an extraordinarily great light. So it is because of God's compassion rather than envy, that He cannot be seen by man who has been turned into flesh. For he who sees God cannot live. For the excess of light dissolves the flesh of him who sees; unless by the secret power of God the flesh is changed into the nature of light, so that it can see light, or the substance of light is changed into flesh, so that it can be seen by flesh. For the power to see the Father, without undergoing any change, belongs to the Son alone. But the just shall also similarly see God; for in the resurrection of the dead, when they have been changed, as far as their bodies are concerned, into light, and become like the angels, they shall be able to see Him. Finally, then, if an angel is sent so that he may be seen by a man, he is changed into flesh, so that he can be seen by flesh. For no one can see the nonphysical power of the Son, or even of an angel. But if one sees an apparition, he should know that this is the apparition of an evil demon. 17 But it is clear that the irreverent see true visions and dreams, and I can prove it from Scripture. Finally, then, it is written in the law, how Abimelech, who was irreverent, wished to defile the wife of just Abraham by intercourse, and how he heard the commandment from God in his sleep, as the Scripture says, not to touch her, because she was living with her husband. Pharaoh, also an irreverent man, saw a dream about the fullness and thinness of the ears of grain, to whom Joseph said, when he gave the interpretation, that the dream had come from God. Nebuchadnezzar, who worshiped images, and ordered those who worshiped God to be thrown into fire, saw a dream extending over the whole age of the world. And let no one say, 'No one who is irreverent sees a vision when awake.' That is false. Nebuchadnezzar himself, having ordered three men to be thrown into fire, saw a fourth when he looked into the furnace, and said, 'I see the fourth as the Son of God.' And nevertheless, though they saw apparitions, visions, and dreams, they were irreverent. Thus, we cannot infer with absolute certainty that the man who has seen visions, and dreams, and apparitions, is undoubtedly devout. For in the case of the devout man, the truth wells up naturally and purely in his mind, not worked up through dreams, but granted to the good through intelligence.

Peter Defends His Knowledge of Jesus

18 In this way the Father revealed the Son to me too. So I know what revelation means, having learned it in my own case. For at the very time when the Lord said, 'Who do they say that I am?' and when I heard one saying one thing of Him, and another saying something else, it came into my heart to say (and I do not know, therefore, how I said it), 'You are the Son of the living God.' But He, pronouncing me blessed, pointed out to me that it was the Father who had revealed it to me; and from this time I learned that revelation is knowledge gained without instruction, and without apparition and dreams. And this is indeed the case. For in the soul which has been placed in us by God, there is all the truth; but it is covered and revealed by the hand of God, who works so far as each one through his knowledge deserves. But the declaration of anything by means of apparitions and dreams from outside is a proof, not that it comes from revelation, but from anger. Finally, then, it is written in the law, that God, being angry, said to Aaron and Miriam, 'If a prophet arises from among you, I shall make myself known to him through visions and dreams, but it is different with my servant Moses; because I shall speak to him in an outward appearance, and not through dreams, just as one will speak to his own friend.' You see how the statements of anger are made through visions and dreams, but the statements to a friend are made face to face, in outward appearance, and not through riddles and visions and dreams, as to an enemy. 19 If, then, our Jesus appeared to you in a vision, made Himself known to you, and spoke to you, it was as one who is enraged with an opponent; and this is the reason why it was through visions and dreams, or through revelations that were from outside, that He spoke to you. But can anyone be made ready for instruction through apparitions? And if you will say, 'It is possible,' then I ask, 'Why did our teacher stay and speak for a whole year to those who were awake?' And how are we to believe your word, when you tell us that He appeared to you? And how did He appear to you, when you hold opinions contrary to His teaching? But if you were seen and taught by Him, and became His apostle for a single hour, proclaim His utterances, interpret His sayings, love His apostles, do not fight against me, who kept company with Him. For you now stand directly opposed to me, who am a firm rock, the foundation of the Church. If you were not opposed to me, you would not accuse me, and revile the truth proclaimed by me, so that I may not be believed when I state what I myself have heard with my own ears from the Lord, as if I were evidently a person that was condemned and of bad reputation. But if you say that I am condemned, you bring an accusation against God, who revealed the Christ to me, and you attack Him who pronounced me blessed because of the revelation. But if, indeed, you really wish to work in the cause of truth, learn first of all from us what we have learned from Him, and, becoming a disciple of the truth, become a fellow worker with us. 20 When Simon heard this, he said: I would never become his or your disciple. For I am not ignorant of what I ought to know; but the inquiries which I made as a learner were made so that I could see if you can prove that actual sight is more distinct than apparition. But you spoke as you pleased; you did not prove. And now, tomorrow I shall address your opinions about God, whom you affirmed to be the maker of the world; and in my discussion with you, I shall show that he is not the highest, nor good, and that your teacher made the same statements as I now do; and I shall prove that you have not understood him. On saying this he went away, not wishing to listen to what might be said to the claims he had put forward.

Simon Distinguishes the Just God from the Good God

1 At dawn, when Peter went out to speak, Simon spoke before he could begin, and said: When I went away yesterday, I promised you I would return today and show in a discussion that he who made the world is not the highest God, but that the highest God is another who alone is good, and who has remained unknown up to this time. At once, then, tell me whether you maintain that the maker of the world is the same as the lawgiver or not? If, then, he is the lawgiver, he is just; but if he is just, he is not good. But if he is not good, then it was another that Jesus proclaimed, when he said, 'Do not call me good; for one is good, the Father who is in the heavens.' Now a lawgiver cannot be both just and good, for these qualities do not harmonize. And Peter said: First tell us which actions you think make a person good and which make him just, so that our words may address the same point. And Simon said: First tell us what you think goodness and justice are. 2 And Peter said: So that I do not waste my time in argumentative discussions, while I make the fair demand that you should give answers to my claims, I shall myself answer those questions which I put, as is your wish. I then affirm that the man who gives good things is good, just as I see the Maker of the world doing when He gives the sun to the good, and the rain to the just and unjust. And Simon said: It is most unjust that he should give the same things to the just and the unjust. And Peter said: Then tell us in your turn what behavior would make Him good. And Simon said: It is you that must state this. And Peter said: I will. He who gives the same things to the good and just, and also to the evil and unjust, is not even just according to you; but you would rightly call Him just if He gave good things to the good and bad things to the evil. What course of conduct, then, would He adopt, if He does not adopt the plan of giving temporary things to the evil, in case they should turn to Him, and eternal things to the good, provided they remain good? And thus by giving to all, but by pleasing the better people, His justice is good; and all the more patient in that to sinners who repent He freely grants forgiveness of their sins, and to those who have acted well He assigns even eternal life. But judging at last, and giving to each one what he deserves, He is just. If, then, this is right, confess it; but if it appears to you not to be right, refute it. 3 And Simon said: I said once for all, 'Every lawgiver, looking to justice, is just.' And Peter said: If the role of someone good is not to lay down a law, and the role of someone just is to lay down a law, in this way the Maker of the world is both good and just. He is good, since it is plain that He did not lay down a law in writing from the times of Adam to Moses; but since He had a written law from Moses to the present, He is just also. And Simon said: Prove to me from the utterances of your teacher that it is within the power of the same man to be good and just; for to me it seems impossible that the lawgiver who is good should also be just. And Peter said: I shall explain to you how goodness itself is just. Our teacher Himself first said to the Pharisee who asked Him, 'What shall I do to inherit eternal life?' 'Do not call me good; for one is good, even the Father who is in the heavens;' and immediately He introduced these words, 'But if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.' And when he said, 'What commandments?' He pointed him to those of the law. Now He would not, if He were indicating some other good being, have referred him to the commandments of the Just One. I do agree that justice and goodness are different, but you do not know that it is within the power of the same being to be good and just. For He is good, in that He is now patient with those who repent, and welcomes them; but He is just because, when acting as judge, He will give to everyone according to what he deserves.

Simon Appeals to Jesus' Teaching about the Father

4 And Simon said: How, then, if the maker of the world, who also fashioned Adam, was known, and known too by those who were just according to the law, and moreover by the just and unjust, and the whole world, does your teacher, coming after all these, say, 'No one has known the Father but the Son, even as no one knows the Son but the Father, and those to whom the Son may wish to reveal Him?' But he would not have made this statement, had he not proclaimed a Father who was still unrevealed, whom the law speaks of as the highest, and who has not spoken any word either good or bad (as Jeremiah testifies in the Lamentations ); who also, limiting the nations to seventy languages, according to the number of the sons of Israel who entered Egypt, and according to the boundaries of these nations, gave to his own Son, who is also called Lord, and who put in order the heaven and the earth, the Hebrews as his allotted share, and designated him as God of gods, that is, of the gods who received the other nations as their allotted shares. Laws, therefore, came from all the so-called gods to their own territories, which consist of the other nations. Similarly from the Son of the Lord of all came the law which is established among the Hebrews. And this arrangement was established so that if anyone should seek refuge in anyone's law, he should belong to the territory of the one whose law he undertook to obey. No one knew the highest Father, who was unrevealed, just as they did not know that his Son was his Son. Accordingly at this moment you yourself, in assigning the special attributes of the unrevealed Most High to the Son, do not know that he is the Son, being the Father of Jesus, whom you call the Christ. 5 When Simon had made these statements, Peter said to him: Can you call that being Himself to witness that these are your beliefs,—I do not mean Him whom you speak of now as being unrevealed, but Him in whom you believe, though you do not confess Him? For you are talking nonsense when you define one thing instead of another. So, if you call Him to witness that you believe what you say, I shall answer you. But if you continue discussing with me what you do not believe, you force me to strike the empty air. And Simon said: It is from some of your own disciples that I have heard that this is the truth. And Peter said: Do not bear false witness? And Simon said: Do not rebuke me, most insolent man. And Peter said: So long as you do not tell who it was who said so, I affirm that you are a liar. And Simon said: Suppose that I myself have invented these teachings, or that I heard them from someone else, give me your answer to them. For if they cannot be overturned, then I have learned that this is the truth. And Peter said: If it is a human invention, I will not reply to it; but if you are convinced that it is the truth, acknowledge that to me, and then I can say something about the matter myself. And Simon said: Once for all, then, these teachings seem to me to be true. Give me your reply, if you have anything to say against them. 6 And Peter said: If this is the case, you are acting with extreme irreverence. For if it belongs to the Son, who arranged heaven and earth, to reveal His unrevealed Father to whomever He wishes, you are, as I said, acting with extreme irreverence in revealing Him to those to whom He has not revealed Him. And Simon said: But he himself wishes me to reveal him. And Peter said: You do not understand what I mean, Simon. But listen and understand. When it is said that the Son will reveal Him to whom He wishes, this means that the person learns about Him through revelation alone, rather than instruction. For it is revelation when what lies secretly veiled in all human hearts is uncovered by His God's own will, without any spoken word. And thus knowledge comes to one, not because he has been instructed, but because he has understood. And yet the person who understands it cannot demonstrate it to another, since he did not himself receive it by instruction; nor can he reveal it, since he is not himself the Son, unless he maintains that he is himself the Son. But you are not the standing Son. For if you were the Son, certainly you would know those who are worthy of such a revelation. But you do not know them. For if you knew them, you would do as those who know do. 7 And Simon said: I confess I have not understood what you mean by the expression, 'You would do as those who know do.' And Peter said: If you have not understood it, then you cannot know the mind of everyone; and if you are ignorant of this, then you do not know those who are worthy of the revelation. You are not the Son, for the Son knows. So He reveals Him to whomever He wishes, because they are worthy. And Simon said: Do not be deceived. I know those who are worthy, and I am not the Son. And yet I have not understood what meaning you attach to the words, 'He reveals Him to whomever He wishes.' But I said that I did not understand it, not because I did not know it, but because I knew that those who were present did not understand it, so that you may state it more clearly, so that they may understand why we are carrying on this discussion. And Peter said: I cannot state the matter more clearly: explain what meaning you have attached to the words. And Simon said: There is no need for me to state your opinions. And Peter said: You evidently, Simon, do not understand it, and yet you do not wish to admit it, so that your ignorance will not be exposed and you will not be proved to be other than the standing Son. For you hint this, though you do not wish to state it plainly; and, indeed, I who am not a prophet, but a disciple of the true Prophet, know well from the hints you have given what your wishes are. For you, though you do not understand even what is clearly said, wish to call yourself son in opposition to us. And Simon said: I will remove every pretext from you. I confess I do not understand what can be the meaning of the statement, 'The Son reveals Him to whomever He wishes.' So explain its meaning more clearly. 8 And Peter said: Since, at least in appearance, you have confessed that you do not understand it, reply to the question I put to you, and you will learn the meaning of the statement. Tell me, do you maintain that the Son, whoever he is, is just, or that he is not just? And Simon said: I maintain that he is most just. And Peter said: Since He is just, why does He not make the revelation to all, but only to those to whom He wishes? And Simon said: Because, being just, he wishes to make the revelation only to the worthy. And Peter said: Must He not therefore know the mind of each one, so that He may make the revelation to the worthy? And Simon said: Of course he must. And Peter said: For good reason, therefore, the work of giving the revelation has been restricted to Him alone, for He alone knows the mind of everyone; and it has not been given to you, who are not able to understand even what we have stated.

Peter Questions Simon's Claims about God

9 When Peter said this, the crowds applauded. But Simon, having been exposed in this way, blushed with shame, and rubbing his forehead, said: Well, then, do they declare that I, a magician, yes, even I who reason logically, have been defeated by Peter? It is not so. But if one should reason logically, though overwhelmed and defeated, he still retains the truth that is in him. For the weakness in the defender is not identical with the truth held by the defeated man. But I assure you that I have judged all those who are bystanders worthy to know the unrevealed Father. So, because I publicly reveal him to them, you yourself, through envy, are angry with me who wish to benefit them. 10 And Peter said: Since you have spoken in this way to please the crowds who are present, I shall speak to them, not to please them, but to tell them the truth. Tell me how you know all those who are present to be worthy, when not even one of them agreed with your explanation of the subject; for applauding me in opposition to you is not the act of those who agree with you, but of those who agree with me, to whom they gave the applause for having spoken the truth. But since God, who is just, judges the mind of each one—a doctrine which you affirm to be true—He would not have wished this to be given through the left hand to those on the right hand, exactly as the man who receives anything from a robber is himself guilty. So that, for this reason, He did not wish them to receive what is brought by you; but they are to receive the revelation through the Son, who has been set apart for this work. For whom could the Father reasonably give a revelation to except His only Son, because He knows Him to be worthy of such a revelation? And so this is a matter which one cannot teach or be taught, but it must be revealed by the hand that cannot be described to him who is worthy to know it. 11 And Simon said: It contributes much to victory, if the man who fights uses his own weapons; for a person can defend what he loves with real determination, and what is defended with real earnestness has extraordinary power. So in future I shall present to you my real opinions. I maintain that there is some unrevealed power, unknown to all, even to the Creator himself, as Jesus himself has also declared, though he did not know what he said. For when one talks a great deal he sometimes hits the truth, not knowing what he is saying. I am referring to the statement which he uttered, 'No one knows the Father.' And Peter said: Do not claim any longer that you know His teachings. And Simon said: I do not profess to believe his teachings; but I am discussing points in which he was right by accident. And Peter said: To give you no excuse for evading the issue, I shall carry on the discussion with you in the way you wish. At the same time, I call all to witness that you do not yet believe the statement which you just now made. For I know your opinions. And so that you do not imagine that I am not speaking the truth, I shall explain your opinions, so that you may know that you are discussing with one who is well acquainted with them. 12 We, Simon, do not assert that from the great power, which is also called the dominant power, two angels were sent out, the one to create the world, the other to give the law; nor that each one when he came proclaimed himself, because of what he had done, as the sole creator; nor that there is one who stands, will stand, and is opposed. Learn how you disbelieve even concerning this subject. If you say that there is an unrevealed power, that power is full of ignorance. For it did not know beforehand the ingratitude of the angels who were sent by it. And Simon became extremely angry with Peter for saying this, and interrupted his speech, saying: What nonsense is this you speak, you daring and most shameless of men, revealing plainly before the crowds the secret doctrines, so that they can be easily learned? And Peter said: Why do you resent that the present audience should receive benefit? And Simon said: Do you then agree that such knowledge is a benefit? And Peter said: I agree: for the knowledge of a false doctrine is beneficial, since you do not fall into it because of ignorance. And Simon said: You are evidently not able to reply to the claims I presented to you. I maintain that even your teacher affirms that there is some Father unrevealed.

Peter Interprets Jesus' Teaching about the Father

13 And Peter said: I will address what you want me to discuss,—namely, the passage, 'No one knows the Father but the Son, nor does anyone know the Son but the Father, and they to whom the Son may wish to reveal Him.' First, then, I am astonished that, while this statement allows countless interpretations, you should have chosen the very dangerous position of maintaining that the statement is made with reference to the ignorance of the Creator (Demiurge), and all who are under him. For, first, the statement can apply to all the Jews who think that David is the father of Christ, and that Christ himself is his son, and do not know that He is the Son of God. So it is appropriately said, 'No one knows the Father,' since, instead of God, they affirmed David to be His father; and the additional remark, that no one knows even the Son, is quite correct, since they did not know that He was the Son. The statement also, 'to whomever the Son may wish to reveal Him,' is also correct; for He being the Son from the beginning, was alone appointed to give the revelation to those to whom He wishes to give it. And thus the first man (protoplast) Adam must have heard of Him; and Enoch, who pleased God, must have known Him; and Noah, the righteous one, must have become acquainted with Him; and Abraam His friend must have understood Him; and Isaac must have perceived Him; and Jacob, who wrestled with Him, must have believed in Him; and the revelation must have been given to all among the people who were worthy. 14 But if, as you say, it will be possible to know Him, because He is now revealed to all through Jesus, are you not stating what is most unjust, when you say that these men did not know Him, who were the seven pillars of the world, and who were able to please the most just God, and that so many now from all nations who were irreverent know Him in every respect? Were those who were superior to everyone really not considered worthy to know Him? And how can that be good which is not just? Unless you wish to give the name of 'good,' not to him who does good to those who act justly, but to him who loves the unjust, even though they do not believe, and reveals to them the secrets which he would not reveal to the just. But such conduct is appropriate neither for someone good nor for someone just, but for someone who has come to hate the devout. Are you not, Simon, the standing one, who have the boldness to make these statements which have never been made this way before? 15 And Simon, being annoyed at this, said: Blame your own teacher, who said, 'I thank You, Lord of heaven and earth, that what was concealed from the wise, You have revealed to nursing infants.' And Peter said: This is not the way in which the statement was made; but I shall speak of it as if it had been made in the way that has seemed good to you. Our Lord, even if He had made this statement, 'What was concealed from the wise, the Father revealed to infants,' could not even then be thought to indicate another God and Father in addition to Him who created the world. For it is possible that the concealed things of which He spoke may be those of the Creator (Demiurge) himself; because Isaiah says, 'I will open my mouth in parables, and I will pour out things concealed from the foundation of the world.' Do you agree, then, that the prophet was not ignorant of the things concealed, which Jesus says were concealed from the wise, but revealed to infants? And how was the Creator (Demiurge) ignorant of them, if his prophet Isaiah was not ignorant of them? But our Jesus did not in reality say 'what was concealed,' but He said what seems a harsher statement; for He said, ' You have concealed these things from the wise, and have revealed them to nursing infants.' Now the word 'You have concealed' implies that they had once been known to them; for the key of the kingdom of heaven, that is, the knowledge of the secrets, lay with them. 16 And do not say He acted irreverently toward the wise in hiding these things from them. We should never suppose such a thing. For He did not act irreverently; but since they hid the knowledge of the kingdom, and neither themselves entered nor allowed those who wished to enter, for this reason, and justly, since they hid the ways from those who wished to enter, the secrets were similarly hidden from them, so that they themselves might experience what they had done to others, and the same measure they had used might be measured out to them. For someone worthy of knowing is entitled to what he does not know; but from someone unworthy, even what he seems to have is taken away, even if he is wise in other matters; and it is given to the worthy, even if they are infants in terms of how long they have been disciples.

Peter on Israel's Knowledge of God

17 But if someone says nothing was concealed from the sons of Israel, because it is written, 'Nothing escaped your notice, Israel (for do not say, Jacob, The way is hidden from me),' he ought to understand that the things that belong to the kingdom had been hidden from them, but that the way that leads to the kingdom, that is, the way of life, had not been hidden from them. That is why He says, 'For do not say that the way has been hidden from me.' But the way means the way of life; for Moses says, 'Look, I have set before you the way of life and the way of death.' And the Teacher spoke in harmony with this: 'Enter through the confined and narrow way, through which you shall enter into life.' And somewhere else, when one asked Him, 'What shall I do to inherit eternal life?' He pointed out to him the commandments of the law. 18 From the fact that Isaiah said, speaking as God, 'But Israel has not known me, and the people have not understood me,' we should not infer that Isaiah indicated another God besides Him who is known; but he meant that the known God was in another sense unknown, because the people sinned, being ignorant of the just character of the known God, and imagined that they would not be punished by the good God. So, after he said, 'But Israel has not known me, and the people have not understood me,' he adds, 'Alas! A sinful nation, a people burdened with sins.' For, not being afraid, because of their ignorance of His justice, as I said, they became burdened with sins, supposing that He was merely good, and would not therefore punish them for their sins. 19 And some sinned in this way, because they imagined that there would be no judgment because of His goodness. But others took an opposite course. For, supposing the expressions of the Scriptures which are against God, and are unjust and false, to be true, they did not know His real divinity and power. Therefore, in the belief that He was ignorant and delighted in murder, and let off the wicked because of the gifts of sacrifices; yes, moreover, that He deceived and spoke falsely, and did everything that is unjust, they themselves did things like what their God did, and thus sinning, asserted that they were acting reverently. So it was impossible for them to change for the better, and when warned they paid no attention. For they were not afraid, since they became like their God through such actions. 20 But one might with good reason maintain that it was with reference to those who thought Him to be such that the statement was made, 'No one knows the Father but the Son, as no one knows even the Son, but the Father.' And with good reason. For if they had known, they would not have sinned, by trusting in the books written against God, really for the purpose of testing. But somewhere also He says, wishing to show the cause of their error more clearly to them, 'For this reason you are mistaken, not knowing the true things of the Scriptures, for which reason you are ignorant also of the power of God.' So every man who wishes to be saved must become, as the Teacher said, a judge of the books written to test us. For He spoke as follows: 'Become experienced bankers.' Now the need of bankers arises from the fact that the counterfeit is mixed with the genuine.

Peter Challenges Belief in an Unknown God

21 When Peter said this, Simon pretended to be utterly astonished at what was said about the Scriptures; and as if deeply agitated, he said: I and those who love me should never listen to your speeches. And, indeed, as long as I did not know that you held these opinions about the Scriptures, I endured you, and discussed with you; but now I withdraw. Indeed, I ought from the beginning to have withdrawn, because I heard you say, 'I, for my part, believe no one who says anything against Him who created the world, neither angels, nor prophets, nor Scriptures, nor priests, nor teachers, nor anyone else, even though one should work signs and miracles, even though he should shine brilliantly in the air, or should make a revelation through visions or through dreams.' Who, then, can succeed in changing your mind, whether for good or bad, so that you should hold opinions different from what you have determined on, since you remain so persistently and immovably in your own decision? 22 When Simon said this, and was going to depart, Peter said: Listen to this one other remark, and then go where you like. Then Simon turned back and remained, and Peter said: I know how you were then astonished when you heard me say, 'Whoever says anything at all against God who created the world, I do not believe him.' But listen now to something additional, and greater than this. If God who created the world has in reality such a character as the Scriptures assign Him, and if somehow or other He is incomparably wicked, more wicked than either the Scriptures were able to represent Him, or anyone else can even imagine Him to be, nevertheless I shall not give up worshiping Him alone, and doing His will. For I wish you to know and to be convinced, that anyone who has no love for his own Creator can never have it for another. And if he has it for another, he has it contrary to nature, and he is ignorant that he has this passion for the unjust from the evil one. Nor will he even be able to hold on to that love steadily. And, indeed, if there is another above the Creator (Demiurge), he will welcome me, since he is good, especially because I love my own Father; and he will not welcome you, as he knows that you have abandoned your own natural Creator: for I do not call Him Father, influenced by a greater hope, and not caring for what is reasonable. Thus, even if you find one who is superior to Him, he knows that you will one day abandon him; and all the more because he has not been your father, since you have abandoned Him who was really your Father. 23 But you will say, 'He knows that there is no other above him, and for this reason he cannot be abandoned.' Thanks, then, to there being no other; but He knows that the state of your mind is one inclined to ingratitude. But if, knowing you to be ungrateful, He welcomes you, and knowing me to be grateful, He does not receive me, He is inconsiderate, according to your own assertion, and does not act reasonably. And thus, Simon, you are not aware that you are the servant of wickedness. And Simon answered: Where, then, has evil come from? Tell us. And Peter said: Since today you were the first to go out, and you declared that you would not in future listen to me on the grounds that I am a blasphemer, come tomorrow, if indeed you wish to learn, and I shall explain the matter to you, and I will permit you to ask me any questions you like, without any dispute. And Simon said: I will do what seems good to me. And saying this, he went away. Now none of those who came in with him went out with him; but, falling at Peter's feet, they begged that they might be pardoned for having been carried away with Simon, and on repenting, to be welcomed. But Peter, welcoming those who repented, and the rest of the crowds, laid his hands upon them, praying, and healing those who were sick among them; and thus dismissing them, he urged them to return early about dawn. And saying this, and going in with his intimate friends, he made the usual preparations for immediate rest, for it was now evening.

Simon Asks about the Origin of Evil

1 The next day Peter came out earlier than usual; and seeing Simon with many others waiting for him, he greeted the crowd, and began to speak. But no sooner did he begin than Simon interrupted him, and said: Skip these long introductions of yours, and answer directly the questions I put to you. Since I see that you (as I know from what I heard at the beginning) have no other purpose than to show by every device that the Creator himself alone is the blameless God,—since, as I said, I see that you are so determined to maintain this that you dare to declare some portions of the Scriptures false when they clearly speak against him, for this reason I have determined today to prove that it is impossible that he, being the Creator of all, should be blameless. But this proof I can now begin, if you reply to the questions which I put to you. 2 Do you maintain that there is any prince of evil or not? For if you say that there is not, I can prove to you from many statements, and those too of your teacher, that there is; but if you honestly acknowledge that the evil one exists, then I shall speak in accordance with this belief. And Peter said: It is impossible for me to deny the assertion of my Teacher. So I agree that the evil one exists, because my Teacher, who spoke the truth in all things, has frequently asserted that he exists. For instance, then, he acknowledges that he conversed with Him, and tempted Him for forty days. And I know that He has said somewhere else, 'If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself: how then is his kingdom to stand?' And He pointed out that He saw the evil one like lightning falling down from heaven. And elsewhere He said, 'He who sowed the bad seed is the devil.' And again, 'Give no pretext to the evil one.' Moreover, in giving advice, He said, 'Let your yes be yes, and your no be no; for anything more than these comes from the evil one.' Also, in the prayer which He delivered to us, we have it said, 'Deliver us from the evil one.' And in another place, He promised that He would say to those who are irreverent, 'Go into outer darkness, which the Father prepared for the devil and his angels.' And not to prolong this statement further, I know that my Teacher often said that there is an evil one. So I also agree in thinking that he exists. If, then, in future you have anything to say in accordance with this belief, say it, as you promised. 3 And Simon said: Since, then, you have honestly confessed, on the testimony of the Scriptures, that the evil one exists, state to us how he has come into existence, if indeed he has come into existence, and by whom, and why. And Peter said: Pardon me, Simon, if I do not dare to affirm what has not been written. But if you say that it has been written, prove it. But if, since it has not been written, you cannot prove it, why should we run a risk in stating our opinions about what has not been written? For if we speak too daringly about God, it is either because we do not believe that we shall be judged, or that we shall be judged only for what we do, but not also about what we believe and speak. But Simon, understanding that Peter referred to his own madness, said: Permit me to run the risk; but do not make what you assert to be blasphemy an excuse to withdraw. For I perceive that you wish to withdraw, so that you may escape refutation before the masses, sometimes as if you were afraid to listen to blasphemies, and at other times by maintaining that, as nothing has been written as to how, and by whom, and why the evil one came into existence, we ought not to dare to assert more than the Scripture. So also as a devout man you affirm this only, that he exists. But by these devices you deceive yourself, not knowing that, if it is blasphemy to investigate precisely the evil one, the blame rests with me, the accuser, and not with you, the defender of God. And if the subject inquired into is not in Scripture, and for this reason you do not wish to inquire into it, there are some satisfactory methods which can prove to you what is sought not less effectively than the Scriptures. For instance, must it not be the case that the evil one, who you say exists, is either created or uncreated? 4 And Peter said: It must be so. And Simon: Therefore, if he is created, he has been made by that very God who made all things, either being born as an animal, or being sent out in substance and resulting from an external mixture of elements. For either the matter, being living or lifeless, from which he was made was outside of Him, or he came into being through God Himself, or through his own self, or he resulted from nonexistent things, or he is something that is evil only in relation to something else, or he always existed. Having, I think, clearly pointed out all the possible ways by which we may find him, in going along one of these we must find him. We must therefore go along each one of these in search of his origin; and when we find the one who brought him into being, we must perceive that he is to blame. Or how does the matter seem to you? 5 And Peter said: I think, even if it is clear that he was made by God, the Creator who made him should not be blamed; for his service might turn out to have been absolutely necessary. But if, on the other hand, it should be proved that he was not created, since he existed forever, the Creator is not to be blamed even in this case, since He is better than all others, even if He has not been able to put an end to a being who had no beginning, because his nature did not allow it; or if, being able, He does not destroy him, considering it unjust to put an end to what had no beginning, and pardoning what was wicked by nature, because he could not have become anything else, even if he were to wish to do so. But if, wishing to do good, He is not able, even in this case He is good in that He has the will, though He lacks the power; and although He lacks that power, He is still the most powerful of all, since no one else has that power. But if there is someone else who is able, and yet does not accomplish it, it must be admitted that, to the extent that, being able, he does not accomplish it, he is wicked in not putting an end to him, as if he took pleasure in the deeds done by him. But if not even he is able, then the better one is he who, though unable, is still willing to benefit us as much as he can. 6 And Simon said: When you have discussed all the subjects which I have laid before you, I shall show you the cause of evil. Then I shall also reply to what you have now said, and prove that that God whom you affirm to be blameless is at fault. And Peter said: Since I perceive from what you say at the beginning that you are seeking only to blame God as the author of evil, I have resolved to go along with you all the ways you like, and to prove that God is entirely free from blame. And Simon said: You say this because you love God, whom you suppose you know; but you are not right. And Peter said: But you, because you are wicked and hate God whom you have not known, utter blasphemous words. And Simon said: Remember that you have likened me to the author of evil. And Peter said: I confess it, I was wrong in comparing you to the evil one; for I was compelled to do so, because I have not found one who is your equal, or worse than you. For this reason I likened you to the evil one; for you happen to be much more wicked than the author of evil. For no one can prove that the evil one spoke against God; but all of us who are present see you speaking daringly against Him. And Simon said: He who seeks the truth ought not to please anyone in any respect contrary to what is really true. For why does he make the inquiry at all? Why, I ask? For I am not also able, laying aside the accurate investigation of things, to spend all my time in the praise of that God whom I do not know. 7 And Peter said: You are not so blessed as to praise Him, nor indeed can you do such a good deed as this; for then you would be full of Him. For our Teacher said this, who always spoke the truth: 'Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.' So you, abounding in evil purposes, through ignorance speak against the only good God. And not yet suffering what you deserve to suffer for the words which you have dared to utter, you either imagine that there will be no judgment, or perhaps you think that there is not even a God. So, not comprehending such patience as His, you are moving on to still greater madness. And Simon said: Do not imagine that you will frighten me into not investigating the truth of your examples. For I am so eager for the truth that I will not shrink from facing danger for its sake. If, then, you have anything to say about the claims I made at the beginning, say it now.

Peter Distinguishes God's Will from His Nature

8 And Peter said: Since you force us, after we have made accurate investigations into the plans of God, to venture to state them, and that, too, to men who are not able to comprehend thoroughly the plans of their fellow humans, for the sake at least of those who are present, I, instead of remaining silent—a course which would be most reverent—shall discuss the subjects of which you wish me to speak. I agree with you in believing that there is a prince of evil, of whose origin the Scripture has ventured to say nothing either true or false. But let us pursue the inquiry in many ways, as to how he has come into existence, if it is the fact that he has come into existence; and of the opinions which present themselves, let us select the most reverent one, since in the case of probable opinions, we confidently accept the one based on the principle that we should attribute to God what is more reverent; and all the more so, if, when all other suppositions are removed, there still remains one which is adequate and involves less danger. But I promise you, before I proceed with the investigation, that every method in the investigation can show that God alone is blameless. 9 But, as you said, if the evil one is created either he has been begotten as an animal, or he has been sent out as a substance by Him, or he has been compounded externally, or his will has arisen through composition; or it happened that he came into existence from nonexistent things, without composition and the will of God; or he has been made by God from what exists in no way and nowhere; or the matter, being lifeless or living, from which he has arisen was outside of God; or he fashioned himself, or he was made by God, or he is something that is evil only in relation to something else, or he has always existed: for we cannot say that he does not exist, since we have agreed in thinking that he does exist. And Simon said: You have clearly distinguished all the ways of accounting for his existence in a concise way. Now my task is to examine these various ideas, and to show that the Creator is at fault. But your task is to prove, as you promised, that he is free from all blame. But I wonder if you will be able. For, first, if the devil has been begotten from God as an animal, the vice which is his is accordingly the same as that of him who sends him forth. And Peter said: Not at all. For we see many good men who are fathers of wicked children, and other wicked men who are fathers of good children, and others again who are wicked producing both good and wicked children, and others who are good having both wicked and good children. For instance, the first man who was created produced the unrighteous Cain and the righteous Abel. To this Simon said: You are acting foolishly, in using human examples when speaking about God. And Peter said: Then speak to us about God without using human examples, and yet so that what you say can be understood; but you are not able to do so. 10 For instance, then, what did you say in the beginning? If the wicked one has been begotten of God, being of the same substance as He, then God is wicked. But when I showed you, from the example which you yourself presented, that wicked beings come from good, and good from wicked, you did not admit the argument, for you said that the example was a human one. So I now do not admit that the term 'being begotten' can be used with reference to God; for it is characteristic of man, and not of God, to beget. Furthermore, God cannot be good or evil, just or unjust. Nor indeed can He have intelligence, or life, or any of the other attributes which can exist in man; for all these are specific to man. And if we must not, in our investigations about God, give Him the good attributes which belong to man, it is not possible for us to have any thought or make any statement about God; but all we can do is to investigate one point alone,—namely, what His will is, which He Himself has allowed us to understand, so that, when judged, we might have no excuse about those laws which we have not observed, though we knew them. 11 And Simon, hearing this, said: You will not force me through shame to remain silent about His substance, and to inquire into His will alone. For it is possible both to think and to speak of His substance. I mean from the good attributes that belong to man. For instance, life and death are attributes of man; but death is not an attribute of God, but life, and eternal life. Furthermore, men may be both evil and good; but God can be only incomparably good. And, not to prolong the subject too much, the better attributes of man are eternal attributes of God. And Peter said: Tell me, Simon, is it an attribute of man to beget evil and good, and to do evil and good? And Simon said: It is. And Peter said: Since you made this assertion, we must assign the better attributes of man to God; and so, while men beget evil and good, God can beget good only; and while men do evil and good, God delights only in doing good. Thus, with regard to God, we must either not assign any human attributes to Him and be silent, or it is reasonable that we should assign the best of the good attributes to Him. And thus He alone is the cause of all good things.

Peter Rejects Rival Sources of Evil

12 And Simon said: If, then, God is the cause only of what is good, what else can we think than that some other principle begot the evil one; or is evil unbegotten? And Peter said: No other power begot the wicked one, nor is evil unbegotten, as I shall show in the conclusion; for now my object is to prove, as I promised at the beginning, that God is blameless in every respect. We have granted, then, that God possesses in an incomparable way the better attributes that belong to men. So also it is possible for Him to have been the producer of the four substances,—heat, I mean, and cold, moisture and dryness. These, initially simple and unmixed, were naturally neutral in their desires; but being produced by God, and mixed externally, they would naturally become a living being, possessing the free choice to destroy those who are evil. And thus, since all things have been begotten from Him, the wicked one is from no other source. Nor has he derived his evil from the God who has created all things (with whom it is impossible that evil should exist), because the substances were produced by Him in a state of indifference, and carefully separated from each other; and when they were externally blended through His skill, an act of will gave rise to the desire to destroy the evil ones. But the good cannot be destroyed by the evil that arose, even though it should wish to do so: for it exercises its power only against those who sin. Not knowing each person’s character, he attempts to act against him, and after finding him guilty, punishes him. And Simon said: God being able to mix the elements, and to make His mixtures so as to produce any characters that He may wish, why did He not make the composition of each such that it would prefer what is good? 13 And Peter said: Now indeed our object is to show how and by whom the evil one came into being, since he did come into being; but we shall show if he came into being blamelessly, when we have finished the present subject. Then I shall show how and for what reason he came into being, and I shall fully convince you that his Creator is blameless. We said, then, that the four substances were produced by God. And thus, through the will of Him who mixed them, the choice of evils arose as He wished. For if it had arisen contrary to His determination, or from some other substance or cause, then God would not have had firmness of will: for perhaps, even though He should not wish it, leaders of evil might continually arise, who would fight against His wishes. But it is impossible that this should be the case. For no living being, and especially one capable of giving guidance, can arise from accident: for everything that is produced must be produced by someone. 14 And Simon said: But what if matter, being as old as He is, and possessing equal power, produces as His enemy leaders who hinder His wishes? And Peter said: If matter is eternal, then it is the enemy of no one: for what exists forever is incapable of suffering, and what is incapable of suffering is blessed; but what is blessed cannot be receptive of hatred, since, because of its eternal creation, it does not fear that it will be deprived of anything. But how could matter fail to love the Creator instead, when it evidently produces its fruits to nourish all who are made by Him? And how could it fail to fear Him as superior, when it acknowledges this by trembling in earthquakes, and as, though its waves rose high, yet, when the Teacher was sailing on it and commanded a calm, it immediately obeyed and became still? What! Did not the demons go out through fear and respect for Him, and others of them desired to enter into pigs; but they first begged Him before going, plainly because they had no power to enter even into pigs without His permission? 15 And Simon said: But what if, being lifeless, it possesses a nature capable of producing what is evil and what is good? And Peter said: According to this statement, it is neither good nor evil, because it does not act by free choice, being lifeless and incapable of sensation. So it is possible to see clearly in this matter, how, being lifeless, it produces as if it were living; and being incapable of sensation, it yet plainly fashions artistic shapes both in animals and plants. And Simon said: What! If God Himself gave it life, is not He, then, the cause of the evils which it produces? And Peter said: If God gave it life according to His own will, then it is His Spirit that produces it, and it is no longer anything hostile to God, or of equal power with Him; or it is impossible that everything made by Him is made as He wishes. But you will say, He Himself is the cause of evil, since He Himself produces the evils through it. What sort, then, are the evils of which you speak? Poisonous serpents and deadly plants, or demons, or any other of those things that can disturb men?—which things would not have been harmful had not man sinned, for which reason death came in. For if man were sinless, the poison of serpents would have no effect, nor the activities of harmful plants, nor would there be the disturbances of demons, nor would man naturally have any other suffering; but losing his immortality because of his sin, he has become, as I said, capable of every suffering. But if you say, Why, then, was the nature of man made at the beginning capable of death? I tell you, because of free will; for if we were not capable of death, we could not be punished, since we would be immortal because of our voluntary sin. And thus, because of our freedom from suffering, righteousness would be still more weakened if we were wicked by choice; for those who should have evil purposes could not be punished, because of their being incapable of suffering.

Peter Explains the Evil One's Authority

16 And Simon said to this: I have one thing more to say about the wicked one. Certainly, since God made him out of nothing, he is in this respect wicked, especially since he was able to make him good, by giving him at his creation a nature in no way capable of selecting wickedness. And Peter said: The statement that He created him out of nothing, with a power of choice, is like the statement we have made above, that, having made a nature that can delight in evils, He Himself appears to be the cause of what took place. But since there is one explanation of both statements, we shall show afterwards why it was that He made him delight in the destruction of the wicked. And Simon said: If he made the angels also agents with free will, and the wicked one departed from a state of righteousness, why has he been honored with a position of authority? Is it not plain that he who thus honored him takes pleasure in the wicked, in that he has thus honored him? And Peter said: If God set him by law, when he rebelled, to rule over those who were like him, ordering him to inflict punishment on those who sin, He is not unjust. But if it is the case that He has honored him even after his revolt, He who honored him saw beforehand his usefulness; for the honor is temporary, and it is right that the wicked should be ruled by the wicked one, and that sinners should be punished by him. 17 And Simon said: If, then, he exists forever, is God's sole rule not overturned in this way, since there is another power, namely, that concerned with matter, which rules along with Him? And Peter said: If they are different in their substances, they are different also in their powers, and the superior rules the inferior. But if they are of the same substance, then they are equal in power, and they are similarly good or bad. But it is plain that they are not equal in power; for the Creator put matter into the shape of the world that He wished it to have. Is it then at all possible to maintain that it always existed, being a substance; and is not matter, as it were, the storehouse of God? For it is not possible to maintain that there was a time when God possessed nothing, but He always was the only ruler of it. So also He is an eternal sole ruler; and for this reason it would justly be said to belong to Him who exists, and rules, and is eternal. And Simon said: What then? Did the wicked one make himself? And was God good in such a way, that, knowing he would be the cause of evil, he yet did not destroy him when he first came into existence, when he could have been destroyed, since he was not yet fully formed? For if he came into being suddenly and complete, then for that reason he is at war with the Creator, as having come suddenly into being, possessed of equal power with him. 18 And Peter said: What you state is impossible; for if he came into existence gradually, He could have destroyed him as an enemy by His own free choice. And knowing beforehand that he was coming into existence, He would not have allowed him as a good, had He not known that something useful was coming into existence through him. And he could not have come into existence suddenly, complete, of his own power. For someone who did not exist could not form himself; and he could not become complete out of nothing, nor could anyone rightly say that, if he were begotten, his substance would make him always equal in power. And Simon said: Is he then evil only in relation to something else, and in this way wicked? —being harmful, as water is harmful to fire, but good for the land thirsty at the proper season; as iron is good for the cultivation of the land, but bad for murders; and lust is not evil in the context of marriage, but bad in the context of adultery; as murder is an evil, but good for the murderer so far as his purpose is concerned; and cheating is an evil, but pleasant to the man who cheats; and other things of a similar kind are likewise both good and bad. In this way, nothing is either evil or good; for the one produces the other. For does what seems harmful not delight the doer while punishing the sufferer? And though it seems unjust that a man should, out of self-love, gratify himself by every means in his power, to whom, on the other hand, does it not seem unjust that a man should suffer severe punishments at the hand of a just judge for having loved himself? 19 And Peter said: A man ought to punish himself through self-restraint, when his desire drives him to harm someone else, knowing that the wicked one can destroy the wicked, for he has received power over them from the beginning. And even this is not an evil to those who have done evil; but you are right to think it truly harsh that their souls should continue to be punished after their destruction, though the man who has been destined for evil should say that it is right. So, as I said, we should avoid harming someone else for a brief pleasure, so that we do not bring eternal punishment on ourselves for the sake of a little pleasure. And Simon said: Is it the case, then, that there is nothing either bad or good by nature, but the difference arises through law and custom? For is it not the habit of the Persians to marry their own mothers, sisters and daughters, while marriage with other women is prohibited as utterly barbaric? So, if it is not settled what things are evil, it is not possible for all to expect the judgment of God. And Peter said: This cannot hold; for it is plain to all that sexual intercourse with mothers is abominable, even though the Persians, who are a mere fraction of the whole, should under the effects of a bad custom fail to see the wickedness of their abominable conduct. Thus also the Britons have sexual intercourse publicly in the sight of all, and are not ashamed; and some men eat the flesh of others, and feel no disgust; and others eat the flesh of dogs; and others practice other unmentionable deeds. So we should not base our judgments on a perception whose natural function has been distorted by habit. For to be murdered is an evil, even if all were to deny it; for no one wishes to suffer it himself, and in the case of theft no one is delighted with his own punishment. Even if no one ever admitted that these are sins, it would still be right to regard judgment for sins as inevitable. When Peter said this, Simon answered: Does this, then, seem to you to be the truth about the wicked one? Tell me.

Peter on Judgment, Suffering, and Human Choice

20 And Peter said: We remember that our Lord and Teacher, commanding us, said, 'Keep the mysteries for me and the sons of my house.' So also He explained to His disciples privately the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. But to you who do battle with us, and examine into nothing else but our statements, whether they are true or false, it would be irreverent to state the hidden truths. But so that none of the bystanders thinks I am inventing excuses, because I am unable to reply to the assertions made by you, I shall answer you by first putting the question, If there had been a state of painlessness, what is the meaning of the statement, 'The evil one was?' And Simon said: The words have no meaning. And Peter: Is then evil the same as pain and death? And Simon: It seems so. And Peter said: Evil, then, does not exist always, yes, it cannot even exist at all substantially; for pain and death belong to the class of contingent events, neither of which can coexist with lasting strength. For what is pain but the interruption of harmony? And what is death but the separation of the soul from the body? There is therefore no pain when there is harmony. For death does not belong at all to things that exist as substances: for death is nothing, as I said, but the separation of the soul from the body; and when this takes place, the body, which is by nature incapable of sensation, is dissolved; but the soul, being capable of sensation, remains in life and exists substantially. Hence, when there is harmony there is no pain, no death, no, not even deadly plants nor poisonous reptiles, nor anything of such a nature that its end is death. And hence, where immortality reigns, all things will appear to have been made with reason. And this will be the case when, because of righteousness, man becomes immortal through the prevalence of the peaceful reign of Christ, when his composition will be so well arranged as not to give rise to sharp impulses; and his knowledge, moreover, will be unerring, so that he shall not mistake evil for good; and he will suffer no pain, so that he will not be mortal. 21 And Simon said: You were right in saying this; but in the present world does not man seem to you to be capable of every kind of emotion,—as, for instance, of sexual desire, anger, grief, and similar things? And Peter said: Yes, these belong to the things that are contingent, not to those that always exist, and it will be found that they now occur to the benefit of the soul. For sexual desire has been made to arise within the living being by the will of Him who created all things well, so that, led by it to intercourse, he may increase humanity, from a selection of which a multitude of superior beings arise who are fit for eternal life. But if it were not for sexual desire, no one would trouble himself with intercourse with his wife; but now, for the sake of pleasure, and, as it were, gratifying himself, man carries out His will. Now, if a man uses sexual desire within lawful marriage, he does not act irreverently; but if he rushes to adultery, he acts irreverently, and he is punished because he makes a bad use of a good ordinance. And in the same way, anger has been made by God to be lighted up naturally within us, so that it may move us to ward off injuries. Yet if anyone indulges it without restraint, he acts unjustly; but if he uses it within proper limits, he does what is right. Moreover, we are capable of grief, so that we may feel sympathy at the death of relatives, of a wife, or children, or brothers, or parents, or friends, or some others, since, if we were not capable of sympathy, we should be inhuman. Similarly, all the other emotions will be found to be adapted for us, if at least the reason for their existence is considered.

Simon Questions Suffering and Inequality

22 And Simon: Why is it, then, that some die prematurely, and recurring diseases arise; and that there are, moreover, attacks of demons, and of madness, and all other kinds of afflictions which can greatly punish? And Peter said: Because men, following their own pleasure in all things, have sexual intercourse without observing the proper times; and thus the deposit of semen, taking place at the wrong time, naturally produces a multitude of evils. For they ought to reflect, that just as a suitable season has been fixed for planting and sowing, so appropriate days have been appointed for sexual intercourse, and these must be carefully observed. Accordingly someone well instructed in the teachings taught by Moses, finding fault with the people for their sins, called them sons of the new moons and the sabbaths. Yet in the beginning of the world men lived long, and had no diseases. But when through carelessness they neglected the observation of the proper times, then successive generations of sons having sexual intercourse through ignorance at times when they ought not, place their children under innumerable afflictions. So our Teacher, when we asked Him about the man who was blind from his birth, and recovered his sight, if this man sinned, or his parents, that he should be born blind, answered, 'Neither did he sin at all, nor his parents, but that the power of God might be revealed through him in healing the sins of ignorance.' And, in truth, such afflictions arise because of ignorance; as, for instance, by not knowing when one ought to have sexual intercourse with his wife, such as whether she is free from her discharge. Now the afflictions which you mentioned before are the result of ignorance, and not, certainly, of any wickedness that has been perpetrated. Moreover, give me the man who does not sin, and I will show you the man who does not suffer; and you will find that he not only does not allow himself to suffer, but that he is able to heal others. For instance, Moses, because of his piety, continued free from suffering all his life, and by his prayers he healed the Egyptians when they suffered because of their sins. 23 And Simon said: Let me grant that this is the case: does not the inequality of people's circumstances seem to you most unjust? For one is in poverty, another is rich; one is sick, another is in good health: and there are innumerable differences of a similar kind in human life. And Peter said: Do you not perceive, Simon, that you are again aiming your observations beyond the point? For while we were discussing evil, you have made a digression, and introduced the question of the anomalies that appear in this world. But I shall speak even to this point. The world is an instrument skillfully designed so that the female may bear righteous sons who will live eternally for the male who is to exist eternally. Now they could not have been made perfectly devout here, had there been no needy ones for them to help. Similarly there are the sick, so that they may have people to care for. And the other afflictions allow a similar explanation. And Simon said: Are not those in humble circumstances unfortunate? For they are subjected to distress, so that others may be made righteous. And Peter said: If their humiliation were eternal, their misfortune would be very great. But the humiliations and exaltations of men take place according to one's allotted circumstances; and he who is not pleased with his lot can appeal, and by trying his case according to law, he can exchange his way of life for another. And Simon said: What do you mean by this lot and this appeal? And Peter said: You are now demanding the explanation of another topic; but if you permit me, we can show you how, being born again, and changing your origin, and living according to law, you will obtain eternal salvation. 24 And Simon hearing this, said: Do not imagine that, when I, while questioning you, agreed with you in each topic, I went to the next, because I was fully convinced of the truth of the previous one; but I appeared to yield to your ignorance, so that you might go on to the next topic, and so that, becoming acquainted with the whole range of your ignorance, I might condemn you, not through mere guesswork, but from full knowledge. Allow me now to withdraw for three days, and I shall come back and show that you know nothing. When Simon said this, and was on the point of going out, my father said: Listen to me, Simon, for a moment, and then go wherever you like. I remember that in the beginning, before the discussion, you accused me of being prejudiced, though as yet you had no experience of me. But now, having heard you discuss in turn, and judging that Peter has the advantage, and now assigning to him the merit of speaking the truth, do I appear to you to judge correctly, and with knowledge; or is it not so? For if you should say that I have judged correctly, but do not agree, then you are plainly prejudiced, since you do not wish to agree, after confessing your defeat. But if I was not correct in maintaining that Peter has the advantage in the discussion, convince us how we have not judged correctly, or you will cease to discuss with him before everyone, since you will always be defeated and agree, and in consequence your own soul will suffer pain, condemned as you will be, and in disgrace, through your own conscience, even if you do not feel shame before all the listeners as the greatest torture; for we have seen you defeated, in fact, and we have heard your own lips confess it. Finally, therefore, I am of the opinion that you will not return to the discussion, as you promised; but so that you may seem undefeated, you have promised, when going away, that you will return. 25 And Simon hearing this, ground his teeth in rage, and went away in silence. But Peter (for a considerable portion of the day still remained) laid his hands on the large crowd to heal them; and having dismissed them, went into the house with his more intimate friends, and sat down. And one of his attendants, named Sophonias, said: Blessed is God, Peter, who selected you and instructed you to strengthen the good. For, in truth, you discussed with Simon with dignity and great patience. But we beg of you to speak to us of evil; for we expect that you will state to us your own genuine belief about it,—not, however at the present moment, but tomorrow, if it seems good to you: for we spare you, because of the fatigue you feel because of your discussion. And Peter said: I wish you to know, that he who does anything with pleasure, finds rest in the work itself; but he who does not do what he wishes, is made extremely tired by the very rest he takes. So you give me great rest when you have me speak on topics which please me. Content, then, with his attitude, and sparing him because of his fatigue, we requested him to put the discussion off till the night, when he usually spoke to his close friends. And eating salt, we went to sleep.

Peter Explains the Two Kingdoms

1 During the night Peter got up and woke us, and then sat down in his usual way, and said: Ask me questions about anything you like. And Sophonias was the first to begin to speak to him: Will you explain to us, who are eager to learn, what the real truth about evil is? And Peter said: I have already explained it in the course of my discussion with Simon; but because I stated the truth about it in combination with other topics, it was not entirely clear; for many topics that seem to be of equal weight with the truth give the crowds some kind of knowledge of the truth. So if I now repeat what I previously told Simon among many other topics, do not imagine that you receive less honor than he did. And Sophonias said: You are right; for if you now separate it for us from many of the topics that were then discussed, you will make the truth more evident. 2 And Peter said: Listen, therefore, to the truth of the harmony concerning the evil one. God appointed two kingdoms, and established two ages, determining that the present world should be given to the evil one, because it is small, and passes quickly away; but He promised to preserve for the good one the age to come, as it will be great and eternal. He therefore created man with free will and the ability to incline toward whatever actions he wishes. And his body consists of three parts, deriving its origin from the female; for it has lust, anger, and grief, and what follows from these. But the spirit, which is not uniform but consists of three parts, comes from the male; and it is capable of reasoning, knowledge, and fear, and what follows from these. And each of these triads has one root, so that man is a compound of two mixtures, the female and the male. So also two ways have been laid before him—those of obedience and disobedience to law; and two kingdoms, have been established,—the one called the kingdom of heaven, and the other the kingdom of those who are now kings on earth. Also two kings have been appointed, of whom the one is selected to rule by law over the present and temporary world, and he is constituted so that he delights in the destruction of the wicked. But the other, the good one, who is the King of the age to come, loves the whole nature of man; but being unable to act openly in the present world, he advises what is beneficial, like one who tries to conceal who he really is. 3 But of these two, the one acts violently toward the other by the command of God. Moreover, each man has power to obey whichever of them he pleases for the doing of good or evil. But if anyone chooses to do what is good, he becomes the possession of the future good king; but if anyone should do evil, he becomes the servant of the present evil one, who, having received power over him by just judgment because of his sins, and wishing to use it before the coming age, delights in punishing him in the present life, and thus by gratifying, so to speak, his own private passion, he accomplishes the will of God. But the other, being made to delight in power over the righteous, when he finds a righteous man, is extremely glad, and saves him with eternal life; and he also, as if gratifying himself, attributes the pleasure he feels in these things to God. Now it is within the power of every unrighteous man to repent and be saved; and every righteous man may have to undergo punishment for sins committed at the end of his career. Moreover, these two leaders are the swift hands of God, eager to act ahead of Him so as to accomplish His will. Even the law affirms this, speaking as God: 'I will kill, and I will make alive; I will strike, and I will heal.' For, in truth, He kills and makes alive. He kills through the left hand, that is, through the evil one, who has been constituted so as to delight in afflicting the irreverent. And he saves and benefits through the right hand, that is, through the good one, who has been made to delight in the good deeds and salvation of the righteous. Now their substances do not come from outside God: for there is no other primal source. Nor, indeed, have they been sent out as animals from God, for they were of the same mind as Him; nor are they accidental, arising spontaneously in opposition to His will, since that would have destroyed the greatest exercise of His power. But the four original elements have been sent out from God—heat and cold, moisture and dryness. As a result of this, He is the father of every substance, but not of the character that may arise from the combination of the elements; for when these were combined externally, a character arose in them like a child. The wicked one, then, having served God blamelessly to the end of the present world, can become good by a change in his constitution, since he certainly is not of one uniform substance whose only inclination is toward sin. For even now he does no evil, although he is evil, since he has received power to afflict lawfully. 4 When Peter said this, Micah, who was himself one of his followers, asked: What, then, is the reason why men sin? And Peter said: It is because they are ignorant that they will without doubt be punished for their evil deeds when judgment takes place. For this reason they, having sexual desire, as I elsewhere said, for the continuation of life, gratify it in any chance way, it may be by the sexual corruption of boys, or by some other alluring sin. For because of their ignorance, as I said before, they are urged on through fearlessness to satisfy their sexual desire in an unlawful manner. So God is not evil, who has rightly placed sexual desire within man, so that life may continue, but they are most irreverent who have used the good of sexual desire badly. The same considerations apply to anger also, that if one uses it righteously, as is within his power, he is devout; but going beyond proper limits and taking judgment into his own hands, he is irreverent.

The Disciples Ask about Evil and Judgment

5 And Sophonias said again: Your great patience, my lord Peter, gives us boldness to ask you many questions for the sake of accuracy. So we make our inquiries with confidence in every direction. I remember, then, that Simon said yesterday, in his discussion with you, that the evil one, if he was born of God, therefore has the same substance as the One who sent him out, and he ought to have been good, and not wicked. But you answered that this was not always the case, since many wicked sons are born of good parents, just as two unlike sons were born to Adam, one of whom was bad and the other good. And when Simon found fault with you for having used human examples, you answered that in this way we ought not to admit that God begets at all; for this also is a human example. And I, Sophonias, admit that God begets; but I do not accept that He begets what is bad, even though good men beget bad children. And do not imagine that I am without reason attributing to God some of the qualities that distinguish men, and refusing to attribute others, when I grant that He begets, but do not accept that He begets what is unlike Himself. For men, as you might expect, beget sons who are unlike them in their characters for the following reason. Because they are composed of four parts, their bodies change in different ways with the changing seasons; and so each season disrupts the harmonious combination as the human body undergoes the corresponding increase or decrease. Now, when the combinations do not always remain exactly in the same position, the seeds, having sometimes one combination, sometimes another, are sent off; and these are followed, according to the combination belonging to the season, by characters either good or bad. But in the case of God we cannot suppose any such thing; for, being unchangeable and always existing, whenever He wishes to send out, what is sent out must be in all respects in the same condition as the one that brought it into being, I mean in terms of substance and character. But if anyone should wish to maintain that He is changeable, I do not know how it is possible for him to maintain that He is immortal. 6 When Peter heard this, he thought for a little, and said: I do not think that anyone can talk about evil without doing the will of the evil one. Therefore knowing this, I do not know what I shall do, whether I shall be silent or speak. For if I remain silent, the crowd will laugh at me because I claim to proclaim the truth but do not understand the explanation of vice. But if I should state my opinion, I am afraid that it may not please God at all that we should search for evil, for only seeking after good is pleasing to Him. However, in my reply to the statements of Sophonias, I shall make my ideas more plain. I then agree with him in thinking that we ought not to attribute to God all the qualities of men. For instance, men do not have bodies capable of changing into other substances, so they do not undergo that kind of transformation; but their nature allows alteration over time through the seasons of the year. But this is not the case with God; for through His inborn Spirit He becomes, by a power which cannot be described, whatever body He likes. And one can all the more easily believe this, as the air, which has received such a nature from Him, is transformed into dew by the nonphysical mind permeating it, and being thickened becomes water, and water being compacted becomes stone and earth, and stones through collision ignite fire. Through such a change and transformation, air first becomes water and eventually becomes fire through transformations, and the moist is transformed into its opposite in nature. Why? Did not God transform the rod of Moses into an animal, making it a serpent, which He transformed back into a rod? And by means of this very transformed rod he transformed the water of the Nile into blood, which again he transformed back into water. Yes, even man, who is dust, He changed by the breathing in of His breath into flesh, and changed him back again into dust. And was not Moses, who himself was flesh, transformed into the grandest light, so that the sons of Israel could not look him in the face? Much more, then, is God completely able to transform Himself into whatever He wishes. 7 But perhaps one of you thinks that one may become something under the influence of one, and another under the influence of another, but no one can change himself into whatever he wishes, and that it is the characteristic of one who grows old, and who must die according to his nature, to change, but we ought not to hold such thoughts of immortal beings. For were not angels, who are free from old age, and of a fiery substance, changed into flesh,—those, for instance, who received the hospitality of Abraham, whose feet men washed, as if they were the feet of men of similar substance? Yes, moreover, an angel, changed into flesh so that he could grapple with him, wrestled with Jacob, who was a man. And, similarly, after he had wrestled by his own will, he was converted into his own natural form; and now, when he was changed into fire, he did not burn up the broad sinew of Jacob, but he caused it to become inflamed, and made him lame. Now, whatever cannot become anything else, however much it may wish to, is mortal, since it is subject to its own nature; but he who can become whatever he wishes, whenever he wishes, is immortal, returning to a new condition, since he has control over his own nature. So the power of God is all the more able to change the substance of the body into whatever He wishes and whenever He wishes; and by the change that takes place He sends out what, on the one hand, is of similar substance, but, on the other, is not of equal power. Whatever the one sending it out changes into a different substance, he can change back into his own substance; but he who is sent out, arising from the change that comes from him and being his child, cannot become anything else without the will of the one who sent him out, unless that one wills it.

The Disciples Ask about Good, Evil, and Free Choice

8 When Peter said this, Micah, who was himself also one of the companions that attended him, said: I also should like to learn from you if the good one has been produced in the same way that the evil one came into being. But if they came into being in a similar manner, then they are brothers in my opinion. And Peter said: They have not come into being in a similar way: for no doubt you remember what I said in the beginning, that the substance of the body of the wicked one, being fourfold in origin, was carefully selected and sent out by God; but when it was combined externally, according to the will of Him who sent it out, the combination gave rise to the character that delights in evils: so that you may see that the substance, fourfold in origin, which was sent out by Him, and which also always exists, is the child of God; but that the character that delights in evils arose as a contingent effect when he combined the substance externally. And thus character has not been begotten by God, nor by anyone else, nor indeed has it been sent out by Him, nor has it arisen spontaneously, nor did it always exist, like the substance before the combination; but it has come on as a contingent effect of external combination, according to the will of God. And we have often said that it must be so. But the good one having been begotten from the most beautiful change of God, and not having arisen accidentally through an external combination, is really His Son. Yet, since these teachings are unwritten, and are confirmed to us only by inference, let us by no means regard it as absolutely certain that this is how things truly stand. For if we act otherwise, our mind will cease from investigating the truth, in the belief that it has already fully comprehended it. Remember these things, therefore; for I must not state such things to all, but only to those who are found most trustworthy after testing. We should not rashly make such assertions to each other, and you should not dare speak as though you had precise knowledge of discovered secret truths, but you ought simply to reflect on them in silence; for someone who states that a matter is so may be mistaken, and he will suffer punishment for having dared to speak even to himself what has been honored with silence. 9 When Peter said this, Lazarus, who also was one of his followers, said: Explain to us the harmony, how it can be reasonable that the wicked one should be appointed by the righteous God to be the punisher of the irreverent, and yet should himself afterwards be sent into lower darkness along with his angels and with sinners: for I remember that the Teacher Himself said this. And Peter said: I do agree that the evil one does no evil, since he is accomplishing the law given to him. And although he has an evil character, yet through fear of God he does nothing unjustly; but, accusing the teachers of truth so as to entrap the unwary, he is himself named the accuser (the devil). But the statement of our unerring Teacher, that he and his angels, along with the deluded sinners, shall go into lower darkness, allows the following explanation. The evil one, having obtained the lot of delighting in darkness according to his constitution, delights to go down to the darkness of Tartarus along with angels who are his fellow slaves; for darkness is dear to fire. But the souls of men, being drops of pure light, are absorbed by the substance of fire, which is of a different class; and not possessing a nature capable of dying, they are punished according to what they deserve. But if he who is the leader of men into vice is not sent into darkness, on the grounds that he does not delight in it, then his constitution, which delights in evils, cannot be changed by another combination into a character inclined to good. And thus he will be judged to be with the good, all the more because, having obtained a composition which delights in evils, through fear of God he has done nothing contrary to the decrees of the law of God. And did the Scripture not mysteriously hint that the wicked one’s constitution would later change, when it said that the high priest Aaron’s rod became a serpent and was then changed back into a rod? 10 And after Lazarus, Joseph, who also was one of his followers, said: You have spoken all things rightly. Teach me also this, as I am eager to know it, why, when you give the same teachings to all, some believe and others disbelieve? And Peter said: It is because my teachings are not charms, so that everyone who hears them must without hesitation believe them. The fact that some believe, and others do not, points out to the intelligent the freedom of the will. And when he said this, we all blessed him.

Faustus Returns with Simon's Appearance

11 And as we were going to take our meals, someone ran in and said: Appion Pleistonices has just come with Annubion from Antioch, and he is lodging with Simon. And my father hearing this, and being glad, said to Peter: If you permit me, I shall go to greet Appion and Annubion, who have been my friends from childhood. For perhaps I shall persuade Annubion to discuss astrological destiny with Clement. And Peter said: I permit you, and I praise you for fulfilling the duties of a friend. But now consider how in the providence of God there come together from every direction considerations which contribute to your full assurance, completing the harmony. But I say this because the arrival of Annubion is to your advantage. And my father: In truth, I see that this is the case. And saying this, he went to Simon. 12 Now all of us who were with Peter asked each other questions the whole of the night, and continued awake, because of the pleasure and joy we derived from what was said. But when eventually the dawn began to break, Peter, looking at me and my brothers, said: I am puzzled to think what your father has been doing. And just as he was saying this, our father came in and caught Peter talking to us of him; and seeing him displeased, he approached him and apologized for having slept outside. But we were amazed when we looked at him: for we saw the form of Simon, but heard the voice of our father Faustus. And when we were fleeing from him, and recoiling from him, our father was astonished at receiving such harsh and hostile treatment from us. But Peter alone saw his natural shape, and said to us: Why do you turn away in horror from your own father? But we and our mother said: It is Simon that we see before us, with the voice of our father. And Peter said: You recognize only his voice, which is unaffected by magic; but as my eyes also are unaffected by magic, I can see his form as it really is, that he is not Simon, but your father Faustus. Then, looking to my father, he said: It is not your own true form that is seen by them, but that of Simon, our deadliest enemy, and a most irreverent man.

Peter Learns of Simon's Plot

13 While Peter was thus talking, there entered one of those who had gone before to Antioch, and who, coming back from Antioch, said to Peter: I wish you to know, my lord, that Simon, by doing many miracles publicly in Antioch, and calling you a magician and a trickster and a murderer, has worked them up to such hatred against you, that every man is eager to taste your very flesh if you should stay there. So we who went before, along with our brothers who were assigned by you to pretend to follow Simon, seeing the city raging wildly against you, met secretly and considered what we ought to do. And certainly, while we were in great confusion, Cornelius the centurion arrived, who had been sent by the emperor to the governor of the province. He was the person whom our Lord cured when he was possessed of a demon in Cæsarea. This man we sent for secretly; and informing him of the cause of our despair, we begged his help. He promised most readily that he would alarm Simon, and make him flee, if we should assist him in his effort. And when we all promised that we should readily do everything, he said, 'I shall spread the news through many friends that I have secretly come to arrest him; and I shall pretend that I am in search of him, because the emperor, having put to death many magicians, and having received information about him, has sent me to search him out, so that he may punish him as he punished the magicians before him; while those of your party who are with him must report to him, as if they had heard it from a secret source, that I have been sent to arrest him. And perhaps when he hears it from them, he will be alarmed and flee.' When, therefore, we had intended to do something else, nevertheless the affair turned out in the following way. For when he heard the news from many strangers who pleased him greatly by secretly informing him, and also from our brothers who pretended to be attached to him, and took it as the opinion of his own followers, he decided to withdraw. And hastening away from Antioch, he has come here with Athenodorus, as we have heard. So we advise you not yet to enter that city, until we find out whether they can forget in his absence the accusations which he brought against you. 14 When the person who had gone before gave this report, Peter looked to my father, and said: You hear, Faustus; the change in your form has been caused by Simon the magician, as is now evident. For, thinking that a servant of the emperor was seeking him to punish him, he became afraid and fled, putting you into his own shape, so that your children would grieve if you were put to death. When my father heard this, he wept and mourned, and said: You have inferred rightly, Peter. For Annubion, who is my dear friend, hinted his plan to me; but I did not believe him, miserable man that I am, since I deserved to suffer. 15 When my father said this, not long afterward Annubion came to us to announce to us Simon's escape, and how that very night he had hurried to Judæa. And he found our father wailing, and with lamentations saying: Alas, alas! unhappy man! I did not believe when I was told that he was a magician. Miserable man that I am! I have been recognized for one day by my wife and children, and have quickly gone back to my previous sad condition when I was still ignorant. And my mother lamenting, pulled at her hair; and we groaned in distress because of the transformation of our father, and could not comprehend what in the world it could be. But Annubion stood speechless, seeing and hearing these things; while Peter said to us, his children, in the presence of all: Believe me, this is Faustus your father. So I urge you to care for him as your father. For God will provide some opportunity for his shedding Simon's shape and clearly showing your father's shape again. And saying this, and looking to my father, he said: I permitted you to greet Appion and Annubion, since you asserted that they were your friends from childhood, but I did not permit you to associate with the magician Simon. 16 And my father said: I have sinned; I confess it. And Annubion said: I also along with him beg you to forgive the noble and good old man who has been deceived: for the unfortunate man has been that notorious fellow's plaything. But I shall tell you how it took place. The good old man came to greet us. But at that very hour we who were there happened to be listening to Simon, who wished to run away that night, for he had heard that some people had come to Laodicea in search of him by the command of the emperor. But as Faustus was entering, he turned his own rage on him, and thus addressed us: 'Make him, when he comes, share your meals; and I will prepare an ointment, so that, when he has eaten supper, he may take some of it, and anoint his face with it, and then he will appear to all to have my shape. But I will anoint you with the juice of some plant, and then you will not be deceived by his new shape; but to all others Faustus will seem to be Simon.' 17 And while he stated this beforehand, I said, 'What, then, is the advantage you now expect to get from such a device?' And Simon said, 'First, those who seek me, when they arrest him, will give up the search after me. But if he is executed by the hand of the emperor, very great sorrow will come upon his children, who left me, and fleeing to Peter, now aid him in his work.' And now, Peter, I confess the truth to you: I was prevented by fear of Simon from informing Faustus of this. But Simon did not give us an opportunity for private conversation, for fear that one of us might reveal to him the wicked plan of Simon. Simon then rose up in the middle of the night and fled to Judæa, escorted by Appion and Athenodorus. Then I pretended that I was sick, so that, remaining after they had gone, I might make Faustus go back immediately to his own people, if by any chance he might be able, by being concealed with you, to escape observation, so that he would not be caught as Simon by those searching for Simon and put to death through the emperor's anger. At the dead of night, therefore, I sent him away to you; and in my anxiety for him I came by night to see him, with the intention of returning before those who escorted Simon should return. And looking to us, he said: I, Annubion, see the true shape of your father; for I was anointed, as I related to you before, by Simon himself, so that my eyes could see Faustus's true shape. Astonished, therefore, I am extremely amazed at the magic power of Simon, in that standing you do not recognize your own father. And while our father and our mother and we ourselves wept because of the disaster shared by all of us, Annubion also through sympathy wept with us.

Peter Sends Faustus to Antioch

18 Then Peter promised to us to restore the shape of our father, and he said to him: Faustus, you heard how matters stand with us. When, therefore, the deceptive shape that covers you has been useful to us, and you have assisted us in doing what I shall tell you to do, then, once you have carried out my commands, I will restore your true form. And when my father said, I shall do everything that is in my power most willingly; only restore to my own people my own form; Peter answered, You yourself heard with your own ears how those who went before me came back from Antioch, and said that Simon had been there, and had strongly excited the crowds against me by calling me a magician and a murderer, a deceiver and a trickster, to such an extent that all the people there were eager to taste my flesh. Then do as I tell you. You will leave Clement with me, and you will go before us into Antioch with your wife, and your sons Faustinus and Faustinianus. And some others will accompany you whom I consider capable of advancing my plan. 19 When you are with these in Antioch, while you look like Simon, proclaim publicly your repentance, saying, 'I Simon proclaim this to you: I confess that all my statements about Peter are utterly false; for he is not a deceiver, nor a murderer, nor a trickster; nor are any of the evil things true which I, urged on by anger, said previously about him. I myself therefore beg of you, I who have been the cause of your hatred to him, stop hating him; for he is the true apostle of the true Prophet that was sent by God for the salvation of the world. So also I advise you to believe what he preaches; for if you do not, your whole city will be utterly destroyed. Now I wish you to know for what reason I have made this confession to you. This night angels of God whipped me, the irreverent one, terribly, because I am an enemy to the herald of the truth. I beg you, therefore, do not listen to me, even if I myself should come at another time and attempt to say anything against Peter. For I confess to you I am a magician, I am a deceiver, I am a trickster. Yet perhaps it is possible for me by repentance to wipe out the sins which were formerly committed by me.' 20 When Peter suggested this, my father said: I know what you want; so take no trouble. For certainly I shall take good care, when I reach that place, to make such statements about you as I ought to make. And Peter again suggested: When, then, you perceive the city changing from its hatred of me, and longing to see me, send information to me of this, and I shall come to you immediately. And when I arrive there, that same day I shall remove the strange shape which now covers you, and I shall make your own unmistakably visible to your own people and to all others. Saying this, he sent his sons, my brothers, and our mother Mattidia along with him; and he also commanded some of his more intimate acquaintances to accompany him. But my mother was unwilling to go with him, and said: I seem to be an adulteress if I associate with the shape of Simon; but if I am forced to go along with him, it is impossible for me to recline on the same couch with him! But I do not know if I shall be persuaded to go along with him. And while she was very unwilling to go, Annubion urged her, saying: Believe me and Peter, and the very voice itself, that this is Faustus your husband, whom I love no less than you do. And I myself will go along with him. When Annubion said this, our mother promised to go with him. 21 But Peter said: God arranges our affairs in a very satisfactory way; for we have with us Annubion the astrologer. For when we arrive at Antioch, he will in future speak about astrological destiny, giving us his genuine opinions as a friend. Now when, after midnight, our father hurried with those whom Peter had ordered to go along with him and with Annubion to Antioch, which was near, early next day, before Peter went out to speak, Appion and Athenodorus, who had escorted Simon, returned to Laodicea in search of our father. But Peter, learning this, urged them to enter. And when they came in and sat down, and said, Where is Faustus? Peter answered: We do not know; for since the evening, when he went to you, he has not been seen by his family. But yesterday morning Simon came in search of him; and when we made no reply to him, something seemed to come over him, for he called himself Faustus; but not being believed, he wept and lamented, and threatened to kill himself, and then rushed out in the direction of the sea. 22 When Appion and those who were with him heard this, they howled and lamented, saying: Why did you not receive him? And when at the same time Athenodorus wished to say to me, It was Faustus, your father; Appion spoke before him, and said, We learned from someone that Simon, finding him, urged him to go along with him, Faustus himself begging him, since he did not wish to see his sons after they had become Jews. And hearing this, we came, for his own sake, in search of him. But since he is not here, it is clear that the person who gave us the information we passed on to you spoke the truth. And I Clement, perceiving the design of Peter, that he wished to arouse their suspicion that he intended to look out among them for the old man, so that they might become afraid and flee, assisted in his design, and said to Appion: Listen to me, my dearest Appion. We were eager to give him what we ourselves considered good, because he is our father. But if he himself did not wish to receive it, but, on the contrary, fled from us in horror, I shall make a somewhat harsh remark, 'Nor do we care for him.' And when I said this, they went away, as if irritated by my harshness; and, as we learn next day, they went to Judæa following Simon.

News Arrives from Antioch

23 Now, when ten days had passed, one of our people came from our father to tell us how our father appeared publicly in the shape of Simon, accusing him; and how by praising Peter he had made the whole city of Antioch long for him: and because of this, all said that they were eager to see him, and that some were angry with him because they thought he was Simon, because of their overwhelming love for Peter, and wished to seize Faustus, believing he was Simon. So he, fearing that he might be put to death, had sent to request Peter to come immediately if he wished to meet him alive, and to appear to the city at the proper time, when it was at the height of its longing for him. Peter, hearing this, called the crowd together to deliberate, and appointed one of his attendants bishop; and having remained three days in Laodicea baptizing and healing, he hurried to the neighboring city of Antioch. Amen.